USB Powered Portable DVD Burner?

[Lougle]

I am looking for a portable DVD Burner for a 12" Powerbook G4 running 10.5.2. The drive MUST be USB powered (even if it uses two ports). Any suggestions?

[dringkor]

I'm not sure if USB power is enough to run the laser in a DVD burner...

[DavidLeblond]

Of course it's powerful enough. How do you think the Macbook Air superdrive gets its power?

[The Man]

Originally Posted by Lougle

I am looking for a portable DVD Burner for a 12" Powerbook G4 running 10.5.2. The drive MUST be USB powered (even if it uses two ports). Any suggestions?

Lacie has them. Used to be Porsche design, now by Sam Hecht. Maybe you can find the older version cheap somewhere (the new ones also seem to be shiny plastic). I don't have them, but I think it comes with an option to use two USB ports (one for data and the other for extra power) when one port doesn't provide enough power. Lacie also sells FireWire ones, also bus-powered.

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/range.htm?id=10037

[Lougle]

Originally Posted by The Man

Lacie has them. Used to be Porsche design, now by Sam Hecht. Maybe you can find the older version cheap somewhere (the new ones also seem to be shiny plastic). I don't have them, but I think it comes with an option to use two USB ports (one for data and the other for extra power) when one port doesn't provide enough power. Lacie also sells FireWire ones, also bus-powered.

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/range.htm?id=10037

Thank you. I was looking at the Lacie drives and nowhere did they say that they worked with OS X. I don't want to get something that won't work in OS X. Anyone using these drives on a Mac?

[nick9191]

Originally Posted by DavidLeblond

Of course it's powerful enough. How do you think the Macbook Air superdrive gets its power?

The USB port in the MBA is more powerful than standard so it can drive the external superdrive, this is why it will not work on any other machine.

[The Man]

Originally Posted by Lougle

Thank you. I was looking at the Lacie drives and nowhere did they say that they worked with OS X. I don't want to get something that won't work in OS X. Anyone using these drives on a Mac?

Strange that the website doesn't state Mac compatibility. As far as I know, all LaCie products are compatible with the Mac. And if you download the manual for that portable USB DVD drive, it does state the requirements for Mac users:

FireWire (version)
FireWire 400 equipped computer
Mac OS X 10.3.9
Power PC G4 or higher, Mac Intel processor
256MB RAM

USB (version)
USB equipped computer
Mac OS X 10.3.9
Power PC G4 or higher, Mac Intel processor
256MB RAM

But I think only the FireWire version comes with extra Toast for Mac software bundled. The older model may still be available cheaper in store and matches your PowerBook better:

http://www.lacie.com/download/datash..._ls_usb_en.pdf
http://www.lacie.com/download/manual...dvd_usb_en.pdf

But this one really needs two USB ports, it seems, while with the new version (Sam Hecht) it is optional when the USB bus doesn't provide sufficient power:

http://www.lacie.com/download/manual..._dvd_sh_en.pdf

You could try and find the Porsche FireWire version, which will definitely require only one cable because FireWire should provide ample power.

[gauthieryannick]

Strange that the website doesn't state Mac compatibility. As far as I know, all LaCie products are compatible with the Mac. And if you download the manual for that portable USB DVD drive, it does state the requirements for Mac users:

FireWire (version)
FireWire 400 equipped computer
Mac OS X 10.3.9
Power PC G4 or higher, Mac Intel processor
256MB RAM

USB (version)
USB equipped computer
Mac OS X 10.3.9
Power PC G4 or higher, Mac Intel processor
256MB RAM
But I think only the FireWire version comes with extra Toast for Mac software bundled. The older model may still be available cheaper in store and matches your PowerBook better:

http://www.lacie.com/download/datash..._ls_usb_en.pdf
http://www.lacie.com/download/manual...dvd_usb_en.pdf

But this one really needs two USB ports, it seems, while with the new version (Sam Hecht) it is optional when the USB bus doesn't provide sufficient power:

http://www.lacie.com/download/manual..._dvd_sh_en.pdf

You could try and find the Porsche FireWire version, which will definitely require only one cable because FireWire should provide ample power.

I bought the "Portable DVD±RW with LightScribe, Design by Sam Hecht - Hi-Speed USB 2.0" a couple of months ago (brown).

http://www.lacie.com/cafr/products/range.htm?id=10037

I was not sure if it was about to work with my computer as there is no Mac requirements on the company website (I currently own an iBook G4). I must admit that it works pretty well. It functions at it's best with the two provided USB cables. Access times are really slow if you use it with only one cable, but it works though.

The FireWire one is appealing because Toast Titanium comes in the bundle, but I plan to buy a Macbook Air soon, so it would be of no use for me since there is no such port on it

So go ahead and be confident to buy a LaCie DVD drive, I'm pretty sure it will work on your Mac. Combined with Toast Titanium and the bundled LightScribe software, you'll be in heaven

I have one question though: Is the super-powerful USB port of the Macbook Air will allow me to use my DVD drive with just one cable, like it does with Apple's Superdrive? I hope the USB power enhancement is not only available for the Superdrive...

Cheers,

Yannick Gauthier
Montreal, Quebec, Canada