Help with what to do with ASUS BW-16D1HT - NON-UHD blurays

[mrwaits]

Hi guys,

My apologies for the question but I have been reading this forum and others for days and I've come to the conclusion that I am a bit thick.

I just purchased a second hand ASUS BW-16D1HT (details at the bottom).

My main goal is to be able to use any player (or a specific player) on my Windows PC to play Blu-ray discs from 2 different regions (Europe and USA).
The 5 time swap is not an option as I will have to swap them quite often.
Is ripping drives useful to me? Yes. Not my main concern now but yes it can be useful in several scenarios. (I can rip the USA region ones and just stream them to my TV via Plex for ex.).

Do I want to be able to read/rip UHD. NO. I've seen the hassle. I've seen the possible issues. The sleep thing etc and no. I will probably never even buy an UHD and if I do I will probably get my own region (Europe) and just watch it on the Blu-ray player hooked up to the TV which supports them.

Considering what I need and what I don't need, do you guys think:
1) I just need a software decoder like (I think) anydvd hd seems to be? (I am not complaining but it is a bit expensive) - OR
2) I need to flash my drive with the libre firmware which (I think) will also allow me to not only read the discs from any region with any software I want (VLC?) but also rip them?
Or finally: is what I need both anydvd PLUS makemkv (with or without any firmware change) for when ripping is required?

PS: Would love not needing to take chances and ending up with a bricked drive.

(It has just occurred to me that maybe I'm being a a**hole and if it is easier/less risky I can always rip the Blu-ray to my PC in order to read them. I don't need to act like a princess and be able to play them on VLC directly from the tray) Assuming of course I will be able to access extras and everything else included in the blu-rays.

I am so sorry for this probably ridiculously basic question. It just seems to me that the concept of libredrive is target and guys wanting to rip UHD and I see almost no one with such basic needs as me.



Drive details:

Drive Information
OS device name: D:
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 3.10
Serial number: KLZJBQ84341
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 10:14
Bus encryption flags: 1F

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 3.10
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

Thanks in advance!

[asmcom]

Hi guys,

My apologies for the question but I have been reading this forum and others for days and I've come to the conclusion that I am a bit thick.

I just purchased a second hand ASUS BW-16D1HT (details at the bottom).

My main goal is to be able to use any player (or a specific player) on my Windows PC to play Blu-ray discs from 2 different regions (Europe and USA).
The 5 time swap is not an option as I will have to swap them quite often.
Is ripping drives useful to me? Yes. Not my main concern now but yes it can be useful in several scenarios. (I can rip the USA region ones and just stream them to my TV via Plex for ex.).

Do I want to be able to read/rip UHD. NO. I've seen the hassle. I've seen the possible issues. The sleep thing etc and no. I will probably never even buy an UHD and if I do I will probably get my own region (Europe) and just watch it on the Blu-ray player hooked up to the TV which supports them.

Considering what I need and what I don't need, do you guys think:
1) I just need a software decoder like (I think) anydvd hd seems to be? (I am not complaining but it is a bit expensive) - OR
2) I need to flash my drive with the libre firmware which (I think) will also allow me to not only read the discs from any region with any software I want (VLC?) but also rip them?
Or finally: is what I need both anydvd PLUS makemkv (with or without any firmware change) for when ripping is required?

PS: Would love not needing to take chances and ending up with a bricked drive.

(It has just occurred to me that maybe I'm being a a**hole and if it is easier/less risky I can always rip the Blu-ray to my PC in order to read them. I don't need to act like a princess and be able to play them on VLC directly from the tray) Assuming of course I will be able to access extras and everything else included in the blu-rays.

I am so sorry for this probably ridiculously basic question. It just seems to me that the concept of libredrive is target and guys wanting to rip UHD and I see almost no one with such basic needs as me.



Drive details:

Drive Information
OS device name: D:
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 3.10
Serial number: KLZJBQ84341
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 10:14
Bus encryption flags: 1F

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 3.10
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

Thanks in advance!

Use the SDF Flasher and flash your drive with the following firmware.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/8zujcivq ... 9.zip/file

ASUS-BW-16D1HT-3.10-WM01601-211901041014.bin

You will find this firmware in the latest firmware pack in the MK/ASUS BW16D1HT

https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip

If you want to watch your 4K discs make sure you have VLC integration ticked in MakeMKV setting.

Also download and install Java if you are using Windows 10.

If you are stuck, email me and I will help you.

viewtopic.php?t=19387

Kind Regards

Asmcom

[dcoke22]

I think that ASUS should be able to rip blu-rays with MakeMKV without the firmware to enable LibreDrive. I'm pretty sure you only need the firmware to do UHDs. I have a ASUS BW-16D1HT that is LibreDrive enabled so I don't have a lot of experience with it without the firmware.

