Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[jonghotti]

Asmcom I sent you an email thank you!

[aboulfad]

From the recommended drives in the OP, is there one now that is reliable and super fast - I guess speed is an advantage.

I'm an Apple user, is the Mac version of Make MKV just as good as the windows version. If not, I suppose I could look into a used windows laptop.

How long does it take to RIP one disc (2k and 4K)?

YMMV ... I use macOS Catalina with an external ASUS BW-16D1HT (OWC enclosure), and makemkv works great. In terms of rip speeds, there are so many factors... but I was able to rip so far 3 triple layer UHD 4K DV movies, taking each around 42mns. But when I rip UHD 4K it is much slower, you go figure. There are also speed control settings that you can control (advanced settings).

[calsiejo]

thank you very much to all for all informatión about mkv, drives flashing and guides.
I am spanish and I bought a bluray recording model BW-16D1HT/BLK/B/AS, and I change the firmware and was very good.
Congratulatións for all programs and for all people that put the experiencies and helps.
Sorry for my poor english. I have used the windows translate for understand everything, but ok for me.
Thank you again
Jose

[jenkki]

Hi all and a great year to everyone reading,

Quick word to thank this board for all the informations and to let the communauty know that I successfuly flashed my LG BU40N 1.04 with SDFtools.

The "Vantec NST-510S3-BK 9.5mm slim sata case" being difficult to find in Europe, I pushed my luck with the "techPulse120 Vari 3.0 enclosure 9.5mm" as an alternative.

Worked perfectly.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B072WJCR9M

[zilog23]

Hi all and a great year to everyone reading,

Quick word to thank this board for all the informations and to let the communauty know that I successfuly flashed my LG BU40N 1.04 with SDFtools.

The "Vantec NST-510S3-BK 9.5mm slim sata case" being difficult to find in Europe, I pushed my luck with the "techPulse120 Vari 3.0 enclosure 9.5mm" as an alternative.

Worked perfectly.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B072WJCR9M
https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B072WJCR9M

I hope you will have better luck than me with the Techpulse 120. My 1st order went faulty after 1 week. I asked my friend in Germany to order me another one on Amazon and I sent it back to him to return. My second one lasted about 30 x 4K disc rips and then it went dead.

I then give up and eventually managed to get a Vantec Slim. I have ripped over 235 discs with the Vantec and a BU40N and no problems whatsoever.

Wish I had bought a Vantec Slim in the 1st place.

Amazon refunded the money but did not reply to any technical questions. I hate Amazon for their crap support. Many thanks to the sellers on this forum who also offer superb backup along with their products.

Zilog23

[ZmYkR]

Well. I've ordered the Techpulse120 as well and am still waiting for my BU40N to arrive. Let's see how it goes.

[jenkki]

I hope you will have better luck than me with the Techpulse 120. My 1st order went faulty after 1 week. I asked my friend in Germany to order me another one on Amazon and I sent it back to him to return. My second one lasted about 30 x 4K disc rips and then it went dead.

I then give up and eventually managed to get a Vantec Slim. I have ripped over 235 discs with the Vantec and a BU40N and no problems whatsoever.

Wish I had bought a Vantec Slim in the 1st place.

Amazon refunded the money but did not reply to any technical questions. I hate Amazon for their crap support. Many thanks to the sellers on this forum who also offer superb backup along with their products.

Zilog23

Wow, sounds bad.
That's true that I was disappointed while opening the TechPulse. Looks kind of cheap.
But where did you find the Vantec if you can share? Are you in Europe? I searched for few weeks before to give up and try with the TechPulse.

Hope to detect if it's faulty during the return window of Amazon.
Jenkki

[zilog23]

I hope you will have better luck than me with the Techpulse 120. My 1st order went faulty after 1 week. I asked my friend in Germany to order me another one on Amazon and I sent it back to him to return. My second one lasted about 30 x 4K disc rips and then it went dead.

