UD Link

What UD Link does with a portable DVD writer

UD Link is an Android app for working with optical discs. It needs a supported portable DVD writer, connected to the device with a USB OTG cable or adapter. Once connected, the app handles the drive's discs directly on the phone, tablet or Android TV box.

It suits people who still keep a shelf of CDs or DVDs and want to get music or files off them, or who want to copy data onto disc for keeping. The listing also covers a cloud side for organising albums, which is described separately below.

The supported drive models named in the listing are KP95, KP95+, KP96, KP99, GP95, GP96, GP78Y, UD10 and GPM1.

Browsing and playing disc files

The disc explorer shows the contents of a disc alongside the device's own internal and external storage. Tapping a file on the disc either opens it in a player or copies it onto the device.

It reads CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-R and DVD-R DL, and DVD+R and DVD+R DL discs. The file systems it handles are ISO9660 with Joliet extensions, and UDF from 1.50 to 2.01. For video files the listing recommends VLC.

Playing DVD Video needs a separate app called TrueDVD, which is supplied with the supported writer models. The listing also says that CPRM discs, Video CD and CD-TEXT discs cannot be played or copied.

Playing and ripping audio CDs

The audio player starts a track when you tap it. Album title, artist and track name appear for audio discs. It works with CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM audio discs.

The ripper copies the tracks you select off an audio disc into a UD Link folder on the device. It writes FLAC, M4A, WAV or MP3, and you can set a variable bitrate for the output.

Burning audio files to CD-R

The audio CD burner writes audio files you choose onto a blank CD-R. It accepts FLAC, M4A, WAV, OGG, AAC and MP3 input.

You can edit the album cover image before burning. The listing warns that high-resolution files, such as 24-bit or 32-bit audio, may play back badly on disc because their bitrate is above the CD standard.

Backing up files to disc

The data backup function burns the files you select onto a CD-R, DVD-R or DVD+R. The listing says the resulting disc can be read on any system.

A single backup can hold up to 2,000 files. Later you can add more files to the same disc, because the app supports multi-session writing.

A backup cannot be cancelled once it has started.

Cloud albums and connecting the writer

The cloud function groups material into audio, photo and video albums that sit in the cloud. The listing does not describe how those albums are set up or shared.

To connect a writer, plug it in with the USB OTG cable and choose UD Link in the pop-up that appears. The app then opens and the connection is complete.

Pulling the cable during a disc operation stops it from working properly. If another app on the device also claims USB devices, the listing says to turn off its launch-by-default setting before connecting the writer. To eject a disc while a video or audio file is playing, close the player first and then press the drive's eject key.