Blu ray drive disabled

[curlyben]

This is a question more out of curiosity than a current problem...
A few years ago I was ripping some BRs (Harry Potter if I remember correctly). One failed to rip with MakeMKV and after trying the disc wouldn't show up in Windows Explorer. Then a bunch of other BRs weren't detected, even ones which I had previously ripped without problem. Maybe hardware failure, right? So I used my laptop and had the same problem. Maybe it's some Windows gremlin? Nope, same effect in Linux.
I may have got some details wrong, it was a few years ago, but I'm just curious to know if anyone else has run into a similar issue. I've avoided using Harry Potter Blu rays in my PC since though!

[PhysicalMediaNut]

Originally Posted by curlyben

This is a question more out of curiosity than a current problem...
A few years ago I was ripping some BRs (Harry Potter if I remember correctly). One failed to rip with MakeMKV and after trying the disc wouldn't show up in Windows Explorer. Then a bunch of other BRs weren't detected, even ones which I had previously ripped without problem. Maybe hardware failure, right? So I used my laptop and had the same problem. Maybe it's some Windows gremlin? Nope, same effect in Linux.
I may have got some details wrong, it was a few years ago, but I'm just curious to know if anyone else has run into a similar issue. I've avoided using Harry Potter Blu rays in my PC since though!

I believe makemkv has an active forum for these kinds of questions.

[HDTV1080P]

Why are there so many posts over the last few months about people trying to break the encryption on 4K Blu-ray or standard Blu-ray and copying the movie to one’s computer hard drive or blank optical disc? While one is allowed to make a fair use backup copy of something they own, in many countries its illegal to break the encryption on the 4K Blu-ray or standard Blu-ray (before a copy is made the encryption is broken unless the managed copy feature is authorized by the studio).

It might be time for the Blu-ray Disc Association to mandate a firmware update to all 4K Blu-ray players like Sony, Panasonic, and others with new encryption keys that are secure so that the latest new release 4K Blu-ray discs and standard Blu-ray discs cannot be copied. Only if the studio uses the Managed copy feature on the Blu-ray disc is the fair use copy authorized to be ripped to a hard drive or blank optical disc.

Also, many consumers do not even try and make a backup copy of a 4K Blu-ray disc to their hard drive since its too time consuming and there is too much technical issues that can occur. Making backup copies of standard Blu-ray or DVD on blank optical disc, making labels, and making jackets is time consuming. Another issue is that when one upgrades the original stamped disc by selling it and buying a better version of the movie, then that person sometimes ends up giving the bootlegged copy to someone else instead of destroying the copy for something that they no longer own (one is not allowed to sell the copy). There are many reasons why people should not make copies of store purchased optical discs.

Many consumers have several hundreds and sometimes thousands of bootlegged discs on DVD since DVD is super easy to copy because of the weak encryption and the blank DVD discs only cost around 20 cents in bulk. Therefore, instead of paying $20 for a new release DVD some people get a perfect copy on a 20 cent blank DVD disc when borrowing movies from a friend or a rental discs for around $1.50.

DVD discs have weak encryption and are much easier to copy when compared to 4K Blu-ray discs, but there is legal issues in some countries when using software that breaks encryption. Some consumers copy rental discs and swap discs and do not care and make copies any way since it appears that only law enforcement most of the time only goes after people that sell bootlegged copies of movies. The 5 years in jail and $250,000 fine for selling bootlegged discs is the maximum penalty. Most people get a lesser sentence when caught in the USA selling a massive number of bootleg movies.

[PhysicalMediaNut]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Why are there so many posts over the last few months about people trying to break the encryption on 4K Blu-ray or standard Blu-ray and copying the movie to one’s computer hard drive or blank optical disc? While one is allowed to make a fair use backup copy of something they own, in many countries its illegal to break the encryption on the 4K Blu-ray or standard Blu-ray (before a copy is made the encryption is broken unless the managed copy feature is authorized by the studio).

It might be time for the Blu-ray Disc Association to mandate a firmware update to all 4K Blu-ray players like Sony, Panasonic, and others with new encryption keys that are secure so that the latest new release 4K Blu-ray discs and standard Blu-ray discs cannot be copied. Only if the studio uses the Managed copy feature on the Blu-ray disc is the fair use copy authorized to be ripped to a hard drive or blank optical disc.

Also, many consumers do not even try and make a backup copy of a 4K Blu-ray disc to their hard drive since its too time consuming and there is too much technical issues that can occur. Making backup copies of standard Blu-ray or DVD on blank optical disc, making labels, and making jackets is time consuming. Another issue is that when one upgrades the original stamped disc by selling it and buying a better version of the movie, then that person sometimes ends up giving the bootlegged copy to someone else instead of destroying the copy for something that they no longer own (one is not allowed to sell the copy). There are many reasons why people should not make copies of store purchased optical discs.

Many consumers have several hundreds and sometimes thousands of bootlegged discs on DVD since DVD is super easy to copy because of the weak encryption and the blank DVD discs only cost around 20 cents in bulk. Therefore, instead of paying $20 for a new release DVD some people get a perfect copy on a 20 cent blank DVD disc when borrowing movies from a friend or a rental discs for around $1.50.

DVD discs have weak encryption and are much easier to copy when compared to 4K Blu-ray discs, but there is legal issues in some countries when using software that breaks encryption. Some consumers copy rental discs and swap discs and do not care and make copies any way since it appears that only law enforcement most of the time only goes after people that sell bootlegged copies of movies. The 5 years in jail and $250,000 fine for selling bootlegged discs is the maximum penalty. Most people get a lesser sentence when caught in the USA selling a massive number of bootleg movies.

I think there are a couple of reasons why you are seeing it increase. Firstly, the software to run blu-ray on PCs is not great. Secondly, blu-ray drives are going to be as obsolete as floppy disc drives soon. The obvious alternative is external drives, and they happen to do a good job ripping discs. I’m sure a lot of people these days are getting laptops and PCs that don’t even have a disc drive. Thirdly, people have extra time at home because of Covid. Fourthly, external backup HDD drives can store massive amounts of data now. Fifthly, GPUs are hard to come by so some people are looking for other things to do with their PC when they are bored.

Also, I don’t think people are making backup discs if they are using makemkv. Most people just want the file so they can run it on freeware like VLC.