• AnyStream is having some DRM issues currently, Netflix is not available in HD for the time being.
    Situations like this will always happen with AnyStream: streaming providers are continuously improving their countermeasures while we try to catch up, it's an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Please be patient and don't flood our support or forum with requests, we are working on it 24/7 to get it resolved. Thank you.

LG WH16NS60 Ultra HD Blu-Ray drive

DrinkLyeAndDie

Retired Moderator
Thread Starter
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
11,822
Likes
468
My much-loved Pioneer BDR-205 is no longer able to burn DVDs as well as not doing a great job reading them so it had to be retired and since I needed a newer drive I decided it was going to handle UHD, as well. Being a fan of Pioneer drives I was drawn to the BDR-211UBK but it's still selling for 120 USD or more depending on where you look. The LG WH16NS60 is also selling at comparable prices but I was lucky enough to be able to get the LG for 80 USD. It was too good to pass up.

First impressions:
  • It's loud. Really loud. Initial scanning/reading of the disc isn't pleasant, IMHO.
  • Once copying or playback begins things settle down quickly but even the disc spinning through the air is definitely more noticeable than in Pioneer drives.
  • Read speeds when copying protected images to HDD are definitely slower than my Pioneer BDR-205 and my BDR-2209s.
  • Less quiet during burning. Nothing bad sounding but just louder.
I definitely wouldn't return the drive but it will take some getting used to.

I know that LG used to have a software program for checking, download, and installing firmware updates. Is that still the case? It was the LG ODD something or other. Also, Pioneer has little utilities to control the settings for their more recent drives (ie BDR-209). Does anything like this exist for LG drives? I searched for answers to both my questions and I came up with the answer that firmware software no longer exists and that there is no utility to adjust drive settings but figured I'd ask those more knowledgeable.

I haven't owned an LG drive since my LG GCC-H20L HD-DVD drive and my earlier DVD burners.
 
Weird that it's loud. according to the LG site is has "SilentPlay" technology :p It was indeed LG ODD, I simply on occasion either went to the LG site manually or checked firmwarehq :)
 
Weird that it's loud. according to the LG site is has "SilentPlay" technology :p

I found the irony in my question amusing, indeed. But, yes. It's definitely not as quiet. I will also note that my Pioneer BDR-2209 drives are bigger than my BDR-205 in size. When I had the BDR-205 sitting next to the WH16NS60 side by side I was surprised to see the LG drive the same size or smaller than the 205. I hadn't expected that. As a whole, I consider Pioneer drives to be more ruggedly constructed and part of that may involve more sound insulation than the LG drive.

It was indeed LG ODD, I simply on occasion either went to the LG site manually or checked firmwarehq :)

I thought as much but figured it couldn't hurt to ask. :) Still no update to the firmware but given it not being out very long that isn't surprising.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
you could always open it and add some noise insulating material yourself ;)
 
I think that's the same model as mine. The previous model had a much nicer faceplate. This one just has the old traditional design. There were only 2 drives that could read 4K UDH discs, the other being Asus' equivalent of this model. I'm normally an Asus fan but no one could confirm that they had tested it with the 4K discs whereelse the LG had a couple of confirmations and thus I went with it.

Noise-wise my coolant reservoir sits right above it so it drowns most noise out anyway. The only time I've noticed it very loud is while installing Project Cars 2's last disc. The first 4 discs were DVD 9s while the last one was a DVD 5 this much higher spindle speed and it was quite loud.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I purchased one last night even though my other LG dumps UHD BD, Never used Fry's before. But they charge that 104.99 to your CC right there and then.

Personally, I generally stick with likes of Amazon or Newegg these days but Fry's has been around and good to deal with. I've had interactions with them a number of times. Never had any bad experiences.
 
Personally, I generally stick with likes of Amazon or Newegg these days but Fry's has been around and good to deal with. I've had interactions with them a number of times. Never had any bad experiences.
If you live on the West Coast Frys has retail stores like BestBuy does here, very convenient if you have to return something.
 
I had no choice, It seem's Fry's so far has a monopoly with these drives. There not even on EBay. There in Georgia but i'm not driving 8-10 hrs round trip. Can't dump anything anyway. But as far as i see Newegg doesn't even carry them yet Fry's no problem.

Yes. Fry's does seem to have the market corned at this point. I did some searching before locating the drive there. Was just glad that i'd done business with Fry's before and knew they were reliable. For the non-sale price it was... acceptable especially given that it is so new. But once you actually added a sale then things got much nicer. :)

My other LG dumps them but that DeUHD isn't out of my league it just don't cut it for the amount of $. If it was 59.99 i'd buy it if it worked or not. If it was AnyDVD UHD and worked like AnyDVD HD i'd pay 250.00 lifetime without a wink. But you will always get price criers.

I think that's pretty much the boat that the vast majority of people are in at this point.
 
Yes. Fry's does seem to have the market corned at this point. I did some searching before locating the drive there. Was just glad that i'd done business with Fry's before and knew they were reliable. For the non-sale price it was... acceptable especially given that it is so new. But once you actually added a sale then things got much nicer. :)



I think that's pretty much the boat that the vast majority of people are in at this point.



