Weird VLC problem tied to MY MACHINE EXCLUSIVELY (Javascript related)

Question

Weird VLC problem tied to MY MACHINE EXCLUSIVELY (Javascript related)

Hello there.

Recently, I've been looking into playing Blu-Ray disks on an external driver. So, got myself one, downloaded all the files needed on my mid-2012 MacBook Pro, and ran into this little roadblock with VLC (picture below)

It played like garbage.

You might be thinking it's a VLC issue, and does not belong on this forum. Well, I thought so too, until I gave the BD player to another member of the family. I downloaded the same crucial BD compatibility files on their MacBook Air, just as I did for myself, put the same files in the same folders, and ON THEIR LAPTOP, there was no such problem, with smooth playback. Same version of VLC (latest).

This is clearly an issue with my computer only. What could be wrong with Java on my machine? Do I not have it somehow? Do I have the wrong version? Please help.

Posted on Mar 11, 2018 1:15 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 11, 2018 4:43 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

You may need the legacy version.

Download Java for OS X 2017-001

or

Get Java for your Mac - Apple Support

one or the other should work.

But I already have Java (latest version I believe). Do I have to uninstall this first

or will my laptop blow up if I use the above links anyway?

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Answer 2

Mar 11, 2018 6:49 AM in response to that was my alias

Alright, I did the thing.

1. It looks like legacy and present version of Java (straight from Oracle) can co-exist. Had to uninstall manually. Perhaps a restart could have sorted that out, but it looked like I had the regular Java still there, according to what System Preferences showed me (picture is a minute after I "successfully installed" legacy Java):

2. Legacy Java, once installed, did not fix the problem at all. Java was still not detected by VLC. Had to, again, manually uninstall legacy Java (all through command line btw), and re-install the regular kind.

The problem still persists, and I have no idea what is causing it. My browsers "detects" Java no problem, and I can use javascript on any web page if need be. But VLC, somehow, does not detect it. Either it is a problem with VLC, or my MB Pro. In either case, nothing is solved.

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Answer 3

Mar 11, 2018 1:53 AM in response to that was my alias

Like the screenshot says: some blu-ray discs require Java (not JavaScript) for the (fancy) menu and interaction. Other blu-ray discs are authored without using Java. (I don’t think it is something you can fix by installing Java on your computer, as VLC probably doesn’t process it that way.) That makes it disc-dependent, rather than computer-dependent. If VLC plays the disc without menus, does it play the features (clips, movie) okay? Or the file(s) from /Volumes/*DISC_NAME*/BDMV/STREAM/00001.m2ts? ‘Like garbage’ isn’t very descriptive.

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

122,519 points

Mar 11, 2018 7:01 AM in response to that was my alias

Thanks for getting back. I was starting to worry you got blown up. You didn't actually have to uninstall the Legacy version but no matter.

Personally I don't watch Blu-ray disks on my computers. You could always ask Videolan support.

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Answer 5

Mar 11, 2018 7:04 AM in response to that was my alias

I tried the BD that worked just fine on MacBook Air, and it worked! Turns out there really are 2 kinds of Blu-Rays.

And I will be asking Videolan support. I guess this thread have outlived its usefulness. It will not be able to solve my problem, but thanks for trying to help anyway.

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Answer 6

Mar 11, 2018 7:08 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

Personally I don't watch Blu-ray disks on my computers.

There are very good reasons to do so:

– Privacy. It is a big deal, especially if the TV room is empty only at certain times of day.

– Portability. Nuff said.

– Screenshots. Your big expensive BD player under the TV does not make them or send them to your hard drive.

I hope I convinced you to try watching a Blu-Ray on your computer.

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Answer 7

dialabrain

Level 10

122,519 points

Mar 11, 2018 7:14 AM in response to that was my alias

Well see? I didn't even know there were two kinds. I should have said I don't watch Blu-ray or any other kind of DVDs on anything. I have a zillion channels plus premium channels plus streaming channels. and even then there's nothing I want to watch sometimes. LOL

I don't really want to collect disks so you didn't quite convince me but it was a great effort. 😎

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