Disc readers: The 4 Best External Optical Drives for DVDs and Blu-rays in 2023

Опубликовано: August 1, 2023 в 12:47 pm

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Dispensers

Optical Disc Drives Price Fixing Class Action

The deadline to submit a claim was November 14, 2022. We are no longer accepting claim submissions.

*Distribution Announcement*

Payments to approved Undocumented Claims began on June 27, 2023. All cheques will be mailed on June 29, 2023. Interac e-Transfers will be sent in batches beginning June 27, 2023 and ending by July 5, 2023.

An example Interac e-Transfer is duplicated below:

If you receive an e-Transfer payment and have not registered for automatic deposit of e-Transfers through your financial institution, you will need a security password to deposit your payment. Your security password is your 8-digit Claim ID number. An email was sent on June 26, 2023 from [email protected] containing your Claim ID number. If you cannot find the email, please check your junk folder

We are aware of an issue when attempting to deposit Interac e-Transfer payments into CIBC and Simplii bank accounts through the CIBC and Simplii websites. Our understanding is you may be able to deposit the e-Transfers through the CIBC and Simplii mobile app. If you do not have a mobile app or are still experiencing issues, please notify us by email at [email protected]. Failed e-Transfer payments will be sent a cheque (without any deductions for mailing costs) at a later date.

Approved Documented Claims will be paid as soon as practicable after claim evaluations and any appeals are completed.

This website is the claims portal for class actions that were commenced in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec alleging that numerous ODD manufacturers and distributors (the “Defendants”) conspired to fix the prices for ODD, with the intention of raising prices for both ODD and ODD Products sold in Canada.

ODDs are any device which reads and/or writes data from and to an optical disc. ODD Products are desktop computers, mobile/laptop computers, video game consoles, CD players/records, DVD players/recorders and Blu-Ray disc players/recorders.

Settlements totaling CDN$29.7 million were reached with BenQ, Hitachi-LG, NEC, Panasonic, Phillips, Pioneer, Quanta, Sony, TEAC, and Toshiba Samsung (the “Defendants”). The settlements were approved by the requisite courts. The settlements are a compromise of disputed claims and not admissions of liability. The settlements resolve the litigation in full.

The British Columbia and Quebec Courts approved a protocol for distributing the Net Settlement Amount. The settlement funds (less approved fees and expenses) are available for distribution to eligible claimants.

Subject to further court order, approved undocumented claims will be paid $20 (per claim, not per product) and do not require proof of purchase. If you wish to be eligible to receive more than $20, proof of purchase is required. However, even if you provide proof of purchase, if you purchased a small volume of ODDs and/or ODD Products you may not receive more than $20. This will depend on the number and size of claims filed by all class members.

The remainder of the settlement funds (after paying undocumented claims) will be distributed on a proportional basis, based on the value of your claim relative to the value of all approved claims.

The value of your claim for the purpose of determining your share of the settlement funds will be calculated based on:

(a) the number and type of ODDs or ODD Products purchased; and

(b) your position in the distribution chain

See the FAQ page for more information.

Documents

Looking for more information about the class action? Please review the Documents page of the website.
Read them here

FAQ

Questions? You may find the answers on our list of frequently asked questions.
Read them here

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact the Claims Administrator.
Find out how

Compared, reviewed – Rolling Stone

Music, movies, and books have gone from physical objects to digital files over the past 10 years, and computer designs have changed with the times.

A lot of computers — laptops, all-in-ones, and traditional desktops — don’t have a DVD drive built into them anymore. This is a problem if you have family photos, old band demos, or home movies stuck on discs.

It’s important to back those files up onto your computer and an external hard drive to avoid losing them forever. If you’ve got a stack of discs to digitize, the solution is simple: use an external DVD drive.

An external disc drive works identically to the one that used to come built into older computers, with the added convenience of being able to put it away once you’re done with your task. Use the drives below to archive your family history, or finally rip the last of your CD collection to a computer.

What Are the Best External DVD Drives?

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best external DVD drive for you; below are the most important ones, which we considered while we were researching this list.

Drive Speed: A drive’s maximum read speed determines how quickly it’ll be able to transfer data from your disc to your computer’s hard drive. The drives in this guide have DVD read speeds between 8X and 16X — the faster, the better.

Formats: All of the external disc drives below can read CDs and DVDs, but the more premium options can read Blu-Ray discs, too.

Compatibility: All of the external DVD drives we’re recommending work with both PCs and Macs.

Connector: A lot of external DVD drives need to be plugged into one (or even two) USB-A ports. If your computer doesn’t have a USB-A port, we’ll recommend a cable that allows you to plug yours into a USB-C port.

Portability: Most of the external DVD drives below are “bus powered,” which means they don’t need to be plugged into an outlet to work. This limits their top read speed, but makes them totally portable. DVD drives that draw power from an outlet are a little bigger, but a lot faster.

Editor’s picks

1. ASUS LITE Slim DVD Burner

ASUS’ Lite Slim DVD Burner is an ultra-portable external DVD drive that’s the perfect choice for most people.

The drive can read DVDs at speeds of up to 8X, and burn encrypted discs at the same rate. It comes with a Mini USB to USB-A cable, and needs to be plugged into two USB ports (one for power, one for data transfer). If you have a computer with USB-C ports, we recommend this 3.3 foot cable from CableMatters.

It doesn’t have a lot of bells & whistles, but ASUS’ Lite Slim DVD Burner has all the features you actually need from an External DVD drive. You can get files off of your discs with ease, and take the drive with you anywhere you go. If you need an efficient way to get that job done, ASUS Lite Slim DVD Burner is a great choice.

