[questfor4Kcom]

I have been going nuts trying to get legitimate 4K retail discs on a player that I like and there are so many issues:

• Xbox (either of the last 2 generations with a disc drive) would play discs fine, but it is obvious the kodi build is crippled as it has the same compatibility of the built in player.
  
• Any ryzen processor works with third party software decoding which freezes and crashes constantly. PowerDVD will not install due to lack of SGX drm.
  
• ASrock will not work even though it is claimed on product sheet. I have a intel with a Z390 board that has HDMI 1.4 !!!
  
• I even tried android or a Pi 4b with the LG Bluray external which is now discounted. I could not get it to work with the walkthroughs on kodi add-ons.
  
• Do not get me started on 4K disc players. They always have some flaw or will not play certain old or rare file formats. Not with a proper KODI release! The best standalone disc players are supposed to be $500 - $1,000. This is unacceptable to me.
  

In short I am very aggravated that I have to resort to piracy just to use an official release that I actually paid for. I know I can stream it in 4K, but it is still a substandard release to a steelbook that looks awesome. So my question is simple:

Why Does Nobody Make A Open Source 4K Disc Player Based On KODI?
Am I ignorant and one already exists? Remember the key is to have a 4K Retail disc player with proper media compatibility and a full kodi option if you wanted to install add-ons, etc.

[Klojum]

the best standalone disc players are supposed to be $500 - $1,000. This is unacceptable to me.

So, based on your vast experience, what would the MSRP of an open-source 4K disc player be, knowing that open-source software is typically free of charge?

Your investigation must already have taken at least a couple of years (seeing your Z390 dealings) thus you had plenty of time to come up with a representative price tag. Bare in mind, quality components do cost serious money.

[questfor4Kcom]

What I am getting at is someone uploading the beta firmware and gerber files (on torrents if necessary) so you can just upload and bye from a professional company. It cannot be anywhere near $500-$1,000.

[noggin]

I have been going nuts trying to get legitimate 4K retail discs on a player that I like and there are so many issues:

• Xbox (either of the last 2 generations with a disc drive) would play discs fine, but it is obvious the kodi build is crippled as it has the same compatibility of the built in player.
  
• Any ryzen processor works with third party software decoding which freezes and crashes constantly. PowerDVD will not install due to lack of SGX drm.
  
• ASrock will not work even though it is claimed on product sheet. I have a intel with a Z390 board that has HDMI 1.4 !!!
  
• I even tried android or a Pi 4b with the LG Bluray external which is now discounted. I could not get it to work with the walkthroughs on kodi add-ons.
  
• Do not get me started on 4K disc players. They always have some flaw or will not play certain old or rare file formats. Not with a proper KODI release! The best standalone disc players are supposed to be $500 - $1,000. This is unacceptable to me.
  

In short I am very aggravated that I have to resort to piracy just to use an official release that I actually paid for. I know I can stream it in 4K, but it is still a substandard release to a steelbook that looks awesome. So my question is simple:

Why Does Nobody Make A Open Source 4K Disc Player Based On KODI?
Am I ignorant and one already exists? Remember the key is to have a 4K Retail disc player with proper media compatibility and a full kodi option if you wanted to install add-ons, etc.

Are you intentionally ignoring purchasing your UHD BD discs and ripping them losslessly for playback from files rather than spinning disc?  I know in some regions to do so would potentially be illegal, whilst in other territories it's more likely to be allowed under fair usage legislation.

I guess making an Open Source UHD BD player with full support for all discs would be such a legal minefield and offer next-to-no reward for a HUGE amount of hardware design effort (developing and designing, then prototyping PCBs and iterating designs is very not-cheap) that nobody is that committed to doing so.  

If you want to play discs from discs, use a UHD BD player. If you want to play discs from files, rip them on a PC (if legal in your country) and play them as files from local storage, NAS etc. using any of the UHD HDR playback solutions (CoreElec on AMLogic is popular, but some Intel platforms have some support, as does LibreElec on the latest Pi - though there are still 4:2:0 vs 4:2:2 vs RGB and 8-bit truncation issues to consider in some cases )

[questfor4Kcom]

I know it is odd but in my mind ripping the files is like a camcoder copy. I have not ripped files to disc for over a decade. I keep thinking of some of the issues I remember; video stutter on certain DVD player's if I did more than 2 passes on video encoding, Blade house of cython, that idiotic Sony Will Ferrel that would not even work on Sony players even if it was original disc (I think it was called Failure to Launch), all the other unique copy protection or bad sectors, etc. I just thought somebody would have done this.
I am just aggravated with the level of 4K disc players. I bought a Panasonic with a disc drive that did not even work, and a Sony player that would not play the majority of my local video files. I returned them both.
Thank you for clarifying as I will no longer ask this question.
And also thank you of course for KODI. I have been with it since the Xbox media center days and man did you guys come through! Thanks again.

