FYI - thanks to this site's firmware 'fixer', I am doing exactly that - using latest AnyDVD to rip directly to iso, and it works just fine (ASUS BW-16D1HT, Firmware 3.03 flashed to DE 3.02 from this site) via USB 3.0 to SATA connector (Vantec). I chose the external USB connection because it had the most immediate option to test/use it now. Will get it into a separate internal rig install later (building an old Xeon 1366 machine from spare parts that will be used just for ripping UHDs and virus scanning drives from friends who surf and open things they shouldn't
