LibreDrive for Pioneer drives

[el_Cheffe]

Hello all. Forgive if this has been answered but I havent seen it.

I bought a Pioneer Drive a couple years ago to start my home server from my UHD collection, only to find out my drive had a 2023 firmware, so no go. (XS07U)

While in Japan, took a chance on different S07 model and was fortunate to have a 2022 firmware, and arranged to have the drive enabled with a fellow member on this site.

Been checking in periodically to see if the issue has been resolved so that I could also enable my original drive, but it's been "coming soon" every time I checked.

However, the other day, I accidentally put a UHD disc in the unpatched drive, and it ripped! Did a few more to confirm, and the drive info now says:

Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/rdisk5
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-XS07U
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: CFDL012634UC
Firmware date: 2023-01-06
Bus encryption flags: 13
Highest AACS version: 82

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8E21
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-BDS7
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.03/ID05
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Disc Information
Label: AKIRA_KUROSAWAS_DREAMS
Timestamp: 2023-06-02 09:47:32
Protection: AACS2.0/C v77
Data capacity: 93.22 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 3
Bus encryption flags: 80

So has this been solved? I didn't apply any firmware mods or anything, so I'm a little perplexed.I did have one disc give me an error, but 7 successful so far.

Thanks again to everyone for their continued efforts to make this hobby work!

[Coopervid]

You missed this:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=39869

[Coopervid]

All non-UHD drives flashed for UHD might say that they are BEE enabled but they "lie". The chip to do so is missing.

This 211 should be used internally. If you want to rule out the root cause you should get a Benfei USB -> SATA adapter like this. If it works with that your enclosures don't support all functions. Why this happens with this 211 I don't know.

https://www.amazon.com/BENFEI-Drive-Ada ... 9hdGY&th=1

Both the BDR-211UBK and BDR-212UBK are *not* crossflashed. They are actual UHD models purchased brand new years ago.

My enclosures are Vantecs (two different revisions purchased several years apart) and the Asus BW-16D1X-U one.

I just got the Benfei USB-SATA adapter and the BDR-211UBK finally works with it.

So it looks like the BDR-211UBK on official 1.54 firmware is a lot more picky about USB-SATA chipsets than the BDR-212UBK on the official 1.05 firmware.

Why? Pioneer only knows. But at least now I can use the BDR-211UBK externally. Thank you for this suggestion!

Don't blame Pioneer. It comes down to the USB -> SATA chipsets who don't pass all commands through.

[Billycar11]

Hello! I'm new to this forum, so excuse my ignorance. I just got a new Pioneer drive off of Amazon that I can't find mentioned anywhere on this site. Anyone know if this Pioneer BDR-WX01DMU can unlock LibreDrive and rip UHD?

Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/rdisk5
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-WX1DM
Revision: 1.01
Serial number: ...
Firmware date: 2023-10-27
Bus encryption flags: 13
Highest AACS version: 77

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: Pioneer RS8801
Firmware version: ID36


I sent this info to the MakeMKV support email, but I'm not sure exactly who gets those email? Thanks for any help!

i can confirm i can now make this drive do UHD Discs anyone interested in this see email below for early access to the 12/22+ flasher

[drknight71]

Hi,

Been a while. Getting back into my old hobbies again. Wondering if there has been any improvements or headway in rolling back the BDR-211M from 1.54 firmware version? Just curious. Currently have two Libredrive capable bluray drives so don't really need it anymore but just curious... Something to do if it is.

Thanks.

[Billycar11]

Hi,

Been a while. Getting back into my old hobbies again. Wondering if there has been any improvements or headway in rolling back the BDR-211M from 1.54 firmware version? Just curious. Currently have two Libredrive capable bluray drives so don't really need it anymore but just curious... Something to do if it is.

Thanks.

Should work on latest fw now out of the box if its a UHD drive

[drknight71]

Hi,

Been a while. Getting back into my old hobbies again. Wondering if there has been any improvements or headway in rolling back the BDR-211M from 1.54 firmware version? Just curious. Currently have two Libredrive capable bluray drives so don't really need it anymore but just curious... Something to do if it is.

Thanks.

Should work on latest fw now out of the box if its a UHD drive

Thats amazing. I do have another question. Right now ripping one of my DVDs at on the BDR-211M at 4.2X half way through. Read that my performance could be hampered by the fact the drive could be in quiet mode and not performance mode and as such you need to run the quiet drive utility to unlock extra performance?

This 211M is on fw ver 1.02. Also if Makemkv has resolved what ever issues there were before is it now safe to upgrade the firmware or leave it. I am voting to leave it.

