User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » General Discussion »

External CD/DVD Drives - 2022Q1


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
External CD/DVD Drives - 2022Q1
Thread Tools
drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2022-02-16, 10:23

Do you use an external CD/DVD drive with your modern Mac?

I have some CDs that I would still like to rip and am wondering if my external Apple CD burner will work if I put a USB-A to USB-C conversion plug on the end of the cable.

What would YOU buy if you were in the market these days?

I know, I know... an 8-track.


...

Steve Jobs ate my cat's watermelon.
Captain Drew on Twitter
  quote
chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
Send a message via ICQ to chucker Send a message via AIM to chucker Send a message via MSN to chucker Send a message via Yahoo to chucker Send a message via Skype™ to chucker 
2022-02-16, 10:37

Should work fine with a USB-A dongle.

But also, I’m not sure you can wrong. Just about any drive should work. Me, I don’t remember when I last touched a disc, tbh.
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-16, 10:41

I use an external SuperDrive I got years ago to watch old DVDS and burn music CDs, no problem with the a to c adapter.
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2022-02-16, 10:41

Quote:
Originally Posted by drewprops View Post
...am wondering if my external Apple CD burner will work if I put a USB-A to USB-C conversion plug on the end of the cable.
So you've got that external Apple Superdrive it sounds like?

To my surprise, they're still selling them on their site, which is good because...

Quote:
System Requirements
Compatible with the following computers:
*The Apple USB SuperDrive is compatible with Mac models from 2008 and later that don't have a built-in optical drive.
*MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models with USB-C ports require a USB-C to USB adapter (sold separately) to use Apple USB SuperDrive.
And, on that same page, they provide a link to said adapter:

USB-C to USB adapter

If an Apple Store isn't super close by, it's been my experience that a Best Buy or Walmart will probably carry this. It looks like to me that little adapter - or any USB-C to USB one - will allow your older SuperDrive to work.

EDIT: haha...two quick answers filed in as I was writing the above/gathering links.
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2022-02-16, 11:20

I use USB-A to USB-C regularly for multiple devices. Nothing has failed so far and I'm using super cheap A-C adapters.
  quote
drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2022-02-19, 03:46

Thanks y'all!!! It has been a busy week and I forgot that I started this discussion. Yes, it's the SuperDrive. When I was setting up the new machine I didn't copy over the correct iTunes library and I was at first looking to see if I needed to re-rip a few discs. I fetched down the drive I keep with mom's Mac Mini and realized my cable dilemma.

This led me to question whether there would ever be another disc drive that would properly work with the Mac platform. It didn't occur to me to see if they were still selling them, and to look to see how they were pitching them to people on the latter platform. Good thinking!!!

I wonder what the difference is between the Apple dongle and the plugs they sell on Amazon?


...
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-19, 10:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by drewprops View Post
I wonder what the difference is between the Apple dongle and the plugs they sell on Amazon?


...
Just the price, as long as you get one rated for the right speed.
  quote
Frank777
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
 
2022-02-20, 01:38

I do not understand why there doesn't seem to be a Blu-Ray drive in the form factor of the Mac Mini.

Making it stackable with the Mini, and compatible with the seven new 24" iMac colours, should be an absolute no-brainer.
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-20, 09:43

Apple wants people on monthly subscriptions for APPLE TV+ and other services through the App Store (which they get a cut from), they don’t make money on blu-ray disk or movie sales. Simple as that. Frankly I’m surprised they haven’t removed DVD and CD support yet. Mind you they built in DVD player in Mac OS sucks compared to how it was 3-4 years ago.
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2022-02-20, 09:55

Yeah, the physical media thing is going away. Still plenty of third-party options for people with large DVD and Blu-ray collections, but Apple doesn't seem like they're going to serve that segment. Everything's streaming...them and all the others (does Netflix even offer the DVD delivery anymore?).

Any serious disc collector/owner is going to get a player that's more dialed-in, full-featured (and probably more reasonably-priced) than anything Apple would put out at this point.
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-20, 10:03

Netflix dropped rentals years ago. If I really like a show or movie I still get the DVD or Blu-ray, because stuff disappears from app stores and things like Netflix at the drop of the hat. Not to mention the superior audio/video quality, but most people don’t really notice, the noise of the player is more annoying to some than others as well.

