Firmware recommendation for 3-layer discs

[SamuriHL]

Still. You have to remove the invisible film on new discs. This firmware by itself is not fool-proof! Wash the discs with warm water and liquid soap. Dry them with a soft cloth or gently with paper towels. Afterwards clean again with a microfiber cloth as used to clean glasses.

Firmware can't solve pollution issues!

Meh. I don't do that anymore on ANY of the discs I've bought since I got my bu40n and Pio drives. I just pull them out of the case, check for fingerprints (WTF is up with that in a new disc out of the package anyway??), and toss it in the drive. No microfiber, no nothing. Straight out of the package. I've done dozens and dozens of discs like that since I got those drives and not one has failed. I can't say that it was the case with the NS60 but I'm willing to give it a shot.

 

[DeepSpace]

just plough through

Learned a new word today

but the f***ing case was empty when I got my set and WB claimed they were going to ship them to me and never did

That is sad, not sure if that steelbook even exists here, but I bought the standard version.
There was something with the case however and they shipped me the proper one.

check for fingerprints (WTF is up with that in a new disc out of the package anyway??)

Yeah I hate that to. It is a new, sealed disc, how the hell is it possible that there are already fingerprints on it?
I actually encountered it last week when ripping the new stuff I had.

 

[coopervid]

Meh. I don't do that anymore on ANY of the discs I've bought since I got my bu40n and Pio drives. I just pull them out of the case, check for fingerprints (WTF is up with that in a new disc out of the package anyway??), and toss it in the drive. No microfiber, no nothing. Straight out of the package. I've done dozens and dozens of discs like that since I got those drives and not one has failed. I can't say that it was the case with the NS60 but I'm willing to give it a shot.

The cleaning is just a matter of seconds - at maximum a minute - and it prevents the drive to slow down during the reading process that will cost you more time or can cause even read errors. That's why I always play it safe.

 

[SamuriHL]

That's my point though. Since I switched to using the bu40n and more recently my Pio, I've had no slowdowns at all with discs right out of the box. The only time I clean a disc now is if I see f***ing fingerprints on it. Otherwise, pop it in the drive, make an ISO from it, and off I go. I've completely stopped worrying about cleaning discs even as a precaution.

 

[coopervid]

That's my point though. Since I switched to using the bu40n and more recently my Pio, I've had no slowdowns at all with discs right out of the box. The only time I clean a disc now is if I see f***ing fingerprints on it. Otherwise, pop it in the drive, make an ISO from it, and off I go. I've completely stopped worrying about cleaning discs even as a precaution.

From history I speak about the ASUS 3.10 firmware and my experiences with that. Maybe I should try results w/o cleaning using the WH16NS60 1.03 firmware. I just got accomodated myself to the whole procedure.

 

[DeepSpace]

WH16NS60 1.03 firmware

Where can I get this firmware?
On MakeMKV/Google I can only find the 1.02 FW, same applies for the All you need pack.
LG offers the firmware, but since it is an .exe and this is an Asus drive, it of course refuses to flash it.
So the only way (if there is no .bin for 1.03) would be to flash 1.02 and then use this exe to get 1.03?

Also, this comment says that 1.02-MK is better than 1.03-MK. However, you are talking about official firmware, not about MK firmware, so that might not apply here.

 

[DeepSpace]

Just checked if SDFtool has a new version, and the changelog says

UPDATE -02/07/2022:
This update should fix the encrypted firmware detection for the new ASUS BW-16D1HT 3.11 firmware.

There I couldn't find anything as well, the Asus site is still on 3.10 and the MakeMKV forum hasn't shown anything either.
The SDFtool update is almost one month old, so I would think there should be at least something. Also, if there is no new version on Asus's site, why did they say so?
Same applies for the Pro model, but as I already knew and tried myself, the BC-12D2HT has a 3.11 for more than three years already, for whatever reason. Not sure about the differences of this model as all three look the same, only to point it out.

 

[coopervid]

Where can I get this firmware?
On MakeMKV/Google I can only find the 1.02 FW, same applies for the All you need pack.
LG offers the firmware, but since it is an .exe and this is an Asus drive, it of course refuses to flash it.
So the only way (if there is no .bin for 1.03) would be to flash 1.02 and then use this exe to get 1.03?

