Best Internal BluRay Burner (5.25) for PC?

[Dcaneputitdown]

I build desktop PC's and had several models which had LG Blu Ray burners, I used to just buy these models below for about 60-70$ if I recall, but now they no longer made and are over 300$.

LG Electronics WH14NS40

LG Electronics WH16NS40\

Looking around at what's available I have become greatly confused.

1. Are there ANY internal BluRay burners still produced that are somewhat affordable and of some quality?

2. I keep seeing random drives (from Asia), but I feel they all are lacking something or mis-advertising. Can anyone clarify just a good solid internal drive like the ones I used to include in my systems?

3. For example, I see ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

For about 180$ delivered, is this an actually capable drive or is there something fishy like unable to play or burn 4K?

I saw on these forums the slim BU40N, but they are over 100$ + I would need to find some sort of compatible 5.25 bay adapter for these slim drives.. if it exists?

And on a side note,

Are all of these 50-70$ EXTERNAL Blu Ray burners on Amazon total garbage? I get the feeling they are generally lacking a feature here and there, but can anyone tell me a solid external option IF there are any in the sub 100 range?

I also see the Buffalo option BUFFALO MediaStation Desktop 16x External Blu-ray Writer for PC with USB 3.0. TAA Compliant. Plays and Burns Blu-Rays, DVDs, and CDs. (something like 165$ on B$H)

Are those high quality full featured options for average users?

Thank you for any and all help.

[MartyMcNuts]

I build desktop PC's and had several models which had LG Blu Ray burners, I used to just buy these models below for about 60-70$ if I recall, but now they no longer made and are over 300$.

LG Electronics WH14NS40

LG Electronics WH16NS40\

Looking around at what's available I have become greatly confused.

1. Are there ANY internal BluRay burners still produced that are somewhat affordable and of some quality?

2. I keep seeing random drives (from Asia), but I feel they all are lacking something or mis-advertising. Can anyone clarify just a good solid internal drive like the ones I used to include in my systems?

3. For example, I see ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

For about 180$ delivered, is this an actually capable drive or is there something fishy like unable to play or burn 4K?

I saw on these forums the slim BU40N, but they are over 100$ + I would need to find some sort of compatible 5.25 bay adapter for these slim drives.. if it exists?

And on a side note,

Are all of these 50-70$ EXTERNAL Blu Ray burners on Amazon total garbage? I get the feeling they are generally lacking a feature here and there, but can anyone tell me a solid external option IF there are any in the sub 100 range?

I also see the Buffalo option BUFFALO MediaStation Desktop 16x External Blu-ray Writer for PC with USB 3.0. TAA Compliant. Plays and Burns Blu-Rays, DVDs, and CDs. (something like 165$ on B$H)

Are those high quality full featured options for average users?

Thank you for any and all help.

No, there are not any manufactureres producing optical drives. All 5.25" internal drives are pretty much gone around the world, hence the major price incrrease for those that are available.

ASUS and Buffalo are OEM drives from LG or Pioneer and are your best bet. I would suggest either the Buffalo mediastation external or the ASUS BW-16D1X-U external as you can remove the drive from the enclosure and use it internally if you want. That and the fact you have a god chance of the drive being a Pioneer, which are the best readers and writers around!

The external slim LG BU40N is probably the best drive from LG. Yes, there are some 5.25" enclosures that can accomodate one plus 2.5" or 3.5" hard drives and slot in to a 5.25" bay in a PC case.

[Dcaneputitdown]

Thank you for the response.

I understand the price increases/lack of supply, but for example there are some random drives being sold, such as below.

Pioneer 16x Internal Blu Ray combo DVD/CD Burner WriterDrive BDR-209DBK 1PCS (ebay item 136930569378)

Newegg: ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

Notice the BW-16D1HT is very very similar to the ASUS BW-16D1X Model name in their external, so what is this drive exactly? What is its problem that it cannot be used?

Do you have a solid internal 5.25 adapter that I could install a LG BU40N into?

