Thanks for this. I had no idea this was even an option. I hate streaming services. They leave you at the mercy of the company regarding what you can watch. If there's an old show or film that is no longer popular, they can and will pull it from their catalog. As a historian, I find the decline of physical media highly concerning.
Great video! Great presnetation too. What good timing it is for me to find this. 2 days ago a computer failed (it was time, 12 yrs old). It had a that exact same BluRay DVD writer in it. I'm salvaging parts and that was one of them. So all I need is that NexStar case! Thanks! 👍👍
I want to thank you. Amazon has an updated model now. This solved my problem after installing a AIO CPU water cooler I needed to remove my optical drive. Here is the new model: Vantec NexStar DX2 USB 3.0 External Enclosure Design for 5.25" Blu-Ray/CD/DVD SATA Drive, Second Generation of DX, No Drivers Needed, Aluminum Alloy (NST-540S3-BK)
I got something similar but essentially just the wiring with no case. I mounted the drive under my wooden desk riser & painted the bezel dark brown to match the grain.
Thanks for the discovery! I have a large collection of audio CDs + DVD & Blu-ray movies that I want to rip to a personal NAS server. That said, this box will provide me with the best of both worlds. I can still use my favorite full size optical drive to rip music and movies, even if my new PC case doesn't have 5.25" bays. Plus, I can now use my champion ripping drive on my laptop (rather than a slim drive, which is usually a lower quality/performance drive). Even more convenient, when the job is done, I can disconnect the unit and store the drive safely until the next use. Thanks again for this review, for me this device is a real game changer! Regards, Daniel 🙂
I bought a regular 3.5" enclosure meant to "enclose" hard disks but without the protective box I can also connect my dvd writer and blu ray which is great.
The old version had a fan as well which in my opinion is a useful feature since drives tend to get quite hot when reading a couple of discs full speed in a row...
these work great for reloading laptops... I have the old I-O Data unit that was bought 15 years ago and its still going strong! I have tried to use the compact USB DVD drives that are for the laptops, and they never seem to work right all the time. this style is more dependable. its more heavy duty and comes in really handy when servicing PC's and Laptops that don't have optical drives. the new chassis seem to have dropped any 5.25 drive bays, so this is the solution for that issue. thank you for sharing this brand, as I was looking for a new unit...
Yeah, it is a bit bulky for that usage, but reliable. I, too, have several brands of portable DVD drives and you're right -- they seem remarkably flakey. This sucker does the job as a daily driver for me. It is nice to have a physical media device like this up on my desk instead of UNDER it (inside the PC) where I cannot get to it easily. Good stu ff.
Hey that's a good one. I have two self-built systems with blu-ray drives in their 5.25" bays. And a stack of spares. Excellent way to make optical drives accessible with a 3.0 USB enclosure!
I just purchased the NexStar DX2 and it doesn't have any lights. I just switched cases to a new one that didn't include 5.25 optical slot. Hated having to deal with the tiny (made for laptops) player that would freeze all the time and I wasn't about to buy the DX with all the lights. So far I'm loving the the DX2. Thanks for making this video or I wouldn't have started looking for something like this setup. I used your ama*** link to start looking so hope you get a kick back.
This will come in handy. I can now build my pc using a small case while keeping my blu-ray burner/player out the case to keep the build small rather than looking for a tower with a bay on it which they are becoming extinct now a days
@@andrewmp6 and the one's you do, are big and kind of ugly, heavy too. Too bad companies don't include it on their design, I bet we could of seen some nice cases by now.
The younger Gen, 8 years from now: 'Look how good these old Bluray and 4K Movies look compared to the garbage that we download!" 🤡 Seriously my next build will be another Eatx, but with Intel 1700. My choice is to use the case I have, which you could fit a Chevy 327 in, or go with more modern and buy one of these. I'm a HUGE fan of Vantec. Their items do what they say they will do when 60% of others don't. Thank you for this!