Also, this comment says that 1.02-MK is better than 1.03-MK. However, you are talking about official firmware, not about MK firmware, so that might not apply here.

No,no,no... No original firmwares please! You have to look for WH60, not BH60.
3.11 ASUS is now encrypted but there is no 3.11 MK but if you want ASUS just flash 3.10.
The BC-12D2HT is just a BD-ROM reader. Don't even think about this drive regarding cross-flashing!!!!!

 

[coopervid]

Just checked if SDFtool has a new version, and the changelog says

There I couldn't find anything as well, the Asus site is still on 3.10 and the MakeMKV forum hasn't shown anything either.
The SDFtool update is almost one month old, so I would think there should be at least something. Also, if there is no new version on Asus's site, why did they say so?
Same applies for the Pro model, but as I already knew and tried myself, the BC-12D2HT has a 3.11 for more than three years already, for whatever reason. Not sure about the differences of this model as all three look the same, only to point it out.

Please do not confuse things! Most people wanted to use DVDfab in conjunction with Makemkv (now also AnyDVD using Makemkv) and that program only works with BH16NS60 1.00. There was another post in the makemkv forum that said certain discs could only be ripped with WH16NS60 1.03 which lead me to try this firmware and I have to say it works much better than BH16NS60 1.00 or 1.02.

 

[DeepSpace]

Please do not confuse things!

I only ask because I've seen it and am interested in the answer. Funnily enough, you confused me a bit, because you anwered to the Asus 3.11 question with the answer to 1.03 and put the answer to the 3.11 and Asus question to the quote of my 1.03 question.

However, you did not answer how I can get 1.03?
Same goes for 3.11. I understand that it might not work as good as the other versions like 3.02 and 3.10, but I couldn't even find it.

You have to look for WH60, not BH60.

What do you mean with that? I only ever looked and googled for WH16NS60 as I linked in my comment, never for BH60.
However, I never found anything else than 1.02 and lower. No 1.03. (And the 1.03 I found is the .exe from LG itself, so I don't know how to flash it. You haven't answered if my suggestion would work, please do that).

While writing this comment, I searched my folder for WH16NS60 (I haven't done it before, only looked by eye) and found a HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin in the MK firmware pack folder of the modified Asus Odd firmware changer.
Is this the right firmware? If yes, I was confused because you always said "WH16NS60 1.03 firmware", you never said MK.
If no, then I was right with the direction I went before, so please tell me where to download it.

The BC-12D2HT is just a BD-ROM reader. Don't even think about this drive regarding cross-flashing!!!!!

About that... I already had it's 3.11 firmware flashed onto my 16D1HT and I ripped some discs with it. It worked, not sure how good, but it was a bit fiddely to go back to 3.02 or any other version of 16 because even after flashing, it still showed up as 12D2HT. Not sure what I flashed exactly, but now I am back on 16.

 

[Ch3vr0n]

Last i checked BH and WH models are identical, been that way at least as far back as my BH10... The first letter is the COLOR of the front bevel, the rest is identical (or it should be) BH = Black. WH = White preinstalled front bevel

 

[SamuriHL]

Jesus this thread has become a mess I see. Ok...

Asus 3.11 is not something you'll find. Asus shipped new drives with it. It's an encrypted firmware and they never released an update to existing drives for it. You will not find it anywhere and it was not turned into an mk firmware afaik.

Wh16ns60 1.03mk is the firmware being talked about. In the mk firmware pack. Non mk firmware is not generally useful for these drives. Do not flash these drives with original firmware else you'll have to follow a whole bunch of steps to recover them. Just don't do it. Mk firmware only.

Bh vs wh. No idea what you mean about bezel color. All my wh drives are black. There can be hardware differences between the models in terms of read speeds. Usually you can flash across the models anyway and it's not been seen to cause issues. I.e. 14x read speed drives flashed to 16x firmware seems to work fine.



Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Ch3vr0n]

Bh vs wh. No idea what you mean about bezel color.

You know the tray that slides out and you put your disc in. That tiny vertical piece and the front cover of the drive itself (at least in the case of my BH10) are/were entirely replaceable. When i bought that BH10 it came with 2 extra front pieces, black preinstalled and white & grey spare front pieces. So it was compatible with all "colors" of cases. Oh and i just looked it up. That drive, the BH10LS30, god damn. Released in 2010. I've had that drive for 12 years and it still reads and burns everything i throw at it.

anyway back on topic

 

[SamuriHL]

I know what a bezel is but the WH vs BH in my experience has absolutely no bearing on color. I have 3 WH drives all are black.

