Did I purchase a fake pioneer drive BDR-209

[DC-2187]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if I perhaps purchased a fake pioneer drive. The drive just looks different compared to the other pioneer drives I purchased before. I got it on ebay and the seller had good feedback. Maybe I'm just wrong but I would like some thoughts from the community. I will attach some pictures and a screenshot. My biggest question is the drive was made in 2022 but has firmware from 2014? Is that possible? I would think it would be much newer. Also the sticker on the drive looks much different to others. I just want to make sure it's legit drive.

Thanks.

[Coopervid]

My theory is that this is a return.

Somebody has a drive that causes trouble somehow, e.g. polluted laser lens. He orders a new one and exchanges the housing parts between his old one and the new one. Then he sends his old drive back and asks for a refund. This way he has a new drive at no cost.

I have never come across a fake Pioneer drive. So this is one is a Pioneer drive but I suspect you will not be happy with it according to my theory above.

[Billycar11]

idk there is something funny
all pioneers i have seen sn matches fw sn most end in WL not numbers
the top stamping pattern looks different from other pioneer 208/9's i have

[Batman&throbbin]

They are different internally.
The press/fabrication is more similar to Sony Optiarc as an attempt to copy…
Pioneer would never apply a label partially like that…

Better off buying a genuine used Pioneer on eBay, there are many of what you purchased as new on Amazon too…

It needs cleaning up really…

Counterfeiting is still rife so don’t entertain it.

[DC-2187]

idk there is something funny
all pioneers i have seen sn matches fw sn most end in WL not numbers
the top stamping pattern looks different from other pioneer 208/9's i have

This is exactly why I'm asking. I saw other listings when I went back to look yesterday that had the same serial number. Also as you stated I have other another pioneer 209 drive and it looks completely different. I'm probably just going to return it

[Billycar11]

idk there is something funny
all pioneers i have seen sn matches fw sn most end in WL not numbers
the top stamping pattern looks different from other pioneer 208/9's i have

This is exactly why I'm asking. I saw other listings when I went back to look yesterday that had the same serial number. Also as you stated I have other another pioneer 209 drive and it looks completely different. I'm probably just going to return it

Honestly it's probably still better than an LG
Flash it and see if does UHD email me for that
It seems to be a pioneer clone.

[Coopervid]

That sounds interesting. A "Pioneer clone". Let's see how it performs regarding reading. If DC-2187 has a full size LG drive we could also do burn tests afterwards and check the burn quality.

[DC-2187]

I actually do have a LG full size drive. Its my first drive I ever got years ago and even flashed it. Haven't used it much since I started using pioneer drives. It still rips DVD/blu-ray fine enough but it doesn't do UHD discs. I should maybe do some tests on it.

[Coopervid]

I actually do have a LG full size drive. Its my first drive I ever got years ago and even flashed it. Haven't used it much since I started using pioneer drives. It still rips DVD/blu-ray fine enough but it doesn't do UHD discs. I should maybe do some tests on it.

I'll sent yo the package to do quality tests with VPTools. And the firmware to flash this drive to a S11. Then rip discs. If OK burn discs and scan them with the LG flashed to WH16NS58 1.V5.

[Coopervid]

So you have:

Tool to flash to S11 for UHD
Firmware 1.V5 for WH16NS58 wich allows to do burn quality checks.
VPTools to do so

You decide if you want to proceed.

[DC-2187]

So you have:

Tool to flash to S11 for UHD
Firmware 1.V5 for WH16NS58 wich allows to do burn quality checks.
VPTools to do so

You decide if you want to proceed.

Yeah I'm down to do this. Should be interesting