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Verbatim Blu-Ray DVD-Drive 43888 (Amazon)

Lossless burning of Blu-ray media lets you back up your high-definition video and audio content from a source, such as a digital file or existing Blu-ray, to file on a drive without any loss of quality. This method ensures that the original content, whether it’s a 1080p or 4K video, is preserved in its entirety, including all audio tracks, subtitles, and metadata, with no compression or degradation. Typically, this is done using specialised software and hardware, including a Blu-ray burner. The resulting media can be played back on media players such as Plex, offering a full, unaltered viewing experience, ideal for archiving or creating personalised collections

TL:DR – with some software and a decent Blu-Ray drive it is easy to archive your collection of media and make it available via your Plex server in an easier to access way. I keep all my original DVD's and Blu-Rays and they cost peanuts anyway from CeX to there's no reason not to own the originals. Home taping didn't kill music and neither does backing up your collection kill movies.



What kind of drive works best?

When backing up movies using MakeMKV, the best kind of Blu-ray drive is one that supports both reading and writing to Blu-ray discs, with a focus on compatibility, speed, and reliability. An ideal Blu-ray drive for this purpose would have the following features:

  1. Full BD-ROM Support: The drive should support reading from both standard Blu-ray (BD-25, BD-50) and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs (BD-66, BD-100). This ensures compatibility with a wide range of discs, including those with high-definition or ultra-high-definition content.

  2. Region-Free or Unlocked: A region-free or unlocked drive is essential if you want to back up Blu-ray movies from different regions. Some drives come with region-locking software, but these can often be modified or configured to bypass such restrictions.

  3. High Read Speed: A faster read speed (such as 6x or 12x) can make the backup process quicker, although it’s worth noting that Blu-ray discs are usually read at slower speeds, especially for large files. A faster drive will still reduce wait times compared to slower models.

  4. Reliability and Durability: MakeMKV requires a stable connection between the drive and the computer, and since movie ripping can take an extended period, a reliable, durable drive is essential to avoid errors or failure during long backups.

  5. Firmware Compatibility: Some Blu-ray drives may have firmware that can be updated or patched to enable full decryption of protected Blu-ray content (e.g., AACS or BD+). Drives with more easily hackable or open firmware options, like certain LG and Pioneer models, are often preferred for this task.

Pioneer drives are recommended for ease of use. Personally I chose the Verbatim Blu-Ray DVD-Drive 43888 - External - Black, which is a Pioneer mechanism and works perfectly. Don't ever update the drive firmware though. Leave it alone!

It is also important to ensure that the drive is connected to a system with sufficient processing power, as MakeMKV will often need to handle large data files during the ripping process.

Screenshot of MakeMKV running on an Apple Mac Studio

MakeMKV has supported Apple silicon for years now. It 'just works'

Screenshot of MakeMKV for macOS v1.17.8 darwin(arm64-release)
Screenshot of MakeMKV for macOS v1.17.8 darwin(arm64-release)

What can you do with your converted files?

Rename them according to plex naming guidelines, and upload them to your plex server and you can watch the content you purchased conveniently on all your devices.

Plex with an episode of a TV show queued up to resume
Plex with an episode of a TV show queued up to resume

Recommendation

Summary - 10/10. The software is fully featured freeware for DVD's with shareware functionality for Blu-Ray disks. You can Purchase MakeMKV online. It has a fully functional trial so you dont need to do this to try it out.

I have been using Makemkv for years. It is well worth the small cost, the registration key will unlock the current version so won't expire. It will also work on all future versions of MakeMKV. has always updated for me without further payment.

Licences, trademarks, source code licences and attributions

Licences, trademarks, source code licences and attributions

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