archgon Premium Aluminum External USB 3.0 UHD 4K Blu-Ray Writer Super Drive for PC and Mac

My first impression after receiving and opening the package is that the device itself felt sturdy, if not outright bulky despite its actual slimness, but it's well-built with a rather rough aluminum finish that seems to justify a product marketed as being 'premium'. It comes with a nice portable case that can fit the device and its cables, which is a nice addition to the product that I wasn't aware of when I initially ordered it. As my very first Blu-Ray drive, I am very satisfied with this item as it is capable of doing exactly what it says it can. I picked it over some other more reputable brands due to its affordable pricing and 4k support (although you need to patch its firmware first). By connecting it to my MacBook Air M2 (using the provided single type C cable, without needing an adapter or dual port connection like the Buffalo drive) and using the makemkv software, this drive can play (or rather when using this said app, extract) pretty much any Blu ray disc available - be it a regular 1080p BR, UHD (4K) BR, discs from any region or copy protection, bootleg discs, and afaik, even those with cinavia protection -at least in theory, as I haven't tried that many yet. They're also compatible with DVDs and CDs as well, and supports burning to all of these disc types. Since the app only does ripping and not playing, it is a good idea to have some external storage drives to keep these media for ease of access in the future. Despite being rather loud when in use and can be slow (up to 30 minutes or more when ring ripping a blu ray), I believe this Blu ray drive more than justifies its price. I've seen players twice the price that doesn't support half of these features (usually lacks 4k support and is fixed to a certain playback region/ has cinavia due to licensing requirements, etc.). Would recommend this external Blu ray drive for those who doesn't have any device to play 4k Blu ray discs yet (although cheaper/better alternatives exist for non 4k drives). It's affordable, does everything, and seems durable. The only ceveat is that there might be a lot to learn when getting started, especially when it comes to patching the firmware for 4k support and using makemkv - although this issue isn't specific to this brand/model, it's a generic software limitation for all such drives. However, many tutorials are available online and they are trivial to work with once you are familiar with it.

I don't know what people are doing, but this drive works flawlessly. They said the new models have something in the USB chip. That is not true. At least the new unit I have received. Very well put together and not loud at all. Reads all my 4k UHD Dolby Vision discs.

Had to flash it,but it did what I ask it to. Great for media servers and uses USB C

I bought this primarily for ripping my new UHD discs and making backup copies and throwing them up on my NAS drive for media playback back in June of 2019. While it did work for the most part after I flashed it back down to Firmware revision 1.00 I still had a ton of read errors with this drive and would constantly have to try and try again until I'd get a decent copy. It would read just about every standard BluRay I throw at it but it just had issues with UHD discs. Just recently I purchased Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection, The Hobbit: Trilogy and Lord of the Rings: Trilogy all on 4K UHD and just about every one of the discs it had issues reading and would not even register as a disc in the drive and I could hear it clicking try to read the discs. After a little research I came to the conclusion that this drive has issues reading Triple layered UHD discs the ones that are 100 GB in size. Well all of the movies I just purchased it would not read the discs because they were all on triple layered discs. After even more research come to find out just about all the slim external drives have this issue and so I started searching for a standard 5.25" UHD optical drive that I could house in a case since my computer is all tempered glass. Another thing to look out for is what type of case or connector to use on the standard sized drives since not all of them will allow you to flash the drive through them. If in the market look to the MakeMKV forums for info on what drives and cases are good to use for making backup copies. I wound up going for the LG WH16NS60 and a Unitek Y-1099 SATA adapter converter for output to USB both of which you can find here on Amazon. All in all it's a decent drive for backing up standard smaller sized 4K discs and your standard BluRay's but be warned that it will have severe issues reading triple layered 4K discs which a lot of the newer movies are releasing on and as more and more 4K movies start carrying supplementals on the disc you'll find that the disc is more than likely going to be a triple layered disc.

