How to watch encrypted DVDs in Ubuntu?

This is one of the questions people often ask me when they are trying Ubuntu for the first time. For in Ubuntu, unlike in Linux Mint (one reasons why I recommend Linux Mint for those who new to GNU/Linux), watching encrypted DVDs doesn’t work right out of the box. This is because this feature is a part of the package repository Medibuntu (Multimedia, Entertainment & Distractions In Ubuntu) that isn’t included into the Ubuntu distribution for legal reasons (copyright, license, patent, etc).

I’m just going into show you how to install the package that let you play encrypted DVDs and not how to add the Medibuntu repository (but if you want to you cant read about how to do that here: Medibuntu.

The GUI Way

1. Open Synaptic (System >Administration > Synaptic Package Manager ) or Ubuntu Software Centre if you’re using Ubuntu 10.04 (Applications -> Ubuntu Software Centre)
2. Search for ubuntu-restricted-extras (Ubuntu users), kubuntu-restricted-extras (Kubuntu users) or xubuntu-restricted-extras (Xubuntu users) and install this package
3. Then search for the package named libdvdcss2 and install it
4. You should now be able to watch encrypted DVDs on your system :) If you didn’t find libdvdcss2 try the Terminal Way’s step

The Terminal Way:

1. Open the Terminal:
   Ubuntu: Applications > Accessories > Terminal
   Kubuntu: KMenu > System > Terminal Program (Konsole)
   Xubuntu: Applications menu -> System -> Terminal
2. Install Ubuntu Restricted Extras with this command:
   Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
   Kubuntu: sudo apt-get install kubuntu-restricted-extras
   Xubuntu: sudo apt-get install xubuntu-restricted-extras
3. Then install try to install libdvdcss2 with the command sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 if it didn’t work try the command below that’s matching your system (if you don’t know which one, try the one for i386).
   i386:
   1. wget -c http://packages.medibuntu.org/pool/free/libd/libdvdcss/libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu4_i386.deb
   2. sudo dpkg -i libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu4_i386.deb

   amd64:

   1. wget -c http://packages.medibuntu.org/pool/free/libd/libdvdcss/libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu4_amd64.deb
   2. sudo dpkg -i libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu4_amd64.deb

   PowerPC:

   1. wget -c http://packages.medibuntu.org/pool/free/libd/libdvdcss/libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu2_powerpc.deb
   2. sudo dpkg -i libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu2_powerpc.deb
4. And there! You should now be able to watch encrypted DVDs!

And in case someone is wondering: I recommend using VLC for watching DVDs in Ubuntu (you can find it in Synaptic and Ubuntu Software Centre or you can just install it by using this command: sudo apt-get install vlc).