I then give up and eventually managed to get a Vantec Slim. I have ripped over 235 discs with the Vantec and a BU40N and no problems whatsoever.

Wish I had bought a Vantec Slim in the 1st place.

Amazon refunded the money but did not reply to any technical questions. I hate Amazon for their crap support. Many thanks to the sellers on this forum who also offer superb backup along with their products.

Zilog23

Wow, sounds bad.
That's true that I was disappointed while opening the TechPulse. Looks kind of cheap.
But where did you find the Vantec if you can share? Are you in Europe? I searched for few weeks before to give up and try with the TechPulse.

Hope to detect if it's faulty during the return window of Amazon.
Jenkki

I contacted Vantec and they put me in touch with Asmcom who is their European Distributor I believe. "Asmcom" is on the seller page on the MakeMKV forum and I have now used his services several times. No more Amazon for me.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vantec-NST-5 ... 90.l49292

Sorry it took me a while to find the sellers page on this forum, it is kind of hidden.. you have to go to UHD Drives 1st then it is at the top of the page. Here is a link to Asmcom's seller page.

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 0&t=19387

Zilog23

[jacques]

ASUS BW-16D1H-U PRO work with makemkv with Firmware mkv ASUS-BW-16D1H-U-A204-WM01001-211901041044.bin

With Firmware A201, ASUS BW-16D1H-U PRO work with DVDFAB and makemKV

[zittrig]

Hello,

I just tryed to update the firmware of my HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N (Techpulse120) from 1.03 to 1.03MK.
But ...
C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV> .\makemkvcon64.exe f --all-yes -d f: rawflash enc -i c:\amd\hl-dt-st-bd-re_bu40n-1.03-nm00000-211810241934.bin
Drive "f:" not found

But my optical drive is "f"!

Where is the mistake?

Thanks!!

[bobby121418]

Hi,
I am looking to get a slim drive to flash myself. I was going to get LG BP60NB10 but it is now out of stock. Which other would the experts recommend?
Thanks

LG BU40N with Vantec enclosure

Hi,
Thank for the info.
So now got myself an LG BU40N with Vantec enclosure as suggested. I tried to follow this video and downloaded all the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfpf6HoMMis
Downgrade Enabled Firmware V.2.zip
mk-firmware-pack-20200720.zip

My question is which firmware to upgrade following the downgrade with DE_LG BU40N_1.00.bin?
I ask because there are several with different names:
BU40N-FR
BU40N-N-Main
BU40N-R-Tier2-Taiwan

Many thanks
Best,
Bobby

[bachelorbob]

My question is which firmware to upgrade following the downgrade with DE_LG BU40N_1.00.bin?

*If* you will be using DVDFab, do not upgrade to a MK firmware at all. Stay on 1.00.

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello,

I just tryed to update the firmware of my HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N (Techpulse120) from 1.03 to 1.03MK.
But ...
C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV> .\makemkvcon64.exe f --all-yes -d f: rawflash enc -i c:\amd\hl-dt-st-bd-re_bu40n-1.03-nm00000-211810241934.bin
Drive "f:" not found

But my optical drive is "f"!

Where is the mistake?

Thanks!!

Not sure about your drive not being found but you should remove the "enc" from your command as 1.03 is not encrypted. (BU40N 1.04 is encrypted).

Have you tried the SDFtool Flasher to see if it can do the flash for you? https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=22896

[zittrig]

Thanks for answer.

With the flashing tool: "Command produced error code 0x8f056103"

Tried the 1.03MK and the 1.04MK, both enc and without.

Read the actual firmware without any problems.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thanks for answer.

With the flashing tool: "Command produced error code 0x8f056103"

Tried the 1.03MK and the 1.04MK, both enc and without.

Read the actual firmware without any problems.

I'm wondering if it is the enclosure you have that is not passing the full commands through to the drive??

Can you try another enclosure or better yet, connect the drive via SATA or USB directly? (You would need a slim SATA adapter to do this)