Trev.bot Flash 1.0 Launch | Pioneer (12/22+ FW) & LG Support | $29.99 Personal License: 3 PCs | Windows/macOS/Linux

[trevbot]

Hi everyone,

I'm Trevor, the developer of trev.bot. Some of you have followed the Pioneer work in the existing thread. It's grown into a desktop app for flashing supported Pioneer and LG drives, and 1.0 is now available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

I wanted to make flashing something you could do yourself through a proper GUI. The app identifies your drive, finds compatible firmware and guides you through the process. You review the proposed change and confirm before anything is written. There are no command-line steps or firmware files to request from me.

The project grew through firmware research, testing and feedback from people here. For 1.0, I rewrote the desktop engine in Rust and added LG support. In my recent tests, an LG flash took 27 seconds and a Pioneer flash took 57 seconds. Those are individual results; your drive and connection will affect the time.

Drive support

• Pioneer and Pioneer-based drives, including supported models with firmware from December 2022 onward.
• LG drives, including supported LG-based ASUS and Buffalo drives.
• Free Pioneer settings, including PureRead and reading options where supported by the drive, on Windows, macOS and Linux. Starting with 1.0.3, these need no license or activation code, even if you never flash the drive.

Exact model and firmware matter. Download the app and check your drive for free; no purchase or activation code is needed. It shows the options available for your drive.

Cross-flash and down-flash

A cross-flash installs compatible firmware from another drive model. On supported hardware, this can enable UHD support or other features.

A down-flash installs an earlier firmware version for the same model. An older version can be useful when newer firmware changes compatibility. The app shows which changes are available for your drive.

Price and license

$29.99 buys a personal license covering your own supported LG and Pioneer drives on up to 3 computers, with no expiry. Existing paid licenses have been upgraded at no extra charge; keep your activation code. Contact support before flashing the same drive again after a completed flash.

Downloads are available for Windows, Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and Linux as DEB and RPM packages. App updates are free and don't require activation.

Download trev.bot flash
Help and license details

Thanks to everyone who tested early builds and sent feedback. Flashing firmware still carries risk, so follow the app's instructions and keep the drive's power and connection stable. If you need help, email help@trev.bot with the app's support report.

Trevor

[skyrider]

I've had the opportunity to help test various Pioneer drives and firmware configurations during the development of trev.bot flash, and I can honestly say the project has come a long way.

Trevor has been extremely responsive to feedback and bug reports, and I've watched him continuously improve both the software and drive support. I've successfully used the application on a number of drives and can highly recommend it to anyone interested in flashing, crossflashing, or managing supported Pioneer and LG drives.

Congratulations on the 1.0 release, Trevor. It's great to see all the hard work finally become a polished product. Well deserved!

[Makar]

Like Sky, I have also had the opportunity to assist Trevor since the early beta in adding support for various Pioneer drives, including S13U-X, S13UBK, 212DBK and UD03. I'm happy to say that Trevor has managed to advance optical drive flashing out of the dark ages by creating an app that is modern, user-friendly, easily accessible and cross-platform. I now have the ability to flash a drive, update its' read settings and perform MakeMKV testing, all natively within macOS.

No more forced PMing, emailing or other senseless gatekeeping

No more sketchy batch files or archaic command line knowledge required

No more being fleeced for "flashing services" @ $40-$200 per drive based on the whims of a single individual

By offering guided, full-GUI flashing support on Windows, macOS and Linux, Trev.bot Flash has opened up flashing for everyone.

Thank you Trevor!

@mike admin, Please sticky Trevor's post so it will remain visible to all. Thank you sir.

[trevbot]

Thanks, Makar and Sky! I really appreciate you both posting here, and all the time you've put into testing and sharing feedback. You've both been a huge help getting the app to this point.