Homebrew libusbdvd

[proconsule54]

@voddy helps a LOT! For the bd drive is for sure power problem, use a dock with a usb-a usb-c cable and should work

 

[voddy]

Okay i found a dock that had enough power and the dvd Drive was recognized - (i did that to verify it works in general)
The bluray drive spins and reads the disc without power loss but it only shows the title of the app - it doesnt work out of the box sadly.

@voddy helps a LOT! For the bd drive is for sure power problem, use a dock with a usb-a usb-c cable and should work

 

[proconsule54]

Very close to CSS decryption, hope to share more info soon!

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2025

If someone can comment so my next post will not be merged thanks

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2025

Seems like i have done it!

now i will test it against NXMP and if video is showing dvd playback is ok (need many other things but CSS is gone)

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2025

Working, video/audio working, CSS defeated

 

[proconsule54]

The DeCSS will be a transparent one, all is done under the hood, dvd will appear as an unprotected one. It descramble only the scrambled sectors, dvd video playback is smooth with no glitches.

Maybe i will write a proper dvd playback app since on video dvd there are many things to do (dvd nav, controls and so on)

 

[mathew77]

Maybe i will write a proper dvd playback app since on video dvd there are many things to do (dvd nav, controls and so on)

Wow, super nice!.. Can't wait to play proper DVD Player Games on a Switch in native!!!

 

[lisreal2401]

can only test CD/DVD but can confirm CSS is working on my end - ejecting leaves a residual CSS and region marker, assuming a bug. Nice work so far!

 

[proconsule54]

Working, preparing interface (icons and so on). take some time. But DVD playback is ok

 

[voddy]

awsome! I m looking forward to another Update

 

[proconsule54]

Correct DVD Video parsing (chapters, time, subs,audiotracks) in theory will be parsed and managed by mpv, the realty is that mpv parse dvd like shit! Yes who use mpv for playing a dvd nowdays? Noone, but i need it so i have two options, making a decoding engine around libdvdnav/libdvdread and ffmpeg or hack a bit the use of mpv.
The first option is the best one in terms of results, it gives option to do dvd menus and so on and a perfect dvd experience (vlc afaik is the only one that show dvd menus) but it takes huge ammount of time also considering porting the hw decoding part outside mpv (also the av sync is a nightmare)
The second option is what i will use for the first release, i will parse all the titles info with dvdread and ignore what mpv tells to me, then i will force options to mpv (time whre to start playback, what idx use for audio) and so on.

I will update with more info soon

Post automatically merged: Sep 3, 2025

Near for a first release (don't expect a full featured dvd video player, but for viewing a movie for sure is more than enough)
The "glitchs" is me that seeking to reach "no easy way out" song. (seek is not that bad)

Post automatically merged: Sep 4, 2025

Things goes well, all is working as expected, i will release it along with library with css in the weekend! Enjoy!

 

[voddy]

nice - thanks - looking forward to it.

 

[proconsule54]

First test version if someone want to try it out
It works well on my Blu Ray drive fail on my very cheap dvd drive (for Commercial DVD)

https://mega.nz/file/Hgk20B4J#eAGpQEITjydT_sFUDmXOla-NkV98VUCJx2alfm8xZZA

Sometimes dvd keys gets cracked in 3/4 seconds sometimes need a minute it depends on dvd disc and drive.

Post automatically merged: Sep 5, 2025

already working on next version (the first on github i think).

will be support for VCD/SVCD and Blu-ray (unprotected but already working)

Post automatically merged: Sep 5, 2025

aacs cannot be bruteforced like css (can took days) but with a valid keyfile (dig on the net) can be used quite simply

 

[impeeza]

First test version if someone want to try it out
It works well on my Blu Ray drive fail on my very cheap dvd drive (for Commercial DVD)

https://mega.nz/file/Hgk20B4J#eAGpQEITjydT_sFUDmXOla-NkV98VUCJx2alfm8xZZA

Sometimes dvd keys gets cracked in 3/4 seconds sometimes need a minute it depends on dvd disc and drive.

Post automatically merged: Sep 5, 2025

already working on next version (the first on github i think).

will be support for VCD/SVCD and Blu-ray (unprotected but already working)

Post automatically merged: Sep 5, 2025

aacs cannot be bruteforced like css (can took days) but with a valid keyfile (dig on the net) can be used quite simply

Are the AACS key 16 bytes long with CRC32 of E1EB9EC1?

 

[proconsule54]

Yeah, but i saw all software (like vlc) uses key db so it decryption is realtime

Post automatically merged: Sep 6, 2025

Noone tried it? No feedback?

 

[voddy]

Yeah, but i saw all software (like vlc) uses key db so it decryption is realtime

Post automatically merged: Sep 6, 2025

Noone tried it? No feedback?

Sorry - was pretty busy recently.