Hi! By any chance, would you know of a travel case in which this external enclosure would fit? I have been searching on Amazon, but so far, I only found travel case for external hard drives, but they seem too small for this enclosure.
There is a new question! They have carve your own storage cases. I know tons of people that have made them for almost everything - that's probably your best idea...
This works with 4k blu rays? I was looking on the product page and didn't see anything referring to 4k. Trying to watch the new Lord of the Rings 4k set 😁
Dark secret ... you have to roll back the firmware to get that particular drive to play 4ks. I am a big believer in DVDFab - they have a Drive Tool that will help you roll it back to a 4k "compatible" firmware. :)
I bought 2 of these recently, and was annoyed that the blue LED is always on when the power switch is turned on. I would rather they are off when the computer is shut down. The USB ports are not powered when the computer is off, and when I remove the usb plug, the LED stays on. I am wondering if there was a cost cutting design change. Since it is both units, I doubt there is a problem with either.
If you wanted to spend a few bucks you can get window tint (think walmart or autozone) and cover the light with that. You might even could a small piece for free at your local window tinting place. That way it won't be annoying but you can still see that the drive is working.
The main reason is to use a 5.25" drive either you already have or - more importantly - use a drive that has firmware compatible with what you're trying to do. The drive in this video, for example, can still rip UHD discs. Some cheap AliExpress knock off external USB drive probably won't. A SATA adapter still requires a power supply - that's another $10 on top. This isn't for everyone - but there certainly valid use cases.
I just bought this and my optical drive isn't going in anywhere NEAR as smooth as yours into the enclosure. It gets stuck before I can plug in the cable. I'm not comfortable with forcing it in. You barely put any force when you installed it. I have an LG WH16NS40. Can you or anyone help me?
@@Darkuni Maybe, but I got someone else to help me who lacked the fear of breaking the thing. He just pushed it in all the way with a good amount of force. I didn't hear any scratching or anything break, the drive works fine and the enclosure works fine. Maybe it was a defect or maybe I'm just weak.
@@Darkuni thank you kindly. only one more question. a newer faster optical drive came out. what are your thoughts.LG WH16NS40 i think is 16x speed would it be worth it or the one you review is the one to go with. now days i cant afford to screw up. so i want to get one. thank you in advance.
I have burned discs, use it with my BD writer. I don't remember how long ago it was that I burned a blu ray disc itself. I have 100% used this DRIVE to burn blus, but I do not recall if I have burned a BD disc in this drive WHILE in this enclosure. I could certainly do so if you feel it would influence your decision. I have no reason to believe it wouldn't work.
@@Darkuni thank you, sir. Good to know that its possible. I have it set up but as is, I cannot read / write BR. I will put in more time and research later. Thank you.
@@marlon_labrador Ah! I can 100% assure you mine is reading both Blu and UHD. I would try the firmware tool that DVDFab's product has. You would be amazed and what rolling back a firmware version can do. www.dvdfab.cn/uhd-drive-tool-en1.htm
@@Darkuni Haha, I agree! I haven't seen it since I was a kid, but it scared the crap out of me and I have such fond memories of it. You're the first person I've heard casually mention it. :D Also thanks for the helpful video!
@@jeffhampton6972 If you're a long time watcher of my videos, I try to slip in underappreciated content (games, movies, etc) in all the time. Fun easter eggs and gets some of this stuff exposure :) Glad you liked it.
Right, but you could put other drivers in there. Plus, there may be a relative advantage of overall bus width if you're using this in conjunction with other USB devices on the same bus, right?
When I read my burned BD-Rs using ASUS BW-16D1HT and Icybox SATA to USB3.0 converter, the speed can reach even over 50 MB/s so for reading data blu rays it does make sence for sure.
Max speed as far as i am aware for a DVD write is 52x which is around 72 megabytes a second which USB 2.0 controller could struggle with. It's also 2022, i'm sure there's next to no difference in cost. Also means it will be useful for much longer
Thanks for the tip on the USB cable needs to be plugged into a PC before the mounted drive will work. I almost returned mine as DOA.
