Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2023

[Billycar11]

hello ,

could flash a 2021 LG NS55 that has 1.05 (encrypted?) with your provided firmware and SPI Flasher
to WH16NS60 1.02 (MK)

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.02
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

No disc inserted

however, the drive is a WH16NS55 and not NS60, so do i need to flash another firmware on top of it to get best results?


thank you very much.

1.02 ns60 will work and is recommend

[kapqa]

thanks,
it seem function well

it give error "scsi error - illegal request: copy protection key exchange failure - key not present' occured while issuing SCSI command A30..00xx............../6E3008AF


when entering and ripping first UHD movie, would process 60 GB File in around 40 Minutes which is fast, albeit in rather loud fashion.


Now my question for Film Aficionados:


This UHD has practically (according to MakeMKV) 2 titles, both are 58.9GB, and seem to contain the same files. Why is that so?
I have ripped only title 1.

Code: Select all

Title information
Name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra
Source file name: 00800.[u]mpls[/u]
Duration: 1:57:59
Chapters count: 20
Size: 58.9 GB
Segment count: 1
Segment map: 70
File name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra_t00.mkv

Code: Select all

Title information
Name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra
Source file name: 00070.[u]m2ts[/u]
Duration: 1:57:59
Size: 58.9 GB
Segment count: 1
Segment map: 70
File name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra_t01.mkv

[dcoke22]

They're the same segment map, so they're the same movie. Does one of the titles seem to just be English and Japanese and the other title is English and other languages?

For Disney movies, it is often the case that the title that's 00800.mpls is the English one and the other titles are other languages, but G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) is a Paramount release, so that rule of thumb doesn't necessarily apply.

[kapqa]

it has more or less the same languages, and the same subtitles, and also the codecs.,
ok , maybe disc 2 has some language less, subtitle less, but it seems the same otherwise.
i doubt that there are 2 files with each 60gb present.

the download of newest makemkv. has made the error "scsi etc." go away!

content title1
https://ibb.co/LQsxQtS
https://ibb.co/ZYvJ9rg

content title2
https://ibb.co/LpTmVCx
https://ibb.co/XsrWjts

[MartyMcNuts]

thanks,
it seem function well

it give error "scsi error - illegal request: copy protection key exchange failure - key not present' occured while issuing SCSI command A30..00xx............../6E3008AF


when entering and ripping first UHD movie, would process 60 GB File in around 40 Minutes which is fast, albeit in rather loud fashion.


Now my question for Film Aficionados:


This UHD has practically (according to MakeMKV) 2 titles, both are 58.9GB, and seem to contain the same files. Why is that so?
I have ripped only title 1.

Code: Select all

Title information
Name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra
Source file name: 00800.[u]mpls[/u]
Duration: 1:57:59
Chapters count: 20
Size: 58.9 GB
Segment count: 1
Segment map: 70
File name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra_t00.mkv

Code: Select all

Title information
Name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra
Source file name: 00070.[u]m2ts[/u]
Duration: 1:57:59
Size: 58.9 GB
Segment count: 1
Segment map: 70
File name: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra_t01.mkv

Look at the "source file name". On BD/UHD discs, you have both playlist files (.mpls) and the actual video filles (m2ts). Now, often a movie consists of multiple movie (m2ts) files, therefore, you should only be focusing on the playlist files (.mpls) as these contain the complete segment map and also contain any chapter information.

[kapqa]

thank you, understood.

on first page it is written

"The recommended drives are Pioneer's they are much better than Asus and LG but sadly they cant be flashed currently you will have to buy ones with old firmware from sellers for now."

In what way are Pioneer much better, when atleast according to information on page 1 they seem aswell slower?
(at least that is suggestion one gets if consulting the section "drives that currently work are" below the recommendation for Pioneer drives.

[Billycar11]

thank you, understood.

on first page it is written

"The recommended drives are Pioneer's they are much better than Asus and LG but sadly they cant be flashed currently you will have to buy ones with old firmware from sellers for now."

In what way are Pioneer much better, when atleast according to information on page 1 they seem aswell slower?
(at least that is suggestion one gets if consulting the section "drives that currently work are" below the recommendation for Pioneer drives.

