Recommendation for best (most reliable and versatile) LibreDrive for 2024?

[Silstras]

This is my new drive: Verbatin 43888

Drive Information
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 81

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

[zittrig]

Ready to go. Have fun.

If you have problems with the power consumption deactivate USB selective energy saving.

[InstaGrantel]

I bought a Verbatim 43888 just yesterday to replace my old Drive.

Drive Information
OS device name: F:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: XXXXXXXXXXX
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 76

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes


But I have a question regarding the lower AACS Version than the drive mentioned above from Silastras.
Since the drives a alike, why do I have a lower AAVC Version?

[MartyMcNuts]

I bought a Verbatim 43888 just yesterday to replace my old Drive.

Drive Information
OS device name: F:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: XXXXXXXXXXX
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 76

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes


But I have a question regarding the lower AACS Version than the drive mentioned above from Silastras.
Since the drives a alike, why do I have a lower AAVC Version?

Because his has seen a disc with a higher AACS version than yours. That level will change whenever you insert a blu-ray disc with a higher AACS revision.

[InstaGrantel]

Didn't know that. Thanks for the Info.

[tieZ3]

Just as an info. I bought a 43888 from amz germany in february 2025 and it is a LG drive, not pioneer, unfortunately. At least flashing went well, I'm just a bit disappointed because of the quality of the drive which seems to be better for pioneer.

[protoslovan]

Hi guys,

hope you all are doing well.
I'm interested in buying a LibreDrive. Wanted to purchase one for a while now.

Do you guys have any experience with the Verbatim 43888 drive? I was reading there are two version of the drive in the market (Pioneer and LG one)
Could this be an issue? According to some post the Pioneer version can be flashed... And as far as I scoured the market here only verbatim is available for purchase directly. Pioneer is only sold in Germany/UK...

I'm not sure if asmcom will be selling any units in the near future and do not want to wait too long.
Although I would prefer to buy a ready made option.

Thank for any feedback.

PS: I miss the days of Plextor CD-R/RW drives. Those units were excellent

If the Verbatim 43888 contains a Pioneer it doesn't have to be flashed. FYI.

I got lucky.
Bought a Verbatim drive 43888. Got it delivered today. Apparently I'm ready to go...

Thanks for the support. I hope I will not have any issues with the drive itself. Will test it out this weekend.


Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-UD04
Revision: 1.14
Serial number: ...
Firmware date: 2020-06-15
Bus encryption flags: 1B

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8A10
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US04
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.14
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

[LucasMKV]

So, thanks to you guys I got so much FOMO on a (higher quality) Pioneer drives that I tried my luck on a 43888... I already have an old BU40N ("techPulse120" branded) so I would have returned an LG drive, but buying from an eBay outlet seems to have done the trick

So far the Pioneer drive didn't return a single error (the LG often required 3 attempts) and while the external case doesn't look to sturdy, overall I feel like I'm a step closer to a reliable setup.

It's crazy how much the prices have hiked up in the last weeks... The previously mentioned German MediaMarkt/Saturn increased their prices from 85 to 125. There's numerous listings at 150 to 200 now on eBay, many of which don't even specify what drive they contain. Besides a few individual sellers obviously targeting this market, I'm really surprised about this effect and wonder whether people here have ordered so many of them that prices have been increased automatically...

[InstaGrantel]

Wow, I was lucky. I picked up the verbatim pioneer Drive just two weeks ago from my local Saturn for just 89 Euro.
Glad I did that just at the right time.
Cheers

[LucasMKV]

I already have an old BU40N ("techPulse120" branded) so I would have returned an LG drive, but buying from an eBay outlet seems to have done the trick

Well, my techPulse120 branded BU40N died on me yesterday (at least the enclosure, I don't have the smaller size SATA power plug required to connect it directly) and I got so used to running two drives in parallel, that I was ready to buy a replacement 43888 with a LG BU40N drive in it. Went to my local MediaMarkt and found one with a S/N way lower than the others...

Happy to report that I now own a second Pioneer UD04

I know everyone hides their S/Ns, but if anyone is interested, my Pioneer drives have the digits 42 and 43 after the 43888. If I remember right, the other drives in store today all had 50 printed on them, so maybe Verbatim skipped to this range recently...

@MartyMcNuts after all your announcements this feels like even more of a win

[MartyMcNuts]

I already have an old BU40N ("techPulse120" branded) so I would have returned an LG drive, but buying from an eBay outlet seems to have done the trick

Well, my techPulse120 branded BU40N died on me yesterday (at least the enclosure, I don't have the smaller size SATA power plug required to connect it directly) and I got so used to running two drives in parallel, that I was ready to buy a replacement 43888 with a LG BU40N drive in it. Went to my local MediaMarkt and found one with a S/N way lower than the others...

Happy to report that I now own a second Pioneer UD04

I know everyone hides their S/Ns, but if anyone is interested, my Pioneer drives have the digits 42 and 43 after the 43888. If I remember right, the other drives in store today all had 50 printed on them, so maybe Verbatim skipped to this range recently...

@MartyMcNuts after all your announcements this feels like even more of a win

You are very lucky!! Yes, it's true, there still may be the extremely rare old stock containing a Pioneer in a brick and mortar store but I wouldn't count on it. Pretty much anywhere you buy one from now, 99.9% chance it will be an LG BU40N.