Mac compatible Dual Layer DVD burner

[jared_kipe]

While I was grocery shopping the other day I ran across one of these... http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_...&oidPath=0:-23542:-33761:-33794:-39010:908529 And it got me thinking about having a dual layer dvd burner on my G5 powermac. Would this drive work in a mac? With toast, disk utility, and iDVD work?

EDIT: God don't you love those "Heightmax" advertisements up there. I guess my penis isn't the only thing that can grow with herbal stimulats

 

[JeffTL]

I'd suggest LaCie.

I've never used DL on my D2 external, but the single layer works very well.

 

[jared_kipe]

I'd suggest LaCie.

I've never used DL on my D2 external, but the single layer works very well.

I was hoping for internal. Got anything now?

 

[Paratel]

Dual Layer DVD Drive

I just purchased the LaCie d2 Dual layer 16x burner and it works great!! You have to run a patch for it to be able to work with iDVD, iTunes, DVD Studio pro and toast, etc. The only problem is that you have to build your dual layer DVD and then burn it using toast. DVD studio pro will not let you burn a dual layer disk in the program. This laCie internal drive cost me 99.00 and it was an easy replacement of my 8x superdrive. I would highly recommend this.

I had no problems with burning the DL disc and about 3 different DVD players read it with no proble!!!

 

[jared_kipe]

I just purchased the LaCie d2 Dual layer 16x burner and it works great!! You have to run a patch for it to be able to work with iDVD, iTunes, DVD Studio pro and toast, etc. The only problem is that you have to build your dual layer DVD and then burn it using toast. DVD studio pro will not let you burn a dual layer disk in the program. This laCie internal drive cost me 99.00 and it was an easy replacement of my 8x superdrive. I would highly recommend this.

I had no problems with burning the DL disc and about 3 different DVD players read it with no proble!!!

What is the patch, and what does it do/patch? Would you be able to burn normal single layer DVDs or CD's in the iDVD or iTunes?

 

[Anonymous Freak]

DL discs fine in Toast, not in iApps.

I've got both the LaCie d2 external (on my eMac,) and another generic as an internal on my (heavily upgraded) beige G3. Both work fine burning Dual Layer in Toast. But, no matter what (even with patches that let you use the drive in the iApps,) you can't burn DL in iApps. iDVD won't even let you create a greater-than-4.5GB disc. Not even as a disc image. It will let you 'archive' it, which saves it as an extremely-large iDVD project file, but it won't let you save a pre-coded disc image. iTunes won't let you burn DL, either. Simply put, Apple has the apps coded so that they don't recognize that a DVD can hold more than 4.5GB. So even with a DL drive, you won't get an iApp to burn DL. Same with the Finder. It will burn single layer, but not dual.

So if you want to burn an 8.5GB DL disc, you have to use Toast. But it works great. I've burned a couple DL discs, no problem. (Both video and data.) I just saved my iMovie projects as DV files, then used Toast's Video DVD burning process, including it's menus. (Sorry, no fancy iDVD 5 animated menus for DL discs.)

 

[jywv8]

I was hoping for internal. Got anything now?

Check this out:

Pioneer DVR-108

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewprodu...-157&ATT=CD+DVD+Burners+RW+Dr&CMP=OTC-B1zrat3

From the Customer Reviews:

...My biggest concern was with it integrating with my Apple iLife applications. Out of the box it does not integrate with them. You can run 3rd party software such as Toast and the drive will work fine. However, you can also install the patchburn drivers and make the Apple software recognize it as a valid burner. I installed those drivers with ease and it worked flawlessly. I've tested it with all the iLife apps except Garageband (I don't use that program at all...) and have had no issues. I highly recommend this drive to the Mac users out there.

 

[jared_kipe]

Check this out:

Pioneer DVR-108

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewprodu...-157&ATT=CD+DVD+Burners+RW+Dr&CMP=OTC-B1zrat3

From the Customer Reviews:

...My biggest concern was with it integrating with my Apple iLife applications. Out of the box it does not integrate with them. You can run 3rd party software such as Toast and the drive will work fine. However, you can also install the patchburn drivers and make the Apple software recognize it as a valid burner. I installed those drivers with ease and it worked flawlessly. I've tested it with all the iLife apps except Garageband (I don't use that program at all...) and have had no issues. I highly recommend this drive to the Mac users out there.

Awesome that was exactly what I was wanting. I didn't want to burn DL in iapps, I just wanted to have normal functionality for normal cd's or DVDs.

 

[jared_kipe]

New egg has lots of drives including Lite-on and Sony ones for like $60 would those be equivalent?

 

[000111one111000]

I've got the Pioneer DVR-109 in my B&W G3 and it works great. A LOT quieter than the 108, which I had previously. Both GREAT drives. And both are 16X and Dual Layer burners. The 109, though, is faster on DL burns and normal CD burning.

Just download Patchburn 3 (i think it's 3) and run it and reboot and you're all set. iTunes, iDVD, etc. will all see it as a "Vendor Supported" drive and will burn just fine.

If you buy one though, and you or a friend have a PC, I'd suggest installing it in their system and flashing the firmware to the most current in either drive, and then popping it in your Mac. Pioneer doesn't make a firmware updating utility for the Mac. The earlier firmware didn't allow certain speeds for burning/reading. There is a flashing utility for the Mac, but I've never had any luck with it.

And, if you've recently purchased a PowerMac G5 (since around November, I believe), you already have a DL burner, Apple just hasn't "activated" it yet. The Pioneer DVR-117D that is installed in a G5 are actually just Pioneer DVR-108 drives with firmware that limits the burning speed and gets rid of the DL functionality. I haven't tried it with my G5 yet, but some people said they've had success with the firmware and now have a lovely 16X and DL burner in their G5.

OWC has some pretty good prices on bare drives, and if you want some extras thrown in with your purchase, they have some bundles for a bit more.

If any of you have any questions on either of those drives, let me know, I'd be happy to help.

enoch

 

[jared_kipe]

Thats good too, but holy cow, those DL DVD-R's are fudging expensive. Does anyone now where to pick those up for cheaper than say... $5 a disk?

 

[000111one111000]

Meritline.com have some good prices on blank media and cases. And if any of your friends have a DL burner or plan on getting one, buy the media in bulk, you'll save a ton. Me and a few friends just bought 800 DVD-R's from them. Of course, they were a frickin week or two late in shipping them to us, but whatever.

The Verbatim brand seems to be cheapest. And be patient, DL is still somewhat new, but the prices will drop soon.

enoch

 

[jared_kipe]

Meritline.com have some good prices on blank media and cases. And if any of your friends have a DL burner or plan on getting one, buy the media in bulk, you'll save a ton. Me and a few friends just bought 800 DVD-R's from them. Of course, they were a frickin week or two late in shipping them to us, but whatever.

The Verbatim brand seems to be cheapest. And be patient, DL is still somewhat new, but the prices will drop soon.

enoch

You and your friend feel like sharing with us good macrumors community?

 

[jalagl]

I bought one of these PD external drives from Sam's Club a couple of months ago, and they work pretty well with Toast. I haven't tried with the iApps, though... will try when I get home next week.

 

[numediaman]

What is the patch, and what does it do/patch? Would you be able to burn normal single layer DVDs or CD's in the iDVD or iTunes?

He just means the new driver that can be found on the LaCie web site -- it allows iDVD to use your new drive. Toast will work with or without the new driver -- but you need the new driver for iDVD.