Verbatim Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray Writer, USB-C, BDXL and M-DISC Support

Works great as a burner, I was able to get it running in Linux as well with 4k Playback and disk burning. A bit loud but thats the form factor, so far seems well built and has a sleak case design obviously a bit fragile given its size, comes with A Blank Blu Ray disk and a Software disk. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (Does not play 4K Ultra Blu Ray disks, But It can only see the files without the image fix) --Can have the firmware downgraded depending on what model you get so you can rip your 4K Blue Ray disks ****Uses Admin Command Line to flash drive Image from forum**** "C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV\makemkvcon64.exe" f --all-yes -d E: rawflash enc -i "PATH\TO\FIRMWARE.bin" (Replace E: with your drive letter and PATH\TO\FIRMWARE.bin with the firmware file location) --Requires These Files ==MakeMKV (Provides flashing program and tells you what Type of Drive you have to select the right image) ==The all you need firmware pack: (found in makemkv forums, has the images) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (Can Play Blu Ray Disks with some work) --Does not need image downgrade for this --Requires these files with some trial and error on sourcing ==VLC Player (Must use a Sudo Install Command not a store for Linux) sudo apt install vlc libaacs0 libbluray2 libbdplus0 ==KEYDB.cfg (In Linux the filename must be exactly KEYDB.cfg in all caps) ==libaacs.dll (Windows only, not needed in Linux) Windows file locations: libaacs.dll --> C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\ KEYDB.cfg --> C:\ProgramData\aacs\KEYDB.cfg Linux file locations: KEYDB.cfg --> /home/YOUR_USERNAME/.config/aacs/KEYDB.cfg (create folder if needed: mkdir -p ~/.config/aacs) libaacs is installed automatically via: sudo apt install libaacs0 ------------- Playing 4K Ultra disks after imaging using VLC -Set your region -Disable menus

I received my five drives today (8/01/2025) and MakeMKV detects the drive as a BU40 (LG) firmware version 1.05. After downgrading the version 1.03 MakeMKV is able to decode UHD discs. So out of the box this drive might not work on UHD discs, but spending one minute downgrading the firmware solved the problem. As for the reviewers complaining about a lack of software.... this is a UHD drive where desktop playback software usually won't work due to a lack of SGX support when playing UHD content. So it would be a waste of time and $ to bundle playback software.

Seemed like a good option to my terrible Lg drive with its awful “jamless play” feature, only to find out the “verbatim” drive is just a rehoused / relabeled LG Drive. Do not buy! LIAR DRIVE that should never be use for archival work unless you know what you’re doing. Stay away if you don’t want corrupted video!

Bought this primarily to back up my purchased 4K bluray disc. Disc-rot is a concern and I have a very large library I would like to have a back up in case things stop working. I already had an old LG bluray drive that did normal blurays but it didn't work with 4K, so I wanted to get this one for my 4K collection. The firmware it ships with is not compatible with MakeMKV but a few google searches and forum posts, you should be able to figure it out. AI can even help... probably. Anyway, works like a charm, does about 6x speed at 25+MBps. little bit noisier than I'd like but it is very slim so noise suppression is hardly a consideration. The drive guts is BU40N which is LG I think. Wide support. I would give it 5 stars but just because of the mild inconvenience of flashing and noise I'd drop it down to 4, but still probably the best and cheapest out there for this purpose.

