I recently invested in the Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD 4K Blu-Ray Portable Burner & DVD Player Drive with the hope of enjoying my 4K UHD Blu-ray collection on my Macbook Pro. My Macbook Pro is a Mid 2012 15-inch model, running the latest Catalina software, equipped with a 2.6 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, Intel HD graphics 4000, and a 1TB SSD. On paper, it seemed like a viable setup.
Prior to purchasing the Pioneer Blu Ray Player, I did my due diligence and researched online about the compatibility of external 4K UHD Blu-ray drives, particularly with Macbooks. The information was conflicting. Some sources suggested seamless playback with the right third-party software, while others indicated potential roadblocks.
To clarify things, I contacted Apple Support directly. The representative confirmed that Apple doesn’t natively support Blu-ray or 4K UHD formats and advised that third-party software would be necessary. Seeking further clarity, I reached out to Pioneer regarding the playability of their external drive with my Macbook configuration. Their response email stated:
“Thank you for contacting Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
The drive will work as a Plug and Play device. The operating system will load generic drivers for basic operations.
To enable the playback and recording features, you would need to provide your own software.
Companies like Roxio and Leawo offer such programs.
The software included with the BDR-XS07UHD is only compatible with Windows.
Rocky
Product Support Representative”
This confirmed the need for third-party software, but also gave me confidence that the Pioneer blu ray player itself should be compatible as a plug-and-play device. I proceeded to purchase the Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD.
Initially, I downloaded the free version of Blu-ray Player Pro. It worked perfectly for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs, which was encouraging. However, despite the software’s claim of supporting 4K resolution, it specifically stated it did not support 4K UHD discs. The search for a solution continued.
I then explored a range of other third-party software options, hoping to find one that would enable 4K UHD playback. I downloaded and tested several players including DVDFab Player 6 for Mac, VLC Media Player, Quicktime, Leawo Blu-ray Player, Macgo Blu-ray Player Pro, and Roxio, among others. Unfortunately, none of these programs successfully played 4K UHD discs on my Macbook Pro. Some applications simply failed to play anything, while others displayed error messages indicating that my driver was not 4K UHD friendly – despite using the Pioneer blu ray player specifically designed for this purpose.
Disappointed and running out of options, I contacted Pioneer again to explain the situation and inquire if they had any further solutions or recommendations. Regrettably, their response was that they were unable to offer any further assistance in resolving this playback issue. This was quite disheartening given that I was using their Pioneer blu ray player.
Therefore, I am turning to the community for help. Has anyone encountered a similar issue trying to play 4K UHD discs on a Macbook Pro using an external drive like the Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD? If so, were you able to find a solution? Is there any specific software, setting, or workaround that can enable 4K UHD Blu-ray playback on my Macbook Pro setup with the Pioneer blu ray player?
Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help.