 

[Ch3vr0n]

I know what a bezel is but the WH vs BH in my experience has absolutely no bearing on color. I have 3 WH drives all are black.

Well maybe they changed it after a while. Anyway, not relevant to firmware Back on topic ^^

 

[coopervid]

I only ask because I've seen it and am interested in the answer. Funnily enough, you confused me a bit, because you anwered to the Asus 3.11 question with the answer to 1.03 and put the answer to the 3.11 and Asus question to the quote of my 1.03 question.

However, you did not answer how I can get 1.03?
Same goes for 3.11. I understand that it might not work as good as the other versions like 3.02 and 3.10, but I couldn't even find it.


What do you mean with that? I only ever looked and googled for WH16NS60 as I linked in my comment, never for BH60.
However, I never found anything else than 1.02 and lower. No 1.03. (And the 1.03 I found is the .exe from LG itself, so I don't know how to flash it. You haven't answered if my suggestion would work, please do that).

While writing this comment, I searched my folder for WH16NS60 (I haven't done it before, only looked by eye) and found a HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin in the MK firmware pack folder of the modified Asus Odd firmware changer.
Is this the right firmware? If yes, I was confused because you always said "WH16NS60 1.03 firmware", you never said MK.
If no, then I was right with the direction I went before, so please tell me where to download it.



About that... I already had it's 3.11 firmware flashed onto my 16D1HT and I ripped some discs with it. It worked, not sure how good, but it was a bit fiddely to go back to 3.02 or any other version of 16 because even after flashing, it still showed up as 12D2HT. Not sure what I flashed exactly, but now I am back on 16.

I agree with SamuriHL. This is a mess. Did you read my tutorials / guides? If not, do so. If you still have questions please send a PM but don't confuse the public with your posts. And I hate to write over and over what has been written many times.

 

[coopervid]

Well maybe they changed it after a while. Anyway, not relevant to firmware Back on topic ^^

So far I know WH is bulk and BH is with the Cyberlink software. Otherwise no difference. Or vice versa. But the drives are identical.

 

[coopervid]

Here is the guide:

https://forum.redfox.bz/threads/guide-for-flashing-uhd-drives-for-anydvd.79023/
or in German:
https://forum.redfox.bz/threads/flash-anleitung-uhd-laufwerke-für-anydvd.79022/

Please read, DeepSpace. Only write if you have questions after reading!

 

[DeepSpace]

Please read, DeepSpace. Only write if you have questions after reading!

I cannot see what your issue is. I know all of that, as you know I already flashed my drive several times.

However, I had absolutley no clue that 3.11 was only shipped with new drives itself (thanks SamuriHL) and could not find anything about it in the net, so I asked.
About 1.03, yes, I could've known that you are talking about MK, as it was neccessary to flash 3.10 MK when I first got the drive, but in your comments you always said 1.03, never 1.03 MK. So I decided to ask instead of just going with the MK firmware I have in case you don't mean the MK firmware and then getting told that I should've used the official firmware, non-MK.

LG WH16NS60 1.03 is the best firmware

And now flashed to WH16NS60 1.03.

The only clue about MK is this post:

put my 2020 made NS60 back in and flashed it to 1.03MK.

So for me it was only logical to ask all of that, as I had no information about 3.11 and wanted to be sure about the MK part.
In your guide, you even wrote yourself:

If you want to cross-flash a drive please ask first in the forum and you will receive advice.

That is exactly what I did and you are telling me I made this thread a mess?

My questions are solved now, so I will not write anything else anyway until I was able to test it on a 3-layer disc. But I really cannot see your problem with this and I hope you now understand why I asked.

 

[coopervid]

Only the very, very first firmwares of the LG / ASUS drives allowed to rip UHD discs w/o flashing the firmware. This goes back to 2015 / 2016. In the meantime it is mandatory to flash modified firmware so called DE or newer MK firmwares. Original firmwares are w/o any use. So it is quite obvious to any user who reads through the forums or has read my tutorial that you MUST flash modified firmware.