[noggin]

I know it is odd but in my mind ripping the files is like a camcoder copy. I have not ripped files to disc for over a decade. I keep thinking of some of the issues I remember; video stutter on certain DVD player's if I did more than 2 passes on video encoding, Blade house of cython, that idiotic Sony Will Ferrel that would not even work on Sony players even if it was original disc (I think it was called Failure to Launch), all the other unique copy protection or bad sectors, etc. I just thought somebody would have done this.
I am just aggravated with the level of 4K disc players. I bought a Panasonic with a disc drive that did not even work, and a Sony player that would not play the majority of my local video files. I returned them both.
Thank you for clarifying as I will no longer ask this question.
And also thank you of course for KODI. I have been with it since the Xbox media center days and man did you guys come through! Thanks again.

You misunderstand me - I'm not talking about re-encoding your rips - you keep the same encodes that are on the disc and mastered by the disc authoring house - the video is identical in quality to the disc because it's the exact same video and audio encodes that are being played - just not from disc.  I think you may be confusing 'ripping' with 're-encoding'/'transcoding' ?  

I'm not talking about ripping and then transcoding/re-encoding - just copying the data from the disc to file-based storage.

I have all my DVDs, HD BDs and now many of my UHD BDs ripped losslessly to server storage (either as ISOs or Folders), so I can play my library in identical quality to the original disc, but without having to play back from optical media every time I want to watch that content. 

This works fine up to HDR10 UHD BD stuff - it does get trickier with Dolby Vision stuff (though there are disc-less players that will handle those rips - just not within Kodi)

Re-encoding IS an option of course, and many people will do this to reduce storage space requirements, or to have copies that can play on mobile devices like tablets or phones - but it's perfectly possible to retain the full quality of the original disc with a lossless rip.

[questfor4Kcom]

I was referring to ripping the iso disc or raw decrypted files, no encoding of any kind. I have not even tried ripping software since anydvd kept changing changing their name and not giving their lifetime license customers a new license. I looked into this after not being able to buy a PS5 or new xbox, but I am just going to bute the bullet, buy a 4K player and stop complaining.
Yum Yum Yum. I only ingest what the media companies will let me, when they want it and how they want it. HAHAHA!

[noggin]

I was referring to ripping the iso disc or raw decrypted files, no encoding of any kind. I have not even tried ripping software since anydvd kept changing changing their name and not giving their lifetime license customers a new license. I looked into this after not being able to buy a PS5 or new xbox, but I am just going to bute the bullet, buy a 4K player and stop complaining.
Yum Yum Yum. I only ingest what the media companies will let me, when they want it and how they want it. HAHAHA!

You mentioned 2-passes on video encoding?  That's not lossless ripping?

I guess I was lucky with my AnyDVD HD lifetime deal - it's been honoured and continues to work fine.

[questfor4Kcom]

               "You mentioned 2-passes on video encoding?  That's not lossless ripping?"

No. For example, Stewie griffen the untold story would have odd video stuttering that would only go away on certain DVD players if you did 2 pass encoding. I forgot what it was exactly. I think I remember arguing with the DVD rebuilder author and he said I was wrong, I don't clearly remember what. This is why I would want to play from discs and not rip them to storage, just to avoid any unknown new copy protection or minor imperfections like incompatibility.
Optimal for me would be the following:

• A blu ray player with a replaceable SATA blu ray drive.
  
• A native video player that can play anything that kodi can, OGM video files for example.
  
• Room to put a hard drive and be recognized as storage.
  
• The ability to run Kodi, Roku TV, or Android in their own separate virtual machine environments.
  
• Possible input of DVD Burner to make it burn discs, I think someone did that with the original xbox 
  

This is to much to hope for considering how difficult the movie industry makes it to enjoy retail content.

[noggin]

               "You mentioned 2-passes on video encoding?  That's not lossless ripping?"

