Install the ubuntu-restricted-extras in Synaptic. It adds flash, java, mp3
and video codecs. They are not installed by default for legal reasons
(mainly to comply US law where these things are considered patent
protected), but are packaged for your convenience for those outside of the
US. US residents can still install them, but you should technically should
pay for them. If you think it is crazy to pay then that's what you get for
having a patent office that is out of control. :) (Canada and much of Europe
do not recognize software patents. But that could change if the US pushes
through ACTA.)

They are also in Software Centre, just search for restricted to find it.

My question is how and where do I mount the drive so I can have access to it?

I assume it has to be a CLI command and I assume it would be in the media
folder.

The syntax would be something like "mount cdrom"?

I did try this but it did not work. How do I find the device name I should use?

Stupid question time. Have you set the IDE Secondary Master to point to
the host CD/DVD drive in the VBox storage settings?

Excellent question!I checked the VM and it had CD slot pointing to 'IDE Primary
Slave'.

I also noticed that the CD/DVD Device was pointing to "Empty". I changed this to
"Host Drive 'E'" and now I have access the to DVD drive. Now I have to install
the video codecs.

I am really excited about this Virtual Box.

Interesting. Every VBox install I've done has automatically put the CD
as IDE Secondary Slave. Clearly, this is not an absolute.

Anyway, thanks for letting us know it worked and I'm glad I could be of
help

In ubuntu, the CD or DVD automatically appears on your desktop when
inserted. There is no need for command line manipulations, but if you
prefer to do it that way, of course linux lets you do it.

In unix, there is no concept of "mounting" music or movies. You simply
play them. Removable media etc are mounted automatically by the volume
manager. The old school mount approach is for disks which you intend to
make part of the filesystem.

OTOH music and movies are streamed directly from the CD or DVD and there
is no way that you could, or should mount them.

Have you tried just clicking on the cd drive icon to see if it would
mount? I just stick a cd in mine and it mounts and starts playing
but that is cdrom rather than dvd.

It was not that simple. I am running Ubu under the VBox and I had not assigned
the drive to VBox so it could make it available to Ubu. So I learned and it
seems to work now.

You have to mount the DVD using the settings on virtual box first. Along
the top there is a tool bar that has, as the second option, device. You
select that and mount the DVD there.

OK, I can now access the DVD drive. I believe you seem to prefer Kubuntu/KDE
over Ubuntu/Gnome. If I use the Kubuntu/KDE interface will I still need to
install ubuntu-restricted-extras to play the DVD video? And what program(s)
would you recommend?

Yes. Anything that can run in Ubuntu can run in Kubuntu and vice versa.
However, there is also kubuntu-restricted-extras in the repos. BTW, you can
have both KDE and GNOME installed and switch between them at login. That way
you can try each one out and see what works best for you. The difference is
largely personal choice.

Many people think that KDE more closely resembles Windows, but I think that
GNOME is more like Windows. It is dumbed down (few options) as in Windows.
It has double click enabled by default like Windows. The big difference is
the panel at the top. KDE uses the panel at the bottom a la Windows but it
is highly configurable and integrated, unlike Windows and uses single click
by default.

I prefer KDE for the options it gives because I like to tinker and find KDE
default applications just better. I prefer Amarok to Rhythmbox, K3B to
Brasero, Dolphin to Nautius, DigiKam to F-Spot, Kmail to Evolution, Kdenlive
to PitiVi, Kate to Gedit, Choqok to Gwibber and there are many that KDE has
that Gnome doesn't such as K9copy, Krita, Kwallet, default Clipboard manager
and more. Plus with KDE you get 3D effects without Compiz and it has a great
OS/X style panel of its own (Fancy Tasks). but this is all arguable as many
people would say the opposite. It comes down to what you need to do and how
you like it done. The best thing is to have a choice of two great desktops
(and more if you include XFCE, LXDE and Enlightenment).

You have to get the codecs for it to play. "sudo apt-get install
ubuntu-restricted-extras" will make it possible to play dvds. But I'll warn
you, that command will also download codecs for mp3, install Flash, Sun
Java, and all the other proprietary bits. Someone else may remember the
specific package you need so you don't get all that other stuff if you don't
want it.