I tried the following movies:
Butterfly Effect 3 (PAL) Region 2 -> worked after some tries (I rechecked the disc and it has some scratches.. maybe that's the problem. took super long to find the keys ... the first few times it said "unknown disc" or crashed right away.
Solo Leveling Region Free (I guess?) -> worked
Gulliver's Reisen (PAL) -> Region 2)-> worked after some tries
Familiy Guy Season 9 Disc 1 (PAL) -> worked, but German audio didn't lol)
Frau mit Hund sucht Mann mit Herz (PAL) -> Region 2 - older Movie -> works
Untote wie wir (PAL) -> took several reruns. a lot of error screens and a lot of black screens without any feedback. After a lot of reruns and retries it could read the Keys eventually. It took around 2 Minutes (while it only shows a black screen) until it finally showed the key and it was able to play the disc. After that the Movie played without any problem or hiccups at all.

the unknown Disc Movies crashed my switch (First there was a black screen, then a white screen and afterwards an atmosphere error screen. This happens too, when you press "+" Button while the DVD is being read

Some problems occurred though:
Play/Pause doesn't work? (there's a play button but no pause button switch)
Language selection works partially -> it did work for most movies but sometimes German was not supported.

But in total it is pretty awesome! and works fantastic. It even looks pretty neat. even fast forward and stuff like that is amazingly smooth. It sadly doesnt load menus and adverts of an original disc (which is not too bad but sometimes it's nice to use menus too haha). It took around 12-13 seconds to get a key of a dvd and play it.

So in total:
every disc I tried worked. Some discs took some tries or it took a big amount of time to get the key to playback (which only shows a black screen during that time). Almost every function works nicely and I really like that app you wrote :o

Great work!


Ah btw i tried an Audio Disc - it resulted in an Instant Atmosphere Error screen :o

 

[proconsule54]

Thanks a lot, some issue you found are already fixed in new version i am working on, also key caching will be present so no more long key finding timeout, i will release soon on github both app and library.
Thanks a lot for the testing!

Post automatically merged: Sep 8, 2025

I dont know how much this project is useful for the community, but i am very proud of this early result.
It need a lot of work but it runs quite good for dvd. The code is a bit messy but i think is ready for release (beside some italian word on the code somewhere)
The most important thing for me if you all want to help me is screenshots of test program so i can do an extended compatility list of drives.
Hope you all enjoy my effort!

 

[proconsule54]

https://github.com/proconsule/libusbdvd/releases/tag/0.1.0

libusbdvd 0.1.0

Big changes deserve a minor number upgrage!

• CSS Support (Commercial DVD now works)
• UDF 2.60 fixes (Bluray works but support is not 100%)
• AACS Flag added to usbdvd context for future usage

Know Issues:
Library is tested on all drives i can get hands on but some drives may not work or works but not for CSS DVD, i need to test more drives

Enjoy!

PS: nx-laserplayer will be released quite soon

Edit:
Released

P

Homebrew  Thread 'nx-laserplayer'

Sep 9, 2025

Nintendo Switch Video Player for Optical Disc (CD/DVD/BD)

Thanks to https://github.com/proconsule/libusbdvd it features:

- DVD Video playback (supporting Commercial DVD-Video)
- Blu-ray playback (AACSv1 Only)
- SVCD playback
- VCD playback

Thanks to averne https://github.com/averne/mpv it features:

- MPEG2 HW Decoder
- H264 HW Decoder
- H265 HW Decoder (with HDR support)

You need an external optical drive connected via USB to the Switch, a dock with good power supply is needed since usb optical drives have high power spikes...

• proconsule54
• Replies: 96
• Forum: Nintendo Switch

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https://github.com/proconsule/nx-laserplayer
https://github.com/proconsule/nx-laserplayer/releases

 

[Badablek]

thanks @proconsule54

some tests on my TS8XDVDS with libusbdvd 0.1.0 :

• Audio CD : OK
• DVD (data) : OK
• DVD (CSS) : OK

and with nx-laserplayer 0.0.1 :

• CSS DVD (movie) : works (the adjustment bureau)
• CSS DVD (TV show) : crashes if I try to play it (Scrubs)

I had some crashes at first try...I don't know why, but now, CSS seems to be "jailbroken" in less than 3 seconds...I will try some bunch of movies, to see if everything's fine.
(ps : changing language causes some funny fast forwarding)

I will try with my new portable BD writer as soon as possible, but it draws more power than my DVD drive...and switch dock does not deliver enough power
I'll have to find a USB C to USB A adapter to inject more current

 

[proconsule54]

Thanks a lot for the testing, sorry for some bugs here and there but is early version of both lib and app. Happy to see CSS working on your side since was a critic task

Post automatically merged: Sep 10, 2025

Some dvd may require lotnof time for css decrytion, but css key cache will help from the second time you play it

 

[proconsule54]

Find out a bug that prevents some dvd and often bluray to not work as expected, now all dvd disc should work and all unprotected bluray should work.
I will release soon both libs an nx-laserplayer

 

[voddy]

i really need to find a working bluray disc drive for that