For the $ I want to be safe then sorry. Because if they ever change something at least I have 2 drives. You never know if they would make a drive not able to rip UHD BD. Anything is possible so it's 1st Gen. Those are where the holes are usually left open.


I still have a new Pioneer 206 in the box. The 1st one still going.
 
It is strange that Fry's is the only retailer of the LG WH16NS60 drive, I looked it up. Still didn't receive mine. My CC was refunded the 104.99. But CC will only put $ on hold for about 10 days then return it to your account. I guess when there back in stock they will charge the card again.
 
Previously, when the sale was going on from the beginning the drives were back ordered with a estimated ship date of October 30th or later. Checking the website now the drive is still back ordered. Estimated shipping between now and September 9th. At this point any order is just adding your name to a waiting list. They can't keep up with demand for online sales.
 
Previously, when the sale was going on from the beginning the drives were back ordered with a estimated ship date of October 30th or later. Checking the website now the drive is still back ordered. Estimated shipping between now and September 9th. At this point any order is just adding your name to a waiting list. They can't keep up with demand for online sales.



Mines due like Nov 6th, I ordered it in mid Oct. Depends how fast the Chinese labor is and the captain of the ship.
 
My much-loved Pioneer BDR-205 is no longer able to burn DVDs as well as not doing a great job reading them so it had to be retired and since I needed a newer drive I decided it was going to handle UHD, as well. Being a fan of Pioneer drives I was drawn to the BDR-211UBK but it's still selling for 120 USD or more depending on where you look. The LG WH16NS60 is also selling at comparable prices but I was lucky enough to be able to get the LG for 80 USD. It was too good to pass up.

First impressions:
  • It's loud. Really loud. Initial scanning/reading of the disc isn't pleasant, IMHO.
  • Once copying or playback begins things settle down quickly but even the disc spinning through the air is definitely more noticeable than in Pioneer drives.
  • Read speeds when copying protected images to HDD are definitely slower than my Pioneer BDR-205 and my BDR-2209s.
  • Less quiet during burning. Nothing bad sounding but just louder.
I definitely wouldn't return the drive but it will take some getting used to.

I know that LG used to have a software program for checking, download, and installing firmware updates. Is that still the case? It was the LG ODD something or other. Also, Pioneer has little utilities to control the settings for their more recent drives (ie BDR-209). Does anything like this exist for LG drives? I searched for answers to both my questions and I came up with the answer that firmware software no longer exists and that there is no utility to adjust drive settings but figured I'd ask those more knowledgeable.

I haven't owned an LG drive since my LG GCC-H20L HD-DVD drive and my earlier DVD burners.



I would have to disagree, If the drive got anymore quiet i'd think something was wrong. That blue light on the drive can drive me crazy blinking away though. Rather bright. Mine was made 08/17 with firmware 1.00


Came with a owners manual and a PowerDVD DVD which I didn't even look at. It reads UHD rather fast. Faster than my other LG. Was not in a retail box but in a double boxed Fry's box. It shipped from Tn to me.
 
What would be the best choice? WH16NS60 or BDR-211UBK ??? Main use is backup of my blurays with anydvd
 
What would be the best choice? WH16NS60 or BDR-211UBK ??? Main use is backup of my blurays with anydvd

err the BDR-211UBK already supports reading Ultra 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs out of the box, meaning you wouldn't need De-UHD to play the discs if you had this drive. It isn't listed as a supported drive on their website either.
 
@highvoltage
I guess happyguy82 misunderstood (not to mention that the Pioneer can't play UHDs if the rest of the system isn't capable, but that's another story).
When it comes to build & burn quality i'd would always go for Pioneer.
But i can't tell anything about the read speed of both drives.
 
@highvoltage
I guess happyguy82 misunderstood (not to mention that the Pioneer can't play UHDs if the rest of the system isn't capable, but that's another story).
When it comes to build & burn quality i'd would always go for Pioneer.
But i can't tell anything about the read speed of both drives.

Ahh highvoltage was asking about which to use with AnyDVD, not DeUHD. Apologies.

The Pioneer seems to be superior in quality and features. The only thing to note is DeUHD doesn't support it, meaning can't backup 4K Blu-Ray discs.
 
it seems the pioneer does not support M-Disc, but I think it's not a problem. maybe in the future be added compatible DeUHD, This is not a problem at the moment.
 
it seems the pioneer does not support M-Disc, but I think it's not a problem. maybe in the future be added compatible DeUHD, This is not a problem at the moment.

my Panasonic UJ265 doesn't 'support' M-DISC either but it can burn M-DISC no problem. I've done so before. I am not 100% sure the drive must support it to be able to burn it.

caveat, I burned an M-DISC DVD, not Blu-Ray but I assume it's the same.
 
There's indeed no full M-DISC support of the Pioneers - they can only burn M-DISC Blu-rays, not DVDs.
 
Back
Top