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External DVD burner for Macbook
- Thread starter RJI2009
- Start date
gaussian blur
Veteran Member
Just about anything is compatible. Plextor & LiteOn are generally good mechanisms. FireWire is highly preferred, assuming your MacBook has FireWire.
LaCie doesn't make DVD burners, they make boxes and put whatever mechanism happens to be cheap and available inside it. Two boxes on the same shelf might not even have the same mechanism.
JustinRebbert
Forum Enthusiast
Plextor has traditionally been regarded as making the best, fastest, most reliable drives on the market.
Recently, I've been hearing that Plextor no longer manufactures its own drive mechanisms, just uses LG mechanisms in Plextor enclosures. I don't know for a fact if that's true, but as the previous poster pointed at both Plextor and LG as making the best drive mechanisms, then whether it's true or not is irrelevant...Just get something that says Plextor on the outside.
Recently, I've been hearing that Plextor no longer manufactures its own drive mechanisms, just uses LG mechanisms in Plextor enclosures. I don't know for a fact if that's true, but as the previous poster pointed at both Plextor and LG as making the best drive mechanisms, then whether it's true or not is irrelevant...Just get something that says Plextor on the outside.
davephdv
Leading Member
It's too bad that the one made for the Mac Air isn't compatible. It's small, inexpensive, and mine works great.
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JustinRebbert
Forum Enthusiast
I'll second that.
I totally do not buy Apple's reasoning for this, either.
Apple claims that the Mac Air Superdrive (not sure if that's the actual product name, but anyone, from here on I'll just say MAS) uses more power than a single USB line can provide. They say that the USB port on an MBA is designed to be able to provide this extra power, and the USB ports on all of their other products are not.
I have an LG external portable DVD 8X burner that connects to my 2008 MacBook Pro via one single USB cable. It works. This drive does not have an internal battery, unlike Plextor's own single-cable portable drive, which needs to be charged up first to provide the extra power. This LG drive that I have functions with my MBP, and at the same speeds, as Apple's own MAS works with the MBA.
My LG drive is rather ugly, with a shiny black plastic top and a white plastic trim piece around all four sides. I'd much rather have the MAS, it looks like...well, it looks like an Apple Macintosh product, because that's exactly what it is. I have an external optical drive that's functionally identical to the MAS, my preference for it is based purely on aesthetics.
gaussian blur
Veteran Member
They don't give a reason why, however, it is definitely not due to limited power.
There is a custom USB-IDE bridge chip which only works with the MacBook Air. If that chip is replaced with a standard bridge chip, the MacBook Air SuperDrive will work with any computer, even a PC.
http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/macbook-air-superdrive-for-all/
JustinRebbert
Forum Enthusiast
The power draw on the USB port has long been Apple's stated reason (specifically, that it only works with the extra amperage that the USB port in the MBA--and now, apparently, the Mac Mini Server as well--have been specifically designed to provide, incidentally making those USB ports out of standard, despite the fact that Apple still labels them as USB ports).
Thanks for the link though, looks interesting. I might have to try that!
gaussian blur
Veteran Member
Do you have a link to where Apple actually said this?
All I've seen is people guessing as to why. Apple's developer tech note states that the MacBook Air can source a maximum of 500 mA, the same as any other standard USB port.
http://developer.apple.com/legacy/mac/library/documentation/HardwareDrivers/Conceptual/HWTech_USB/Articles/usb_implementation.html
JustinRebbert
Forum Enthusiast
I sure don't! It's really not important enough for me to go searching for it, either.
I've only heard this from various Apple Store employees at various Apple Store locations around Maryland. Unfortunately, I don't have any audio recordings of any of them saying that, though. It'd be illegal for me to record them saying that, unless I asked first for permission to record them, and I'm sure if I asked, they'd decline to comment and refer me to their public relations dept. (at least, that's what they should do).
Thanks for the feedback so far.
My Macbook super drive is hyper sensitive. So I got lacie initially coz I read that lacie was the only brand 100% compatible with Mac. So I purchased the lacie nearly 8-12months ago I think.
It only started giving trouble early this year, with the error msg, and restarting the macbook helped with that initially. Not so now.
So I am compelled to buy a new burner & reader. I might prefer to go with LG coz I am unable to find any instore products of Plextor where I live. I want to be able to return it if any issues come up.