No. For example, Stewie griffen the untold story would have odd video stuttering that would only go away on certain DVD players if you did 2 pass encoding. I forgot what it was exactly. I think I remember arguing with the DVD rebuilder author and he said I was wrong, I don't clearly remember what. This is why I would want to play from discs and not rip them to storage, just to avoid any unknown new copy protection or minor imperfections like incompatibility.

Why would you be playing ripped DVDs on a DVD player? Surely you'd play them in Kodi, VLC or something similar? I always found commercial DVD and BD playback software on PCs dismally bad - so if you were using something like that I can understand the issue.

Seamless branching caused issues on some releases at some point ISTR - and 3D MVC support in ISOs was quite tricky (due to the h264 core stream being effectively mapped in to two different files for 2D and 3D compatibility in some cases ISTR)

I've had no issues with a couple of hundred DVDs and BDs that I've ripped - though I always give my discs a quick microfibre polish before ripping, and have a couple of decent drives that don't have RipLock enabled. I only re-encode for playback on devices like tablets where the native ripped content is too large or in a codec (VC-1 for example) that is challenging.

[scv1]

               "You mentioned 2-passes on video encoding?  That's not lossless ripping?"

No. For example, Stewie griffen the untold story would have odd video stuttering that would only go away on certain DVD players if you did 2 pass encoding. I forgot what it was exactly. I think I remember arguing with the DVD rebuilder author and he said I was wrong, I don't clearly remember what. This is why I would want to play from discs and not rip them to storage, just to avoid any unknown new copy protection or minor imperfections like incompatibility.
Optimal for me would be the following:

• A blu ray player with a replaceable SATA blu ray drive.
  
• A native video player that can play anything that kodi can, OGM video files for example.
  
• Room to put a hard drive and be recognized as storage.
  
• The ability to run Kodi, Roku TV, or Android in their own separate virtual machine environments.
  
• Possible input of DVD Burner to make it burn discs, I think someone did that with the original xbox 
  

This is to much to hope for considering how difficult the movie industry makes it to enjoy retail content.

The minute you mention x number of passes you're encoding, transcoding, or otherwise converting the video from the original rip.  If you use MakeMKV and rip movie only with no compression and choice of audio track or tracks, it will be the same that you would see playing the disc.  I'll caveat that by saying there are probably some small differences in processing between a disc player and media player like a Shield that would be supposedly perceptible to some, probably the same group that swears they hear a difference between a device vs a receiver decoding the audio track.  For the $500 or more you quote, you can probably score 2 WD EasyStore 12TB drives on sale and and a dual enclosure to shuck them and place them in.  BTW, what you're asking for in your list above exists, it's called a Windows HTPC with proper software to decode DRM, and some time spent on configuring the OS and applications. 

You also mention OGM and "rare" file formats.  Not to be rude or snarky, but if you're concerned about playback, why would a) you save a file in a fairly uncommon format or b) not convert a copy to something a little more supported on players?
As for your ASRock board, if you didn't get what you paid for why didn't you return it for something that would work, or complain to your local consumer protection agency? 

If you happen to come across the random movie that does have some unique protection, somebody else most likely has also.  Give it a day or two, and the apps will be updated to handle the new problem and you'll be on your way.  If all else fails, hoist up the digital Jolly Roger and start sailing the high cyber-seas.

[Edworld]

I always give my discs a quick microfibre polish before ripping, and have a couple of decent drives that don't have RipLock enabled. I only re-encode for playback on devices like tablets where the native ripped content is too large or in a codec (VC-1 for example) that is challenging.

What product do you use to do the polish?

[scv1]

I've always just used the spray from the eye doctors to clean glasses.  A spritz on a disc and wipe off with microfibre and let it air dry for a second or two( probably not needed).  As a aside note, if you have relatively fine scratches on a disc that cause skipping, try using a fresh microfibre cloth and plain generic white toothpaste - the non-gritty stuff. So obviously taste a little first.  But a light polish with that can actually fill in the hairline scratches and make them readable again.  I didn't believe the engineer who told me that until I saw it, and I wouldn't expect anyone to believe it without seeing it but it can allow a disc to be read.

[noggin]

I always give my discs a quick microfibre polish before ripping, and have a couple of decent drives that don't have RipLock enabled. I only re-encode for playback on devices like tablets where the native ripped content is too large or in a codec (VC-1 for example) that is challenging.

What product do you use to do the polish?

I just use a mist of tap water and a fine microfibre cloth.