USB SuperDrive questions/concerns

BuiltInChip · Apr 3, 2015

Hi everyone!

new to the forum and first post, nice to meet you all

Just a quick question: Is there a concern of the apple USB super drive scratching discs?

My CD collection is quite important to me, and I want a good external optical drive for my mac.
Thanks!

On a side note, I have read that some optical drive readers have better protection "pads" on the lasers. Not sure if the SuperDrive has this, but I heard some readers don't which cause potential scratching.

Fishrrman · Apr 4, 2015

Alternative action:

Get a 3rd party (non-Apple) external DVD/CD drive that is "tray loading" -- open tray, place DVD/CD, close tray ...

matreya · Apr 4, 2015

BuiltInChip said:
Just a quick question: Is there a concern of the apple USB super drive scratching discs?

I wouldn't put my audio cds into a slot loading superdrive... better off with tray loading:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/blu-ray

BuiltInChip · Apr 5, 2015

Thanks for the replies! I didn't think that tray loading drives would be safer, but if they are, I'll definitely look at those instead. Thanks

campyguy · Apr 5, 2015

I've got a USB Superdrive that I bought a few years ago - I hardly use it anymore but it's a good backup (pun intended...).

I agree with the other posters - I've had a few disks stick in the external Superdrive. I'm popping for this drive sometime this week:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Electronics-External-Drive-BDR-XD05B/dp/B00OD39P6A/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

BuiltInChip · Apr 5, 2015

campyguy said:
I've got a USB Superdrive that I bought a few years ago - I hardly use it anymore but it's a good backup (pun intended...).

I agree with the other posters - I've had a few disks stick in the external Superdrive. I'm popping for this drive sometime this week:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Electronics-External-Drive-BDR-XD05B/dp/B00OD39P6A/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Hey! that's a pretty good looking drive for the same price as a superdrive. the fact that it plays blu rays is a bonus. Pioneer should be a pretty good brand too

campyguy · Apr 5, 2015

BuiltInChip said:
Hey! that's a pretty good looking drive for the same price as a superdrive. the fact that it plays blu rays is a bonus. Pioneer should be a pretty good brand too

Yeah, so I lied - inadvertently - in my earlier post. I just ordered one after thinking about it, instead of sometime this week...

A postscript, FYI - I ordered that drive via the lowest price covered by Amazon, then got an email from them acknowledging the purchase, and that it wouldn't ship until May 7-21. Grrr. So, I cancelled that order and purchased the $90.99 option, which will be here in 3 days (it's Easter Sunday, so Monday plus 2 days covered by Prime...).

That drive is the newer version of the one listed on the Wirecutter's website for "best" Blu Ray disc readers/players - both are Mac-friendly. Bonus.

campyguy · Apr 8, 2015

campyguy said:
I've got a USB Superdrive that I bought a few years ago - I hardly use it anymore but it's a good backup (pun intended...).

I agree with the other posters - I've had a few disks stick in the external Superdrive. I'm popping for this drive sometime this week:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Electronics-External-Drive-BDR-XD05B/dp/B00OD39P6A/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

BuiltInChip said:
Hey! that's a pretty good looking drive for the same price as a superdrive. the fact that it plays blu rays is a bonus. Pioneer should be a pretty good brand too

Follow up to my OP. The drive showed up today.

The pros are it's smaller than I thought it would be, the box has the "Mac" logo on it - always a good sign, and it's faster and quieter than my Superdrive. And, it burns the Blu Ray discs I own that the Superdrive doesn't even recognize...

The cons are that the device ships with a custom Y-cord that has a USB 3 connector on one end and two USB connectors on the other end with a qualification that both connectors might be needed for sufficient power - a ding if you want to connect to a Macbook (with one port on either side of the laptop); FWIW, I was able to get the device powered and burning a CD with only one of the USB connectors plugged in on both my Mini Server and rMBP. The instructions indicate that, if additional power is needed the not-included power adapter is available for order - but I haven't needed it.

I'm happy with it, and it's a keeper...

BuiltInChip · Apr 18, 2015

campyguy said:
Follow up to my OP. The drive showed up today.

The pros are it's smaller than I thought it would be, the box has the "Mac" logo on it - always a good sign, and it's faster and quieter than my Superdrive. And, it burns the Blu Ray discs I own that the Superdrive doesn't even recognize...

The cons are that the device ships with a custom Y-cord that has a USB 3 connector on one end and two USB connectors on the other end with a qualification that both connectors might be needed for sufficient power - a ding if you want to connect to a Macbook (with one port on either side of the laptop); FWIW, I was able to get the device powered and burning a CD with only one of the USB connectors plugged in on both my Mini Server and rMBP. The instructions indicate that, if additional power is needed the not-included power adapter is available for order - but I haven't needed it.

I'm happy with it, and it's a keeper...

Thanks for your review and suggestion on this drive. I actually ended up picking it up as well and I'm very happy with it.
Like you said about the Y-cord USB, I was worried it wouldn't work at first, but it turned out to work with just one USB 3 port, so it all turned out nicely

Thanks again!

A.Goldberg · Apr 19, 2015

I bought the external SuperDrive. In retrospect for the amount of times I use it, going with a cheap external would have been a better plan. The SuperDrive is pretty slow too compared to tray loading options.

jbachandouris · Apr 19, 2015

A.Goldberg said:
I bought the external SuperDrive. In retrospect for the amount of times I use it, going with a cheap external would have been a better plan. The SuperDrive is pretty slow too compared to tray loading options.

Which is why I haven't bought one for my rMBP yet. I still buy physical CDs, so I may need one at some point. Bluray for $80? May have to consider that.

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