MODEL RECEIVED: BU40N NOTE: Before using MakeMKV, you must downgrade the drive's firmware to 1.03 to get the most out of it. In order to do so, google "makemkv sdftool flasher" for instructions. The process is super easy. You will need to use a Windows computer for the downgrade. I bought three of these based on Reddit recommendations and I have not been disappointed. They are compact, have limited noise, and little to no desk vibration. I stack them on top of one another to save space. I've been backing up some of my physical DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Blu-rays so I don't have to pay for streaming subscriptions or rebuy them for digital usage. Once you downgrade the firmware, the read speed is unlocked and the ripping is FAST. Via MakeMKV, I was able to rip my 4K Blu-ray of Casino, which is 84GB, in a little over an hour. I have attached a video showing the duration. To expedite the ripping, I connected all three of the drives to my Mac mini and opened three instances of MakeMKV. When simultaneously ripping three Blu-rays of the TV series Lost, it only took about 30 minutes total for all three to finish. If you do this, make sure you enable "Ask for single drive" in MakeMKV's settings under the IO section. ISSUES I had some issues with the drive not reading some of my discs, but it was because they had some smudges on them. After I wiped them down with a microfiber cloth, the lasers read them. MAC COMPATIBILTIY The drive is definitely plug and play with Apple computers, but you cannot downgrade the firmware on a Mac. You'll have to use a windows PC. If you encounter an IPC error in MakeMkv, that means that there may be insufficient power going to the drives. Make sure you use the correct ports on your Mac and if you have a dock, make sure that any usb slots can power the drive. Satechi, for instance, sometimes mentions that USB ports cannot power disc drives.

Works well with my Macbook Air running Sonoma OS. I've successfully burned 75+ GB worth of archive data on Verbatim M DISC BDXL 100GB media. I used the slowest writing speeds to reduce the chance of writing errors. The drive itself is very slim, and I find the build quality to be acceptable. It doesn't seem cheap. It has a USB-C connector in the back, and a USB-C to USB-A cable in the box. Also included is a USB-A to USB-C adapter, which I used to complete the connection to my Mac. For archiving the data files, I used the OSX native burn feature in Finder - no 3rd party software was required. The drive is not quiet, but that's not what I need or expected. I just want it to work and it does.

So many PCs dont have a discount drive anymore. I didn't realize how much I missed it! This one works great. And if you want to burn or rip content, look no further. Plug and play.

I bought this drive as a replacement for another one that just decided to not read DVDs anymore. I have to say, this was well worth the money. Super simple to use, just plug it in and it works. It even comes with a manual in a Blu-ray disc. So yeah, highly recommend!

The **Verbatim Blu-Ray DVD-Drive 43888** is a compact, external optical drive designed to bring Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD playback/writing capabilities to modern laptops and ultrabooks that lack a built-in drive. It’s a versatile and powerful tool for data archiving, media consumption, and backup. --- ### ⭐ Key Features & Design * **Ultra-Slim and Portable:** With a sleek, black, often brushed-metal enclosure, the drive is barely larger than a Blu-ray disc itself. It's extremely lightweight (around 215g), making it ideal for travel and carrying in a laptop bag. * **Bus-Powered:** A major convenience, the drive is powered directly by the USB port (via a USB-C connection), eliminating the need for a bulky, separate AC power adapter. * **4K UHD Support:** It supports the playback of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, although note that **playback software is not included** and must be purchased separately. * **Connectivity:** It features a modern **USB-C 3.2 Gen 1** interface and includes both a USB-C to USB-A cable and a USB-A to USB-C adapter for maximum compatibility with various devices. * **M-DISC Archiving:** It is fully compliant with M-DISC technology, which is designed for archival-grade data storage with a life expectancy of hundreds of years. * **Bundled Software:** Includes the **Nero Burn & Archive software** (Windows only) for organizing, burning, and securing your files. ### 🚀 Performance (Read/Write Speeds) The Verbatim 43888 offers solid performance for an external slimline drive: | Media Type | Max Write Speed | Max Read Speed | Max Capacity | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **BD-R DL** | 6x | 4x | 50GB | | **BDXL** | 4x | — | Up to 100GB | | **DVD-R** | 8x | 8x | 4.7GB | | **CD** | 24x | 24x | 700MB | ### 👍 The Good: Archiving Power in a Tiny Package * **Excellent Portability:** Its size and bus-powering make it a genuinely easy-to-use mobile accessory. * **High-End Capability:** The support for BDXL (up to 100GB) and M-DISC is fantastic for long-term, high-capacity data archiving. * **Internal Drive Quality:** This drive is frequently reported to contain a high-quality **Pioneer BDR-UD04** mechanism, which is often favored by advanced users for its reliability and compatibility (especially in the UHD ripping community). ### 👎 Areas for Caution * **4K Playback Software:** While it supports 4K UHD discs, the required playback software (like PowerDVD Ultra) is a separate, often costly, purchase. * **Mac Compatibility:** While listed as compatible with macOS, some users report occasional issues with Blu-ray discs (not CDs or DVDs) without third-party software or firmware adjustments. * **Mixed Longevity Reports:** Due to the nature of external slim drives and the bus-powered connection, occasional issues with power-hungry discs or long-term reliability have been noted by a small number of users. ### 🌟 Conclusion The **Verbatim 43888** is a top-tier choice for an external optical drive, particularly for those focused on **data archiving** (due to M-DISC support) and future-proofing their setup with **4K UHD** read capability. Its slim design and simple USB power connection make it a superior, highly practical alternative to internal drives. It stands out in the slimline category for often housing reliable Pioneer components. If your primary need is a portable, high-capacity burner for long-term data backup, this drive is a **highly recommended** investment.