Thanks for this. I had no idea this was even an option. I hate streaming services. They leave you at the mercy of the company regarding what you can watch. If there's an old show or film that is no longer popular, they can and will pull it from their catalog. As a historian, I find the decline of physical media highly concerning.
Great video! Great presnetation too. What good timing it is for me to find this. 2 days ago a computer failed (it was time, 12 yrs old). It had a that exact same BluRay DVD writer in it. I'm salvaging parts and that was one of them. So all I need is that NexStar case! Thanks! 👍👍
I want to thank you. Amazon has an updated model now. This solved my problem after installing a AIO CPU water cooler I needed to remove my optical drive. Here is the new model:
Vantec NexStar DX2 USB 3.0 External Enclosure Design for 5.25" Blu-Ray/CD/DVD SATA Drive, Second Generation of DX, No Drivers Needed, Aluminum Alloy (NST-540S3-BK)
Thanks for sharing this. Maybe I'll pick up the new
@@Darkuni it’s really nice it has a more traditional style and installation was exactly the same as in your video!
I can't find anything updated about the new model. It looks like they simply redesigned the aesthetics and added more plastic.
I got something similar but essentially just the wiring with no case. I mounted the drive under my wooden desk riser & painted the bezel dark brown to match the grain.
LOL .. I wouldn't mind seeing a pic of that ...
Thanks for the discovery! I have a large collection of audio CDs + DVD & Blu-ray movies that I want to rip to a personal NAS server. That said, this box will provide me with the best of both worlds. I can still use my favorite full size optical drive to rip music and movies, even if my new PC case doesn't have 5.25" bays. Plus, I can now use my champion ripping drive on my laptop (rather than a slim drive, which is usually a lower quality/performance drive). Even more convenient, when the job is done, I can disconnect the unit and store the drive safely until the next use. Thanks again for this review, for me this device is a real game changer! Regards, Daniel 🙂
I use mine almost every day. Love it.
I bought a regular 3.5" enclosure meant to "enclose" hard disks but without the protective box I can also connect my dvd writer and blu ray which is great.
The old version had a fan as well which in my opinion is a useful feature since drives tend to get quite hot when reading a couple of discs full speed in a row...
these work great for reloading laptops... I have the old I-O Data unit that was bought 15 years ago and its still going strong! I have tried to use the compact USB DVD drives that are for the laptops, and they never seem to work right all the time. this style is more dependable. its more heavy duty and comes in really handy when servicing PC's and Laptops that don't have optical drives. the new chassis seem to have dropped any 5.25 drive bays, so this is the solution for that issue. thank you for sharing this brand, as I was looking for a new unit...
Yeah, it is a bit bulky for that usage, but reliable. I, too, have several brands of portable DVD drives and you're right -- they seem remarkably flakey. This sucker does the job as a daily driver for me. It is nice to have a physical media device like this up on my desk instead of UNDER it (inside the PC) where I cannot get to it easily. Good stu ff.
Hey that's a good one. I have two self-built systems with blu-ray drives in their 5.25" bays. And a stack of spares. Excellent way to make optical drives accessible with a 3.0 USB enclosure!
I just purchased the NexStar DX2 and it doesn't have any lights. I just switched cases to a new one that didn't include 5.25 optical slot. Hated having to deal with the tiny (made for laptops) player that would freeze all the time and I wasn't about to buy the DX with all the lights. So far I'm loving the the DX2. Thanks for making this video or I wouldn't have started looking for something like this setup. I used your ama*** link to start looking so hope you get a kick back.
Thanks for watching and using the affiliate link!
This will come in handy. I can now build my pc using a small case while keeping my blu-ray burner/player out the case to keep the build small rather than looking for a tower with a bay on it which they are becoming extinct now a days
Its hard to find a new case with a 5.25 bay in it
@@andrewmp6 and the one's you do, are big and kind of ugly, heavy too. Too bad companies don't include it on their design, I bet we could of seen some nice cases by now.
