Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2026

[mannduro]

I was able to get mine unlocked for free by asking nicely over on the cdrinfo.pl forum. Saved myself $80.

Was this recommendation about my ODD ?

[jjgarcia]

Any tips or suggestions on how to flash this drive? Thanks again...

Hey everyone,

My Pioneer drive sometimes is unable to rip certain blurays.

Is there a firmware flash for the libreDrive?

Is this related to also the ability to read UHD discs or is that something else?

Any help would be much appreciated. Here is my drive info from MakeMKV

Thanks in advance,

Drive Information
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-XD05
Revision: 3.01
Serial number: PBDL028907UC
Firmware date: 2014-12-26
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 70

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8231
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-XD05
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 3.01/ID34
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

[comadose]

I was able to get mine unlocked for free by asking nicely over on the cdrinfo.pl forum. Saved myself $80.

Was this recommendation about my ODD ?

You could certainly ask there. Save yourself some cash.

[Coopervid]

Any tips or suggestions on how to flash this drive? Thanks again...

Hey everyone,

My Pioneer drive sometimes is unable to rip certain blurays.

Is there a firmware flash for the libreDrive?

Is this related to also the ability to read UHD discs or is that something else?

Any help would be much appreciated. Here is my drive info from MakeMKV

Thanks in advance,

Drive Information
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-XD05
Revision: 3.01
Serial number: PBDL028907UC
Firmware date: 2014-12-26
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 70

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8231
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-XD05
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 3.01/ID34
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

PM sent.

[Coopervid]

I was able to get mine unlocked for free by asking nicely over on the cdrinfo.pl forum. Saved myself $80.

Was this recommendation about my ODD ?

Your drive with MT1939 chip can't be flashed!

[Simplemitch]

1st time poster here, so sorry if this should be it's own thread but it seemed relevant and hadn't seen discussed here.

Would there be any reason one WOULDN'T want to flash their drive? I just want to make sure there's no hidden gotchas or that I'm not gonna gain functionality in MakeMKV, but lose functionality elsewhere.
My current drive is an LG WH16NS40 on FW 1.05 (so I'd be going to DE_LG_WH16NS40-NS50_1.02)*. I primarily use it to rip BD/DVD via MakeMKV and to rip CDs via iTunes. On increasingly rare occasions I will burn DVDs and CDs.
I also have a mountain of spare 5.25" DVD/CD burners so I could always just add an extra drive if need be.

Thanks.


*side question: Do I need to verify it says NS50 on it before flashing? It'd be a bear to get to it in the PC that it's in...

[Coopervid]

1st time poster here, so sorry if this should be it's own thread but it seemed relevant and hadn't seen discussed here.

Would there be any reason one WOULDN'T want to flash their drive? I just want to make sure there's no hidden gotchas or that I'm not gonna gain functionality in MakeMKV, but lose functionality elsewhere.
My current drive is an LG WH16NS40 on FW 1.05 (so I'd be going to DE_LG_WH16NS40-NS50_1.02)*. I primarily use it to rip BD/DVD via MakeMKV and to rip CDs via iTunes. On increasingly rare occasions I will burn DVDs and CDs.
I also have a mountain of spare 5.25" DVD/CD burners so I could always just add an extra drive if need be.

Thanks.


*side question: Do I need to verify it says NS50 on it before flashing? It'd be a bear to get to it in the PC that it's in...

No. Flash to WH16NS60 1.02. No sleep bug and works better with UHDs.

[Simplemitch]

1st time poster here, so sorry if this should be it's own thread but it seemed relevant and hadn't seen discussed here.

Would there be any reason one WOULDN'T want to flash their drive? I just want to make sure there's no hidden gotchas or that I'm not gonna gain functionality in MakeMKV, but lose functionality elsewhere.
My current drive is an LG WH16NS40 on FW 1.05 (so I'd be going to DE_LG_WH16NS40-NS50_1.02)*. I primarily use it to rip BD/DVD via MakeMKV and to rip CDs via iTunes. On increasingly rare occasions I will burn DVDs and CDs.
I also have a mountain of spare 5.25" DVD/CD burners so I could always just add an extra drive if need be.

Thanks.


*side question: Do I need to verify it says NS50 on it before flashing? It'd be a bear to get to it in the PC that it's in...

No. Flash to WH16NS60 1.02. No sleep bug and works better with UHDs.

I assume you mean the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK file. And that's OK even though I have a 40, not a 60, correct?

Sorry for being paranoid; I like leaving NOTHING to chance.

[Coopervid]

1st time poster here, so sorry if this should be it's own thread but it seemed relevant and hadn't seen discussed here.

Would there be any reason one WOULDN'T want to flash their drive? I just want to make sure there's no hidden gotchas or that I'm not gonna gain functionality in MakeMKV, but lose functionality elsewhere.
My current drive is an LG WH16NS40 on FW 1.05 (so I'd be going to DE_LG_WH16NS40-NS50_1.02)*. I primarily use it to rip BD/DVD via MakeMKV and to rip CDs via iTunes. On increasingly rare occasions I will burn DVDs and CDs.
I also have a mountain of spare 5.25" DVD/CD burners so I could always just add an extra drive if need be.

Thanks.


*side question: Do I need to verify it says NS50 on it before flashing? It'd be a bear to get to it in the PC that it's in...

No. Flash to WH16NS60 1.02. No sleep bug and works better with UHDs.

I assume you mean the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK file. And that's OK even though I have a 40, not a 60, correct?

Sorry for being paranoid; I like leaving NOTHING to chance.

Not DE. It's in the OLD folder of the firmware pack. It will work.

[Simplemitch]

No. Flash to WH16NS60 1.02. No sleep bug and works better with UHDs.

I assume you mean the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK file. And that's OK even though I have a 40, not a 60, correct?

Sorry for being paranoid; I like leaving NOTHING to chance.

Not DE. It's in the OLD folder of the firmware pack. It will work.

See! Glad I asked!
But.... there is no "OLD" folder in the All you Need Firmware Pack that I downloaded today and I don't see any links to prior releases. It just has two folders ("Internal Desktop Drives" and "Slim External Drives") each containing nothing but bin files
This is the link I used:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/rak1mk0p ... 9.zip/file

from this page:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=22896

Have a link to the old one, by chance?

[MartyMcNuts]

No. Flash to WH16NS60 1.02. No sleep bug and works better with UHDs.

I assume you mean the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK file. And that's OK even though I have a 40, not a 60, correct?

Sorry for being paranoid; I like leaving NOTHING to chance.

Not DE. It's in the OLD folder of the firmware pack. It will work.

Yes, that is the correct file: DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK

Also, yes, you must ensure the drive says SVC NS50 on the label, is manufactured after 2015 and has the MT1959 drive platform.

[icefloe]

Just popping in to say thank you!! My LG WH16NS40 from 2020 arrived today and in just minutes had it flashed. As soon as I saw that it could in fact read UHD disks I registered MakeMKV and it's now ripping a UHD disk. My Ugreen 8 bay NAS is going to get a workout too. lol

[mkvuser190]

Hi all

I'm new to this forum, and I am very confused by this thread. I don't see my drive or firmware listed, but people in another thread have helped others with the same drive. I have a Pioneer drive, and I am scared to brick it if I do something wrong. Could somebody tell me if my drive is flashable for UHD? Thank you.

Code: Select all

Drive Information
OS device name:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-XD07
Revision: 1.03
Serial number:
Firmware date: 2020-08-20
Bus encryption flags: 13
Highest AACS version: 63

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8D30
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-BDS7
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Also, I'm sorry for essentially re-posting this from another thread. I just think this one is more active than the other one.