Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Discussion of LibreDrive mode, compatible drives and firmwares
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TheL1GHTSiDE
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:51 pm

Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by TheL1GHTSiDE »

I'm looking for a Blu-ray drive and enclosure that I could use with my new PC to rip blu-rays. I found the thread that recommended drives and enclosures, I'll probably get one of the vantec enclosures but the drives are all UHD. Currently I'm ripping mostly DVDs and some blu-rays, I don't have any UHD blu-rays which means I don't have a need for an UHD Drive. I've been reading about LibreDrive and I'd like a drive that is compatible if it's beneficial when ripping DVDs and 1080p blu-rays. Thank you for your help ahead of time!

1. What blu-ray drives would you recommend near or under $100 US? (newegg, amazon, B&H, etc.)
2. Is LibreDrive only necessary for UHD drives?
3. I know firmware versions are very important for LibreDrive support, is it possible to downgrade firmware?

UHD Thread: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634
Billycar11
Posts: 4273
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:49 am

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by Billycar11 »

if you have no future use for UHD and you are sure you will never want it

sata
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-BDR-212V ... r=8-1&th=1

usb
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... riter.html

the 212 can be flashed professionally to do UHD just email me for that but with a USB case it would be over $100
Buy a UHD drive from the guide and how to video maker: https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 20&t=17831
UHD Drives Guide: https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=19634
Auto flash kit $25 Email me for one Billycar5924@gmail.com
TheL1GHTSiDE
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:51 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by TheL1GHTSiDE »

I saw the drives you had for sale, just couldn't see myself spending close to $300 for pre-flashed drive + USB enclosure. This is assuming a new drive wouldn't be able to be downgraded. I would prefer to spend under $200 total.

It's not that I will never want UHD just that it's more than I would like to spend right now. I would consider the Pioneer BDR-2213 if it could be flashed later $120 amazon. How much would flashing a 212 cost?
Billycar11
Posts: 4273
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:49 am

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by Billycar11 »

TheL1GHTSiDE wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:54 am
I saw the drives you had for sale, just couldn't see myself spending close to $300 for pre-flashed drive + USB enclosure. This is assuming a new drive wouldn't be able to be downgraded. I would prefer to spend under $200 total.

It's not that I will never want UHD just that it's more than I would like to spend right now. I would consider the Pioneer BDR-2213 if it could be flashed later $120 amazon. How much would flashing a 212 cost?
2213 cant be flashed later it will have new fw same as the xd08 cant be flashed
the 212 can its $25 for the flash
dont bother with the lg/asus drives
Buy a UHD drive from the guide and how to video maker: https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 20&t=17831
UHD Drives Guide: https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=19634
Auto flash kit $25 Email me for one Billycar5924@gmail.com
NotaNumber
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:56 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by NotaNumber »

The Pioneer BDR-212V is a 212 drive with firmware by VinPower Digital and is optimized for disc duplication. At the moment the latest firmware version available on the VinPower Digital website is v1.02 with an internal date of June 21, 2022 and can be cross-flashed to support LibreDrive and UHD discs. Until VinPower incorporates Pioneer's firmware code the prevents LibreDrive from working and cross-flashing the 212V is you best bet for buying a brand new Pioneer drive that can be cross-flashed.

You can buy some other Pioneer drive one from various online vendors and hope it has a version of firmware that can be cross-flashed though the likelihood of that gets lesser as time goes.

You can buy a pre-flashed drive from one of the resellers in your region (for regional compatibility)

Refer to the following threads:
viewtopic.php?p=146549
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=33192
wyzxvnv
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:51 am

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by wyzxvnv »

Guys, I saw somewhere here on the forum that BDR-212DBK has a plastic lens and high rate of failure. How 212V?
MartyMcNuts
Posts: 2825
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:45 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by MartyMcNuts »

wyzxvnv wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:26 am
Guys, I saw somewhere here on the forum that BDR-212DBK has a plastic lens and high rate of failure. How 212V?
Same drive as far as I am aware. Just different firmware.
Cheers :D
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For UHD enabled drives (AU/NZ/SG + Others) & DIY Single Drive Flasher (WW): https://uhdenableddrives.com
Coopervid
Posts: 1811
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:32 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by Coopervid »

wyzxvnv wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:26 am
Guys, I saw somewhere here on the forum that BDR-212DBK has a plastic lens and high rate of failure. How 212V?
The rate of failure only applies if a cross-flashed drive is used to burn XL (100GB) BD-Rs.
NotaNumber
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:56 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by NotaNumber »

I'm guessing if you want to burn BDXL you need to start off with a nnnUxx drive with a more powerful laser and accurate head mechanism.

The 212DBK and 212V do not natively support BDXL according to the spec sheets.
Coopervid
Posts: 1811
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:32 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by Coopervid »

Burning BD discs is so much yesterday. First - burning discs is much more expensive than playing from hard dsik. Second - disc quality especially for discs >=50 GB has gone south. Third: Only one player can play all three layers of a BD-R, only a few 2 of them (<= 66GB). So don't burn and the cross-flashed drive just perform perfectly.
MartyMcNuts
Posts: 2825
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:45 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by MartyMcNuts »

Coopervid wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2024 6:38 pm
Burning BD discs is so much yesterday. First - burning discs is much more expensive than playing from hard dsik. Second - disc quality especially for discs >=50 GB has gone south. Third: Only one player can play all three layers of a BD-R, only a few 2 of them (<= 66GB). So don't burn and the cross-flashed drive just perform perfectly.
So yesterday, Coop? I would have thought decades ago!! I haven't written a BD disc since 2008! :D
Cheers :D
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For UHD enabled drives (AU/NZ/SG + Others) & DIY Single Drive Flasher (WW): https://uhdenableddrives.com
NotaNumber
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:56 pm

Re: Blu-ray Drive Questions & Recommendations

Post by NotaNumber »

This is my first Blu-ray burner so I've never burned a BD yet. It's been a year or two since I've burned and DVDs. I still burn an occasional audio CD or boot recovery CD but that's it.

If you catch them on sale you can get enterprise level 16-20 TB HDDs for $260 USD or less. If you spin them up and run them for a bit every few months and run a maintenance program like SpinRite once or twice a year they should last many decades.
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