New LG drive (WH14NS40)

[ruff.hi]

I just picked up a new LG drive (WH14NS40) after my old one died.

Details from MakeMKV are ...

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[b]Drive Information[/b]
OS device name: \Device\CdRom0
Current profile: DVD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.04
Serial number: KLOK???????
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 13:51
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 70

Code: Select all

[b]LibreDrive Information[/b]
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.04
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

Can I flash this to enable LibreDrive?

[Billycar11]

https://makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634

[ruff.hi]

Thx Billycar11 ... I have been doing some reading, including most of the posts linked in the one you shared.

Here is where I currently stand ...

• I have downloaded the mk-firmware-pack-20200415.zip file
• and unzipped it
• there are 2 files that match my drive
  • HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH14NS40-NS50-1.03-NM00600-211711211658.bin in the MK/OLD directory
  • HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH14NS40-NS50-1.04-NM01201-211901041351.bin in the active(?) directory
  • flash_HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_WH14NS40_1.00_NS50.bin
  • flash_HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_WH14NS40_1.02_NS50.bin
• does my drive qualify (using your 'important before you flash' list)
  1. Make sure your Drive was built after 2015 - yes. March 2020
  2. Drive Platform MT1959<Most important - yes, see above
  3. SVC NS50+ LG only - yes. Little SVC CODE: NS50 on the s/n sticker
  4. Just because your drive is the same model number does not mean it will work, if you are unsure ask me i offer remote flashing and check everything before i flash. - um, ok

What is not done is ...

• d/l the flasher from https://forum.cdrinfo.pl/f29/crossflash ... s58-96313/
• run the flasher and flash using the 1.04 bin file mentioned above

My drive has stock 1.04 revision on it. My understanding is that if I flash this to the 1.04 bin file above, then this will unlock LibreDrive ... is this right?

Final question: do I really want to do this? I have installed the drive and ripped a couple of DVDs and a Blu-Ray. Then run the resulting MKV file through HandBrake and output mp4 files. They are currently sitting on my FreeNAS server and PLEX is managing them. We watched Passengers tonight.

What will unlocking LibreDrive (if that is all it does) do for me that I don't currently have?

Edit: Just downloaded the flasher ... and it came with two other options for bin files (added above).

[ruff.hi]

So ... I ended up flashing my new drive using the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH14NS40-NS50-1.04-NM01201-211901041351.bin file.

Results ...

Drive Information

Code: Select all

OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.04
Serial number: KLOK??????
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 13:51
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 70

LibreDrive Information

Code: Select all

Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.04
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

I then ripped a blu-ray and a DVD. Speed looked to be a little better but the one big thing I noticed was that the DVD rip was dead silent.

[TeddyRaspin]

@ruff.hi

Where did you buy the WH14NS40 ?

[ruff.hi]

Amazon

[S.p.e.c.t.r.e.]

So ... I ended up flashing my new drive using the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH14NS40-NS50-1.04-NM01201-211901041351.bin file.

Results ...

Drive Information

Code: Select all

OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.04
Serial number: KLOK??????
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 13:51
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 70

I wonder what that KLOK means.

[S.p.e.c.t.r.e.]

What is not done is ...

• d/l the flasher from https://forum.cdrinfo.pl/f29/crossflash ... s58-96313/
• run the flasher and flash using the 1.04 bin file mentioned above

My drive has stock 1.04 revision on it. My understanding is that if I flash this to the 1.04 bin file above, then this will unlock LibreDrive ... is this right?

Edit: Just downloaded the flasher ... and it came with two other options for bin files (added above).

I thought we were suppose to use makemkv command line mode to upgrade the firmware. Am I wrong on this? I have the WH16NS40...

[SamuriHL]

It's not required and its not super user friendly. If the Windows UI's work, it's certainly easier to flash with them.

[jextrevor]

I'm curious if your drive works with UHD discs with that firmware. I've got a WH14NS40 and downgraded it to 1.02 firmware to enable reading UHD discs. However, seeing the "unrestricted read speed: enabled" makes me want to try out whatever firmware you are using.

Also - even though my drive says "DVD all regions", I've had consistent problems with it reading some DVDs. These DVDs are read fine by my DVD drive, an HP DVD Writer 1270t.

My drive details as reported by MakeMKV:

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Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/sr0
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.02
Serial number: KLOK35J0001
Firmware date: 2115-12-11 15:03
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 72

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.02
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Possible, not yet enabled

[Coopervid]

For unrestricted read speed read this:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=22221

[jextrevor]

For unrestricted read speed read this:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=22221

I see some items in the list of firmware similar to my drive name, but none matching 1.02 and my specific firmware date. Do you know how to flash a UHD-friendly firmware that would be in that list?

[S.p.e.c.t.r.e.]

I have not flashed my WH16ns40 drive yet nor do I have any UHD disks to test either.

My drive works fine with DVD's in oem firmware but it very noisy with the head going back and forth and it first reads a dvd. My really old 10 year old bray burner didn't make as much noise.

It does read some bray at 7.6x