They are better in alot of ways but the main ones are

More reliable get less read errors on hard to read discs
They don't constantly die
They dont eat discs
They don't need to be rebooted because they get in weird modes
They are quieter
There's more too but yeah I would even consider an LG or Asus drive as long as pioneers are available with old fw

[kapqa]

would that mean that if one buy one of those 5 5.25 listed here as Bluray Drive (2 of them mentioned on page1 if i am not mistaken)

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA ... ter+Drives


it would be difficult to Flash them because of the newer Firmware they operate?


(previous models seem list quite some more models from Pioneer)

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA ... s.Archived

[Billycar11]

would that mean that if one buy one of those 5 5.25 listed here as Bluray Drive (2 of them mentioned on page1 if i am not mistaken)

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA ... ter+Drives


it would be difficult to Flash them because of the newer Firmware they operate?


(previous models seem list quite some more models from Pioneer)

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA ... s.Archived

You can't flash them you would need to buy one with old fw from a seller

[waitin_outside]

Hi I am from India, I have been reading a lot of this forum and gotten very interested in ripping blurays but there are not a lot of options available here in India and those which are available are almost double the price if not more.

Initially I was interested in the latest pioneer drives (BDR xd08-umb-s) but due to firmware support for makemkv unavailable stopped pursuing it. I currently have shortlisted following options for me here in India -

lg wh14ns40 (rupees 11492 i.e USD - )
lg wh16ns40 (rupees 11492 i.e USD - )
ASUS BW-16D1HT (rupees 11492 i.e USD - )

I am leaning towards Asus as i have heard that it handles large disks well without read errors. Also Lg drive i am not sure of the svc version as the seller on amazon is not able to provide this info.

Any recommendations apart from the above are welcome

I have all 3 of them. My recommendation - go with the Asus.

[tylers1121]

I have problem with my ASUS BW-16D1HT disconnecting when it tries to seek on regular Blu-ray disc and fails. I tried crossflashing it with BH16NS60 1.02 and WH16NS58 1.V5 trying to seek FW that will work better on it. Still have no success. Has anyone encountered this problem? (probably yes and I just can't find the answer)

[Billycar11]

I have problem with my ASUS BW-16D1HT disconnecting when it tries to seek on regular Blu-ray disc and fails. I tried crossflashing it with BH16NS60 1.02 and WH16NS58 1.V5 trying to seek FW that will work better on it. Still have no success. Has anyone encountered this problem? (probably yes and I just can't find the answer)

try cleaning the laser

[jonghotti]

My name needs to be added back to the list of approved sellers and should have never been removed.
Thank you,

Alex Coluzzi

[tylers1121]

I have problem with my ASUS BW-16D1HT disconnecting when it tries to seek on regular Blu-ray disc and fails. I tried crossflashing it with BH16NS60 1.02 and WH16NS58 1.V5 trying to seek FW that will work better on it. Still have no success. Has anyone encountered this problem? (probably yes and I just can't find the answer)

try cleaning the laser

I actually have two of them. And second one is new. New one also does that and more often. Same problem with dirt on laser optics?

[jkr2008]

@billycar11
I was reading through your whole guide and there was a stop sign at least until I posted my question here. There is an excerpt from your guide which pertains to my drive.

"The newer OEM firmwares cannot be flashed easily due to the additional downgrade checks implemented by the drive/firmware manufacturer. If your drive has one of these firmwares, and there is no MK version of the same firmware/drive model or higher number, you will have to sidegrade to Asus 3.10MK (for compatible ASUS 5.25 drives ONLY) or (LG WH16NS60 1.02MK for compatible LG 5.25) or (BU40N 1.03MK LG Slim drives ONLY) respectively. (Note: MK firmware is available for firmware versions mentioned above.) Keeping the flashing of firmware in these scenarios within their respective family of drives/firmware (e.g ASUS firmware for ASUS drives and LG firmware for LG drives) at this stage of flashing. Then afterwards if that initial flash is successful you can move to different firmware respectively if you would like a different and compatible firmware version for the drive in question.

As previously stated in this guide. DO NOT crossflash between ASUS and LG firmware for slim drives like the LG BU40N for example. It will brick your drive. You’ve now been warned twice within this guide regarding this."

Will I still be able to flash my drive? I am including all the info off the label.
BP50NB40
Service code: NB52
Manufacturing Date: June 2023
Rom Ver 1.03

And the SDF Flash tool confirms its encrypted