UHD Enabled Drives (Australia, NZ & Singapore among others!) & DIY "Single Drive Flasher UI" available worldwide!!

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

[MartyMcNuts]

Stock levels updated in first post.

All Pioneer branded drives are now gone! There will be no more. I do still have some Verbatim 43887's with the Pioneer BDR-UD03 cross-flashed to BDR-UD04 firmware for UHD compatibility available. This is now the best drive available.

There are a few Verbatim 43888's and 43889's available, both containing LG BU40N's inside. Doesn't look like I can get any more of these either. I'll keep trying to source some but it isn't looking good.

[DennisOlof]

Hi MartyMcNuts.

In case you don't know there seems to be plenty of 5.25 BDR-UD04 and BDR-UD03 for sale on Ebay, most are China. I think you can patch these drives and sell them as is.

Or if you want, find good a good external USB3 5.25 optical slim case. Hard to know what case is good as it depends on what USB3 chip they use.

I think the same can be said for LG. But as you say that Verbatim drive is probably out of production for now, or if they release a new batch it will be LG drives only.

[nicholfd]

Hi MartyMcNuts.

In case you don't know there seems to be plenty of 5.25 BDR-UD04 and BDR-UD03 for sale on Ebay, most are China. I think you can patch these drives and sell them as is.

Or if you want, find good a good external USB3 5.25 optical slim case. Hard to know what case is good as it depends on what USB3 chip they use.

I think the same can be said for LG. But as you say that Verbatim drive is probably out of production for now, or if they release a new batch it will be LG drives only.

5.25" drives are desktop drives, designed to fit into a PC style case & do not fit in slim USB cases. Slim cases are designed for laptop style drives (which are not 5 1/4") - two completely different things.

Verbatim does not manufacture optical drives. They brand & sell drives that are OEM'd by LG & previously Pioneer (before the stopped). I'm not sure current production status of Verbatim branded drives is known.

Thanks,
Frank

[MartyMcNuts]

Hi MartyMcNuts.

In case you don't know there seems to be plenty of 5.25 BDR-UD04 and BDR-UD03 for sale on Ebay, most are China. I think you can patch these drives and sell them as is.

Or if you want, find good a good external USB3 5.25 optical slim case. Hard to know what case is good as it depends on what USB3 chip they use.

I think the same can be said for LG. But as you say that Verbatim drive is probably out of production for now, or if they release a new batch it will be LG drives only.

5.25" drives are desktop drives, designed to fit into a PC style case & do not fit in slim USB cases. Slim cases are designed for laptop style drives (which are not 5 1/4") - two completely different things.

Verbatim does not manufacture optical drives. They brand & sell drives that are OEM'd by LG & previously Pioneer (before the stopped). I'm not sure current production status of Verbatim branded drives is known.

Thanks,
Frank

Exactly. The Pioneer BDR-UD03 and BDR-UD04 are 9.5mm drives.

Since LG are also shutting down optical drive manufacturing, I'd say Verbatim may soon run out of drives for their enclosures (if they haven't already).

[DennisOlof]

Opps. I was of course talking about the optical slim drives.

But now I thought about something, I wonder if the BDR-UD03 and BDR-UD04 they have for sale on Ebay could be fake drives ? They could just put a sticker on it that is a copy, sell it like a Pioneer but a different brand. And also the could use fake pictures as well.

Is LG is shutting down optical manufacturing just like Pioneer ?

[MartyMcNuts]

Opps. I was of course talking about the optical slim drives.

But now I thought about something, I wonder if the BDR-UD03 and BDR-UD04 they have for sale on Ebay could be fake drives ? They could just put a sticker on it that is a copy, sell it like a Pioneer but a different brand. And also the could use fake pictures as well.

Is LG is shutting down optical manufacturing just like Pioneer ?

Already have apparently, back in October.

I'd say most of those drives from China are fakes.

[DennisOlof]

Are you sure about this ? So they shut down production In October of 2025 ?

Ok, so are they out forever or is it just that they do not have a production run at the moment ?

Is there any manufacturer left at all ?

You are right about them drives are probably fake. At the moment it seems that the only option left is Asus BW-16D1H-U, there are units out there with the Pioneer BDR-212T that are genuine. But who knows for how long, I am going to buy one of these and hope it has genuine Pioneer drive in it. I just need to find a place where they sell older stock of these drives.

[MartyMcNuts]

Are you sure about this ? So they shut down production In October of 2025 ?

Ok, so are they out forever or is it just that they do not have a production run at the moment ?

Is there any manufacturer left at all ?

You are right about them drives are probably fake. At the moment it seems that the only option left is Asus BW-16D1H-U, there are units out there with the Pioneer BDR-212T that are genuine. But who knows for how long, I am going to buy one of these and hope it has genuine Pioneer drive in it. I just need to find a place where they sell older stock of these drives.

As far as I am aware, there are currently no optical drive manufacturers, at least not any that produce UHD capable drives.