Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated New Pioneer Flashing 2026

[Billycar11]

Interesting. Well I've ordered a drive. I'll check it for whether it's fake or not before I do any flashing attempts. And if it's alright, I can email you, if you are cool with that. It's returnable. So no big deal really.

What did the comments about 'Asus if it's LG?' Asus is Asus, no?

Asus just rebrands drives it can be pioneer or LG.
Yes no problem with emailing me to check

[musashiwrx]

Well thats not gonna work most likely then. And it looks like everyone who pre-flashes is sold out?

[nicholfd]

Well thats not gonna work most likely then. And it looks like everyone who pre-flashes is sold out?

Of Pioneer drives, yes - they stopped production 1st of 2025.

I still have 3 x USB models w/LG inside, on-hand, pre-flashed. Linked in my signature below. Even these are getting harder to find.

Thanks,
Frank

[MartyMcNuts]

This isn't what the guide says. It states any firmware to 3.10MK.

the guide also says mt1959 is required as well as 2016+ build date
so any asus with mt1959 and 2016+ to that fw is correct

the problem now is all the fakes make this way more confusing
they are their own product line now like 1/4 of my emails are about fake drives

Interesting. Well I've ordered a drive. I'll check it for whether it's fake or not before I do any flashing attempts. And if it's alright, I can email you, if you are cool with that. It's returnable. So no big deal really.

What did the comments about 'Asus if it's LG?' Asus is Asus, no?

If you ordered a 5.25" ASUS, it is likely to be fake. The BW-16D1HT and BC-12D2HT were discontinued a couple of years ago. The older (pre 2015) drives had the old, incompatible MT1939 drive platform.

[musashiwrx]

Yep, you are all correct (I think!)
I have a real ASUS BW-16D1HT and its got 4 diagonal indents on the metal, not a circular indent. Also there is a thread on this board about how to spot the fakes, and the pics on ebay show all the signs of fake. When i questioned the seller they issued an immediate complete refund and said they'd 'get back to me' with the details of shipping it back. I will be documenting it all including pix of whatever i receive alongside my real one and a link to the thread with ebay.

Back to the drawing board.
Funny thing Is i have A Pioneer 5.25, and Asus 5.25, and a 'disposable' LG slim drive (they last me 250-300 disc the die. every time)
I would like a backup for the closet, but $400-500 PLUS all the import fees is just.. madness.

[vincwis]

Hello All, just recently joined and just recently got into this hobby. I thought I was lucky by finding a working LG WH16NS40 in one of my old PC cases. It has been working great for DVD's and stand blu-ray disc, but now I want to rip UHD blu-ray disc. Unfortunately the drive I have was made in August of 2014 and has 1.0 firmware. I just want to make sure, by asking, is there any way to make this particular drive able to read UHD disc? Photo of label attached.

IMG_8612.jpg

[Woodstock]

given that it's from 2 years before UHD was a "thing", it is not likely. However posting the information that MakeMKV displayed about it when you were ripping something may have a clue. If you see "MT1939", sorry, too old.

[vincwis]

Yes it says MT1939. I guess I have a good drive for ripping everything else. Thanks for your help.

[Billycar11]

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

[Yethidran]

Anyway anyone with a XD05, flashed to a XD06U, you can further flash it to become a XD08U.
i have already done it for my set. and with a Dec 2022 firmware and it can still rip 4K UHD discs.

[Coopervid]

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

There are now a couple of flashers that beat yours by far.

[Billycar11]

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

There are now a couple of flashers that beat yours by far.

[Mr_Orange]

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

Woah, big news. I just read the update to post #1.

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

There are now a couple of flashers that beat yours by far.

- is this an in joke or are there really other flashing solutions available for Pioneer drives?

[austeros]

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

Woah, big news. I just read the update to post #1.

Pioneer flashing is here including 12/22+ fw downgrades

There are now a couple of flashers that beat yours by far.

- is this an in joke or are there really other flashing solutions available for Pioneer drives?

trev.bot, BDRFlash++ and freemkv

[Yethidran]

1) trev.bot - $$$29.99 (Per drive)
2) BDRFlash++ - $$$Nominal Token Sum is totally up to you to volunteer to give (Per Drive)
3) freemkv - $$$Totally Free Of Charge, (Unlimited Drive's, Firmwares are also listed openly to download at the relevant website itself)