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Looking for compact external optical drive


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Looking for compact external optical drive
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2020-12-15, 10:24

The Apple SuperDrive sucks because it is slot load. Any variation in disk or even a label in some cases is enough to bind it up. I need an optical drive that is "portable" even though I'm going to mount it to the bottom of my desk. I had a "Gear Best" one but it corrupted or just plain failed and is no longer recognized by my computers.

So anyone out there know of a good slim/low profile USB external optical drive that isn't a slot load like SuperDrive? Oh, it also needs to be macOS compatible even if the bundled software isn't. I don't typically use the included software anyway.

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PB PM
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2020-12-15, 15:39

All the compact models are slot loading, everything else is full size and there really isn’t anyone making those for external use anymore. Many of the third party options can be troublesome in Mac OS if that is an issue.
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PB PM
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2020-12-16, 10:01

Maybe I was wrong, maybe the Lite-On EBAU108 External DVD-Writer will work for you?
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2020-12-16, 13:10

That is kind what I'm after. I started the thread hoping others already went down this path here and knew of a good one or at least heard of one that was good.

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PB PM
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2020-12-16, 16:05

Lite-On is a drive manufacturer, like LG, and Sony, so usually their stuff is good. It is listed as Mac compatible, which is more than I can say for most of the third party stuff.

I just use a SuperDrive, never had any problems with it.
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chucker
 
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2020-12-16, 17:16

It wouldn't surprise me if the SuperDrive internally uses Lite-On tech.

In any case, the problems you're describing strike me as inherent to the slot-loading approach, so I'm not sure any slim product is going to make you happy.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2020-12-17, 10:33

They do make tray style slim portables like the one PB PM linked too. Those are fine and can even read those stupid mini CDs that drivers and stuff used to be sent on. That is the kind I'm after. While I don't have mini disks often, disks with labels or something on the top is very common.

I just want one that won't be dead months after I mount it.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
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chucker
 
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2020-12-17, 13:36

Ah, like what laptops used to have way back in the day. I don't know if that's particularly reliable either…
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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2020-12-17, 13:56

I know, the problem is I don't want a 5.25" drive mounted under the desk. That is just huge by comparison.
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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2020-12-21, 17:02

I just found where I had posted pictures of what I had with the optical drive under my desk. In this TB3 Dock thread I posted pictures of how the optical drive was mounted prior to it failing.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Kickaha
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2020-12-22, 02:05

I have the Pioneer BDR-XD05B, it works great for um, accessing data on DVD and Blu-Ray, haven't tried it as a burner.

Not the cheapest out there, but trim, slim, and not a slot loader.

It's been replaced by the XD07B, and now they have the UHD/4K capable XD-07UHD:

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-BDR-X.../dp/B081R7HGV4
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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2020-12-22, 13:16

While I would love the capability there, I need to be able to mount it under the desk. Thanks though.
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709
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2020-12-22, 16:25

The OWC* Slim would work, though I'd spend the extra 10 bucks on an AC power adapter instead of having it bus-powered. Also a Blu-ray unit is available if you're into that sort of thing.

* I swear I don't work for OWC, just recommend them a lot.

So it goes.
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kscherer
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2020-12-22, 17:03

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
The OWC* Slim would work[/size]
FYI, we sell those things* at the shop as an alternative to the Apple Super Drive.

They aren't the best.

* We sell a ton of OWC stuff, and I do not recommend that drive. The mechanism is good, but the case is cheap and doesn't always close reliably.

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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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2020-12-22, 17:14

Eww. That could be a problem when I screw it to the bottom of my desk then.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2020-12-22, 19:22

Yah, bummer. I bought a full-sized external OWC case for my BD-R and it's a solid (if large) kit.
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Capella
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2020-12-23, 16:19

my work uses slimline Lite-On USB-A drives perched on top of Mac minis as import/export drives for medical images. They're used heavily every day and have excellent reliability when thrown into bags and taken to customer sites, carried around from room to room, etc, but we've never tried mounting one.

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Kickaha
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2020-12-26, 23:29

Quote:
Originally Posted by turtle View Post
Eww. That could be a problem when I screw it to the bottom of my desk then.
You want to mount it to the bottom of the desk, but don't want a slot load... are you looking for an old tray style?
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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2020-12-30, 21:12

Yes, tray style. Look in the TB3 Dock thread and you'll see what I used to have before it died.
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Kickaha
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2021-01-06, 17:49

You do know there are cheaper coffee mug holders, right?
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-01-07, 10:56

Do you know how hard it is to find a good mug holder!? I've been really trying but keep coming up short.
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Kickaha
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2021-01-07, 18:52

There are little blue pills for that now... I can hook you up.

I'll be honest, when you said slotless, I really did not even *consider* a tray. Damn, man, that's old school.

This isn't meant to be snarky, but serious - have you tried a thrift store in your area? I see those old style unit even in the 32x models for like $10 at our local Value Village.
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turtle
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Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-01-08, 10:27

It is old school but it is also the absolute most compatible with all the disk types I've had over the years. Heck, I've had a CD that was cut like a Shuriken, I was trying to hold onto that one, but it didn't stand the test of time.

I ended up ordering an LG from B&H since it seems to cover all my bases and is BluRay for only a little more than a nice DVD burner. Plus in all of this I learned I should be looking for M-DISC and this one has that too.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-01-15, 18:26

I have succeeded! It is mounted very similarly to the original drive that failed. I have it in the same spot too. So far I've only tested it with a DVD I had in my office. I will try BluRay at some point but need to find software for the Mac to play/rip BD.



Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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kscherer
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-01-15, 18:52

There's a word for that style of "improvised construction", but I don't think I'm allowed to use it anymore.
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PB PM
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2021-01-15, 20:02

We just call it jury rigging.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-01-15, 22:54

It is, but you can't tell unless you crawl under the desk. It is solid and doesn't move at all. I mean, you can kinda see the clips in this shot, but I'm never standing that far from my desk. I used to have smaller clips, but I lost them in the move. These I had in the basement so they are what I used. More importantly though, the drive isn't ON the desk.

While I was working on things, I went ahead and mounted the dock and AMP under the desk. In this pick you can see where I took the aluminum stock and created a brace. I used one of those pads you stick on your dash to keep your phone from sliding on the aluminum to keep the dock or AMP from sliding when I insert a card or whatnot.

By the time I put the wires in and ran everything under the desk with cable ties and such, Mrs T recommended that I push the AMP back so the knobs would be flush with the front. That is how they are right now and I kinda like it. Less bumping with my chair when I rotate in it. I will say, I love having the volume right here now. Just the nice speakers on the desk at the back now.

This shot just kinda shows the flush components. That was my real goal, form and functionality from my normal vantage point.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2021-01-16, 11:09

Glad you found what you needed and were able to incorporate it into your setup!!


...
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Kickaha
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-01-16, 23:57

Ok, I'm inspired. Time to undermount a few things on my own setup.
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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2021-01-17, 01:08

Listen.

First it was sous vide.

Then it was domestic charcuterie.

Right now it's sea shanties.

But soon, no more than a month away, is undermounting.

Get in on undermounting before the best undermounts get gobbled up.



...

Steve Jobs ate my cat's watermelon.
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