BluRay Remuxes, BDMV folders, & BluRay disk playback

[mimzy]

Well, MakeMKV most importantly decrypts the disc. You cannot play m2ts files directly, because they are encrypted...

VLC can play the disc if it has the database with correct encryption keys, but I'm not sure that anybody bothered implementing the menus. Edit: according to DreamScape ^ some menus actually work.

deadman once posted some interesting details at https://www.first-loves.com/forums/view ... 95#p119195

[Night457]

Oh yeah, that thread with the posts that melted my fragile little mind for its inability to keep up...

Well, MakeMKV most importantly decrypts the disc. You cannot play m2ts files directly, because they are encrypted...

VLC can play the disc if it has the database with correct encryption keys, but I'm not sure that anybody bothered implementing the menus.

"Encryption keys", yeah, that is what I read about before somewhere when I tried to solve the problem on my own! I could not figure out how to install the keys to make the BDMV playable.

I have seen more and more BDMVs on torrents, perhaps because I learned to look in the correct places. I assumed perhaps wrongly that the experienced file sharers removed encryption before they made the files public, because by ripping BluRay disks in the first place they proved their software and hardware is beyond mine. But if the BDMVs are not decrypted, what is the point of it? What is someone supposed to DO with downloaded but encrypted disks? If they can not be played as a disk but can only be ripped to MKV, why not do that in the first place? Or is it expected that the downloaders have some premium software that can do anything, and anyone else need not apply? Is this the obvious answer that I have avoided accepting?

[mimzy]

I assume that the BluRays that are shared on torrents are already decrypted. As the other thread demonstrated, it's difficult if not impossible to decrypt the files without having the physical disc.

But it would be great if someone knowledgeable could explain the whole thing in simple words.

[Night457]

I assume that the BluRays that are shared on torrents are already decrypted.

That is what I have assumed, but I could be wrong. All I know for sure is that of the ones I have downloaded, I have only been able to view the whole video contents by using MakeMKV. The next BDMV I have, I will review the suggestions of DreamScape and deadman.

But it would be great if someone knowledgeable could explain the whole thing in simple words.

You use perfectly clear language when you try to explain any number of things to me, but sometimes it just refuses to get through my thick skull. The problem is likely in my head or in the concepts, and not necessarily the explanations.

[mimzy]

In this case I simply don't know enough and I don't have enough motivation to research. I have few bluray discs, but it is easier to download rips than to figure out how to play the discs

[Moonee]

So, what's a BD remux anyway?

Direct copy of the video from the blu-ray disc. No reduction in quality.

So, what's a BD remux anyway?

If you download a full bluray disc the video files are all inside a folder labeled BDMV, in the STREAM subdirectory. They're in the .m2ts format. You can identify the main movie easily enough - it's the biggest file. It can be anywhere between 15 GB and 40 GB depending on the disc.

There are two basic types of bluray rip. One is a re-encode, where the video and audio are re-encoded and compressed to a smaller size. Those 8-10 GB files you see everywhere are re-encoded so the picture and sound (while still very good) are not the same quality as the original bluray.

The remux is simply the original .m2ts file repackaged as an .mkv. In practice you usually open one of the playlists on the disc but you can simply open the movie file in a matroska editor and save it with an .mkv file extension. There. That's a remux. You haven't done anything to the audio or video - it's almost exactly the same size as the original .m2ts, there's a very small size difference caused by the change in container format but the video and audio streams are unchanged, same quality as the disc itself. That's why the remuxes are so big.

I thought I replied back but i guess i didn't, thank you for answering my question both of you!

[deadman]

Hmm. I recall PowerDVD and such as being programs you had to pay for.

I had an early version of PowerDVD (before bluray) as part of the software bundle that came with the computer i got for college. Alright, so definitely not free. But you could always get a version that was cracked or came with a keygen to provide valid activation codes. I just can't find any of the versions that could allegedly play a bluray disc like a DVD, allowing you to navigate the menus and so forth. Studios did a really thorough job scrubbing them out of existence.

If anyone knows of a media player that can do this, and is accessible, please let us know!

[Sue04]

If anyone knows of a media player that can do this, and is accessible, please let us know!

Try VLC, not the best but wide compatibility, can support most DVD/BD menus and programs.

[deadman]

If anyone knows of a media player that can do this, and is accessible, please let us know!

Try VLC, not the best but wide compatibility, can support most DVD/BD menus and programs.

You're right, just downloaded the most recent version of VLC and it does load the bluray menu. Thanks!

Guess the industry finally gave up its nonsensical opposition to allowing this functionality. Note that 4K blurays still don't work. Not sure if this is more of the same, or the result of some format difference that's not immediately apparent from the folder structure (which looks identical to 1080p discs).

Update: After trying various discs it seems like certain ones won't load, I get an error message about Java support and it plays without menus. So some 4K blurays may work after all. I don't have many to test. I'm not that fond of VLC's control scheme but keep it on my system so I have options if something won't work in my player of choice.

[Sue04]

Guess the industry finally gave up its nonsensical opposition to allowing this functionality. Note that 4K blurays still don't work. Not sure if this is more of the same, or the result of some format difference that's not immediately apparent from the folder structure (which looks identical to 1080p discs).

Update: After trying various discs it seems like certain ones won't load, I get an error message about Java support and it plays without menus. So some 4K blurays may work after all. I don't have many to test. I'm not that fond of VLC's control scheme but keep it on my system so I have options if something won't work in my player of choice.

I don't know, maybe read these or search or report your questions:
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=166510
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=166649

I agree that VLC isn't handy in some ways, but it does offer a wide compatibility, especially as free open source software. In this field, we usually don’t have much choice, and some expensive subscription software may do better.