WH16NS40 Update Question

[tvBilly]

I need a little firmware updating advice. I've read the forum for the past couple of weeks, so I'm slightly less than clueless, but just slightly.

I've had a WH16NS40 since 2015 or 2016. Here's the drive info from MakeMKV:

Drive Information
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.00
Serial number: SIK9PFAHD---
Firmware date: 2115-08-18 09:32
Bus encryption flags: 17

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.00
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Here's the label:





I got my first UHD/HDR disc to test things today and the WH16NS40 worked just fine extracting. It did take about an hour though!

Disc Information
Label: COMING_TO_AMERICA
Timestamp: 2020-09-28 12:57:34
Data capacity: 60.67 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 2
Bus encryption flags: 80


I'm concerned about updating the drive firmware because this burner is right on the transition point age-wise and version-wise. It's built in October 2015, which is earlier than the 2016 recommended early date, but it is MT1959 with an SVC Code of NS50. I have been cautioned (thanks Alex) that flashing this drive can be risky. I really don't want to needlessly brick my old drive, and I don't anticipate burning any UHD discs, for me this is about moving UHD movies from my discs to my media server.

So here's the question. Presuming that the firmare to use is WH16NS60 1.02MK, what does updating to WH16NS60 1.02MK get me? What differences are there between my 1.00 firmware and it? Is it any faster or more reliable? The only program I currently use to extract videos for my media server is MakeMKV. (I use Handbrake to compress when needed; it uses all 12 cores of my CPU and is very fast). The WH16NS40 is running externally using a Unitek Y-1099 cable on a Mac Pro (the one that looks like a little trash bin). I do have a Lenovo PC if I need to flash the drive.

Thanks for any advice!

Billy

[Billycar11]

Your fine to flash it but you already have firmware that works with UHD WH16NS60 is faster at ripping and has no sleep bug

[st4evr]

You have to ask yourself, if it ain’t broken, why try and fix it? You got lucky enough to have a working drive without the need of any modification. That does not happen anymore.

Alex was right in cautioning you, and in the end if you flash it and it breaks, you’ll be in a worse spot. So, why potentially give yourself that headache?

[Coopervid]

Same here: Never change a winning team.

[tvBilly]

Thanks for the help; I won't be updating. If the difference is only slower rips and the sleep bug I can certainly put up both rather than risking bricking my drive.

[Cid67]

I will say, I have a ws14ns40 drive and i was only having about a 75 percent success rate ripping UHD disks with plenty of scsi errors when trying. i updated to the recommended ws16ns60 firmware and after that the drive is faster, quieter, and has no more issues ripping any discs. just FYI.

[jonghotti]

Hey TvBilly would you email when you get a chance?
thank you,
Alex

[tvBilly]

I will say, I have a ws14ns40 drive and i was only having about a 75 percent success rate ripping UHD disks with plenty of scsi errors when trying. i updated to the recommended ws16ns60 firmware and after that the drive is faster, quieter, and has no more issues ripping any discs. just FYI.

Thanks for the info. I don't think the problem is updating most WH16NS40 drives, but concern for my very very early WH16NS40. (see OP).

Billy