Problem with Blu-Ray Drive

RealityRipple · Dec 28, 2011, 04:42 AM

[long back story]I bought a Blu-Ray re-writable drive, I suppose a few years ago now, and only after the warranty had expired did I get a chance to test any Blu-Ray discs on it. I got a copy of the entire Lost box set, and had issues on a number of discs in certain locations, despite the discs looking clean, and my constant attempts to clean them better.
I did my best to copy them to my hard drive (as corrupted as some sections of the videos are) using MakeMKV, and left it at that, since LG won't support it out of warranty. I tried cleaning the drive with a special CD and with compressed air. I changed from AHCI to IDE in the BIOS. I switched power and connection cables. I switched SATA ports.
Then for Christmas, I got a copy of Super 8 (so I like Abrams...), but the Blu-Ray version of it fails to play or copy in the same spot (3/4 through) repeatedly. I'm really sick of this drive, and since I can just back up this one as best as possible and rely on the DVD most the time if all else fails, I'd like to try everything possible to get this drive working.[/long back story]

Does anyone have experience with cleaning/disassembling/repairing/testing Blu-Ray disc drives? My WH10LS30 is being extremely temperamental and annoying. It has no issues whatsoever with CDs or DVDs, reading, writing, or rewriting, but continually fails to read sections of apparently clean Blu-Rays, blinks two and a half times and fails to load the existence of Blu-Rays seemingly randomly, not so much as moving the disc in the tray, and generally being a non-Blu-Ray-compatible drive. I've got lots of compressed air, tools, meters, and no warranty to worry about. The few Blu-Ray discs I have that would be rendered useless by this drive's death are already saved on my 3 TB hard disks.

Dyre Straits · Dec 28, 2011, 05:59 AM

If you bought the drive some time ago, check for Firmware updates for it.

RealityRipple · Dec 28, 2011, 08:35 AM

There have been absolutely no firmware updates.

Mr cairo · Dec 28, 2011, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealityRipple

There have been absolutely no firmware updates.

This claims to be a firmware for your drive from 2010 but i cannot say how valid it is sorry ..

LG WH10LS30 Firmware Downloads - Firmware HQ

Dyre Straits · Dec 28, 2011, 10:24 AM

Mr. Cairo's option looks the best.

RealityRipple · Dec 28, 2011, 02:57 PM

That firmware is identical to the copy at LG, which is the standard firmware. 1.00 -> 1.00

I'll try flashing it anyway... No change.

[hobo]eclipse · Dec 28, 2011, 03:35 PM

maybe if possible try an older BR disc that was produced sometime around the time the drive was released. If it messes up at the same portion of the movie always, that might indicate something certain about those discs that cannot be read properly, maybe the DRM. An older disc may use a DRM that is still readable by your drive and allow it to read properly. Then you would know if there is a problem with the drive or the just reading those certain discs.

are you using the newest makemkv from 12-21-11? also maybe try anyDVDHD from 12-08-11 though I'm not sure if those would produce good results if the drive is having trouble reading the discs on a firmware level.

Also, maybe a long shot, but have you tried a new cable?

I haven't had any experience with any of this, just throwing out some ideas..........

Judas · Dec 28, 2011, 04:10 PM

I've found some of the older Blu-ray drives i have will stall out at certain points.... i really hate LG... everytime i end up with their drives i'm always pissed off down the road... i can't even begin to count the number of drives that just suddenly don't want to work properly..

Anywho... You may have just a drive that might have work new but stopped at any point during it's lifespan.

A new Pioneer or Asus BR-RW drive with cd/dvd DL support are a fraction of what it used to cost.. you can pick them up for almost 80-100 bucks now which is peanuts compared to the orginal launch price of 1800 or more..

top it off they are already pushing 12x BR-R speeds... which is pretty impressive and requires a hefty machine to feed that kind of burn speed.

I wouldn't be surprised if your battling with copy protection... numerous set top boxes are Screwed due to lack of firmware updates being available anymore and newer blu-rays REQUIRING an update to even play... just get a instant red screen of death.... this has pissed of MANY people as they had paid 200-400 dollars for a Blu-ray player only to get hosed...

RealityRipple · Dec 28, 2011, 06:41 PM

I'm using the newest MakeMKV and the newest AnyDVD. The copy protection is not getting in the way. I have switched cables.

I'm wondering if I could sell this drive on ebay (since it does function, technically) and buy a new one of another brand... maybe not RW this time.

**MIG-31** · Dec 28, 2011, 07:17 PM

You are not alone with a LG Blu-Ray drive issue. CH08ls10 (Latest Firmware v2.0)

As i got the Predator trilogy for Xmas...I watched Predator last night i had a few pixalating issues later on (around 3 qtrs in)

Later i found that Powerdvd 11 had a second update released that i installed last night.... Predator runs better now....

But i now have the problem that either the drive needs an update (Im on the latest already) or cybelinks latests update has screwed up poweredvd, as it will not play predators 2.

The odd thing i have is that My drive will play Predator & Predators but not P2 ?

Matth · Dec 28, 2011, 11:56 PM

If you're not interested in recording blu-ray, then a BD-ROM / DVDRW combo is even cheaper than a BD-R.

