📀 Local DVD Streaming System (iSCSI-based)

A self-hosted, local-network DVD playback system that exposes 1:1 encrypted DVD images as virtual DVD-ROM devices using iSCSI, allowing playback through licensed DVD players on the client machine.

This project is intentionally designed to avoid DRM circumvention by ensuring that:

• DVDs are stored as raw, encrypted sector copies
• Decryption happens only inside licensed DVD players
• The server never decrypts or processes protected content

Think of this system as a remote DVD changer over LAN, not a traditional streaming service.

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✨ Features

• 📁 Store DVDs as raw, encrypted 1:1 images on a server
• 🔌 Expose DVD images as virtual DVD-ROM drives via iSCSI
• 🎬 Playback using licensed DVD players (PowerDVD, WinDVD, etc.)
• 🧠 Centralized metadata and session control
• 🖥️ Web UI for browsing and initiating playback
• 🔐 LAN-only, authenticated access (CHAP)
• 📺 Optional TV playback via screencapture / casting

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⚠️ Legal & Design Principles (Important)

This project is designed with EU copyright law in mind.

What this system DOES:

• Copies DVDs bit-for-bit without decryption
• Preserves all DRM (CSS) exactly as on the original disc
• Uses licensed players to perform decryption at playback time
• Operates strictly on a private local network

What this system DOES NOT do:

• ❌ Does not decrypt DVDs on the server
• ❌ Does not extract CSS keys
• ❌ Does not convert DVDs to VIDEO_TS / MKV / MP4
• ❌ Does not stream decrypted video directly
• ❌ Does not expose content over the public internet

If you are unsure about legality in your jurisdiction, consult a legal professional.

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🧠 High-Level Architecture

+-------------------+        iSCSI        +---------------------+
|                   | <----------------> |                     |
|   Linux Server    |                    |   Client Machine    |
|                   |                    |                     |
| - Raw DVD images  |                    | - iSCSI Initiator   |
| - iSCSI Target    |                    | - Licensed Player   |
| - .NET Backend    |                    | - Optional Capture  |
| - PostgreSQL      |                    |                     |
+-------------------+                    +---------------------+
          ^
          |
          | REST API
          |
+-------------------+
|   React Frontend  |
+-------------------+

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🧱 Technology Stack

Server

• OS: Linux (Ubuntu LTS recommended)
• iSCSI Target: LIO (targetcli)
• Backend: .NET 10 (ASP.NET Core)
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Storage: Raw DVD images (.raw)

Client

• OS: Windows (recommended)
• iSCSI Initiator: Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
• DVD Player: PowerDVD / WinDVD / Windows DVD Player
• Optional: OBS / FFmpeg for TV streaming

Frontend

• React
• TypeScript
• TanStack Query
• Tailwind / MUI (optional)

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📂 Project Structure

dvd-streaming/
├── backend/
├── frontend/
├── scripts/
├── docs/
└── README.md

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📀 Importing a DVD (Raw, Encrypted Copy)

sudo dd if=/dev/sr0 of=/data/dvds/movie_name.raw bs=2048 status=progress

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🔌 Exposing a DVD via iSCSI

/backstores/fileio create name=movie1 file_or_dev=/data/dvds/movie1.raw read_only=1
/iscsi create iqn.2026-02.local:dvd.movie1
/iscsi/iqn.2026-02.local:dvd.movie1/tpg1/luns create /backstores/fileio/movie1

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▶️ Playback Flow

1. User selects a movie in the web UI
2. Backend creates or assigns an iSCSI target
3. Client connects via iSCSI initiator
4. Virtual DVD-ROM appears on client OS
5. Licensed DVD player opens the disc

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🗺️ Roadmap

• Backend API
• Frontend UI
• Client companion tool
• TV streaming support

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❤️ Philosophy

This system does not try to break DRM.
It treats DRM as a constraint and designs around it.