Need some first time help please

[EvilMr2]

Hello and thank you in advance for taking a look at this and possibly providing some clarity.

I'm looking to set up a home NAS server using Jellyfin and plan to use makeMKV to help convert all of my Blurays, dvd, etc to easier to share content. But when looking to be able to rip this content is where i had some questions. I believe I might be on right path but just want to be sure and appreciate any input.

I am looking to purchase a Asus BW-16d1x-u. From my understanding as a new purchased item this will be unable to read UHD content as well as be able to rip any readable content. From my understanding anything new in 2026 would be past firmware 3.11 can not install libre. Which would resolve both things I am wanting it to do if you could. Upon reading some other info on here it seems you can still flash the "new/current production" firmware back to v3.10 for another Asus drive the Asus BW-16d1x-u using SDFtool flasher. (I guess this is the internal version).

This is where i get confused a tad, where can i locate the SDFtool flasher for Asus? All info I have seen seems company specific... And where do I locate the V3.10 from I have to believe Asus is not going to have this on their site? I am not trying to troll but a lot of this is over my head and am trying to learn/understand and want to have all my ducks in a row before getting hardware. Thank you again...

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello and thank you in advance for taking a look at this and possibly providing some clarity.

I'm looking to set up a home NAS server using Jellyfin and plan to use makeMKV to help convert all of my Blurays, dvd, etc to easier to share content. But when looking to be able to rip this content is where i had some questions. I believe I might be on right path but just want to be sure and appreciate any input.

I am looking to purchase a Asus BW-16d1x-u. From my understanding as a new purchased item this will be unable to read UHD content as well as be able to rip any readable content. From my understanding anything new in 2026 would be past firmware 3.11 can not install libre. Which would resolve both things I am wanting it to do if you could. Upon reading some other info on here it seems you can still flash the "new/current production" firmware back to v3.10 for another Asus drive the Asus BW-16d1x-u using SDFtool flasher. (I guess this is the internal version).

This is where i get confused a tad, where can i locate the SDFtool flasher for Asus? All info I have seen seems company specific... And where do I locate the V3.10 from I have to believe Asus is not going to have this on their site? I am not trying to troll but a lot of this is over my head and am trying to learn/understand and want to have all my ducks in a row before getting hardware. Thank you again...

No, you are not quite right. It won't be able to rip UHD out of the box but can rip BD and DVD. The ASUS BW-16D1X-U will contain either a Pioneer or a LG drive inside it's enclosure. ASUS don't actually make drives. Either way it can be flashed to rip UHD. If it's a LG, use SDFtool Flasher. Just search for it to find the thread. If it's a Pioneer, contact Billycar11 and he can help you flash it.

SDFtool Flasher is for the MT1959 drive platform, which is used in LG drives (also OEM ASUS, Buffalo, Archgon, Verbatim etc...). There is no specific SDFtool Flasher for ASUS or any other brand, just the drive platform. The SDFtool Flasher thread has download links for the flasher and my all you need firmware pack.

Once you get the drive, you can copy/paste the drive info & libredrive info sections from MakeMKV for further assistance if required.