Also are either of these decent drives?:
New LG/HL BH12LS35

Pioneer BDR-206DBK

I just need a capable internal drive, doesn't need to be special, just needs to read/write Bluray (large capacity I suppose) and play movies back with proper software.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thank you for the response.

I understand the price increases/lack of supply, but for example there are some random drives being sold, such as below.

Pioneer 16x Internal Blu Ray combo DVD/CD Burner WriterDrive BDR-209DBK 1PCS (ebay item 136930569378)

Newegg: ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

Notice the BW-16D1HT is very very similar to the ASUS BW-16D1X Model name in their external, so what is this drive exactly? What is its problem that it cannot be used?

Do you have a solid internal 5.25 adapter that I could install a LG BU40N into?

Also are either of these decent drives?:
New LG/HL BH12LS35

Pioneer BDR-206DBK

I just need a capable internal drive, doesn't need to be special, just needs to read/write Bluray (large capacity I suppose) and play movies back with proper software.

Asus don't make drives. The BW-16D1HT is a rebadged LG WH16NS40. There are also a lot of fakes coming out of China that are the older (pre 2015) models with the old MT1939 drive platform. These cannot be flashed to read UHD and may not read BDXL Blu-ray discs (or read them very well).

The BW-16D1X-U external can have either a Pioneer drive or a LG WH16NS40 drive inside. The Pioneer is the better of the two.

I would not recommended any Pioneer drive older than a BDR-208 as these are already 12+ years old so would definitely not consider the BDR-206 or that old LG BH12.

That BDR-209 would be ok and I think it is the same model that is in the BW-16D1X-U (if you can get one with a Pioneer drive inside).

There are a few posts on the forum about 5.25" internal bays for slim drives and you can find them on Amazon.

[tomty89]

"8th gen" Pioneer drives (such as BDR-208) are also the oldest can be crossflashed to gain the support for UHD BDs. IIRC "6th gen" ones do not even support BDXL at all (whereas some/most "7th gen" models do but cannot be crossflashed).

Also if you are going to get a Pioneer drive, either get an "official UHD model" or see if you can confirm the firmware version from the seller first. Crossflashing drives with firmware from Dec 2022 or later would require a paid service.

P.S. If you are after UHD BD support for software other than MakeMKV or players that leverage it / libmmbd, you can may want to conduct extra research.

[Dcaneputitdown]

Thank you for the response.

I understand the price increases/lack of supply, but for example there are some random drives being sold, such as below.

Pioneer 16x Internal Blu Ray combo DVD/CD Burner WriterDrive BDR-209DBK 1PCS (ebay item 136930569378)

Newegg: ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

Notice the BW-16D1HT is very very similar to the ASUS BW-16D1X Model name in their external, so what is this drive exactly? What is its problem that it cannot be used?

Do you have a solid internal 5.25 adapter that I could install a LG BU40N into?

Also are either of these decent drives?:
New LG/HL BH12LS35

Pioneer BDR-206DBK

I just need a capable internal drive, doesn't need to be special, just needs to read/write Bluray (large capacity I suppose) and play movies back with proper software.

Asus don't make drives. The BW-16D1HT is a rebadged LG WH16NS40. There are also a lot of fakes coming out of China that are the older (pre 2015) models with the old MT1939 drive platform. These cannot be flashed to read UHD and may not read BDXL Blu-ray discs (or read them very well).

The BW-16D1X-U external can have either a Pioneer drive or a LG WH16NS40 drive inside. The Pioneer is the better of the two.

I would not recommended any Pioneer drive older than a BDR-208 as these are already 12+ years old so would definitely not consider the BDR-206 or that old LG BH12.

That BDR-209 would be ok and I think it is the same model that is in the BW-16D1X-U (if you can get one with a Pioneer drive inside).

There are a few posts on the forum about 5.25" internal bays for slim drives and you can find them on Amazon.

Thanks,

So In summary, I should buy the Buffalo and pull the drive out? This is 100% possible and the drive is a fully standard (SATA power/SATA data connectors) 5.25 drive that I can pop into the desktop PC? Removing the enclosure is not too difficult?

