Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[MrPenguin]

no the pioneers no longer work out of the box unless you buy them from a flasher

FYI, the word "flasher" can also be used to mean something else entirely! (I hope! )

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictio ... sh/flasher

[Manciple]

Hello:

New to the forum and joined to ask two specific questions.

My specific questions: Is it still true that post-December 2022 Pioneers have firmware that cannot be downgraded? Related, is it likely that a Pioneer BDR-S13U-X bought directly from Amazon will have firmware that still cannot be crossflashed or downgraded?

Edited to add: Country of residence is United States.

Some context, if helpful:

I see that on the first post of this forum, but I also read on another thread (viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17831) that "MakeMKV now supports pioneer drives for ripping UHD discs." I read the content on the first post in this thread that, "Pioneer UHD drives are now supported more info about that will be coming from the developer... it is a work in progress," so if it's still an issue in limbo, that's a good enough answer.

I also checked out the support thread specifically for Pioneer drives over here (viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27378), but I'm still not sure.

Where I am: I've picked up an entry-level LG drive (WH16NS40) for $60. I'm going to try to flash myself using the tools and guidance in the Ultimate UHD Flashing Guide (viewtopic.php?p=74718#p74718). After I use the entry-level LG a bit, I may spring for the Pioneer BDR-S13U-X.

I appreciate the community here. I'm a bit of a DIY hobbyist, so I would like to go through the process of firmware downgrading myself, using the tools offered here, if it will now work on the new Pioneers. The outcome I want to avoid is buying a new Pioneer drive, and voiding its return after it either :

• (a) won't take the firmware downgrade or

• (b) worse yet, winds up bricked after an attempted firmware downgrade.

[Coopervid]

What's your country of residence?

[gagans]

I am getting about 6x rips.... What did I miss? What did I not flash properly? Also getting a lot of errors. so far unable to successfully make an mkv.

LG WH14NS40, UHD Friendly Internal 5.25 sata | Rip speed 8x BD 66 ~45 mins BD 100 ~1 hour if flashed properly other wise 6x rips speed and slower then BU40N

[Manciple]

United States.

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello, i am thinking to return that player and buy Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD if you think it can rip flawlessly out of the box without any changes. Kindly let me know please. thanks again

no the pioneers no longer work out of the box unless you buy them from a flasher

Thanks again to everyone who is responding to help me here.
Finally i decided to return the Archgon to amazon as I do not want to take a chance in doing manual changes just to make my 4k rip work. Just bought option 3/LG from Bluntman here as it comes with pre-flashed and expected to work out of the box.
Need some inputs from this forum now.
So with my new drive coming in---
--Say, i have licensed of both makemkv and DVDFab UHD ripper SW. FYI, i have been using DVDFab Blu-ray ripper so far which works like a breeze.
--I have already deleted/uninstalled whatever I installed/copied like some additional SD flasher tool, framework modules, etc. and cleaned up my windows 11 just like before.
--Once I receive this pre-flashed LG from Bluntsman, my assumption is that i just out of the box open dvdfab or makemkv and try ripping my 4K discs without any changes. Is my understanding correct?
Or, i still need some pre-requisites?

thanks a lot in advance.

Providing Bluntman has flashed it with BU40N 1.00 firmware, yes it will work with DVDFab out of the box. If it has BU40N 1.03-MK or BP60NB10 MK firmware, then no, it won't work with DVDFab.

[newmkv]

no the pioneers no longer work out of the box unless you buy them from a flasher

Thanks again to everyone who is responding to help me here.
Finally i decided to return the Archgon to amazon as I do not want to take a chance in doing manual changes just to make my 4k rip work. Just bought option 3/LG from Bluntman here as it comes with pre-flashed and expected to work out of the box.
Need some inputs from this forum now.
So with my new drive coming in---
--Say, i have licensed of both makemkv and DVDFab UHD ripper SW. FYI, i have been using DVDFab Blu-ray ripper so far which works like a breeze.
--I have already deleted/uninstalled whatever I installed/copied like some additional SD flasher tool, framework modules, etc. and cleaned up my windows 11 just like before.
--Once I receive this pre-flashed LG from Bluntsman, my assumption is that i just out of the box open dvdfab or makemkv and try ripping my 4K discs without any changes. Is my understanding correct?
Or, i still need some pre-requisites?

thanks a lot in advance.