I also think you need the paid-for version of MakeMKV to enable VLC integration to be able to use VLC to watch a blu-ray from disc. Personally, I think it is easier to just rip a disc and put it on my Plex, but to each their own.

I'm pretty sure if you're ripping stuff, the region coding doesn't matter.

As for extras when ripping, you can rip them too. Plex even has a way to put them in with the movie and access them. (https://support.plex.tv/articles/local- ... nd-extras/)

[asmcom]

I think that ASUS should be able to rip blu-rays with MakeMKV without the firmware to enable LibreDrive. I'm pretty sure you only need the firmware to do UHDs. I have a ASUS BW-16D1HT that is LibreDrive enabled so I don't have a lot of experience with it without the firmware.

I also think you need the paid-for version of MakeMKV to enable VLC integration to be able to use VLC to watch a blu-ray from disc. Personally, I think it is easier to just rip a disc and put it on my Plex, but to each their own.

I'm pretty sure if you're ripping stuff, the region coding doesn't matter.

As for extras when ripping, you can rip them too. Plex even has a way to put them in with the movie and access them. (https://support.plex.tv/articles/local- ... nd-extras/)

Yes, you are right, Blu-ray normal 1080 will work as standard but will need to flash for the UHD. Yes subscription is required for VLC integration, MakeMKV is good software and well worth the investment. Hope you are keeping well dcoke22

Asmcom

[mrwaits]

Well guys...

I have just tried MakeMkv with the beta key with VLC integration on and I tried a REGION A bluray and a Regions B bluray and both just started going perfectly.
Windows didn't ask me anything about the region change...

Is this what you guys meant? I am also trying my first rip and boy this is fast.
So if I buy makemkv I'm set right?

The only issue I got was the menu's not being available on VLC due to not having java and I cannot understand if I just install v8 or a specific version. (Could you maybe help with this?) It only happened on one of the Blu-rays though. On the other one the menus worked fine.

I guess I was asking how my drive could do things that it already could do... wasn't I?

@Asmcom thanks for the info about the flashing solution but I don't think I'm going to risk bricking the drive when I got all I need right now.
If I get any windows messages telling me I cant swap regions anymore then I am definitely following your tutorial. But so far its looking good!

[dcoke22]

I have just tried MakeMkv with the beta key with VLC integration on and I tried a REGION A bluray and a Regions B bluray and both just started going perfectly.
Windows didn't ask me anything about the region change...

Is this what you guys meant? I am also trying my first rip and boy this is fast.
So if I buy makemkv I'm set right?

The only issue I got was the menu's not being available on VLC due to not having java and I cannot understand if I just install v8 or a specific version. (Could you maybe help with this?) It only happened on one of the Blu-rays though. On the other one the menus worked fine.

@Asmcom thanks for the info about the flashing solution but I don't think I'm going to risk bricking the drive when I got all I need right now.
If I get any windows messages telling me I cant swap regions anymore then I am definitely following your tutorial. But so far its looking good!

MakeMKV should be all you need.

I think most versions of Java should work, but I don't have a lot of experience playing blu-rays through VLC. Some blu-rays use Java for their menus, some don't.

The underlying video files on a blu-ray don't have any region coding in them; it isn't a thing that is part of the video files, it is a thing enforced by the menu system on the blu-ray player. When you rip a blu-ray, MakeMKV ignores that stuff and assembles the underlying video files into .mkv container.

[asmcom]

Well guys...

I have just tried MakeMkv with the beta key with VLC integration on and I tried a REGION A bluray and a Regions B bluray and both just started going perfectly.
Windows didn't ask me anything about the region change...

Is this what you guys meant? I am also trying my first rip and boy this is fast.
So if I buy makemkv I'm set right?

The only issue I got was the menu's not being available on VLC due to not having java and I cannot understand if I just install v8 or a specific version. (Could you maybe help with this?) It only happened on one of the Blu-rays though. On the other one the menus worked fine.

I guess I was asking how my drive could do things that it already could do... wasn't I?

@Asmcom thanks for the info about the flashing solution but I don't think I'm going to risk bricking the drive when I got all I need right now.
If I get any windows messages telling me I cant swap regions anymore then I am definitely following your tutorial. But so far its looking good!

Install 32 bit 71.58mb and 64 bit version 81.99mb.

https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Restart computer that should get your menus working.

Asmcom

[mrwaits]

Thanks everyone!
Really appreciate it!

If I ever find the need to rip UHD's I think I know what to do.

Have a great weekend!