[REQUEST] Help flash BDR-221M Pioneer Bluray drive
Some months back flashed the firmware to newer version and lost desired features. Thinking the only way to roll back the firmware is to use a USB programmer. Took the top lid off of the drive and exposed the circuit board but not sure where the flash chip is located.
Thanks
I think you’re looking at it. It’s that large QFP128 package.
That’s likely a Blu-Ray Controller/Decoder SoC. This is the main chip responsible for reading data from the Blu-Ray disc, decoding the video and audio streams, and managing the drive’s overall operation. It could also be the Media Processor. This chip could be dedicated to handling the processing of audio and video data, offloading some of the workload from the main controller SoC.
What’s on the other side of the PCB?
It’s highly likely that the chip you’re looking at contains firmware. Firmware is typically stored in non-volatile memory within the chip itself, such as Read-Only Memory (ROM) or flash memory. This ensures that the instructions are retained even when the power is off.
Some Blu-Ray drive manufacturers may release firmware updates to improve performance, fix bugs, or add new features. These updates are usually installed through software on a connected computer. In some cases, the firmware might be stored on a separate chip on the circuit board. This is less common but possible. Flip it over and see what you find?
Was it an official firmware update? What makes you think you have to use an external programmer to roll back the old firmware? And do you have the old firmware?
I suspect that you could be correct in wondering what is on the other side? If you look south east by an inch down from that big processing chip there are 8 pins laid out. I suspect that could be a rom chip?
Not sure if I’m going to flip the board as its tied down by cabling that I find difficult to re-attach.
Anyhow besides fixing bugs some manufacturers release new firmware to take away features as well such as ability to archive certain UHD sized blurays. Since then I have bought another drive that has the older firmware and learned my lesson and not upgrading as they lock the firmware preventing rollback.
Also I am not even sure or certain using an external programmer would even work. Saw a youtube video where some guy was able to something similar to a telivision or something which inspired me to look inside the drive and see.
Probably won’t work. There are others on other sites that are a lot smarter and if they could have they would have I suppose.
Thanks
Giving up. These guys tried it and failed as firmware is encrypted. Wont work.
https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27378&sid=2057caf267aa564bbfe675d426003d6e&start=1245
Though I wonder. They failed because they tried to flash unencrypted firmware files.
Wonder if you could read the encrypted data off of a completely identical drive with the
older firmware and flash that on the flawed drive… Will have to ask them.
Just for reference, can you write out the name of the good and the bad firmware here? Is MT1959 the good version? What version removed the ability to archive UHD Blu-Ray discs on your particular model?
I didn’t read into the details about encryption. But there appear to be at least three members on that forum that have found a way to roll back the firmware. So it may be possible. It depends on how much work you want to put in yourself, or if someone else is able to do it for you.
The large QFP128 chip is a RENESAS R8J32740FP42. But the people on the other forum were also not sure if it’s a “multi chip module”, and someone who said “because I am crazy” suggested sending one of these chips to a company that specializes in decapping, just to figure out if it contains any flash memory. That’s a pretty tall order.
Here’s a useful Reddit post with a lot of info and pictures of this board.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskElectronics/comments/1cugefg/help_understanding_ics_on_this_board/
Please post an update if you manage to get it done.
It was version 1.54 and possibly version 1.53 for the BDR-211 UBK model. Let me apologize had model number incorrect on start post. I was on version 1.52 prior which was safe and accepted by the Makemkv software. Not sure about MT1959 - think that refers to the platform - I will have to check later as not sure.
Willing to try as I like to tinker with stuff like this and have a second identical model now I purchased few months ago with the older firmware so willing to try though not going to desolder the renasance chip as 128 pins is too much trouble. There was much debate where the firmware is located but most now think its on the renasance chip.
Also note there is a version check via software the prohibits roll backs and some encryption and there are actually two firmware files that gets written in that the smaller firmware file (that is released rarely) that I think is what acts like the gatekeeper not allowing roll backs.
Lastly I am willing to bet there probably is an undocumented hack to short pins much like FD locks though that is anyone’s guess where it is.
Anyhow like I said looks too challenging. If I could have hooked up a usb programmer I would but others have tried and failed.
Thanks.