I am now using my third Archgon Premium Aluminum External USB 3.0 UHD Blu-ray Writer Super Driver For Apple-MacBook (hereafter, APED) in about as many years. The first, used gently and regularly though not constantly, lasted about two years before simple DVDs began freezing or skipping on me. The second wheezed along not longer than about eight months, after which I received from Amazon an 80% refund after the product's return. I've now used #3 for about three months. So far, so good. I don't anticipate durability. With such a checkered history of performance, why do I keep using the same product? First, I can't afford anything more expensive, which might or might not perform more dependably. Second, techno-geeks whom I trust have told me that they know of no product of comparable price that is better or more reliable. *Sigh.* To answer some basic questions: 1. Yes, this product is simple to use, while it's young and useable: simply plug it, with or without its supplemental cable, into your Mac's USB port(s). 2. It is purportedly equipped to play DVDs or Blu-Ray discs from Regions 1–6. I have only made one, brief attempt with a Region 2 (U.K.) disc, with indifferent results. 3. Given its seeming fragility and short life expectancy, handle it with care. Keep it in its sturdy, zippered plastic case when not in use. I also place a saucer of milk out for it before retiring, in an attempt to keep it pacified. 4. Purchase a supplemental warranty for the product, when the manufacturer's own runs out. If my experience is typical, you'll almost certainly need it. A closing lament: Had not Apple decided that (a) laptops must be designed as slender as onion-skin and (b) an entire nation, or world, of users would immediately quit their collected CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays for Bluetooth streaming, we'd still have built-in disc players on our computers—and no need at all for finicky products like this. UPDATE 32 DAYS LATER: That third Archgon I owned just croaked on me, after only four months of sporadic use (about one hour every two or three days). Last Tuesday, it simply stopped working when I tried to play a CD. I treat machinery with care: the unit was never dropped or mishandled in any way. It simply died after 120 days of intermittent use. I have now dropped my three-star rating to one star. For whatever reason—cheap materials or incompetent manufacture—I have found this to be an inferior product that I cannot recommend. I take no pleasure in this review, but I now have fewer saucers of spoiled milk. SECOND UPDATE 84 DAYS LATER: In the interest of accuracy and fairness to Archgon, whose employees must put bread on the table like the rest of us, my third disc drive, which died on me 52 days ago, has been resuscitated by the IT wizards where I work. Last night I played both a CD and DVD with it. I haven't yet attempted one of my Blu-rays, because there's no point in pushing my luck. This is turning into a boring technological soap opera. Every day brings a new surprise and a little suspense: will the machine work this morning? For that unreliability I'll leave my rating at one star, placate the little gizmo with another saucer of milk, maybe laced with with bourbon. Strike that. The gizmo gets the milk. I'll take the booze. FINAL UPDATE: One year and nearly two months after purchase, this product finally died on me. One evening I was using it to watch a DVD. I paused play, to paddle into the kitchen for my saucer of milk. When I returned, I could not coax the machine, never disconnected, into playing. It never again played another DVD. It was able to handle CDs, but, for its steep price, that was not sufficient. As for Blu-rays, forget it. I had long since given up on that capability. I want to be very clear to anyone who reads this review and is trying to decide on a purchase. 1. This was my THIRD Archgon external disc player in as many years. I was willing to give the manufacturer full benefit of doubt and, during that period, was informed by some acquaintances that it was probably the best equipment I could hope for. All of these machines, all identical to the model under review, died within the space of a year, give or take. 2. Apart from one or two attempts with a Blu-ray disc, I never attempted any maneuver fancier than (a) playing a CD on this unit, through my laptop, or (b) playing a standard DVD in the same way. 3. I never abused any of these units. After use, or attempted use, all were safely stored in the enclosed zippered boxers that came with the unit. No unit was ever dropped, jostled, submerged in water or dumped in hydrochloric acid. All simply rested on my desk, without disturbance. 4. I can speculate about causes for my problem but can prove none. It may be that this unit is simply friendlier for PCs than for Macs. That theory is supported by the oddly designed cables that accompanied the unit. If that conjecture has basis in fact, then the manufacturer should transparently warn customers that its product is not dependably compatible with Apple/Mac. The plug-in cable connections from disc drive to laptop may have eroded across time—though, again, I was very gentle in plugging, never forcing things. One tech specialist I spoke with today hypothesized that the built-in laser for playing DVDs may simply have died: not once, but three times on three identical units. Who knows? Who cares? I gave Archgon every chance to make good. Three times in three years it failed me. I have purchased my last Archgon product. I did purchase a warranty on the unit but by now am so frustrated that I'll waste no more time, simply eat all the money I wasted, and start fresh, moving in a different direction that satisfies needs and wants. Good luck to you.

