www.makemkv.com

Just wondering if anyone else had one of these drives fail on them. I recently had the drive go out.

Ripped a bluray (not even 4k), and went to pop in the next disc and it chattered for a bit and eventually spit the disc back out.

After checking to see if it was still under warranty and finding out it wasn't, I opened the drive up. Hoping to see something simple like the disc not spinning up. But that wasn't the case.

The laser shines, the disc spins, and the reader clearly moves and tries to focus on the disc.

I can only assume the sensor that reads the laser light return has failed. I tried cleaning the lens but no dice.

I need to buy another drive, but this drive didn't even last two years. And at $75 I don't feel like paying a replacement tax for something that should have lasted a lot longer.

My other Bluray drive is a LG WH14NS40 1.01 and still working perfect years later. Though its an older one that doesn't support 4K.

https://youtu.be/RcolfPq2VGM

I'm slightly annoyed because my drive is one of the ones that came with the UHD Friendly 3.00 firmwares.

Drive Information
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 3.00
Serial number: xxxxxxxxxxx
Firmware date: 2115-11-03 11:10
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 68

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 3.00
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Possible, not yet enabled

No disc inserted

You're saying you're happy it came with the UHD friendly firmware, but please note that you can flash a friendly firmware to it even if it came with one that's not friendly. With the official ASUS flasher posted here https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=18933 it's super easy and 100% safe so you could try to upgrade it to the DE 3.02 or even MK 3.10 version and see if it helps. It brought mine back from the dead once, but I might have had a different issue.

Of course if the laser physically crapped out then that won't help, but if it's already not working, you don't have anything to lose anyway.

As for general reliability, you won't really get an accurate answer only anecdotal "evidence" from people who had it. Mine initially died after less than half a year, but then reflashing the FW reanimated it and now it's still working. I also have the LG BH16NS55 which died even faster. Haven't tried a revive with that one, though. Other people will tell you that their drives work fine for years, but again, you'd need a sample size of at least a couple thousand units to draw a relevant conclusion... unless someone here does have access to many of those drives or repairs them and can post their experience with them.