LibreDrive for Pioneer drives

[MartyMcNuts]

We have posted on MakeMKV about the issues with the BDR-UD04 and links to other forums with very poor reviews. Please see the links below.

If you are looking for playback, this drive is out as it freezes repeatedly.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=33094
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30198&start=45

The Pioneer drives we sell have proven exceptionally reliable in our lineup, except for the BDR-UD04, which is designed for enterprise entry-level budget usage.

Please see our seller page on this forum.

viewtopic.php?t=19387

Asmcom

I'm confused, in your seller page you are selling BDR-UD04 saying it's UHD friendly, here you are saying it freezes repeatedly. In either case, I'm not looking for playback, I'm looking for ripping with MakeMKV only, does that change around the odds? Am I correct in that ripping is reliable with BDR-UD04 but playback is not?

I read the following on reddit, is there any truth to the below in italics?

The European versions have a Pioneer BDR-UD04 drive inside that has Firmware 1.14. The US version is Verbatim 43890 and Verbatim 43889 that has a Pioneer BDR-UD03 drive that is not LibreDrive and cannot be used to rip 4K UHD discs yet and firmware to flash UD03 to UD04 is not available publicly. The European version Verbatim 43888 just works right out of the box without any firmware flashing.

It was written 2 months ago, many thanks!

Correct. The 43888 is fine for ripping UHD discs.

[sikk788]

Correct. The 43888 is fine for ripping UHD discs.

Thank you, appreciated!

[asmcom]

We have posted on MakeMKV about the issues with the BDR-UD04 and links to other forums with very poor reviews. Please see the links below.

If you are looking for playback, this drive is out as it freezes repeatedly.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=33094
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30198&start=45

The Pioneer drives we sell have proven exceptionally reliable in our lineup, except for the BDR-UD04, which is designed for enterprise entry-level budget usage.

Please see our seller page on this forum.

viewtopic.php?t=19387

Asmcom

I'm confused, in your seller page you are selling BDR-UD04 saying it's UHD friendly, here you are saying it freezes repeatedly. In either case, I'm not looking for playback, I'm looking for ripping with MakeMKV only, does that change around the odds? Am I correct in that ripping is reliable with BDR-UD04 but playback is not?

I read the following on reddit, is there any truth to the below in italics?

The European versions have a Pioneer BDR-UD04 drive inside that has Firmware 1.14. The US version is Verbatim 43890 and Verbatim 43889 that has a Pioneer BDR-UD03 drive that is not LibreDrive and cannot be used to rip 4K UHD discs yet and firmware to flash UD03 to UD04 is not available publicly. The European version Verbatim 43888 just works right out of the box without any firmware flashing.

It was written 2 months ago, many thanks!

We suggest you do some reading on the forum, then you won't be confused.

Asmcom

[asmcom]

We have posted on MakeMKV about the issues with the BDR-UD04 and links to other forums with very poor reviews. Please see the links below.

If you are looking for playback, this drive is out as it freezes repeatedly.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=33094
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30198&start=45

The Pioneer drives we sell have proven exceptionally reliable in our lineup, except for the BDR-UD04, which is designed for enterprise entry-level budget usage.

Please see our seller page on this forum.

viewtopic.php?t=19387

Asmcom

I'm confused, in your seller page you are selling BDR-UD04 saying it's UHD friendly, here you are saying it freezes repeatedly. In either case, I'm not looking for playback, I'm looking for ripping with MakeMKV only, does that change around the odds? Am I correct in that ripping is reliable with BDR-UD04 but playback is not?

I read the following on reddit, is there any truth to the below in italics?

The European versions have a Pioneer BDR-UD04 drive inside that has Firmware 1.14. The US version is Verbatim 43890 and Verbatim 43889 that has a Pioneer BDR-UD03 drive that is not LibreDrive and cannot be used to rip 4K UHD discs yet and firmware to flash UD03 to UD04 is not available publicly. The European version Verbatim 43888 just works right out of the box without any firmware flashing.

It was written 2 months ago, many thanks!

We suggest you do some reading on the forum, then you won't be confused.

Just to clarify: The drives that have been returned faulty by customers are all unable to read Blu-ray discs, most of them the laser has failed.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=33094

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30198&start=45

We have had 23 faulty drives returned in 9 months period. Compared to one Pioneer retail drive. We find this particular model to be our least reliable drive.

Please ensure you read the links on the DBPOWERAMP forum about the reliability problems of this drive.

Asmcom

[torque-wrench]

Hi Tom886,
which tool did you use to flash the BDR-209EBK to BDR-211, please?
Thanks

Sorry, I was absent for a few days, so didn't see your message.
I believe you got help already, and I have to admit, I am not sure whether it is allowed to share links to another forum.
But I can tell you, it's available on a Polish forum, however, not public.

Cheers
Tom

Hi Tom886,

i also own a BDR-209EBK and want to crossflash to BDR-211.
Can you please tell how do you have done this ?

Sorry for writing here, but i can not wirte PM´s yet.

Best Regards

[Billycar11]

Hi Tom886,
which tool did you use to flash the BDR-209EBK to BDR-211, please?
Thanks

Sorry, I was absent for a few days, so didn't see your message.
I believe you got help already, and I have to admit, I am not sure whether it is allowed to share links to another forum.
But I can tell you, it's available on a Polish forum, however, not public.

Cheers
Tom

Hi Tom886,

i also own a BDR-209EBK and want to crossflash to BDR-211.
Can you please tell how do you have done this ?

Sorry for writing here, but i can not wirte PM´s yet.

Best Regards

Email me for an automated flasher see below for email and price

[tspan09]

I have a PIONEER BD-RW BDR-S13U running firmware version 1.05. Is there any hope of flashing this drive so that it will work with MakeMKV? I'm running on MacOS.

Error: LibreDrive compatible drive is required to open this disc - video can't be decrypted.
Failed to open disc

[Billycar11]

I have a PIONEER BD-RW BDR-S13U running firmware version 1.05. Is there any hope of flashing this drive so that it will work with MakeMKV? I'm running on MacOS.

Error: LibreDrive compatible drive is required to open this disc - video can't be decrypted.
Failed to open disc

its possible but not likely.
i would recommend you return it and order a pioneer drive with old fw in your region i have some UBKs still but this will be my last batch until late march my supplier is out currently.

[bmcampjr]

I have a Pioneer BDR-XD08UMB-S that has yet to read a 4K disk.
It has V1.02 Rom

[MartyMcNuts]

I have a Pioneer BDR-XD08UMB-S that has yet to read a 4K disk.
It has V1.02 Rom

Either return it or hold on to it and hope that it one day gets supported.

[asmcom]

I have a Pioneer BDR-XD08UMB-S that has yet to read a 4K disk.
It has V1.02 Rom

We have BDR-XD08EMB-S which is same drive with Libre-Drive firmware.

Asmcom

[bmcampjr]

I am trying to continuously read a 4K disk in an effort to get libreDrive installed. Don't know what else to do.

[Coopervid]

Forget it. You have the scrambled and degraded firmware and no relief is in sight.

[bmcampjr]

Should I upgrade to 1.03?

[Billycar11]

Should I upgrade to 1.03?

no

really you should return it and buy a pioneer from a seller in your region