iMacs incoming - ext. DVD drive recommendation thread

I was going to make this thread earlier.

I'm hoping to find a Blu-ray drive that's bus powered.

I found the perfect one but they stopped manufacturing them for some reason (I think it was Toshiba).

I am going for this one Samsung SE-506AB Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer

I wonder what these are like

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/External...der-DVD-ROM-CDRW-Combo-Drive-PC-/110944177308

Got this one for my sister's MacBook Air:

http://www.amazon.de/AmazonBasics-D...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1354111478&sr=1-1


I also used it for about a month straight just queuing and ripping my dvd collection (100's of hours of disc spinning) and it's still working as new so it should last a while!

Check out Ebay for an external. I bought one about 2 years ago and only paid $35 for it. I needed an extra one for burning DVD's. I would not pay more than $50 for it unless you have very specific needs. I still have my external and use it occasionally, and it works as good as the day I bought it. And if you can find one that is a single cable instead of 2 cables it will be better. Little bit of a pain at times having 2 cables around. I know several people who have externals that they bought cheap on Ebay and most are still using them. My player will both read and write so that will not be an issue either. So my suggestion is stay cheap on it unless you are planning on using it a lot or have very specific needs. Mine is 2 years old and still works like a charm.

I use this one from LG. Works great with my current iMac, especially since it can read/write blu-ray discs (data only though, don't think you can actually watch movies).

http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-BP06LU10-LightScribe-External/dp/B004LB0K0Y

LakeCountry said:

Thanks man, simple and cheap - that's what I'm looking for! Now thats a hard one: Both are rated 4,5 stars, powered via one single cable and both cost 29 €...

http://www.amazon.de/AmazonBasics-DVD-Brenner-externes-optisches-Laufwerk/dp/B003M0NT1M/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1WG9S3YNG21SJ&coliid=I3R8JMVY1L60SH

or

http://www.amazon.de/Samsung-SE-208AB-externer-Brenner-Software/dp/B005N2UE2O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1WG9S3YNG21SJ&coliid=I1LCV38XJ45NGX

Which one's better? Are there differences i'm missing?

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Obviously I can't comment on the Samsung one, but they appear to be the same?

One is x6 and one is x8 though, but I'm not sure whether that would make any difference?

Otherwise I can highly recommend the Amazon one, and the Samsung one (From reviews) looks to be just as good!

I'm in UK, could I find a suitable one at Maplins?

Ademordna said:

I'm in UK, could I find a suitable one at Maplins?

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PC World, Currys, Argos, Comet! - Maplin charge a lot for the same stuff.

The above are all over priced anyway, order online from Amazon or eBay instead.

I am planning to wait on this purchase a bit. With so many new computers entering the market in need of an external optical drive, my feeling is that there will be more and better options sometime in the next year. I am hoping for a nicely designed usb3 or thunderbolt bluray burner drive that perhaps also acts as a hub.

Spiffious said:

I am planning to wait on this purchase a bit. With so many new computers entering the market in need of an external optical drive, my feeling is that there will be more and better options sometime in the next year. I am hoping for a nicely designed usb3 or thunderbolt bluray burner drive that perhaps also acts as a hub.

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I get the hub, but do you really think manufacturers will integrate thunderbolt and usb into such a low cost part/dying part?

The blu ray burner/reader wouldn't benefit from either connections. Why hold off when you can purchase the tech at its highest point? I guarantee you optical will not improve, it will die.

Actually, they will integrate USB 3, not for faster read or write, purely for people like yourself who believe it to be 'better'. They'll charge you more for tech that wouldn't make a difference. I'm not calling you stupid but the manufacturers prey on people like you.

All Taken said:

PC World, Currys, Argos, Comet! - Maplin charge a lot for the same stuff.

The above are all over priced anyway, order online from Amazon or eBay instead.

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Thanks. Can you recommend a decent one from Amazon? I haven't used an external optical drive before, and will probably need one pretty quickly to install Photoshop.

Siderz said:

I was going to make this thread earlier.

I'm hoping to find a Blu-ray drive that's bus powered.

I found the perfect one but they stopped manufacturing them for some reason (I think it was Toshiba).

Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QA2Y9S/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

I have been using this for ripping blu-rays for almost 9 months without issues.

Ademordna said:

Thanks. Can you recommend a decent one from Amazon? I haven't used an external optical drive before, and will probably need one pretty quickly to install Photoshop.

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How much are you looking to spend? I only ask as the named brands - sony, samsung etc are all quite reliable and you have warranty to boot.

If you have enough for a Apple superdrive i'd go for one with your iMac. Now it is a slight premium compared to other drives but then again it matches the aesthetics of your new iMac entirely.

All Taken said:

How much are you looking to spend? I only ask as the named brands - sony, samsung etc are all quite reliable and you have warranty to boot.

If you have enough for a Apple superdrive i'd go for one with your iMac. Now it is a slight premium compared to other drives but then again it matches the aesthetics of your new iMac entirely.

Click to expand...

I can easily afford the superdrive, but wondered if the less expensive ones might perform better??? Will have a think about it

I just bought this one for my mini - works perfect. Not USB 3 or Blu-ray, of course, but it was on sale for $25 the other day. Not sure who'd have it in the UK, but it's pretty nice - aluminum case and very solid feeling.