Thanks

[Billycar11]

Hi,

Been a while. Getting back into my old hobbies again. Wondering if there has been any improvements or headway in rolling back the BDR-211M from 1.54 firmware version? Just curious. Currently have two Libredrive capable bluray drives so don't really need it anymore but just curious... Something to do if it is.

Thanks.

Should work on latest fw now out of the box if its a UHD drive

Thats amazing. I do have another question. Right now ripping one of my DVDs at on the BDR-211M at 4.2X half way through. Read that my performance could be hampered by the fact the drive could be in quiet mode and not performance mode and as such you need to run the quiet drive utility to unlock extra performance?

This 211M is on fw ver 1.02. Also if Makemkv has resolved what ever issues there were before is it now safe to upgrade the firmware or leave it. I am voting to leave it.

Thanks

you can use the pioneer drive utility to change the speed

i would leave the fw

[alexbar]

Hi, the Pioneer drive I bought on eBay arrived. According to the MakeMKV software, LibreDrive is enabled. I'm having trouble playing 4K UHD discs. How can I do this? I tried with VLC and MPC Be, but they aren't working. Can anyone help me?

https://i.postimg.cc/pVG6xFB2/Captura-d ... 181804.png

[Coopervid]

Hi, the Pioneer drive I bought on eBay arrived. According to the MakeMKV software, LibreDrive is enabled. I'm having trouble playing 4K UHD discs. How can I do this? I tried with VLC and MPC Be, but they aren't working. Can anyone help me?

https://i.postimg.cc/pVG6xFB2/Captura-d ... 181804.png

The picture is bad and not readable. Run Makemkv and just copy and paste the text shown in Makemkv info to your next post. I think I can help you then.

[alexbar]

This one here:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-S12JX
Revision: 1.01
Serial number: AIDL006471WL
Firmware date: 2020-07-21
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8F01
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-212T
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.01/ID72
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Disc Information
Label: GET_OUT
Timestamp: 2017-06-28 08:14:37
Protection: AACS2.0/C v61
Data capacity: 60.59 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 2
Bus encryption flags: 80

[Coopervid]

This one here:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-S12JX
Revision: 1.01
Serial number: AIDL006471WL
Firmware date: 2020-07-21
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8F01
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-212T
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.01/ID72
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Disc Information
Label: GET_OUT
Timestamp: 2017-06-28 08:14:37
Protection: AACS2.0/C v61
Data capacity: 60.59 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 2
Bus encryption flags: 80

PM is coming.

[tomty89]

This one here:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Product: BD-RW BDR-S12JX
Revision: 1.01
Serial number: AIDL006471WL
Firmware date: 2020-07-21
Bus encryption flags: 1B
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8F01
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-212T
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.01/ID72
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Disc Information
Label: GET_OUT
Timestamp: 2017-06-28 08:14:37
Protection: AACS2.0/C v61
Data capacity: 60.59 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 2
Bus encryption flags: 80

Given that the drive is detecting the disc, it might not be a firmware issue at all.

If you want to use MakeMKV as the decryption engine for direct playback, see e.g. viewtopic.php?t=7716

You might need to make an extra copy as libbdplus.dll for some titles. A casual search indicates similar approach works for MPC-BE as well. (Also not sure about Windows, but in Linux it seems that recent VLC will even fallback to libmmbd automatically when libaacs is not there or even just fails, so for the case of VLC the double copies and renaming might not even be necessary anymore.)

Also with either MakeMKV or the original libaacs, you'd need VUKs in some form to decrypt UHD titles. In the case of MakeMKV, hashed keys ("HK"; a form of VUKs) downloading might fail due to geoblocking. (Even if it didn't fail, it might take quite sometime to finish for the first "sync" and hence look "problematic".) So better at least check whether ripping can begin successfully before you directly play a disc. If you see that the HK download fails, you'll need VPN or so to fetch it. Alternatively you download the keydb.cfg (VUKs in another form; "managed" by a different party) manually and place it to appropriate place (do your own research). (For UHD BD it can be leveraged by both MakeMKV and the original libaacs.)

Also if you are using a USB-SATA bridge for the drive, there's a chance that MakeMKV cannot fully / actually "enable LibreDrive" (even when it states otherwise), which would result in ripping / playback failure for some titles (probably those that enables bus encryption).

[Coopervid]

All well meant but I have sent information to make his drive UHD capable. No chance w/o flashing to UHD.

[tomty89]

All well meant but I have sent information to make his drive UHD capable. No chance w/o flashing to UHD.

Hmm I thought drive without UHD capable firmware will not "see" UHD disc when inserted? Or do you mean some UHD firmware is bugged or so?