Providing Bluntman has flashed it with BU40N 1.00 firmware, yes it will work with DVDFab out of the box. If it has BU40N 1.03-MK or BP60NB10 MK firmware, then no, it won't work with DVDFab.

ah what a complicated one
Bluntman has already confirmed to me that his drive should work with both dvdfab and makemkv.
Hoping for the best. Let us see.

[newmkv]

Very strange today.
Following my previous few posts, i just cleaned up my windows 11 laptop by removing all newly installed firmware, SD flash tool, etc. and ended up only with original/unmodified makemkv (licensed) and dvdfab Blu-ray/UHD ripper.
Tried ripping my old Blu-ray disc using dvdfab and to my surprise, did not work but threw same disc error which I got for 4K ripping. Pls note that dvdfab used to work flawlessly for all my Blu-ray ripping just before I tried with a 4K disc.
Then tried same with makemkv and threw same error (Error 'Scsi error - ILLEGAL REQUEST:COPY PROTECTION KEY EXCHANGE
FAILURE - KEY NOT PRESENT) which i got for 4k ripping before.
I just re-attempted makemkv which worked fine for blu-ray ripping.
I really don't know what happened ...

[Billycar11]

I am getting about 6x rips.... What did I miss? What did I not flash properly? Also getting a lot of errors. so far unable to successfully make an mkv.

LG WH14NS40, UHD Friendly Internal 5.25 sata | Rip speed 8x BD 66 ~45 mins BD 100 ~1 hour if flashed properly other wise 6x rips speed and slower then BU40N

did you flash to WH16NS60 1.02 as the guide says that will give you 8x and no sleep bug...
but yeah lg/asus drives are just junk these days glad to be done with them but what's your error likely need to clean disc

[Billycar11]

Very strange today.
Following my previous few posts, i just cleaned up my windows 11 laptop by removing all newly installed firmware, SD flash tool, etc. and ended up only with original/unmodified makemkv (licensed) and dvdfab Blu-ray/UHD ripper.
Tried ripping my old Blu-ray disc using dvdfab and to my surprise, did not work but threw same disc error which I got for 4K ripping. Pls note that dvdfab used to work flawlessly for all my Blu-ray ripping just before I tried with a 4K disc.
Then tried same with makemkv and threw same error (Error 'Scsi error - ILLEGAL REQUEST:COPY PROTECTION KEY EXCHANGE
FAILURE - KEY NOT PRESENT) which i got for 4k ripping before.
I just re-attempted makemkv which worked fine for blu-ray ripping.
I really don't know what happened ...

could be a few things new aacs version revoked your drive as its not flashed
power to low and drive is rebooting

[natra]

Hi guys, will my drive work.

Drive Information

Manufacturer: ASUS

Product: BW-16D1H-U

Revision: E114

Serial number: RFDL020701WL

Firmware date: 2017-12-21

Bus encryption flags: 1B

Highest AACS version: 76


LibreDrive Information

Status: Enabled

Drive platform: RS8601

Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-209

Firmware type: Original (unpatched)

Firmware version: E114/ID71

DVD all regions: Yes

BD raw data read: Yes

BD raw metadata read: Yes

Unrestricted read speed: Yes


No disc inserted


Does anyone know if I can flash this drive and if so, what files should I be using?

[Billycar11]

Hi guys, will my drive work.

Drive Information

Manufacturer: ASUS

Product: BW-16D1H-U

Revision: E114

Serial number: RFDL020701WL

Firmware date: 2017-12-21

Bus encryption flags: 1B

Highest AACS version: 76


LibreDrive Information

Status: Enabled

Drive platform: RS8601

Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-209

Firmware type: Original (unpatched)

Firmware version: E114/ID71

DVD all regions: Yes

BD raw data read: Yes

BD raw metadata read: Yes

Unrestricted read speed: Yes


No disc inserted


Does anyone know if I can flash this drive and if so, what files should I be using?

That drive can only be professionally flashed email me for that see below

[Coopervid]

United States.

Check your PM.

[Manciple]

@Coopervid. PM received. I'm still unable to send PM's as I'm a new user, hence my reply here. I've canceled the LG order and substituted in the Pioneer. I'll be back in touch once I get it, if I can't get the flash tools available here to work on it.

[Coopervid]

@Coopervid. PM received. I'm still unable to send PM's as I'm a new user, hence my reply here. I've canceled the LG order and substituted in the Pioneer. I'll be back in touch once I get it, if I can't get the flash tools available here to work on it.

OK. Just post here when you have it.