External Optical Drive instead of SuperDrive?

[stanw]

Can anyone recommend an external CD/DVD/BLu Ray drive that I can use to install software on my new Macbook Pro and iMac as well as play back media and burn discs. I'm looking for something as an alternate to the Apple SuperDrive.

Thanks!

 

[snaky69]

Can anyone recommend an external CD/DVD/BLu Ray drive that I can use to install software on my new Macbook Pro and iMac as well as play back media and burn discs. I'm looking for something as an alternate to the Apple SuperDrive.

Thanks!

Any USB drive will work. Find one that fits your needs and budget on a website such as amazon or newegg.

Blu-ray will not natively play in OS X (unless this has changed recently, if so I am not aware of it, correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[stanw]

I guess I'm not as interested in playing Blu Ray discs as I am in burning Blu Ray data discs and movie discs.

Thanks.

 

[alphaod]

Seriously any USB powered optical drive will work.

Just make sure you don't get one with dual USB (separated data and power) cables, because if you have a Retina MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, you won't be able to plug it in (ports on opposite sides of the computer).

And you can play rip Bluray movies with something like MakeMKV and then play it. There are also paid programs that let you playback Bluray movies, but I don't know how well those work, so I cannot recommend any.

 

[stanw]

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ubele]

I got an LG model from B&H Photo last year, and I've benn happy with it.

 

[ecschwarz]

I'll add support for the LG drives, too - the best part is that many of them are tray-load and cheap - we got one of these for my dad's Mac mini for about $35 at Best Buy: http://www.lg.com/us/data-storage/lg-GP40NB40

I'm guessing its Blu-ray cousin should be a good choice, too: http://www.lg.com/us/data-storage/lg-BP40NS20 (looks like about $100)

As far as software, you really would just use the built-in software with OS X (at least for DVD/CD burning). I don't know much about Blu-ray burning beyond data burning, but it seems like the drive works for everyone...

Just make sure you don't get one with dual USB (separated data and power) cables, because if you have a Retina MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, you won't be able to plug it in (ports on opposite sides of the computer).

Most of the LG ones have the Y-cable where one of the USB ports will provide additional power if the drive cannot get enough from one - this will work off one port on Macs (the aforementioned DVD writer my dad is using is connected with just the main USB connector on the cable). I'm not sure how other manufacturers are, but the LGs should be fine if you ignore the extra connector.

 

[bt22]

I have an internal 5.25 Blu-Ray drive. Can anyone recommend an enclosure that is USB 3 that will work? Or should I just buy a new external Blu-Ray drive? I will use to rip Blu-Ray movies. I do not need to be able to burn to Blu-Ray. I have a 2012 Quad i7 2.3 gz Mac Mini 16 gb of ram

 

[ecschwarz]

I have an internal 5.25 Blu-Ray drive. Can anyone recommend an enclosure that is USB 3 that will work? Or should I just buy a new external Blu-Ray drive? I will use to rip Blu-Ray movies. I do not need to be able to burn to Blu-Ray. I have a 2012 Quad i7 2.3 gz Mac Mini 16 gb of ram

You may not have much luck as far as 5.25" external enclosures go - they seem harder and harder to find - since it sounds like you'll be using this here and there, you might find it easier to just get a wall-powered USB<->SATA adapter. This is the one I've used and have used it with internal DVD drives for various purposes: http://www.amazon.com/Anker®-Conver...812215&sr=8-1&keywords=anker+usb+sata+adapter