RealityRipple · Dec 30, 2011, 01:26 AM

I am interested in at least writing Blu-Rays, just in case, but thank you for the suggestion.

I took the case off it, and it was all very neat and simple. I saw no physical issues, but cleaned out a bit of dust here and there with my compressed air... No change again...

I guess it's to E-bay with this one, and I'll avoid LG on my next purchase.

Dec 28, 2011, 04:42 AM	#1
RealityRipple Embrace Entropy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Berros Canyon, Nipomo, CA Posts: 195 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Problem with Blu-Ray Drive [long back story]I bought a Blu-Ray re-writable drive, I suppose a few years ago now, and only after the warranty had expired did I get a chance to test any Blu-Ray discs on it. I got a copy of the entire Lost box set, and had issues on a number of discs in certain locations, despite the discs looking clean, and my constant attempts to clean them better. I did my best to copy them to my hard drive (as corrupted as some sections of the videos are) using MakeMKV, and left it at that, since LG won't support it out of warranty. I tried cleaning the drive with a special CD and with compressed air. I changed from AHCI to IDE in the BIOS. I switched power and connection cables. I switched SATA ports. Then for Christmas, I got a copy of Super 8 (so I like Abrams...), but the Blu-Ray version of it fails to play or copy in the same spot (3/4 through) repeatedly. I'm really sick of this drive, and since I can just back up this one as best as possible and rely on the DVD most the time if all else fails, I'd like to try everything possible to get this drive working.[/long back story] Does anyone have experience with cleaning/disassembling/repairing/testing Blu-Ray disc drives? My WH10LS30 is being extremely temperamental and annoying. It has no issues whatsoever with CDs or DVDs, reading, writing, or rewriting, but continually fails to read sections of apparently clean Blu-Rays, blinks two and a half times and fails to load the existence of Blu-Rays seemingly randomly, not so much as moving the disc in the tray, and generally being a non-Blu-Ray-compatible drive. I've got lots of compressed air, tools, meters, and no warranty to worry about. The few Blu-Ray discs I have that would be rendered useless by this drive's death are already saved on my 3 TB hard disks. __________________

Dec 28, 2011, 08:35 AM	Thread Starter #3
RealityRipple Embrace Entropy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Berros Canyon, Nipomo, CA Posts: 195 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive There have been absolutely no firmware updates. __________________

Dec 28, 2011, 02:57 PM	Thread Starter #6
RealityRipple Embrace Entropy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Berros Canyon, Nipomo, CA Posts: 195 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive That firmware is identical to the copy at LG, which is the standard firmware. 1.00 -> 1.00 I'll try flashing it anyway... No change. __________________ Last edited by RealityRipple; Dec 28, 2011 at 03:03 PM.

Dec 28, 2011, 03:35 PM	#7
[hobo]eclipse ...just bummin 'round Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,907 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive maybe if possible try an older BR disc that was produced sometime around the time the drive was released. If it messes up at the same portion of the movie always, that might indicate something certain about those discs that cannot be read properly, maybe the DRM. An older disc may use a DRM that is still readable by your drive and allow it to read properly. Then you would know if there is a problem with the drive or the just reading those certain discs. are you using the newest makemkv from 12-21-11? also maybe try anyDVDHD from 12-08-11 though I'm not sure if those would produce good results if the drive is having trouble reading the discs on a firmware level. Also, maybe a long shot, but have you tried a new cable? I haven't had any experience with any of this, just throwing out some ideas..........

Dec 28, 2011, 06:41 PM	Thread Starter #9
RealityRipple Embrace Entropy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Berros Canyon, Nipomo, CA Posts: 195 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive I'm using the newest MakeMKV and the newest AnyDVD. The copy protection is not getting in the way. I have switched cables. I'm wondering if I could sell this drive on ebay (since it does function, technically) and buy a new one of another brand... maybe not RW this time. __________________

Dec 28, 2011, 07:17 PM	#10
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,821 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive You are not alone with a LG Blu-Ray drive issue. CH08ls10 (Latest Firmware v2.0) As i got the Predator trilogy for Xmas...I watched Predator last night i had a few pixalating issues later on (around 3 qtrs in) Later i found that Powerdvd 11 had a second update released that i installed last night.... Predator runs better now.... But i now have the problem that either the drive needs an update (Im on the latest already) or cybelinks latests update has screwed up poweredvd, as it will not play predators 2. The odd thing i have is that My drive will play Predator & Predators but not P2 ? __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Dec 28, 2011, 11:56 PM	#11
Matth Flash Banner Hater Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,426 Rep Power: 93 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive If you're not interested in recording blu-ray, then a BD-ROM / DVDRW combo is even cheaper than a BD-R. __________________ Mary had a little lamb, Her father shot it dead Now Mary takes her lamb to school, Between two crusts of bread

Dec 30, 2011, 01:26 AM	Thread Starter #12
RealityRipple Embrace Entropy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Berros Canyon, Nipomo, CA Posts: 195 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Problem with Blu-Ray Drive I am interested in at least writing Blu-Rays, just in case, but thank you for the suggestion. I took the case off it, and it was all very neat and simple. I saw no physical issues, but cleaned out a bit of dust here and there with my compressed air... No change again... I guess it's to E-bay with this one, and I'll avoid LG on my next purchase. __________________