Pioneer BDR-S13E-X Vs. BDR-S13EBK Vs. BDR-213EBK

[alninek]

Hello everyone,
I apologize for the question, but I'm not an expert and I only found out by reading the forum that there are Blu-ray burners with "updated" firmware to prevent reading 4K discs.

I need to buy a new burner and I was thinking of buying one of these internal Pioneer models:
1. BDR-S13E-X or
2. BDR-S13EBK or
3. BDR-213EBK

I use it for burning data discs with large files (10, 20, 30 GB), watching 4K movies on my computer, and sometimes copying 4K discs (but this is certainly the least frequent activity).
- What are the differences between the various models above? I can't understand the difference from the Pioneer website (https://pioneer-blurayodd.eu/?lang=en
- Which model do you recommend and why?

Thank you to the more experienced users who will answer me and I apologize for my low level of English.
God bless you
Alberto

[dcoke22]

As I understand it, the BDR S13E-X model has more premium internal components and additional sound and vibration dampening. It is probably the finest optical drive available for sale today. However, it is very expensive. Practically speaking, it probably offers no benefit over the BDR S13EBK.

[alninek]

As I understand it, the BDR S13E-X model has more premium internal components and additional sound and vibration dampening. It is probably the finest optical drive available for sale today. However, it is very expensive. Practically speaking, it probably offers no benefit over the BDR S13EBK.

Than so much for your answer
I have asked to... ChatGPT and this is answer:

Ecco una tabella comparativa con le caratteristiche principali dei modelli Pioneer BDR-S13E-X, BDR-S13EBK e BDR-213EBK, basata sulle specifiche trovate.

https://ibb.co/JqhsGhP

[IronMan]

Old post, just wanted to share my experience.
Bought the BDR-S13EBK in early 2025 and it's very nice. I've had Plextors back in the day of CD burning craze and game copying and switched to pioneers since the advent of DVDs. Never been disappointed by pioneer drives.
My BDR-208DBK died yesterday, well, it's not dead, the motor of the tray actuator is dead, so it does not open when you press the button.
The S13E is on hell of a BDR drive. Rip quality is top notch, probably the best there is, and it reads absolutely *everything* that other drives fail to read.
The only downside is that to rip/read UHD BDRs, you need a PC with a CPU up to gen 10, after that, no SGX extension means no UHD, which is a real shame/pain!

Otherwise, it's probably the best BDR money can get at the moment. It's not available any more at the moment on amazon in France.

[MartyMcNuts]

Old post, just wanted to share my experience.
Bought the BDR-S13EBK in early 2025 and it's very nice. I've had Plextors back in the day of CD burning craze and game copying and switched to pioneers since the advent of DVDs. Never been disappointed by pioneer drives.
My BDR-208DBK died yesterday, well, it's not dead, the motor of the tray actuator is dead, so it does not open when you press the button.
The S13E is on hell of a BDR drive. Rip quality is top notch, probably the best there is, and it reads absolutely *everything* that other drives fail to read.
The only downside is that to rip/read UHD BDRs, you need a PC with a CPU up to gen 10, after that, no SGX extension means no UHD, which is a real shame/pain!

Otherwise, it's probably the best BDR money can get at the moment. It's not available any more at the moment on amazon in France.

For official UHD disc playback, sure but for ripping or unofficial playback you don’t.

[IronMan]

You mean you need SGX only to read official UHD Blurays?
Ok, I had misunderstood this! As I don't read or rip UHD discs, I didn't pay too much attention to it.

My BDR-208DBK started working again today! I plugged it in, and the tray opened on the first try... Works great with MakeMKV. I'll have to investigate more here, I don't know what's going on. I even disassembled it yesterday to try and fix it, and the tray motor would not spin...

I also discovered Pioneer stopped making bluray burners! I'm glad I bought a BDR-S13EBK in March 2025, I'm set for a looong time!
I mainly use burners to archive my digital photos on M-DISC blurays.

