Verbatim 34888 is super

[MrPenguin]

...and I have a question: Is there another way to honor the makers of MakeMKV?

"Another way"? You mean, like (say) sacrificing a ripe mango (or possibly a kumquat) to Cthulhu?

The only way I know of would be buying a licence .

[mannnnam]

I mean, like supporting them with a donation with some satoshis or via Lightning. 60 is more than this (undoubtedly) fine piece of software, for what it's worth to me as an infrequent user.

[MrPenguin]

So I have recently managed to acquire one of these too, and Yay! it is LibreDrive compatible!

Code: Select all

Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/sr1
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: <BONK!>
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 81

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

My only concern now is: Does this drive have any known firmware bugs (e.g. the "sleep" bug) that need fixing?

I obviously have no intention of updating its firmware without a really good reason, and "not at all" if any update would break LibreDrive.

[Coopervid]

No sleep bug with Pioneer drives. You have the latest firmware and as of today there is no screwed up firmware for this drive. Just leave it alone.

[fljoemon]

Another ringing endorsement for the Verbatim 43888 that I picked up from amazon germany for USD 122.11 including expedited shipping. It came to my house in 5 days via DHL express. Worked right out of the box ripping Oppenheimer at 4x read speed without any firmware modifications.

[allsummerlong]

Hi! After reading these posts I also just recently bought the Verbatim 43888 on Amazon (it arrived a few days ago) and also for me it worked out of the box for UHD Blu-Rays. MakeMKV recognizes it as "BD-RE PIONEER BD-RW BDR-UD04 1.14". No firmware flashing or whatsoever required. Plug and Play, MakeMKV + LibreDrive do all the magic. Also, it is quite fast (6x for Blu-Ray, 4x for UHD Blu-Ray; much faster than my previous nameless BD drive), small, silent (well, as silent as an optical drive can be; no disturbing scratching noises or so) and the metal case is not too ugly. I did not encounter any sleep bug so far. I can absolutely recommend that drive.

Thank you everybody for sharing your experiences and especially makemkv for such a great, great, GREAT software. I love it.

[leipakuuluulampimaan]

got interested in this drive despite it being external.
the manual i got off verbatim's site says that the power cable is optional if your usb bus provides enough power. does anyone know how much power it needs? and how to know how much my usb bus can give power (i assume thats in my motherboards manual:D)?

[Nimras]

Ty for the tips in this thread - I was about to order the Asus BW-16D1HT but took a chance and got this one instead (verbatim 43888). Purchased from Amazon Sweden (16/12/2023). It came with the correct drive and firmware revision.

Ripped my UHD of Apollo 13, which has playback issues on my ps5, without any problems.

Code: Select all

Drive Information
OS device name: D:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: <redacted>
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

[PaulRB]

The only drive you can currently get that should still work out of the box is the Verbatim 43888

Hi everyone, new forum member with a question:

Is this advice still true? Has this drive not been shipped with any firmware version which would need to be flashed for ripping BR and 4k UHD disks?

I have spotted it here for ~£90:

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/verbati ... sb-c-black

Scan is a well respected seller for many years in UK.

[MartyMcNuts]

The only drive you can currently get that should still work out of the box is the Verbatim 43888

Hi everyone, new forum member with a question:

Is this advice still true? Has this drive not been shipped with any firmware version which would need to be flashed for ripping BR and 4k UHD disks?

I have spotted it here for ~£90:

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/verbati ... sb-c-black

Scan is a well respected seller for many years in UK.

Yes

[PaulRB]

Yes

Thanks Marty!

Is 43889 equivalent & compatible for use with makeMKV, do you know?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/verbati ... 5gbits-sec

I'm having trouble understanding the difference(s) between 43888 and 43889 !

[Coopervid]

Yes

Thanks Marty!

Is 43889 equivalent & compatible for use with makeMKV, do you know?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/verbati ... 5gbits-sec

I'm having trouble understanding the difference(s) between 43888 and 43889 !

43890 and 43889 have a Pioneer BDR-UD03-drive. 43888 a Pioneer BDR-UD04.

43888 works out of the box. The others need to be flashed from UD03 -> UD04. Flasher is not publicly available. So get the 43888 available on Amazon.co.uk.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Verbatim-Exter ... 79&sr=1-38

[PaulRB]

get the 43888 available on Amazon.co.uk.

Understood, thanks again Marty! Order placed.

[Zephyrite]

Also grabbed one of these off Amazon and have been impressed for the price.

I'm coming from a pretty old ASUS BC-12D2HT which rips fine 75% of the time, but the other 25% it just struggles on certain disks no matter how much you clean them. Disney films being the worst offenders. Admittedly I didn't get the drive for this purpose in the first place, I got it pretty cheap for only £30, and it was just a happy coincidence years later when I wanted to start backing up my UHD collection too that it managed to work decently for that purpose as well.

I've gone through a lot of discs which the Asus drive just didn't like at all and this Verbatim drive powered through them all with no problems at all.

[atp-flo]

Which is better?

‎1) Verbatim‎ 43888 Slimline with Pioneer UD04 (~100 bucks)

2) Archgon MD-8107S-U3YC-UHDB-K with LG BU40N (~150 bucks)

These are two slim drives I can buy in my country right now as I see them on Amazon and both should work more or less out of the box or with little effort. But which is really better? The Pioneer just for the name? Or the LG for it's speed? I think the LG should rip with 6x and the Pioneer with 4x.

Just can't decide. People say always chose the Pioneer but the LG seems better in it's specs.