Failing UHD drives need replacing...

[Lonald]

What are my best current options? It seems like the LG and Asus drives are labeled as "Rewriters" and do not mention playing capability.

I'm (as usual) confused.

Thanks!!!

 

[DeepSpace]

I have a Asus BW-16D1HT, you can either flash it or let AnyDVD use LibreDrive.

 

[Lonald]

Brilliant. Thanks!

 

[SamuriHL]

The only drives I recommend anymore are official drives, which means LibreDrive will be needed. But on triple layer discs, having an official drive makes reading them much easier. The LG BU40N and several of the Pioneer official drives are good. Pioneer is a bit dicey at he moment as some of them have firmware updates that break LibreDrive, but I know they're working on that issue. I use a BDR-212UBK for all my UHD ripping. I have an Archgon bu40n usb-c drive that also works really well.

 

[jayper]

The only drives I recommend anymore are official drives, which means LibreDrive will be needed. But on triple layer discs, having an official drive makes reading them much easier. The LG BU40N and several of the Pioneer official drives are good. Pioneer is a bit dicey at he moment as some of them have firmware updates that break LibreDrive, but I know they're working on that issue. I use a BDR-212UBK for all my UHD ripping. I have an Archgon bu40n usb-c drive that also works really well.

Echoing this. Same scenario for me.

 

[DeepSpace]

Regarding official drives, the LG is a spare one without a case. There you could use the Verbatim I link down below. It contains a Pioneer BDR-UD04. I couldn't find it spare, only the BDR-UD03B (second link).
It was questioned before if it always does, and I recently ordered another one at another site, and it also contains this drive and is UHD compatible. So it seems to be the case.

Keep in mind that the links are Amz de links, if you need it on .com then you have to search it there.
Also keep in mind that I usually use the Asus as my UHD drive, the external one is mainly for Laptop use and I have only copied one UHD disc with that I think.

www.amazon.de/dp/product/B07MTP9VKX/
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07FQGJWCL/

 

[coopervid]

This is the Verbatim / Pioneer in the US:

https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B09PY6SC9Y/ref=sr_1_43?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=2US0PS8N24Q2A&keywords=lg%2Bbd-r%2Bdrive&qid=1683023475&sprefix=lg%2Bbd-r%2Bdrive%2Caps%2C334&sr=8-43&th=1

If you want a full size drive check this:

https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B00DRHOLGC/ref=sr_1_7?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=28RBRWPQTZPET&keywords=asus+bd-r&qid=1683023839&sprefix=asus+bd-r%2Caps%2C235&sr=8-7

ASUS and LG drives need to be flashed.

Guide for flashing UHD drives for AnyDVD

This is a first attempt to write a comprehensive guide for flashing BD (UHD / 4k) drives for the use with AnyDVDHD. There are so-called "UHD friendly drives" that have an unintentional loophole in the firmware and there are the so-called "UHD official drives" that have then closed this loophole...

forum.redfox.bz

There is a good chance that the Verbatim / Pioneer still has old firmware that works with the help of Libredrive out-of-the-box.

 

[DeepSpace]

There is a good chance that the Verbatim / Pioneer still has old firmware that works with the help of Libredrive out-of-the-box.

If you refer to mine, yes, I haven't done anything with both of them and they successfully decrypt discs with Libredrive involved.

This is the Verbatim / Pioneer in the US:

Little hint that you have lots of refer stuff on them, you can remove everything after the product code, and the /-/de part can be removed for the english members:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PY6SC9Y/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRHOLGC/

 

[Lonald]

I replaced my ASUS drives with ASUS drives. Updated the firmware via the referenced sites and discs that weren't working are now happily being backed up!

Thank you all for the information and advice! Very awesome community, you know!

BTW, the drives were 6 years old. They lived long, full lives... RIP