A Guide to 4K Blu-ray Burner Types

A 4K Blu-ray burner is the go-to tool when you're dealing with watching 4K movies or backing them up. 4K Blu-ray burners allow you to duplicate or burn 4K Blu-ray discs and make your own discs from your computer. Blu-ray burners aren't all the same, as there are multiple types with separate features. So, below we'll go over the core types of 4K Blu-ray burners and what they do as well as help you decide which of them would be the best for you.

Briefly Know About Blu-ray Burning & Blu-ray Drive

Before we look at the different types of 4K Blu-ray burners, let’s understand the basics.

Blu-ray drives are hardware devices that read data from Blu-ray discs. The device allows you to watch movie files and can see data on Blu-ray discs. Also, this drive cannot do any writing or copying to a disc. In addition to reading discs a Blu-ray burner (also known as a Blu-ray writer) can write data to the disc, copy discs that already exist and create new Blu-ray discs. A Blu-ray burner is necessary if you are ever going to burn your own 4K videos and/or backup a lot of files to a disc because you cannot do these things with a standard drive.

What You Need to Burn 4K Blu-ray on a PC

To successfully burn 4K Blu-ray on your computer, you’ll need:

A 4K Blu-ray burner (internal or external)

You require a blank BD-R or BD-XL disc which has 4K storage capabilities for your needs.

Your PC needs sufficient storage capacity and RAM to process 4K video files.

Blu-ray burning software that supports 4K

You need to select the 4K video files that you want to burn.

Types of 4K Blu-ray Burners

Specialized hardware and software are necessary to create 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs because they contain high-resolution content. There are three distinct 4K Blu-ray burning options which each provide unique benefits suitable for specific applications.

1. External Blu-ray Burner

External Blu-ray burners function as portable devices that you can connect to a computer through a USB interface for immediate use. External Blu-ray burners deliver flexible solutions for users because they enable you to burn 4K Blu-rays across different computers and during travel. These units function smoothly with both Windows and macOS because they need no internal installation. You need to verify that your external burner has UHD BD (Ultra HD Blu-ray) certification before burning 4K UHD discs since not all burners support 4K content. For example, the Pioneer BDR-XD07UHD model stands out with its quick burn speeds and supports M-DISC technology for durable disc storage while offering USB 3.1 connectivity to enable fast data transfers.

Example Model: Pioneer BDR-XD07UHD

• 6x BD-R Write Speed
• M-DISC Support for long-term storage
• USB 3.1 for fast data transfer

2. Internal Blu-ray Burner Drive

A desktop PC's drive bay houses internal Blu-ray burners that utilize SATA connections to deliver superior speed and stability over external alternatives. Professionals and 4K Blu-ray burning enthusiasts should choose these drives because they deliver enhanced write speeds and superior 4K UHD media compatibility. For instance, the LG WH16NS60 internal drive supports 16x speed BD-R burning and M-DISC archiving while enabling 4K UHD playback which makes it an economical option for home theater systems and video editing workstations.

Example Model: LG WH16NS60

• 16x BD-R Write Speed
• M-DISC & 4K UHD Support
• SATA III Interface

However, 4K Blu-ray burning on consumer-level Blu-ray burners remained largely unsupported since 2022. You could burn 4K video files onto a BDXL disc as data, or even use AVCHD 2.0 for 4K playback on some devices, but not as official UHD Blu-ray format. Some people will flash their drive’s firmware to an older version that disables AACS 2.0 enforcement. The downgrading makes the drive UHD-Friendly, and allows reading UHD Blu-rays for ripping or backing up, though it still doesn’t support UHD burning with AACS 2.0.

3. 4K Blu-ray Burning Software

Specialized software is necessary to produce 4K UHD Blu-rays alongside essential hardware. 4K-compatible programs provide support for ultra-high-definition resolutions (3840×2160), HDR (HDR10/Dolby Vision), and the HEVC/H.265 codec that 4K video compression requires which standard Blu-ray burning software does not offer. These programs enable users to burn data onto larger UHD BD-66/100 discs while also providing advanced options for menu customization. Leawo UHD creator leads the pack with its seamless 4K HDR conversion capabilities and professional disc authoring features along with support for high-quality audio formats which makes it the perfect 4K Blu-ray burner companion.

This software provides the definitive method for creating 4K UHD Blu-ray discs with superb HDR effects including Dolby Vision and HDR10. The software provides quick 4K video conversion and burning capabilities to BD-100/66/50/25 discs and ISO files or folders while offering customizable menu options.

Example Software: Leawo UHD Creator

• Maintains pristine 4K HDR visual quality alongside HD audio using Dolby Atmos/DTS-HD formats.
• Supports various video format including MKV, MP4, MOV and beyond for conversion .
• Creates professional menus with thumbnails and chapters.
• Works with all major 4K Blu-ray players.

How to Burn a 4K Blu-ray Disc on a PC?

Using Leawo UHD Creator for burning 4K Blu-ray discs provides users with an easy process that produces outstanding results. This basic step-by-step guide will help you start the process.

Step 1: Add Source Video Files

Start by launching Leawo UHD Creator then click the "Burn" button or select "UHD Creator" from the menu.

Click "Add Video" to import source files including individual files, folders, or ISO images. After loading your files, you can preview videos and then edit their order and file names while choosing your desired subtitles and audio tracks. In the bottom left corner select the correct 4K Blu-ray disc type (BD-25, BD-50, BD-66, or BD-100) based on content size and define the desired aspect ratio while checking disc space requirements.

Step 2: Add a Disc Menu (Optional)

The right sidebar contains menu customization options under tabs labelled "Built-in," "Online," and "Custom." You can preview and personalize your menu through actions like editing titles and changing background images while selecting background music and creating chapter lists. Choose the "No Menu" option when you don't need a menu. Users have the ability to save custom menu designs for reuse as templates in subsequent projects.

Step 3: Edit Source Videos

Select the edit icon that appears beside each video to open the editing tools interface. You can cut out unwanted segments either by dragging along the playback bar or by setting precise start and end times within the "Trim" tab. The "Create Chapter" tab enables automatic chapter generation while manual chapter insertion requires using the "Insert Chapter" button at designated locations. Make sure to save every adjustment you make before going back to the main interface.

Step 4: Set Burning Preferences

Access output settings by clicking the green "Burn" button. Select your desired output format from Folder, ISO Image File, or direct 4K Blu-ray Disc burning. Provide a project name for your disc and choose a storage location that has enough space. When burning discs place a blank 4K Blu-ray disc into the drive and indicate how many copies you need.

Step 5: Start Burning

The green "Burn" button takes you to the output settings page. Select the desired output option among Folder, ISO Image File, or direct 4K Blu-ray Disc burning. Assign a title to your disc project and pick a storage location that can accommodate its size.

Final Words

Leawo UHD Creator simplifies 4K Blu-ray creation while delivering professional results with customizable menus through this intuitive five-step process. For optimal results, ensure you're using high-quality blank media and verify your burner's 4K UHD compatibility beforehand.