@@andrewmp6 Towers with Disc Drive Bays are back in style again.
Hahaha.
Only took two years from when you wrote this.
Great video! Hope your channel keeps growing.
Thank you! Working hard!
@@Darkuni I was looking at this enclosure, just grabbed one through your link, hopefully it comes through.
The younger Gen, 8 years from now: 'Look how good these old Bluray and 4K Movies look compared to the garbage that we download!" 🤡 Seriously my next build will be another Eatx, but with Intel 1700. My choice is to use the case I have, which you could fit a Chevy 327 in, or go with more modern and buy one of these. I'm a HUGE fan of Vantec. Their items do what they say they will do when 60% of others don't. Thank you for this!
great unit.... is just what i was looking for
Great presentation and information, Thank You!
Thanks so much for watching!
Like the idea of the product but wish there was more to it wish it had a nvme slot just so i can expand or add some storage
This device kind of reminds me of early 90s CD-ROM.
Lost Media Karaoke? Did you find me from my LaserKaraoke documentary?
@@Darkuni yes but I didn’t know it’s you 😂.
Great for if your case doesn't have the bay for it
Yeah, or if you want it up on your desk for mass ripping while your PC is on the floor (which is my exact use case :D)
Hi! By any chance, would you know of a travel case in which this external enclosure would fit? I have been searching on Amazon, but so far, I only found travel case for external hard drives, but they seem too small for this enclosure.
There is a new question! They have carve your own storage cases. I know tons of people that have made them for almost everything - that's probably your best idea...
I ALWAYS WANT AN OPTICAL DRIVE IN MY PC
Ya damn right!
Just an idea, has anyone tried pluging this setup into USB port on a nas such as qnap, which would make it network accessible?
This works with 4k blu rays? I was looking on the product page and didn't see anything referring to 4k. Trying to watch the new Lord of the Rings 4k set 😁
Dark secret ... you have to roll back the firmware to get that particular drive to play 4ks. I am a big believer in DVDFab - they have a Drive Tool that will help you roll it back to a 4k "compatible" firmware. :)
are you ever have a problem that thing scratch your CDs? I bet is the Drive fault but... my Asus drive scratch a CD.
No ...? The cases clearances wouldn't contribute to that.
thanks for sharing
I bought 2 of these recently, and was annoyed that the blue LED is always on when the power switch is turned on. I would rather they are off when the computer is shut down. The USB ports are not powered when the computer is off, and when I remove the usb plug, the LED stays on. I am wondering if there was a cost cutting design change. Since it is both units, I doubt there is a problem with either.
Yeah. I like black electrical tape for this sort of annoyance...
If you wanted to spend a few bucks you can get window tint (think walmart or autozone) and cover the light with that. You might even could a small piece for free at your local window tinting place. That way it won't be annoying but you can still see that the drive is working.
Can't see the point at the price... may as well buy an external drive. A SATA adapter is also available and cheaper option
The main reason is to use a 5.25" drive either you already have or - more importantly - use a drive that has firmware compatible with what you're trying to do. The drive in this video, for example, can still rip UHD discs. Some cheap AliExpress knock off external USB drive probably won't. A SATA adapter still requires a power supply - that's another $10 on top. This isn't for everyone - but there certainly valid use cases.
I just bought this and my optical drive isn't going in anywhere NEAR as smooth as yours into the enclosure. It gets stuck before I can plug in the cable. I'm not comfortable with forcing it in. You barely put any force when you installed it. I have an LG WH16NS40. Can you or anyone help me?
That's bizarre. Perhaps some manufacturing defect?
@@Darkuni Maybe, but I got someone else to help me who lacked the fear of breaking the thing. He just pushed it in all the way with a good amount of force. I didn't hear any scratching or anything break, the drive works fine and the enclosure works fine. Maybe it was a defect or maybe I'm just weak.
