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New drive purchase question and recommendations

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 5:45 pm
by nitro322
Hello. I currently use the following drives with MakeMKV:
  • ASUS BW-16D1HT - works great, including UHD
  • LG BH16NS40 - mostly works... the drive has issues recognizing discs each time I reboot my computer. Rips fine once the disc is recognized, and usually recognizes subsequent discs after only one or two tries, but I may have to eject/insert the first disc I want it to rip after rebooting my computer 10-20 times before it finally recognizes it.
(Not the point of this post, but if anyone knows why my LG drive behaves that way and has suggestions on how to fix, please share!)

Given my LG drive's flakiness, I'd like to replace it, and figure doing so sooner is better since compatible drives seem to be getting harder to find. Haven't paid too much attention to drives since getting my ASUS in 2017, so wanted to check with the community before buying a new one.

1. I'm tempted to buy another BW-16D1HT since I know it works, and it appears that any version I buy today with a newer firmware version can be downgraded to a compatible version. Is that correct?

2. Is there a different recommend model that I should get instead? Another BW-16D1HT seems like the easy solution, but maybe there's a benefit in having a drive from a different brand such that if I have issues reading a particular disc with one drive I may have luck with the other? Not sure how likely that is, though. The LG WH16NS40, for example, seems like a good alternative.

Appreciate any suggestions or guidance.

Re: New drive purchase question and recommendations

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 7:34 pm
by Coopervid
Flash your BH16NS40 to the ASUS firmware you have on the other. Try again.

Re: New drive purchase question and recommendations

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:47 pm
by Coopervid
Coopervid wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 7:34 pm
Flash your BH16NS40 to the ASUS firmware you have on the other. Try again.
Or even better for triple layer discs: Flash it to BH16NS60. According to my experience this firmware even works better than the ASUS with those.