Just recently I had a purchased song pulled from my music library because it’s no longer available on Apple Music/music Store. Thankfully I had a backup on my Mac, and restored it. It’s a song I paid for, WTF Apple?
  quote
chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
Send a message via ICQ to chucker Send a message via AIM to chucker Send a message via MSN to chucker Send a message via Yahoo to chucker Send a message via Skype™ to chucker 
2022-02-20, 14:32

Quote:
Originally Posted by psmith2.0 View Post
does Netflix even offer the DVD delivery anymore?
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movies

I think so.

But I think optical discs on computers have disappeared faster than in living rooms. Ultra HD Blu-ray only appeared six years ago. There’s clearly still a market of people, maybe because they want a permanent collection of some movies. For computers, I can’t even think of the last time I’ve heard of someone burning a CD. I guess some games install from a Blu-ray still?
  quote
Frank777
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
 
2022-02-20, 16:40

Quote:
Originally Posted by PB PM View Post
Apple wants people on monthly subscriptions for APPLE TV+ and other services through the App Store (which they get a cut from), they don’t make money on blu-ray disk or movie sales. Simple as that. Frankly I’m surprised they haven’t removed DVD and CD support yet. Mind you they built in DVD player in Mac OS sucks compared to how it was 3-4 years ago.
I get that. I'm wondering why a third-party hasn't made a Blu-Ray drive that aligns with the current Mini & iMac.
It seems a simple enough thing for just about any Mac gear supplier (e.g. OWC) to do.

This may be very old school, but I'd be happy to buy one just for data archiving purposes and compatibility with past backups. (I still have minor trust issues with SSDs.)
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-20, 16:51

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
I get that. I'm wondering why a third-party hasn't made a Blu-Ray drive that aligns with the current Mini & iMac.
It seems a simple enough thing for just about any Mac gear supplier (e.g. OWC) to do.
Lack of demand, and lack of built in software in Mac OS to support it might be one reason. Anyone who makes a Blu-ray player for the Mac would likely need to provide some software just to make it work.
  quote
Frank777
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
 
2022-02-20, 20:24

Quote:
Originally Posted by PB PM View Post
Lack of demand, and lack of built in software in Mac OS to support it might be one reason.
As I understand it, most BR drives for Mac come with Toast software already.

Then again, you are probably right about demand, given that USB sticks and SD cards now outstrip BR drive capacities for far less overall cost.

It's funny that the iMac has an SD card slot, but at least to me it's never felt like an integral part of the system the way the Superdrive did.
  quote
chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
Send a message via ICQ to chucker Send a message via AIM to chucker Send a message via MSN to chucker Send a message via Yahoo to chucker Send a message via Skype™ to chucker 
2022-02-20, 20:37

Quote:
Originally Posted by PB PM View Post
Lack of demand, and lack of built in software in Mac OS to support it might be one reason.
I’m guessing Finder can still burn DVDs and Music can still burn CDs, but nothing for Blu-ray?
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2022-02-20, 21:03

Quote:
Originally Posted by chucker View Post
I’m guessing Finder can still burn DVDs and Music can still burn CDs, but nothing for Blu-ray?
Yes, no trouble with DVD and CD writing. Apple never added Blu-ray support of any kind. Might be able to play movies with VLC, not sure.
  quote
Ebby
Subdued and Medicated
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Over Yander
Send a message via AIM to Ebby  
2022-02-21, 01:11

Alrighty *Cracks knuckles*

So I have a MATSHITA BD-MLT UJ267AM in my MacBook Pro and bluray disks load on the desktop like normal. There are some panasonic slot load players too that fit some Mac Laptops. A bluray drive in an (fast) external case also works in my experience. Slow USB makes for sad movie time. My Mac Pro has a old 5.25" LG drive for ripping. UHD is a bit more complex and fewer drives are supported.

Software-wise, Apple had been a stick in the mud with it comes to anything post-DVD resolution.

For that I use the program MakeMKV as a decryption engine for VLC. With that check box checked, VLC can open and read the discs.

Bingo! Bluray on Mac.

^^ One more quality post from the desk of Ebby. ^^
SSBA | SmockBogger | SporkNET
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
External drives not automatically mounting noleli2 Genius Bar 15 2020-05-27 12:35
External drives not showing up iThink therefore iMac Genius Bar 4 2007-11-17 01:35
Help me choose between two 1TB external drives MBHockey Purchasing Advice 4 2007-05-30 20:10
Are usb2 external hdd drives osx bootable? stevegong Genius Bar 12 2005-09-18 18:36
External hard drives ericarthur Third-Party Products 8 2004-12-23 13:38


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 13:56.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova