www.makemkv.com

This post is just a public commitment - all Pioneer drives will be supported as LibreDrive drives in a relatively near future. The precise ETA is yet unknown, but the fact that all drives will be supported is certain. Custom firmware flash with sdftool will be required.

If you have any doubts whether to buy now discontinued but yet available drives - keep the above statement in mind.

mike admin wrote: ↑

Tue May 06, 2025 10:39 am

This post is just a public commitment - all Pioneer drives will be supported as LibreDrive drives in a relatively near future. The precise ETA is yet unknown, but the fact that all drives will be supported is certain. Custom firmware flash with sdftool will be required.

If you have any doubts whether to buy now discontinued but yet available drives - keep the above statement in mind.

Thanks for the update Mike, that is fantastic news!

mike admin wrote: ↑

Tue May 06, 2025 10:39 am

This post is just a public commitment - all Pioneer drives will be supported as LibreDrive drives in a relatively near future. The precise ETA is yet unknown, but the fact that all drives will be supported is certain. Custom firmware flash with sdftool will be required.

Oh my! The number of usable Pioneer drives I own is about to double!

I am now sitting in a little puddle of happiness....

mike admin wrote: ↑

Tue May 06, 2025 10:39 am

This post is just a public commitment - all Pioneer drives will be supported as LibreDrive drives in a relatively near future.

Now that you have successfully analysed the Pioneer firmware, can you tell whether any of the >= 2022-12 firmware changes have fixed genuine bugs, rather than simply being intended to block LibreDrive?

I have a BDR-XD08UMB-S that I've been holding onto since 2023. Originally bought it after finding a Jeff Geerling video about MakeMKV but sadly didn't read his pinned comment about the firmware. It became too late to return it once I found out I couldn't rip The Prince of Egypt 4k disc. Nowadays I have a Pioneer BDR-212V that actually works after Billy helped me flash it. I'll definitely be rooting for you so that I'll have a definitive backup drive!

This is unbelievable news!

Sent from my SM-S938U1 using Tapatalk

when you say All Pioneer drives that sort of comes with a small caveat; Pioneer aren't going to make any more new drives as they are leaving the business of optical hardware manufacturing

https://cordcuttersnews.com/a-major-blu ... and-drops/

Amigaman wrote: ↑

Wed May 07, 2025 2:35 pm

when you say All Pioneer drives that sort of comes with a small caveat; Pioneer aren't going to make any more new drives as they are leaving the business of optical hardware manufacturing

Yes. But all currently existing Pioneer drives will soon be able to run LibreDrive, including those drives whose firmware people unwittingly upgraded .

I guess the real point is that it might now be worth investing in a new Pioneer drive, while stocks last...

Very good news, but there are no more Pioneer burners available for purchase in the open market.

tom25 wrote: ↑

Wed May 07, 2025 3:49 pm

Very good news, but there are no more Pioneer burners available for purchase in the open market.

Maybe this is not a coincidence. Think about it. Try Google or Ebay.

tom25 wrote: ↑

Wed May 07, 2025 3:49 pm

Very good news, but there are no more Pioneer burners available for purchase in the open market.

https://a.co/d/gCKXHi7

?

Thanks for the information, my personal need for UHD drives is met.
I think the prices for the remaining Pioneers in the retail market and on eBay will rise again.

fiftysquiggly wrote: ↑

Wed May 07, 2025 4:44 pm

tom25 wrote: ↑

Wed May 07, 2025 3:49 pm

Very good news, but there are no more Pioneer burners available for purchase in the open market.

https://a.co/d/gCKXHi7

?

Thanks for the link. Just bought one. The same drive is available new on ebay, as well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184659509426

I bought a Pioneer BDR-X13JBK just a few days before Pioneer's announcement. Which I'm glad I did, but at the time there were also X13J-X's available, but they are went to unobtanium overnight. I wish now I had spent the money.

This announcement, timed with Pioneer's announcement of leaving the market, makes me wonder if this upcoming flashability is coming from under-the-table assistance from Pioneer themselves, or members of the team. They likely can't support LibreDrive overtly, but quietly doing it under the table is a great way to make sure demand spikes so they can clear out their remaining stock.

I can say one thing, if I see another X13J-X (U-X, E-X, anything-X) I'm snapping it up.

VA1DER wrote: ↑

Thu May 08, 2025 11:37 am

This announcement, timed with Pioneer's announcement of leaving the market, makes me wonder if this upcoming flashability is coming from under-the-table assistance from Pioneer themselves, or members of the team. They likely can't support LibreDrive overtly, but quietly doing it under the table is a great way to make sure demand spikes so they can clear out their remaining stock.

Pioneer have destroyed their own market with their anti-LibreDrive firmware changes, so I doubt they've changed their minds now! It would have made more business sense to have preserved their market in the first place!