This is the Macbook I have http://www.macworld.com/product/hardware/134/detail.html
These are the LG burners that I am considering
Option 1 (Favorite) and cheaper
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-20x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-ge20lu11-ge20lu11/10136165.aspx?path=51d1d50e1ede306b549ecaad724179d3en02
Option 2 (LG site states this model has been discontinued)
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-20x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-ge20lu11-ge20lu11/10136165.aspx?path=51d1d50e1ede306b549ecaad724179d3en02
Option 3
(the ultra slim version, don't care if it is slim or not, my concern is this thing does not look durable?)
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-slim-ultra-8x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-gp08nu20-gp08nu20/10127866.aspx?path=e2724c703dc3cda9ea813f4799bf8415en02
My Macbook super drive is 8x speed these are much more, but I guess from the comments above I might not encounter any problems regardless of the external drives speed (& any other features) or brand on my macbook?
I do a ton of burning. So need it to be durable and reliable.
Thanks so much.
My Macbook super drive is hyper sensitive. So I got lacie initially coz I read that lacie was the only brand 100% compatible with Mac. So I purchased the lacie nearly 8-12months ago I think.
It only started giving trouble early this year, with the error msg, and restarting the macbook helped with that initially. Not so now.
So I am compelled to buy a new burner & reader. I might prefer to go with LG coz I am unable to find any instore products of Plextor where I live. I want to be able to return it if any issues come up.
This is the Macbook I have http://www.macworld.com/product/hardware/134/detail.html
These are the LG burners that I am considering
Option 1 (Favorite) and cheaper
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-20x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-ge20lu11-ge20lu11/10136165.aspx?path=51d1d50e1ede306b549ecaad724179d3en02
Option 2 (LG site states this model has been discontinued)
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-20x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-ge20lu11-ge20lu11/10136165.aspx?path=51d1d50e1ede306b549ecaad724179d3en02
Option 3
(the ultra slim version, don't care if it is slim or not, my concern is this thing does not look durable?)
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-slim-ultra-8x-dvd-r-rw-external-drive-gp08nu20-gp08nu20/10127866.aspx?path=e2724c703dc3cda9ea813f4799bf8415en02
My Macbook super drive is 8x speed these are much more, but I guess from the comments above I might not encounter any problems regardless of the external drives speed (& any other features) or brand on my macbook?
I do a ton of burning. So need it to be durable and reliable.
Thanks so much.
JustinRebbert
Forum Enthusiast
I've never heard anything of the sort, and it's certainly not true. Perhaps someone might assume that because it's usually the only 3rd-party product listed on Apple's website, in the store, storage, CD & DVD section. But many brands have the Apple logo on their packages and claim to be Mac compatible; Apple wouldn't be letting them get away with that if it's not true.
The Superdrive in my own 2008 MBP is failing, too. It only reads CDs, no DVDs of any kind. They get spit back out. This failure has been confirmed by a Genius. I can buy a replacement for about $150, and either replace it myself (which I am comfortable doing, as I am quite hardware-handy and have swapped out the hard drive for a larger/faster one, and it's out of warranty anyway) or pay an extra $90 for the Apple Store to do it.
It's very rare to find Plextor in stores these days. You could buy from newegg.com they have a great return policy. But if it's true that they have LG internals now anyway, then perhaps you may as well buy an LG locally.
The 3rd choice isn't faster, it's the same speed. I have an older version of this drive. I don't know if they've made any changes to the hardware or mechanicals, so while I cannot comment directly on the newer version, I can say that I would not recommend the version I have. It's a bit flaky at times, it sometimes fails to recognize a disc, and I might have to pop it in and out a few times.
But there's a big difference between the third choice and the other two. The first two are not meant to be portable. They are much bigger and heavier and require being plugged into a wall outlet. Not being designed for portability means they can be built with more robust parts, so they are more durable and reliable, and since they have access to more power, they're faster. If you do not need portability, go with one of your first two choices. If you need portability, go with the third, but do not expect it to last a very long time.d
Regardless of which drive you pick, here are some tips for helping it to last as long as possible. Well, one tip really, one big one: Do not put dirty discs in the drive. Period. Clean them off first.
pluton
Senior Member
I bought one of OWC's external 1394/USB2 DVD superdrive units about three years ago. It is still working fine. It contains a Pioneer drive. It's burned about 150 DVDs so far. Occasionally the built-in fan makes a buzzing noise, which I correct(not while burning!)by tapping(banging, actually) on the unit.
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