HL-DT-ST - BH16NS55 - flashing drawbacks?

[Rambo]

Hi all,

I am new here and have recently purchased a HL-DT-ST BH16NS55 drive. Details as follows;

Drive Information
OS device name: H:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BH16NS55
Revision: 1.04
Serial number: KL2K2PE2749
Firmware date: 2119-01-04 13:42
Bus encryption flags: 17

LibreDrive Information
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)

I plan on ripping my 4k bluray discs using MakeMKV and then using Handbrake to compress at some point in the next few months but don't fully understand what is done during the flashing process.

Is anything reduced in terms of features and functionality by flashing to an older firmware version?

Will the performance (write and read speeds) still be the same as it was?

If I am to go ahead, my understanding is that I need to use the following;

BH16NS55 > WH16NS60 1.02MK

makemkvcon64.exe f --all-yes -d D: rawflash -i C:\Users\xxxx\Desktop\Bluray Modify UHD\(Modified) ASUS ODD FW Changer (24.08.2019) + UHD Friendly Firmwares + Latest MK Pack (15.04.2020).zip\mk-firmware-pack-20200415\MK\HL-DT-ST\WH16NS60\HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin

Presumably no going back?

[Billycar11]

nothing is lost WH16NS60 1.02 is the same age as 1.04 on your drive

[SamuriHL]

Billy, you REALLY want to update the guides with sdftool64. I know you do. Come on, you really want to.

[Billycar11]

Billy, you REALLY want to update the guides with sdftool64. I know you do. Come on, you really want to.

the old command still works and it matches the video lol idk maybe i will put or sdftool64 lol

[SamuriHL]

Billy, you REALLY want to update the guides with sdftool64. I know you do. Come on, you really want to.

the old command still works and it matches the video lol idk maybe i will put or sdftool64 lol

I'm mostly teasing and giving you a hard time. Lol I did personally switch to using it myself though. It seems easier to work with.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Rambo]

Thank you for the feedback. I might give it a go, just worried about bricking my drive

[SamuriHL]

Extremely difficult to do so on an NS55 when flashing with SDFTool. At least as long as you're following the instructions Billy laid out.

[Rambo]

Thank you, to make sure I do use those instructions, where are they?

[SamuriHL]

Typing this from memory as I've typed it about 3 times in the last 24 hours.

From a command prompt in the MakeMKV directory, type the following:

sdftool64 --l

This will list your drives. Find the one you want to flash. For instructional purposes, we'll say it's drive F: Obviously replace F: with the drive you want to flash.

sdftool64 -d F: help

This will list the commands available for your drive. Now to flash your drive:

sdftools64 -d F: rawflash -i path\to\firmware.bin

Replace path\to with the path to the firmware bin file you want to flash. Replace firmware.bin with the filename of the firmware you want to flash. E.G. HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin if you want to flash the NS60 1.02-MK firmware.

That's really all there is to it.

[shBeamingAway]

Hi Guys,

I have a drive with the same vintage of the firmware.
OS-Gerätename: J:
Produzent: HL-DT-ST
Produkt: BD-RE BH16NS55
Revision: 1.04
Serienummer: XXXX
Firmware-Datum: 2119-01-04 13:42
Markierungen der Bus-Verschlüsselung: 17
Highest AACS version: 63

I tried to flash the drive to the latest drive specific fw that is listed in the mk pack
mk-firmware-pack-20200720\MK\HL-DT-ST\BH16NS55\HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BH16NS55-1.05-NM00400-212004211049.bin

I would have thought this is the safest bet as it means an increasing FW revision number. But after doing this twice with the makemkvcon64.exe command in an administrative cmd window I still get the following feedback:
sdftool64.exe -l
Found 2 drives(s)
00: \Device\CdRom0, \Device\CdRom0, I:
PIONEER_DVD-ROM_DVD-104_2.06

01: \Device\CdRom1, \Device\CdRom1, J:
HL-DT-ST_BD-RE__BH16NS55_1.04_211901041342_KLBK2PF0316

So I am kind of stuck. I would really like to watch some 4k content on my amd ryzen based HTPC But the widows UHD BD just doesn't want to read on the intel i3 based office machine with the drive mentioned above. Suggestions which fw to flash would be really great!

[SamuriHL]

In the old directory of the MK firmware pack, flash this:

HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BH16NS55-1.04-NM01701-211901041342.bin

[Crappusername]

I just flashed a BH16NS55 with the 1.05 firmware no problems.
Was -
HL-DT-ST_BD-RE__BH16NS55_1.04_211901041342

Now -
HL-DT-ST_BD-RE__BH16NS55_1.05_212004211049

I used sdftool64 to flash it, not makemkvcon64.exe

Super easy. I remember looking up the process for my old ns40 a while ago and I'm sure it was more complicated back then. I never actually went through with it on that drive, wasn't much point.

[Dodgy Bob]

Hi folks,

Just to add my 5cents...

My 2010 Lite-On iHBS212, which I think I remember seeing being picked up as a HL-DT-ST drive, was starting to play up so I replaced it on the weekend with a LG BH16NS55. It had FW 1.04 on it and a manufacture date of Feb-2020 - I think it was!?

Anyhow, after finally finding a post on here which directed me to a related YT video I tried the "makemkvcon64.exe" way, but it just wouldn't work - it didn't error out, it just didn't seem to do anything, even though it showed all the right output. Then, I stumbled on this thread here and I tried the "sdftool64.exe" way and it did work - first time even!!

So, yeah, for anyone else, definitely try out the "sdftool64.exe" command if the "makemkvcon64.exe" command doesn't work for you.

Kind regards,
Dodgy Bob