These drives inside the Buffalo will support BDXL disks out of the box? But for UHD they may or may not need flashing?

[MartyMcNuts]

Thank you for the response.

I understand the price increases/lack of supply, but for example there are some random drives being sold, such as below.

Pioneer 16x Internal Blu Ray combo DVD/CD Burner WriterDrive BDR-209DBK 1PCS (ebay item 136930569378)

Newegg: ASUS Black 16X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM SATA ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support for lifetime data backup BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B30000)

Notice the BW-16D1HT is very very similar to the ASUS BW-16D1X Model name in their external, so what is this drive exactly? What is its problem that it cannot be used?

Do you have a solid internal 5.25 adapter that I could install a LG BU40N into?

Also are either of these decent drives?:
New LG/HL BH12LS35

Pioneer BDR-206DBK

I just need a capable internal drive, doesn't need to be special, just needs to read/write Bluray (large capacity I suppose) and play movies back with proper software.

Asus don't make drives. The BW-16D1HT is a rebadged LG WH16NS40. There are also a lot of fakes coming out of China that are the older (pre 2015) models with the old MT1939 drive platform. These cannot be flashed to read UHD and may not read BDXL Blu-ray discs (or read them very well).

The BW-16D1X-U external can have either a Pioneer drive or a LG WH16NS40 drive inside. The Pioneer is the better of the two.

I would not recommended any Pioneer drive older than a BDR-208 as these are already 12+ years old so would definitely not consider the BDR-206 or that old LG BH12.

That BDR-209 would be ok and I think it is the same model that is in the BW-16D1X-U (if you can get one with a Pioneer drive inside).

There are a few posts on the forum about 5.25" internal bays for slim drives and you can find them on Amazon.

Thanks,

So In summary, I should buy the Buffalo and pull the drive out? This is 100% possible and the drive is a fully standard (SATA power/SATA data connectors) 5.25 drive that I can pop into the desktop PC? Removing the enclosure is not too difficult?

These drives inside the Buffalo will support BDXL disks out of the box? But for UHD they may or may not need flashing?

Whether it is a Pioneer or a LG model inside, it should support BDXL but will need flashing for UHD compatibility.

[Dcaneputitdown]

Thanks for the info on the Buffalo, I saw the related post on shucking it.

Problem now is that it went out of stock at the decent price. Of course.

So for the Asus BW-16D1X-U, is this drive shuckable and has a standard 5.25 drive inside with standard SATA connections?

Thank you

[MartyMcNuts]

Thanks for the info on the Buffalo, I saw the related post on shucking it.

Problem now is that it went out of stock at the decent price. Of course.

So for the Asus BW-16D1X-U, is this drive shuckable and has a standard 5.25 drive inside with standard SATA connections?

Thank you

Yeah, I believe so.

[OneDay]

For the Asus BW-16D1X-U shucking.
Under the case there are 4 rubber feet. Peel of the two rear rubber feet. There will be a screw holes on each. You will need a screwdriver PH00 as the screw heads are small. Now use a guitar pick or something thin and slid this on both sides to loosen the top cover. VERY CAREFULLY SLOWLY pull off the top cover. There are two ribbons that run from the top cover that is connected to the blue light and eject button to the rear where the power / sata adapter is located. Remove the metal shield on the back where the adapter is. Remove the the power/sata one whole piece adapter connected to the drive. Remove the three screws holding the drive in the case. Now you can remove the drive. Hope this helps.

[Dcaneputitdown]

Thanks, being one who builds PCs I definitely have the 00 as well as can be careful, hopefully I can just get a Buffalo, unless the Asus knowingly has a better drive.

[OneDay]

Asus BW-16D1X-U are a hit and miss. If your lucky you'll get a Pioneer drive, but lately I've seen more Asus (LG WH16NS40) drives in them.

[OneDay]

Here a Asus BW-16D1X-U on ebay priced reasonably that has a Pioneer BDR-209

https://ebay.us/m/SniByV