[plug] DVD ROM

[Richard Meyer]

----- Forwarded by Richard Meyer/Australia/Contr/IBM on 03/07/2003 08:00 AM
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                      Craig Ringer                                                                                                   
                      <craig at postnewspap        To:       plug at plug.linux.org.au                                                     
                      ers.com.au>               cc:                                                                                  
                                                Subject:  Re: [plug] DVD ROM                                                         
                      02/07/2003 03:22                                                                                               
                      PM                                                                                                             
                      Please respond to                                                                                              
                      plug                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                     




>>  When it comes to DVD ROMs are there any hardware compatibility problems
with respect to Linux I should >beware of?  (Sony, LG, LiteOn etc.). Any
advise or comment would be appreciated.

>There are no issues I'm aware of with the use of DVD-ROMs under linux
>for CD, data DVD or unencrypted video DVD media.

>If you want to be able to handle encrypted DVD video media, it's a bit
>of a PITA thanks to the DVDCCA's attitude. It doesn't usually matter
>what DVD-ROM you get (though one with an RPC-1 firmware hack availble is
>  nice), you just have to battle software a bit to get DVD playback
>going. Mplayer does a good job.

>If you just want a CD-ROM replacement, then a DVD-ROM is a fine choice.

>Craig Ringer

Got to agree, a DVD player is probably just a straight dropin replacement
for a CDROM. As for compatibility, I have a Liteon in one machine and a
no-name brand in another machine - both work perfectly with CD's and DVD's
- booting and everything. One advantage is that plenty of magazines come
with free DVD's now (alright Linux Format does), and the convenience and
extra software available is very useful.

RichardM

BTW - if you're running SuSE, it likes to create a link from /media/dvd to
the device also.