Buy ASUS Lite Slim DVD Burner $27.99

2. LG Super Ultra Slim Portable Drive

If you prefer slot-load external DVD drives, LG’s Super Ultra Slim Portable Drive is the right choice for you.

You can slide discs right into its slot without pushing a button. This ultra-portable external DVD drive has a maximum read speed of 8X, and uses a technology called “silent play” to transfer data without making a lot of noise.

LG bundles this drive with a Mini USB to USB-A cable, but it only needs to be plugged into one USB-A port on your computer. If you have a newer computer without USB-A ports, this Mini USB to USB-C cable is required.

If you need a sleek, nearly silent external DVD drive to archive a stack of discs, LG’s Super Ultra Slim Portable Drive has you covered.

Buy LG Super Ultra Slim Portable Drive $67.99

3. Archgon Aluminum External 4K Blu-Ray Super Drive

Archgon Aluminum External 4K Blu-Ray Super Drive is the most versatile external DVD drive in our guide, and the right choice if you want to make backups of your HD movie collection.

The slim drive can read DVDs at speeds of up to 8X, but also works with Blu-Rays at speeds of up to 6X. It can even read 4K Blu-Ray discs, which most drives can’t do. If you’re backing up your high resolution movie collection to reduce the number of times you play a physical disc, this is the drive for you.

Archgon includes two cables with this drive: A USB-B to USB-A cable (it needs to be plugged into two USB-A ports on your computer), and a USB-B to USB-C cable. This means you can use the drive with any computer right out of the box. The company also includes a carrying case, so you can take this external DVD drive with you when you travel.

If you need an external DVD drive that can handle any disc format, and comes in an ultra-portable package, this one from Archgon is our top pick.

Access card readers | proximity card readers proximiti

Em-Marine, HID Proximity, Temic and Mafare contactless card readers are an indispensable element of an access control system of any complexity. Fundamentally, these devices can be divided into auxiliary, the signal from which goes to the controller, or autonomous. In the case of the latter, the reader itself and the controller for it are integrated. In this section, you can buy equipment for logging in and out using proximiti contactless access cards. The product range includes overhead and mortise readers for HID Proximity, Em-Marine, Temic contactless cards and readers for Touch Memory. Read more about connecting and using readers.

Reader – necessary equipment for ACS

There are elements in access control systems, without which it is impossible
functioning of the ACS. So, to ensure access through the door is always
use either a reader (access card reader) or
code panels. The exit button can also be found everywhere. She
in demand both in access control systems at entrances, and in
professional access control systems at commercial facilities.

Place of this
a simple but very important device is at the forefront of ACS.
Precisely readers of smart cards and keys with programmable memory
allow you to read a code that allows you to identify a person and
determine his level of access to the system. To provide decryption and
subsequent access decision requires a controller. Let’s take a look
interaction of Em-Marine, HID Prox and Temic card readers with ACS on
example of IronLogic products. As controller we
consider universal
Z5R Net . Let’s give a diagram of interaction.

In the above diagram, the first controller receives a signal from two
readers. This scheme is one of the most popular: one reader
at the entrance, another at the exit. The controller when receiving a signal about
presenting the card, it analyzes the code for it and makes a decision to open it
lock or turnstile connected to it.

The second controller demonstrates another frequently requested scheme –
Entrance upon presentation of the card, and exit by the exit button. Similar way
access control is used in most of the entrance doors of office and
residential doors. The problem of authorization for access to
closed areas for personnel in commercial buildings.

In the above diagram, let’s pay attention to the organization of communication via RS485 with
a computer on which the software environment for the ACS is installed. Number 1
converter is marked on the diagram
Z397 capable
organize the connection of RS485 devices with the USB port of the computer. This
allows you to access each controller and, if necessary,
open a lock or turnstile directly from the program. To the computer can be
desktop USB smart card readers are connected, which allow
program cards, if they have such an opportunity.

How universal smart card readers work

For convenience and adherence to the principle of universality, ACS uses readers that can work with several RFID card formats at once. This is achieved by using

universal communication protocols with the controller. For example, when reading Mifare cards, you can convert the code to the Dallas Touch Memory or Wiegand 42 format. In this case, the controller will be able to process the signal and make a decision about granting access and opening the lock or turnstile.

The example shown in the diagram demonstrates such an emulation for IronLogic universal readers. In these devices, you can find the EHT marking, which means that they can work simultaneously with three formats: Em-Marine, HID Prox, Temic. The universal reader requires an external power supply of 8-18 V with a current of up to 50 mA.

It is connected to a network or a USB port on a computer using the converter described above IronLogic Z397 .

Access card reader

This kind of reader is used in
advanced security systems. subject ID when
this is an access card with an original digital code, and in complex
access control systems – also with encryption. Code from each card
stored in the memory of either the controller or the connected PC.

Access card readers come in different types:

magnetic card reader. This device reads a digital code from a magnetic strip applied to a plastic card;
smart card reader. This device reads the digital code from
memory of an access card with a built-in microcircuit, which
provides access to data;
contactless card reader. This device reads digital
code from the memory of a plastic card with a digital microcircuit (smart card), with
the difference is that it is enough just to bring it close to
reading device;
proximity card reader. This device reads digital
code from the memory of the proximity card in which the chip is embedded. Reader
proximity cards are contactless. It is distinguished by its application
Proximity reading technology, as well as the fact that the
You can put a photo of its owner on the proximity card.