When to upgrade MK firmware?

[PriamX]

I'm using MakeMKV on Linux. Some years ago I flashed my WH16NS40 with the MK HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin firmware; it has been working well, although I have not yet used it for UHD discs.

Just today I noticed the firmware thread was updated for 2023 and thought I'd give it a re-read. I downloaded and opened up the mk-firmware-pack-20200720 and noticed there was a new firmware: HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin

I noticed they were exactly the same size in bytes but do, however, differ.

My question is when is it appropriate to upgrade my ODD's firmware? I keep my MakeMKV version up-to-date, should I also be keeping my drive up-to-date with the most recent MK firmware release? Is there a ChangeLog type file for these I can reference that would help me make this determination?

Thank you!

[MartyMcNuts]

I'm using MakeMKV on Linux. Some years ago I flashed my WH16NS40 with the MK HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin firmware; it has been working well, although I have not yet used it for UHD discs.

Just today I noticed the firmware thread was updated for 2023 and thought I'd give it a re-read. I downloaded and opened up the mk-firmware-pack-20200720 and noticed there was a new firmware: HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin

I noticed they were exactly the same size in bytes but do, however, differ.

My question is when is it appropriate to upgrade my ODD's firmware? I keep my MakeMKV version up-to-date, should I also be keeping my drive up-to-date with the most recent MK firmware release? Is there a ChangeLog type file for these I can reference that would help me make this determination?

Thank you!

There's really no neeed to ever update the firmware. FYI, WH16NS60 1.02-MK is still the best and the recommended version of MK firmware available. The newer firmware versions are generally not better in any way and in fact are often far worse.

[PriamX]

Thank you for the answer, and please excuse my ignorance with this next question. Why replace the MK 1.02 version with the MK 1.03 version in the mk-firmware-pack when 1.02 is better? Wouldn't you just retain the 1.02 version in the pack?

Thanks again.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thank you for the answer, and please excuse my ignorance with this next question. Why replace the MK 1.02 version with the MK 1.03 version in the mk-firmware-pack when 1.02 is better? Wouldn't you just retain the 1.02 version in the pack?

Thanks again.

The MK firmware pack contains all MK firmware versions that have been created. 1.02 is still there. It is located in the "old" folder.

[PriamX]

Ah, I see that. But I wouldn't have understood it prior to asking you. If I was doing this for the first time, I would have essentially assumed "old" was synonymous with "deprecated" and went right for the HL-DT-ST folder. Where I would have installed the MK 1.03 version making the incorrect assumption that it was better than the "old" version.

Anyway, thank you for answering my questions; I appreciate it.

[Billycar11]

Ah, I see that. But I wouldn't have understood it prior to asking you. If I was doing this for the first time, I would have essentially assumed "old" was synonymous with "deprecated" and went right for the HL-DT-ST folder. Where I would have installed the MK 1.03 version making the incorrect assumption that it was better than the "old" version.

Anyway, thank you for answering my questions; I appreciate it.

the all you need firmware pack has all the firmware you need

[MKV Maker]

Why replace the MK 1.02 version with the MK 1.03 version in the mk-firmware-pack when 1.02 is better? Wouldn't you just retain the 1.02 version in the pack?

Both of my WH16NS40 drives were flashed with version 1.02MK of this specific firmware for WH16NS60. However, the question remains: why make a version 1.03MK for the WH16NS60 firmware? I understand version 1.02 is recommended and upgrading is not necessary. If upgrading is not necessary and/or recommended then why does it exist? What was changed in version 1.03MK comparative to version 1.02MK? My objective is to learn and to be educated about minute details.

[ryley]

Why replace the MK 1.02 version with the MK 1.03 version in the mk-firmware-pack when 1.02 is better? Wouldn't you just retain the 1.02 version in the pack?

Both of my WH16NS40 drives were flashed with version 1.02MK of this specific firmware for WH16NS60. However, the question remains: why make a version 1.03MK for the WH16NS60 firmware? I understand version 1.02 is recommended and upgrading is not necessary. If upgrading is not necessary and/or recommended then why does it exist? What was changed in version 1.03MK comparative to version 1.02MK? My objective is to learn and to be educated about minute details.

Just to be clear, both 1.02MK and 1.03MK are modified versions of the stock/official LG 1.02 and 1.03 firmware releases. The version numbers are not incremented by the MakeMKV team but instead by LG.

1.02MK is recommended over 1.03MK because of testing done by users and drive sellers on this forum. This testing was only possible because 1.03MK was made available via the MK firmware pack.

From the perspective of someone looking to backup their UHD discs, the most significant change in 1.03 were additional security checks to mitigate the use of LibreDrive and to restrict firmware downgrades. Whilst I'm sure LG and certain forum members would have greater insights into the other changes that were made (such as media compatibility), this information isn't readily available online.

[MKV Maker]

Just to be clear, both 1.02MK and 1.03MK are modified versions of the stock/official LG 1.02 and 1.03 firmware releases. The version numbers are not incremented by the MakeMKV team but instead by LG.

Right, that much I know.

1.02MK is recommended over 1.03MK because of testing done by users and drive sellers on this forum. This testing was only possible because 1.03MK was made available via the MK firmware pack.

From the perspective of someone looking to backup their UHD discs, the most significant change in 1.03 were additional security checks to mitigate the use of LibreDrive and to restrict firmware downgrades. Whilst I'm sure LG and certain forum members would have greater insights into the other changes that were made (such as media compatibility), this information isn't readily available online.

Thanks for the insight. For additional clarification, is the firmware image called HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin found in Mike’s custom firmware pack identical in content to the firmware image called DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK.bin contained in MartyMcNuts’s all-you-need firmware pack? I noticed the versions are both 1.02 but the file names are different. The modification dates are both 31 August 2019.

[Billycar11]

Thanks for the insight. For additional clarification, is the firmware image called HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin found in Mike’s custom firmware pack identical in content to the firmware image called DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK.bin contained in MartyMcNuts’s all-you-need firmware pack? I noticed the versions are both 1.02 but the file names are different. The modification dates are both 31 August 2019.

those are identical

[MKV Maker]

Thanks for the insight. For additional clarification, is the firmware image called HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin found in Mike’s custom firmware pack identical in content to the firmware image called DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02_MK.bin contained in MartyMcNuts’s all-you-need firmware pack? I noticed the versions are both 1.02 but the file names are different. The modification dates are both 31 August 2019.

those are identical

Good to know. The file name contains both DE and MK designations. I thought firmware can be only either DE or MK ilk based on Mike’s explanation explained in his custom firmware pack thread. To have both designations in the file name caused confusion for me.

[Billycar11]

Good to know. The file name contains both DE and MK designations. I thought firmware can be only either DE or MK ilk based on Mike’s explanation explained in his custom firmware pack thread. To have both designations in the file name caused confusion for me.

all mk fw have de in it.
mk has other stuff besides that though none of us know only mike does

[MKV Maker]

mk has other stuff besides that though none of us know only mike does

Interesting. I knew not the specific modifications of MK firmware images were a mystery to everyone except for Mike.