Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[goldencow830]

Canadian here. Got my drive from BluntmanUHD@protonmail.com.
Service was exceptional, he got it out in the mail once I made up my mind on which drive to get.
Drive works right out the box.
Would highly recommend to any Canadians looking for a drive!

[mercilessming2000]

Big Thanks to the info and all the discussion in this post and all directly involved in MakeMKV, SDF GUI and firmwares. I went from WH14NS40_1.05 just bought from Amazon to the WH16NS60_1.02_MK , thus far worked with 5 blus and one 4k thus far. Not a single issue thus far, the SDF GUI was effortless to use.

I was sweating , as I haven't done non official firmware updating since the DVD un-riplock/regioning primary market media days when you hex edited you firmware. But I only had my Pioneer LibreDrive from retail pre new locked retail firmwares and didn't want to be stuck not being able to back up my 4ks if my pioneer broke from some accident , use or age.

[Naiera]

My Verbatim/Pioneer 35888 shit the bed a few days ago and now I'm looking for something more durable. I've had it for just under two years and it's already stopped reading discs. They spin and it sounds like it's supposed to, but neither the OS nor MakeMKV sees anything

I'll be buying and flashing myself or having my friend in Delaware doing the flashing. Just looking for suggestions for an external drive that plays well with MacOS and doesn't break after reading a few hundred discs.

[Billycar11]

My Verbatim/Pioneer 35888 shit the bed a few days ago and now I'm looking for something more durable. I've had it for just under two years and it's already stopped reading discs. They spin and it sounds like it's supposed to, but neither the OS nor MakeMKV sees anything

I'll be buying and flashing myself or having my friend in Delaware doing the flashing. Just looking for suggestions for an external drive that plays well with MacOS and doesn't break after reading a few hundred discs.

try cleaning the lasers
but if that dont work i recommend the pioneer s13UBK i sell with old fw see below.
i only 1 state away from DE so shipping would be very fast im in PA right near the DE boarder

[Naiera]

Tried cleaning and now it's making weird noises

[offerbk1]

So looking at the main post I see "PSA now most Pioneers come with new fw that prevents them from be crossflashed or downgraded do not buy one for UHD at this time"
What does it mean "Most"? Is there a
Pioneer UHD drive I can buy today from amamzon/directily from Pioneer that will allow me to RIP my collection? I prefer an external drive.
For example, BDR-XS07UHD https://usa.pioneer/collections/optical ... dr-xs07uhd
Thanks!

[JohnDoe]

Hello,
I just bought my first Blu ray optical drive, model: LG BD-RE BU40N. I want to rip 4k and 1080p blu ray's with it. How can I make it do that?

And why does it not show libredrive information in Makemkv?
"
Drive Information
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BU40N
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: [redacted]
Firmware date: 2124-04-23 13:47
Bus encryption flags: 17

No disc inserted
"

[MartyMcNuts]

So looking at the main post I see "PSA now most Pioneers come with new fw that prevents them from be crossflashed or downgraded do not buy one for UHD at this time"
What does it mean "Most"? Is there a
Pioneer UHD drive I can buy today from amamzon/directily from Pioneer that will allow me to RIP my collection? I prefer an external drive.
For example, BDR-XS07UHD https://usa.pioneer/collections/optical ... dr-xs07uhd
Thanks!

The only Pioneer models you can buy direct from stores/Amazon etc that can work/can possibly be downgraded are the Pioneer BDR-212DBK, BDR-212V and the Verbatim 43888 (contains a BDR-UD04 inside).

All other Pioneer models come with too new a firmware version and do not work. If you want a different model, the only chance you have of getting one is t ocheck with the sellers on this forum as they may have some available with older, compatible firmware. viewforum.php?f=20