2007 Mini burner is toast (no pun intended)

[magusxxx]

Currently I'm using my faithful 2007 Mac Mini. *hug* Unfortunately, the internal DVD burner sounds like it's chewing up disks. And spits them out rather than burning them. Also, this machine can't use Lion. *sigh*

Originally, I thought I'd like to get an external Blu-Ray burner and maybe an external HD so I could use Time Machine. But I wondered if my Mini, which only has USB2, could actually use a Blu-Ray burner. The other postings I see are for people who are using it for movies. I want one only for data backups.

Then I started to think (dangerous in any circumstance,) would I be able to do the following...

+ Buy a new Mac Mini and use it for my offline work.
+ Connect it to my old Mac Mini via USB or Firewire and use the old machine for my Time Machine Drive.
+ My old Mini would still be my online machine.
+ Get an external Blu-Ray recorder. (Suggestions appreciated.)

 

[Macsonic]

Currently I'm using my faithful 2007 Mac Mini. *hug* Unfortunately, the internal DVD burner sounds like it's chewing up disks. And spits them out rather than burning them. Also, this machine can't use Lion. *sigh*

Originally, I thought I'd like to get an external Blu-Ray burner and maybe an external HD so I could use Time Machine. But I wondered if my Mini, which only has USB2, could actually use a Blu-Ray burner. The other postings I see are for people who are using it for movies. I want one only for data backups.

Then I started to think (dangerous in any circumstance,) would I be able to do the following...

+ Buy a new Mac Mini and use it for my offline work.
+ Connect it to my old Mac Mini via USB or Firewire and use the old machine for my Time Machine Drive.
+ My old Mini would still be my online machine.
+ Get an external Blu-Ray recorder. (Suggestions appreciated.)

You can try the pioneer blu ray external drive from OWC. I purchased one and works fine though I am using a 2008 Mac Pro

 

[Fishrrman]

"Originally, I thought I'd like to get an external Blu-Ray burner and maybe an external HD so I could use Time Machine. But I wondered if my Mini, which only has USB2, could actually use a Blu-Ray burner."

BluRay should work ok with USB2 (at least for now). Many BR burners out there are just USB2, anyway.

Here's one that you might consider:
http://www.meritline.com/samsung-se-506ab-tsbd-external-usb-blu-ray-re-writer-black---p-77489.aspx

Review of same:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2402405,00.asp