Napęd sprawuje się bardzo dobrze, nie testowałem go jeszcze z płytami HD/UHD więc nie mogę się na ten temat wypowiedzieć. Używam go głównie do zgrywania płyt audio cd i tu spisuje się całkiem nieźle, w trybie secure kopiuje nośniki z którymi nie radziły sobie moje poprzednie napędy (dvd-rw Pioneer i Optiarc). Posiada natomiast pewien niespodziewany feler, otóż w trakcie zgrywania płyt napęd ze względu na swoją niewielką wagę "wędruje" po powierzchni na której leży. I nie pomaga tu podklejenie gumowymi podkładkami. Po prostu przesuwa się i trzeba uważać by nie położyć go blisko jakiejś krawędzi lub zapewnić mu jakąś przeszkodę na której się zatrzyma. Poza tym drobiazgiem nie widzę póki co wad. Egzemplarz który kupiłem ma w środku napęd Pioneer BDR-UD04, 1.14.

This Blu-Ray drive is tiny, yet feels robust and inspires confidence in its durability with its metal chassis and general build quality. It’s very lightweight, and it’s quite quiet as well. I used it to rip 4K UHD discs with MakeMKV and it worked perfectly (even though it required downgrading its firmware first, which was an easy and painless process). I was able to watch Alien in glorious 4K for the first time in my life thanks to this product. Highly recommend!

Bought this to play all disc types on a new PC. It's plug-and-play for CD and DVD. Very easy and very reliable. Occasionally an old disc won't read but I just eject and reinsert it and it usually works fine then. Unfortunately, Windows 11 doesn't have in-built 4k and bluray playing capability so even though the drive is perfectly capable of reading the discs you have to jump through hoops to get the PC and programs like VLC to cooperate with the drive. Once I did that, it was set for playing everything whenever I wanted and it's been brilliant, no issues. Feel like someone who wasn't confident with tech might be better off with a player for their TV though. Haven't tried writing anything with it though, just reading/playing.