@@friendofp.24 Glad you got it going on
Does that LG drive need special software to read and write ? I am reading comments that the software to use it is not free ?
Nope. I use all sorts.
That is with windows ? Or linux ?
@@jewelbriard5444 I only tested with Windows.
can PC update, write and/or read firmware from this enclosure? would it be recognized by firmware utilities as if it were an internal optical drive?
As in downgrading the drive firmware to make it rip UHD discs again? Yes.
does it matter what windows computer is. my computer has windows 11 will this work with this lg optical drive. I couldn't find out.
Sure it will. Mine is hooked up to win 11 presently.
@@Darkuni thank you kindly. only one more question. a newer faster optical drive came out. what are your thoughts.LG WH16NS40 i think is 16x speed would it be worth it or the one you review is the one to go with. now days i cant afford to screw up. so i want to get one. thank you in advance.
@@victornaja7927 what are your intentions with it?
@@Darkuni burn dvds and cd to my computer to store in my computer to watch later.
@@victornaja7927 no 4k stuff?
Is it ok to have the enclosure on the case if you have a top rad mounted
I can't think of a reason why not.
Is this compatible with Mac OS
I cannot test that for you. The listing on Amazon says "PC/Mac".
thank you
Appreciate the watch!
Have you used this with a blu-ray burner? Have you burned a disc?
I have burned discs, use it with my BD writer. I don't remember how long ago it was that I burned a blu ray disc itself. I have 100% used this DRIVE to burn blus, but I do not recall if I have burned a BD disc in this drive WHILE in this enclosure. I could certainly do so if you feel it would influence your decision. I have no reason to believe it wouldn't work.
@@Darkuni thank you, sir. Good to know that its possible. I have it set up but as is, I cannot read / write BR. I will put in more time and research later. Thank you.
@@marlon_labrador Ah! I can 100% assure you mine is reading both Blu and UHD. I would try the firmware tool that DVDFab's product has. You would be amazed and what rolling back a firmware version can do. www.dvdfab.cn/uhd-drive-tool-en1.htm
Mine vibrates to much
Langoliers!!!!!! Yeeeeeeeeaah
MR TUUUUUMMMUYYYYY! I would be okay if they redid the effects on this one ... left everything else alone of course ...
@@Darkuni Haha, I agree! I haven't seen it since I was a kid, but it scared the crap out of me and I have such fond memories of it. You're the first person I've heard casually mention it. :D Also thanks for the helpful video!
@@jeffhampton6972 If you're a long time watcher of my videos, I try to slip in underappreciated content (games, movies, etc) in all the time. Fun easter eggs and gets some of this stuff exposure :) Glad you liked it.
Good to know! I'll be sure to check out some more, this was my first one. :)@@Darkuni
@@jeffhampton6972 Always nice to have a new viewer!
Bro usb 3 is overkil the fastest cdrom ever goes up to 12 mbps ednd an avrage one dose 6mbps so a 40 Mbps usb 2 is sufishient
Right, but you could put other drivers in there. Plus, there may be a relative advantage of overall bus width if you're using this in conjunction with other USB devices on the same bus, right?
When I read my burned BD-Rs using ASUS BW-16D1HT and Icybox SATA to USB3.0 converter, the speed can reach even over 50 MB/s so for reading data blu rays it does make sence for sure.
Wow i dident know dvd drives can be this fast thanks for the information
@@Darkuni i geuse you are right i need to be more open minded about multy use
Max speed as far as i am aware for a DVD write is 52x which is around 72 megabytes a second which USB 2.0 controller could struggle with. It's also 2022, i'm sure there's next to no difference in cost. Also means it will be useful for much longer
Could some of the items be girls instead ? I'm beginning to feel a little gay fumbling around with all those "guys" thanks.
LOL ... I'm a Gen Xer ... "Guys" is genderless. I walk into a room of my friends and I say "Hey Guys!" :)
What a fekkin rip off! I just connect my power and sata cables and sit the drive on top of case!
Ghetto drive!