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LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2026 4:04 pm
by Rojma
I am trying to understand how LibreDrive is related to normal/non-UHD Blu-rays. I know LibreDrive is necessary to rip UHD discs. However, I have two non-UHD stock Blu-ray drives that have never been flashed and aren't LibreDrive enabled. They rip normal non-UHD Blu-rays without issue. Occasionally I get one that I can't rip because the key is unknown, but usually downloading the latest SDF/KeyDB file fixes the issue. My question is how is LibreDrive used with normal non-UHD Blu-ray discs, if at all?
The main reason I ask is because I am seeing people buy Pioneer drives that are non-UHD capable (with no promise of UHD cross flashing) who are flashing their drives to be LibreDrive capable. What is the purpose of flashing a non-UHD drive to be LibreDrive capable?
Re: LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2026 9:57 pm
by MartyMcNuts
Rojma wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 4:04 pm
I am trying to understand how LibreDrive is related to normal/non-UHD Blu-rays. I know LibreDrive is necessary to rip UHD discs. However, I have two non-UHD stock Blu-ray drives that have never been flashed and aren't LibreDrive enabled. They rip normal non-UHD Blu-rays without issue. Occasionally I get one that I can't rip because the key is unknown, but usually downloading the latest SDF/KeyDB file fixes the issue. My question is how is LibreDrive used with normal non-UHD Blu-ray discs, if at all?
The main reason I ask is because I am seeing people buy Pioneer drives that are non-UHD capable (with no promise of UHD cross flashing) who are flashing their drives to be LibreDrive capable. What is the purpose of flashing a non-UHD drive to be LibreDrive capable?
Libredrive is helpful for normal blu-ray discs as it allows the drive to continue being used to rip discs even if the certificate get's revoked by a newer AACS revision.
Re: LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2026 11:16 pm
by Rojma
MartyMcNuts wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 9:57 pm
Libredrive is helpful for normal blu-ray discs as it allows the drive to continue being used to rip discs even if the certificate get's revoked by a newer AACS revision.
Ok makes sense, but would dowloading the latest SDF/KeyDB also solve that problem without needing LibreDrive?
Re: LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:52 am
by MartyMcNuts
Rojma wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 11:16 pm
MartyMcNuts wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 9:57 pm
Libredrive is helpful for normal blu-ray discs as it allows the drive to continue being used to rip discs even if the certificate get's revoked by a newer AACS revision.
Ok makes sense, but would dowloading the latest SDF/KeyDB also solve that problem without needing LibreDrive?
SDF and KeyDB have nothing to do with AACS. It's the AACS revision on the disc that revokes certificates as soon as the disc is initialized by the OS.
Re: LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2026 11:20 pm
by Rojma
MartyMcNuts wrote: ↑Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:52 am
SDF and KeyDB have nothing to do with AACS. It's the AACS revision on the disc that revokes certificates as soon as the disc is initialized by the OS.
Ok I apparently don't understand the whole end to end process (nor did I ever claim I did!
), but this is why I ask these questions. So, I have been using these non-Libre drives on the newest Blu-ray disks for years and have seen no ill effect. Is the revokation of certificates something that theoretically can happen but doesn't happen often, or is is it something that happens often? What symptomps would I have if certificates were revoked? All I am doing is ripping disks to ISO backups with MakeMKV. I don't ever play them with player software on my Windows/Linux (Unraid) devices.
Re: LibreDrive for normal/non-UHD blu-rays?
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2026 12:51 am
by MartyMcNuts
Rojma wrote: ↑Fri Jan 09, 2026 11:20 pm
MartyMcNuts wrote: ↑Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:52 am
SDF and KeyDB have nothing to do with AACS. It's the AACS revision on the disc that revokes certificates as soon as the disc is initialized by the OS.
Ok I apparently don't understand the whole end to end process (nor did I ever claim I did!
), but this is why I ask these questions. So, I have been using these non-Libre drives on the newest Blu-ray disks for years and have seen no ill effect. Is the revokation of certificates something that theoretically can happen but doesn't happen often, or is is it something that happens often? What symptomps would I have if certificates were revoked? All I am doing is ripping disks to ISO backups with MakeMKV. I don't ever play them with player software on my Windows/Linux (Unraid) devices.
A new AACS revision happens as required. It used to happen quite frequently back when blu-ray was newer but these days, more like once or twice a year. Playing the discs means nothing. A disc containing a newer AACS revision than what the drive has ever seen will automatically update the revoked certificate list as soon as you insert the disc. No need for any software to read the disc for this to happen.
Without having libredrive enabled, if your drive is revoked, you won't be able to use it to rip discs until a new MakeMKV version is released.
MakeMKV does not yet natively support AACS v82, whihch has been around since about the start of 2025 so as long as you don't try to rip any new blu-ray discs that were released in the past 12 months you should be fine.