[Billycar11]

The S13E is on hell of a BDR drive. Rip quality is top notch, probably the best there is, and it reads absolutely *everything* that other drives fail to read.
The only downside is that to rip/read UHD BDRs, you need a PC with a CPU up to gen 10, after that, no SGX extension means no UHD, which is a real shame/pain!

What are you talking about if it has the correct fw you do not need sgx for ripping at all

[MartyMcNuts]

You mean you need SGX only to read official UHD Blurays?
Ok, I had misunderstood this! As I don't read or rip UHD discs, I didn't pay too much attention to it.

My BDR-208DBK started working again today! I plugged it in, and the tray opened on the first try... Works great with MakeMKV. I'll have to investigate more here, I don't know what's going on. I even disassembled it yesterday to try and fix it, and the tray motor would not spin...

I also discovered Pioneer stopped making bluray burners! I'm glad I bought a BDR-S13EBK in March 2025, I'm set for a looong time!
I mainly use burners to archive my digital photos on M-DISC blurays.

No, SGX was a requirement only to play them via the official method (the older, compatible version of PowerDVD). SGX is not needed at all to read/rip them or to play them using the unofficial method, so long as your drive is libredrive enabled and on a UHD compatible firmwware.

[IronMan]

Ok, I get it, but my burners have the official firmwares. I did not flash any custom firmware.
Maybe it is possible but I did not try to, as I don't rip or read UHD discs.

Both my burners are libredrive enabled, as they work with MakeMKV to rip FHD discs. I never tried 4K blurays.
So my question is: would I need to flash a UHD compatible firmware to read/play or rip UHD discs on the BDR-208 or the BDR-S13EBK I bought in March 2025? (BDR-208 was made in sept. 2012).

Thanks for the info!

[Coopervid]

Ok, I get it, but my burners have the official firmwares. I did not flash any custom firmware.
Maybe it is possible but I did not try to, as I don't rip or read UHD discs.

Both my burners are libredrive enabled, as they work with MakeMKV to rip FHD discs. I never tried 4K blurays.
So my question is: would I need to flash a UHD compatible firmware to read/play or rip UHD discs on the BDR-208 or the BDR-S13EBK I bought in March 2025? (BDR-208 was made in sept. 2012).

Thanks for the info!

Post the Makemkv info for both drives.

[IronMan]

This is for the old BDR-208:

Drive Information
OS device name: L:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-208D
Revision: 1.50
Serial number: LIDL002573WL
Firmware date: 2015-09-24
Bus encryption flags: 13
Highest AACS version: 50

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8301
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-208
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.50/ID61
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

And for the new BDR-S13EBK (MakeMKV identifies it as BDR-S13U)

Drive Information
OS device name: N:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-S13U
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: CGDL001036WL
Firmware date: 2023-08-01
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 50

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: Pioneer RS9201
Firmware version: ID43

The new pioneer is not yet enabled. The firmware for the old Pioneer is not the latest. I removed it from my PC before I downloaded the new firmware, so I would have to plug it to the SATA port to update it. I'll do it later.

Thanks!

[Coopervid]

This is for the old BDR-208:

Drive Information
OS device name: L:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-208D
Revision: 1.50
Serial number: LIDL002573WL
Firmware date: 2015-09-24
Bus encryption flags: 13
Highest AACS version: 50

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8301
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-208
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.50/ID61
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

And for the new BDR-S13EBK (MakeMKV identifies it as BDR-S13U)

Drive Information
OS device name: N:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-S13U
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: CGDL001036WL
Firmware date: 2023-08-01
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 50

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: Pioneer RS9201
Firmware version: ID43

The new pioneer is not yet enabled. The firmware for the old Pioneer is not the latest. I removed it from my PC before I downloaded the new firmware, so I would have to plug it to the SATA port to update it. I'll do it later.

Thanks!

For the S13 you have to wait until Mike has a solution. For your 208 you have a PM

[IronMan]

Thanks, I'll look into it!