TLDR: - LibreDrive, Out-of-the-box ohne Firmwareflash - Pioneer BDR-UD04 Laufwerk (Top Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit) - 1x USB-C, keine weiteren Anschlüsse vorhanden oder erforderlich - Extrem schlanke Bauweise, optisch ansprechend - Im Betrieb relativ leise, beim Einlegen laut Kontext: Es gibt viele Laufwerke, die als Blu-ray, 4K Blu-ray und BDXL-Brenner verkauft werden. Von außen sieht man oft nur die x-beliebige Marke und den markeneigenen Produktnamen und man weiß eigentlich gar nicht, ob das vorliegende Produkt jetzt gut oder schlecht ist. Im Allgemeinen funktionieren alle verkauften Laufwerke natürlich wie beschrieben: Zur Ansicht der Medien mit der entsprechenden lizenzierten Software und zum Brennen. Im Gehäuse steckt das eigentliche Laufwerk in der Regel von LG Electronics, ASUS, Sony, Panasonic oder Pioneer. Laut Community-Meinungen sollen Pioneer-Laufwerke grundsätzlich die besten Laufwerke am Markt sein. Sie brennen am besten und sind von höchster Verlässlichkeit und Langlebigkeit. Was andere Laufwerke nicht lesen können, sei mit einem Pioneer in der Regel möglich. Es gibt User, die beispielsweise die gekauften Blu-rays mit einem beliebig gekauften Laufwerk „digitalisieren“, also eine Sicherungskopie für private Zwecke erzeugen möchten. Diese werden aber oft trotz Verwendung der richtigen Software mit der Wahrheit konfrontiert, dass das Laufwerk dazu nicht imstande ist – erst recht nicht, wenn es sich um Blu-rays oder gar 4K Blu-rays handelt. Das liegt in der Regel an der Firmware eines jeden Laufwerks, welche je nach Veröffentlichungsdatum bestimmten Restriktionen unterliegt und welche entscheidet, wie ein Laufwerk 4K Blu-rays lesen kann oder ob überhaupt. Um diese Restriktionen zu umgehen, versuchen User (wenn möglich) die Firmware zu flashen, um den Laufwerken mehr Funktionen zu geben. Laufwerke, die ohne Firmware-Restriktionen direkt auf die Disc zugreifen und diese ohne lizenzierte Spezialsoftware auslesen können, z. B. auch entspannt mit dem VLC Media Player ohne nervige Menüs, direkt in den Film, und das Ganze zusätzlich noch aufwärts bis UHD, nennt man „LibreDrive“. Und jetzt kommt der eigentliche Punkt: An LibreDrive-Laufwerke kommt man ohne Weiteres ganz schlecht dran. Praktisch alle Laufwerke von den originalen Herstellern sind mittlerweile mit einer Firmware ausgestattet, die den Betrieb als LibreDrive blockieren. Man kommt um ein Firmware-Flash meistens nicht herum. Und noch bescheidener ist die Tatsache, dass man die guten Pioneer-Laufwerke seit 2022 als Privatperson, aufgrund einer besonderen Verschlüsselung, eigentlich überhaupt nicht mehr flashen kann. Warum erzähle ich so viel? Das Verbatim 43888 (also das hier) kommt mit dem Pioneer BDR-UD04 Laufwerk und wird Out-of-the-box als LibreDrive erkannt. Man muss nichts tun, und das Ding liest ohne zu Mucken 4K Blu-rays aus und alles weitere, was man ihm zu fressen gibt. Verbatim ist wohl nicht verpflichtet, die Firmware zu verschlüsseln. Wenn man sonst in Deutschland an ein Pioneer-Laufwerk mit LibreDrive-Firmwareflash rankommen möchte, dann muss man das in der Regel von Hobby-Hackern aus der Community bestellen und bezahlt um die 170 Dollar plus Versand, plus Import aus dem Ausland, plus optional ein externes 5,25"-Gehäuse. In den USA gibt es das Verbatim mit dem Pioneer BDR-UD04 nicht, sondern nur mit dem UD03, und das ist wieder kein LibreDrive. Hier bei uns bekommt man ein Out-of-the-box LibreDrive im Slim-Format für aktuell 99€. Das ist schon wirklich ein richtiger Schnapper. Also das sollte alles als Erklärung genügen, warum das Verbatim 43888, beziehungsweise hier bezeichnet als „Verbatim Externer Slimline Blu-ray Writer Ultra HD 4K“, das perfekte Laufwerk ist. Der Preis ist unschlagbar und man bekommt ein restriktionsfreies Laufwerk.