good optical drive

[metallaro]

I am a registered member (valid license)
any advice about a good valid optical drive to use with libredrive ? maybe pioneer ?
best regards
andrea verdi

[Coopervid]

Read this:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30017

[metallaro]

thanks
i have a BDR-212EBK (ordered 4 5 months ago...like new)
what is this thing? O_O
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265930958208

[dcoke22]

The Pioneer BDR-212EBK does not natively support UHDs therefore MakeMKV won't rip UHDs with it out of the box.

The Pioneer BDR-S12UHT does natively support UHDs therefore MakeMKV can rip UHDs with it out of the box.

The ebay link is the Pioneer BDR-212EBK hardware that has had its firmware changed to that of the BDR-S12UHT so that it can support UHDs. Asmcom is a seller here on this forum.

[Coopervid]

thanks
i have a BDR-212EBK (ordered 4 5 months ago...like new)
what is this thing? O_O
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265930958208

This is perfect. You bought from a seller here in the forum. I also have one from him in an enclosure. You're all set.

[metallaro]

thanks
i have a BDR-212EBK (ordered 4 5 months ago...like new)
what is this thing? O_O
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265930958208

This is perfect. You bought from a seller here in the forum. I also have one from him in an enclosure. You're all set.

no i have the pure BDR-212EBK without modded firmware.

[Coopervid]

Then you have to wait. There is a tool that's not yet available to the public which can convert it. Should be available soon.

[TheMKVMaker]

The Pioneer BDR-212EBK does not natively support UHDs therefore MakeMKV won't rip UHDs with it out of the box.

The Pioneer BDR-S12UHT does natively support UHDs therefore MakeMKV can rip UHDs with it out of the box.

The ebay link is the Pioneer BDR-212EBK hardware that has had its firmware changed to that of the BDR-S12UHT so that it can support UHDs. Asmcom is a seller here on this forum.

Why bother with the EBK when the UHT is available for a reasonable $150-160 AUD?

[dcoke22]

Why bother with the EBK when the UHT is available for a reasonable $150-160 AUD?

Hopefully asmcom will post an authoritative answer; all I can do is speculate.

I have two related pieces of speculation. First, and perhaps the most obvious, is that optical drives haven't been as readily available lately as they were pre-COVID. Having another model of drive that can be flashed to support UHD ripping is reasonable hedge against 'officially supported' drives being unavailable.

Second, who knows how long Pioneer will continue to ship drives with the necessary hardware to officially support UHDs? Only Intel CPUs ever officially supported UHD playback (assuming you had an optical drive with the necessary hardware) and recent generations of Intel CPUs have dropped support. Being able to flash a non-official drive to support ripping UHDs is again a hedge against a future where Pioneer made decided to stop selling 'officially supported' drives.