ASUS 12X Blu-Ray Burner $49.99 FS MIR BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS

I got this for $42 AR. I paid the $2 to get it faster. Received my rebate in less than a month too. Good burner for the price.

Quote from spydersdeals69 : Any recommended software for ripping/burning copies of our BDs for my kid who can't seem to keep his fingerprints off them?

Ripping and then burning to discs (which scratch much easier than the original) is a bit dated. Storage is cheap these days. Like the other guy mentioned, MakeMKV is a good option. If the original file size is too large for you, run them through Handbrake and reduce file size drastically by reducing the resolution to 720P (almost indistinguishable from the original).

Quote from jsjunks : It takes almost 3 months to get the rebate card the regular route. But if you chose the express rebate option (3$ extra) they process your rebate with high priority. I bought this same unit when they had the deal back in Nov/Dec and I got the rebate in second week of Jan.

Another word for that $3 payment is "extortion" or maybe "bribe." And then when it's all said and done you done get cash, you get a gift card that you have to figure out how drain & will start charging you bogus "maintenance fees" if you don't use them soon enough.

Not news to anyone here I'm sure, but just wanted to say out loud that it's this kinda crap that's made me go out of my way to avoid rebates.

Quote from puddnhead : Another word for that $3 payment is "extortion" or maybe "bribe." And then when it's all said and done you done get cash, you get a gift card that you have to figure out how drain & will start charging you bogus "maintenance fees" if you don't use them soon enough. Not news to anyone here I'm sure, but just wanted to say out loud that it's this kinda crap that's made me go out of my way to avoid rebates.

I couldn't agree more with you on this. The whole industry is total BS. This is just another way for the damn banks and rebate people to make their money back if people don't start using their rebate funds. Before it was a check you can get cash from, now it's a stupid piece of plastic that not only wastes resources (even if 100% recycled) but can also end up landfill. I'm not a tree huger but seriously why can't we have paper checks again? It's safer to recycle and we get real cash. That's my '$3' up front rant.

As to the deal, building a new miniITX system and wife wants a BD drive in it

I'm in, thanks! Also there are these for $5.99 after a $10 rebate, in case you need some...
memorex 25GB 4X BD-R 15 Packs Spindle Disc Model 97854
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Pro...6817501029

Quote from RyanL : Ripping and then burning to discs (which scratch much easier than the original) is a bit dated. Storage is cheap these days. Like the other guy mentioned, MakeMKV is a good option. If the original file size is too large for you, run them through Handbrake and reduce file size drastically by reducing the resolution to 720P (almost indistinguishable from the original).

I love comments like this. Copying discs is a bit dated? How could you possibly know how he plans on using the disc? Maybe he has a bluray player in his kids room and it's the only thing they are allowed to use? We all know there are many ways to get a video file from a computer to a display but stating that burning discs is a bit dated is ridiculous.

"OMG don't do it. Burning discs is too old school. You're not hip and cool if you don't store your files on some other form of storage media other than those easily scratchable burned discs that people used to use way back in the day. Come on man..."

Quote from puddnhead : Another word for that $3 payment is "extortion" or maybe "bribe." And then when it's all said and done you done get cash, you get a gift card that you have to figure out how drain & will start charging you bogus "maintenance fees" if you don't use them soon enough. Not news to anyone here I'm sure, but just wanted to say out loud that it's this kinda crap that's made me go out of my way to avoid rebates.

I agree with the bribe or extortion part. but I prefer to get my 35$ (or 32 after 3$ processing fee) in 3-4 weeks instead of waiting for 12 weeks and totally forgetting about it!

But I disagree with other stuff... you don't get a 'gift' card, it is either master card or visa, that I use the same week to buy groceries! If you don't use it within 4 months or so, they will start charging maintenance fee... are you sure you won't spend 35$ in groceries or food in 4 months??

Quote from Scott586 : That's where AnyDVD comes in, did you not comprehend that? Anyways, this is the wrong forum for ripping/copying discussion. Let's move it back to the deal at hand. This BD burner looks like a decent deal, but I'd like to know if anyone can recommend another drive as a comparison. I would pay a little more for a faster, quality burner.

I am responding to your comment that Nero is not free. Anyway, I am using DVDFab for ripping BD. I usually just rip it to HD mkv and put it on the NAS. There is really no need to burn it on BD anyway, but an option if I want to.

Still don't see why so many people do MIR's that take 3-4 months to get back...

Quote from gmanvbva : Still don't see why so many people do MIR's that take 3-4 months to get back...

Because its money you get back?

Quote from mryanbrown : Because its money you get back?

Most studies indicate the average redemption rate is ~20%. Those on the high-end say ~50%.

If consumers simply stopped buying based on rebates that ~50% - ~80% of them will never receive... Companies would probably stop doing MIR and just have normal sale prices...

Or at least it might force companies to institute a reasonable turn around time...

To each his own. I just chose not to do MIR's anymore.

Most consumers receive their rebates who apply for them. The redemption rate is how many actually submit them. I'm part of that "~20%".

Quote from mryanbrown : Most consumers receive their rebates who apply for them. The redemption rate is how many actually submit them correctly. I'm part of that "~20%".

Fixed. And how do you know that? MIR companies do not release any of that information so it's very hard to make that type of overall distinction.

I know that in my previous experience, it was a PITA to keep track of which companies you could count on to receive rebates from, what the rules were, save all the paperwork/copies, track the rebates over months, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I've had plenty of rebate companies state my rebate was declined for this reason or that reason only to pull the copy of what I provided and find out it was indeed included or documented correctly. Thee submit it back to them again and finally weeks/months later receive it.

All to support a system that is entirely in the favor of the company/retailer (rather than the consumer).

I have no idea if the MIR industry is better than it was 2-3 years ago... but if it is the same (which is likely) it's not for me.

Quote from puddnhead : Another word for that $3 payment is "extortion" or maybe "bribe." And then when it's all said and done you done get cash, you get a gift card that you have to figure out how drain & will start charging you bogus "maintenance fees" if you don't use them soon enough. Not news to anyone here I'm sure, but just wanted to say out loud that it's this kinda crap that's made me go out of my way to avoid rebates.

I just use the card to buy an Amazon or Cabelas e-gift card for the exact amount that is on there. I have even found old ones I had with less than a dollar on them and converted them into Amazon e-gift cards.