Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[Gedred]

Thanks for your help, I suspected as much!

Can get same drive on Amazon new at around £70, presume that will be able to implement flash for UHD?

[Coopervid]

I recently bought an external Verbatim drive to hopefully play 4k blu ray discs, it didn't work. I have read various threads/posts that discuss friendly UHD drives, and even offer lists!
However having read through various posts it suddenly occurred to me that my current blu ray reader/writer might in itself be suitable.
I have an LG BH 16NS40. No idea what year it is manufactured, as after 2015 seems to be important?
How do I find out? I guess I have to take my machine casing off to look at label/date on my blu ray drive?

Or is there another way of doing this from my pc desktop?

I am not attempting to flash until convinced I won't damage my current player.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Post your Makemkv info for your Verbatim drive.

[Gedred]

I have sent it back, as it was supposed to work straight out of the box, it didn't! I spent too long messing with settings in VLC Media but could not get it to read from the drive.

[Coopervid]

I have sent it back, as it was supposed to work straight out of the box, it didn't! I spent too long messing with settings in VLC Media but could not get it to read from the drive.

Either it was defective or underpowered. The Verbatim enclosure is very power hungry and should be connected via USB3. USB2 might not deliver enough.

[Emulgator]

And to add to that: An external slimline burner drive can easily draw 1.5Amps.

Each USB2.0 Type A socket can only supply 500mA at best.
(A USB2.0 unit load is 100mA, up to 5 unit loads might be accommodated by the host)
There are Y-Cables which splice DC from a second USB-A socket in, but the result might not be 2x max. current...
Not safe for anything HDD, SSD, let alone an external DiscWriter ! Some very slow power-saving HDDs might just run, but...

Each USB3.0 Type A socket can only supply 900mA.
(A USB3.x unit load is 150mA, up to 6 unit loads might be accommodated by the host)
Just ok for anything HDD, SSD, and some slower power-saving slimline drives might just read, but...

Each USB3.1 Type C socket can supply 1.5A, some 3Amps.
From here on it is safe to connect anything HDD, SSD, NVMe SSD and power-hungry slimline writers up to 6x speed.

So if USB3.0 I suggest a Y-cable USB-A||USB-A -> USB3 Micro-B, which is able to draw DC from 2 USB3.0 A Outlets.
The Vantec NST-510S3 Slimline enclosures (USB3 Micro-B, no DC barrel socket) are delivered with such cable.

If Slimline enclosure has a DC barrel socket, use an external PSU, 5V/2A.

[DarkSkull]

Hello, looking at getting into ripping UHD disks and I had a few questions hopefully someone can help me with.

I am looking at the Pioneer Electronics BDR-212DBK (from amazon - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B081R5 ... 52WR&psc=1).

From my understanding unless it has firmware from before ~2022 I'll need to get it flashed to rip UHD disks? And that this flashing software isn't public so I'll need to pay someone (like Billycar11) to flash it for me?

Second question, do I need to worry about region locks? Or is that something the firmware can get past?

Much thanks.

[Woodstock]

If it is a Pioneer drive and has firmware dated on or after 12/22/2022, it won't work and cannot be flashed. Prior to that date, it can work. But Amazon hasn't had older drives for some time.

[dcoke22]

Second question, do I need to worry about region locks? Or is that something the firmware can get past?

4K UHDs don't have region locking. If you have a LibreDrive capable drive, you can generally always get past any region lock on a DVD or regular blu-ray. If you don't have a LibreDrive, then maybe you can get past region locks; it depends on the drive.