Help With 4K Blu Ray Player and 4k Ripping

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Thanks to this forum I so far have blu ray/DVD (but not 4k blu ray) ripping down pat.

1. For my ROON music software, with my Windows 11 laptop, I use MakeMKV and then DVD Audio Extractor (I was using AnyDVD HD with DVD Audio Extractor for years until Redfox AnyDVD HD went off the web).

2. For my blu ray and DVD ripping (played via Dune HD Pro Vision 4k Solo Directory) (primarily for music - Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D and DTS-X), I use MakeMKV to decrypt and rip the files, and then IMGBurn to make the ISO file (or I rip mkv files with MakeMKV and then MKVToolnix to break out individual tracks).

3. My blu ray/dvd player/writer for years has been a Pioneer BD-RW BDR-X506 firmware 2017-06-22.

Is it simply a matter of updating the firmware for my existing Pioneer, and if so, which firmware and a link so I do not get newer firmware which defeats ripping?
Or can you recommend a 4k blu ray player/writer to use with Windows 11 laptop for this? Thanks.

 

[atrocity]

Or can you recommend a 4k blu ray player/writer to use with Windows 11 laptop for this? Thanks.

I'd recommend looking through the MakeMKV forums. I don't really understand what goes on under the hood, but somehow or other even Blu-ray computer drives that can read triple-layer discs can't rip commercial 4k releases without firmware trickery.

https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=16 is a good place to start. I have two different drives that I've flashed and the process went smoothly, though one of those drives is just inherently unreliable.

Note also that you can get an (expensive!) triple-layer blank and burn yourself a clone of a 4k disc, but depending on who you believe there's either nothing or close to nothing out there that will play it. You're much better off ripping to MKV.

 

[timothyemerson]

Hi.

This website is helpful: https://uhdenableddrives.com/

My BD drive fortunately could be flashed to allow 4K MKVs to be backed up so all I needed to do was download the software.

If your BD drive isn't on the list, this website can send you a new drive, flashed and tested.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Thanks for all the help. I ordered a Pioneer BDRM from Billy Carlson after reading on the MakeMKV forums. I'm in Arizona and Billy's in the U.S. as well.

 

[DuncanS]

I've been looking at getting another External R/W Blu-ray Drive for the PC and I'm just buying a Pioneer BDR-X13E-S, I thought I'd check the specifications just to make doubly sure it will be useful in the long term - it'll Write to M-Disc.

Pioneer have this warning for Ultra HD (doesn't worry me but it might others!)

• 
  Playback of Ultra HD Blu-ray requires a CPU that supports Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) technology. Intel SGX has been removed from Intel 11th generation and newer CPUs, and support for SGX may be removed on new versions of Intel drivers or utility programs such as Intel SGX and Intel Management Engine drivers and firmware in the future. Such changes could cause these platforms to lose support for Ultra HD Blu-ray movie disc playback.
  For information on other PC environment requirements, download the Ultra HD Blu-ray Advisor Tool to your PC, and check. https://pioneer.jp/device_e/product-e/ibs/eula.php

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

I've been looking at getting another External R/W Blu-ray Drive for the PC and I'm just buying a Pioneer BDR-X13E-S, I thought I'd check the specifications just to make doubly sure it will be useful in the long term - it'll Write to M-Disc.

Pioneer have this warning for Ultra HD (doesn't worry me but it might others!)

• 
  Playback of Ultra HD Blu-ray requires a CPU that supports Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) technology. Intel SGX has been removed from Intel 11th generation and newer CPUs, and support for SGX may be removed on new versions of Intel drivers or utility programs such as Intel SGX and Intel Management Engine drivers and firmware in the future. Such changes could cause these platforms to lose support for Ultra HD Blu-ray movie disc playback.
  For information on other PC environment requirements, download the Ultra HD Blu-ray Advisor Tool to your PC, and check. https://pioneer.jp/device_e/product-e/ibs/eula.php

Will you need to re-flash it to copy 4K UHD discs?