Which drive?

[jemima]

Hey folks.

I already do have a number[0] of LibreDrive compatible drives (e.g. 2x BDR-XS07U).

Recently I've learned[1] that some drives (unfortunately it seems not the aforementioned BDR-XS07U) can circumvent bus encryption even on UHDs with either just libbluray+libaacs or alternatively with dvdfab+findvuk (which can be used to retrieve the RDK).

I got that working with:
- PIONEER BD-RW BDR-S12U 1.03
- HL-DT-ST BD-RE BH16NS55 1.02 (that used to be 1.05, but I was able to downgrade via SDFtool)

I also read that people successfully use the (at lest with DVDFab... not sure whether it works with just libaacs, too):
- LG BU40N

Now I wonder, what do people think is the order of the quality of these three?
I guess the Pioneer best, but which of the other two is better? I mean now mostly in terms of read capabilities and durability.

Also, the BDR-S12U is LibreDrive firendly, does anyone know whether the others are, too?

Thanks.
Jemima

[0] I have more than just one because... well one never knows how long such drives will be available and they may break sooner or later ^^
[1] https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php? ... ost1999249

[Coopervid]

Surely the Pioneers last much longer than the LGs and they are the better readers and burners.

Concerning your question.

Run this for your drive. This is a Windows example for the drive letter E:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV>makemkvcon f -d E: --info
SDF.bin version: 0x0088

Drive Tool SDF present

Drive Specific SDF present

[Drive Specific SDF] Embedded Info Strings:
8000:LibreDrive Information

8013:Status
8105:Enabled

You see 8105:. Enabled means that Makemvkcon enabled Libredrive for the E: drive.

[MrPenguin]

I have always assumed that a Pioneer that has been cross-flashed to be UHD-friendly would therefore provide a RDK when given an AACSv1 host certificate, even for a UHD disk. Is this not the case?

[jemima]

@Coopervid:
It's clear how to find out whether LibreDrive is supported when one has the device... I just don't have a BU40N yet

@MrPenguin:
Not sure, as I've said it does work for *my* BDR-S12U but not for my two BDR-XS07U - however, all these devices have their firmware as I got them when ordered from asmcom... so not sure whether these count as cross-flashed in your sense or not. They do however work in LibreDrive mode.

[jemima]

I need to correct myself, after just having it double checked:

The BDR-S12U of mine is actually a cross flashed BDR-S12XLT ... hat totally forgotten about that and just read it on the device's label now.
But the two BDR-XS07U should be true ones.

Sorry for the confusion.

[MrPenguin]

however, all these devices have their firmware as I got them when ordered from asmcom... so not sure whether these count as cross-flashed in your sense or not.

Basically, if Pioneer itself says that your drives support UHD then Asmcom won't have cross-flashed them for you.

But anyway, Asmcom is explicit about which of the drives it sells are cross-flashed to make them UHD-friendly.