Good product when it’s used with a special software

Works well and it supports MakeDVD. So buy while you can I'd say.

Will not read some blue rays and 4k

I wanted to archive my family photos, videos, and documents to Blu-ray discs for long-term safety, and I was looking for a high-quality external Blu-ray writer that could work with my M1 iMac 24" (latest update). After a lot of research and despite reading many negative reviews about Blu-ray incompatibility on Apple Silicon, I decided to go ahead and purchase the Archgon Premium Aluminum External USB 3.0 UHD 4K Blu-Ray Writer. I'm happy to say — it worked perfectly, and my experience turned out to be the most successful Blu-ray attempt I've ever had on a Mac. With the right guidance (by chatgpt) and tools, it exceeded all expectations. My Setup: Computer: Apple iMac 24" with M1 chip Drive: Archgon Premium Aluminum UHD 4K Blu-ray Writer Media: Verbatim BD-R 25GB 6X M-Disc (for archival use) Software Used: Leawo Blu-ray Player (for playback) Terminal + hdiutil (for creating and burning ISO images) What Worked (Step-by-Step): Mac Detection: The drive was immediately recognized under System Report → USB on my iMac. No driver installation was needed. Playback Test: I inserted my original Angry Birds 3D Blu-ray disc and used Leawo Blu-ray Player (free) — and to my surprise, it played smoothly. For a 3D Blu-ray on macOS, that’s no small feat! Burning Archival Discs: With the help of ChatGPT’s clear instructions, I learned how to: Create an ISO file of my data using hdiutil Burn it to a BD-R disc via Terminal using drutil burn Re-insert and verify the burned data — all 100% successful. Disc Handling: Though the disc ejected automatically post-burn (which is normal), I reloaded it and did manual verification. The data integrity was intact. A Note to M1 Mac Users: Most complaints about incompatibility arise from people expecting native Blu-ray video playback on macOS — but macOS doesn’t natively support Blu-ray video, regardless of the drive. The hardware itself (Archgon) is completely compatible — all you need is: Proper software, like Leawo Player or Terminal-based tools for burning. This was the most successful Blu-ray experience I’ve had on macOS, and if you're tech-comfortable and willing to use tools like hdiutil, (ask ChatGPT for step by step process. its easy. No need to buy expensive softwares) this drive will not disappoint. Highly recommended for Mac users who are serious about long-term data archiving or want Blu-ray playback support without compromise.

Perfect Blue ray paler for PC

Solid construction and comes with a protective travel pouch. Comes with both USB-A and USB-C options. Works well with my windows 11 laptop

This portal UHD drive can do more than just an UHD disc writer, if you know what you are doing. It comes with firmware 1.03 which can be rewritten to UHD backup friendly version to back up 4K movies. It doesn't come with UHD playback / burning software just be aware of this, other than that, this little gadget can become your best physical media friend for - Watch 4k/blu ray/dvd discs - buring/backup UHD/Blu-ray discs - Ripping UHD/Blu ray discs of your own with compatible software required It also comes with extra USB-C to USB Macro-type B cable and protector case which are nice to save some bucks :) Last and not least, it's an external portal drive so no hassles when chaning over to a different PC or Mac. Overall, I recommend this drive.

doet wat hij moet doen heel goed