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MCE Optibay Alternative CHEAP
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I think the unibody mb/MBP's are SATA to USB. The IDE will work for pre-unibody opticals. I'm looking for a slot loading bezel, too.
Do you only need the extra USB / power port for burning only or all the time?
no experience with them, but they will 95% need both USB ports to even start running (the MBA external optical drives only need one because apple beefed more power out of the MBA USB port)
im glad you liked it! unfortunately most USB devices that are not self powered via AC power will need an extra USB port (2.5" HDDs, optical drives etc). sucks i know but you cant really do much.
its very annoying when you plug them into your MBP and still need the mouse haha!
i guess it all depends on the brand of case you have, if you are on a desktop or laptop (and what type of laptop you have), and their power requirements. i have a bunch of portable HDDs and if i plug them in via 1 USB it wont spin up properly and make beeping noises at me (lol).
some will work but not all
Actually I've been researching this fairly well because I've been tossing around the MBA Superdrive for all mod. by tankgrl.
It's only when you burn that you may need extra juice.
It's only when you burn that you may need extra juice.
I think there was enough juice from the MBA to burn, it was with other computer USB ports. The mod. makes the MBA Superdrive readable by near all computers. Now, I do have some "Y" USB to USB cable that'd probably do the trick.
That makes it a bit rough since you can't really import more juice w. the MBA Superdrive unless you kept the DC in board on the IDE/USB adapter and drilled a hole in the case.
Or not burn - which I haven't done in forever anyway.
I have seen the optical cases w. IDE/SATA to USB on ebay for $8. None have a bezel and finding a slot loading bezel is difficult. It would look a bit tack to see the front guts of the drive without a bezel.
that defeats the purpose of being a 1 port USB device though
no me neither, i currently dont have an optical drive in my MBP and i never ever need it.Or not burn - which I haven't done in forever anyway.
nice and cheap, and not sure if they would carry the required power. you would have to research how much each USB port puts out and what the optical drive needs to be powered.
sounds like you have a nicely built HDD then
no lol i am being 100% serious! from my experience ive never found an external 2.5" HDD that can be powered via 1USB port!
must be, i think it has to do with the controller aswell.
jealousMy air is my couch/plane/travel machine. the MP is fine.
i think the USB power outputs are still around the same though, so that wont really make a difference (not sure but)i normally ask for an .iso/.dmg image and deal with it that way.
i guess it all depends on the brand of case you have, if you are on a desktop or laptop (and what type of laptop you have), and their power requirements. i have a bunch of portable HDDs and if i plug them in via 1 USB it wont spin up properly and make beeping noises at me (lol).
some will work but not all
Here's what I know: Underpowered USB ports is a problem on older (e.g., pre-unibody) MacBook Pros. They are not underpowered per se, they just refused to work above 500mw. Apple was adhering to the USB spec very strictly, whereas most PC manufacturers allow way more, and many external enclosures and external HDs need more. My new unibody MBP doesn't have this problem, USB ports have plenty of power for all my various external HDs and the 3G WWAN stick (which would only work in the left USB port on the old MBP...)
However. The MBA external DVD burner is using more power than most and will reliably work only on the MBA.
I remember there's a lot of info out there for the MBA superdrive, google it. Like here, this old Engadget post says the MBA superdrive doesn't work on anything else:http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/confirmed-macbook-air-superdrive-does-not-work-with-other-machi/
Oh whatever, I googled it for you and here's the tankglr superdrive for all mod - it's not for the faint of heart, but I know that won't deter some in this forum
http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/macbook-air-superdrive-for-all/
Side-note: Having a 3rd USB port is one of the features I enjoy most on my new 17" MBP. Rather bizarre, isn't it? Apple really needs to put more on the 15MBPs...
sorry for the late reply, been busy
EDIT: researched it. insanelymac has an interesting thread. apparently the DVD drive needs 1.5A and 500mA is normally produced, thats a pretty big increase in power.
EDITEDIT: and it just so happens that we found the same "mod".. never mind haha
ok thats very interesting to know. why would the USB spec provide LESS power then is required for a large majority of devices?? seems stupid to me.
as the MBA has an increased amount of power being output through the single USB port, right? i wonder what this number is.
EDIT: researched it. insanelymac has an interesting thread. apparently the DVD drive needs 1.5A and 500mA is normally produced, thats a pretty big increase in power.
EDITEDIT: and it just so happens that we found the same "mod".. never mind haha
im not sure that i would like to use that, no warranty etcetc. but i guess it works!! awsome.I remember there's a lot of info out there for the MBA superdrive, google it. Like here, this old Engadget post says the MBA superdrive doesn't work on anything else:http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/confirmed-macbook-air-superdrive-does-not-work-with-other-machi/
Oh whatever, I googled it for you and here's the tankglr superdrive for all mod - it's not for the faint of heart, but I know that won't deter some in this forum
http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/macbook-air-superdrive-for-all/
totally agree with you on this one. 2x USB ports required for a HDD and you have nothing left!! shocking.
Just curious if someone knows how long it takes for a hard drive to go to sleep after inactivity.
depends how long you tell it to go to sleep! in system prefs->energy saver you can set it.
on another note:
my motherboard is broken or something - i have 2x PATA->SATA caddys (suitable for any pre-unibody MBs/MBPs) and 1x SATA caddy (suitable for unibody MB/MBPs). any interest? (preferably in australia).
Yeah i dont think you can set a time for the hard drive sleep though. So no go on your caddy huh?
well you cant set a time, otherwise your computer will experience massive slowdowns. it will spin down whenever there are no read/writes to the drive.
caddy was a no go as my motherboard/flex cable is dead
i have 3 usb external dvdrw w/lightscribe, i have yet to find a pc that wont power it with just 1 usb port.
older external drives require 600-700mah max , most slot load or newer drives only require 400mah which can be sufficiently supplied by a single usb port (500mah).
slot load drives tend to use a little less power, im assuming thats why apple chose them alongside aesthetic.
older external drives require 600-700mah max , most slot load or newer drives only require 400mah which can be sufficiently supplied by a single usb port (500mah).
slot load drives tend to use a little less power, im assuming thats why apple chose them alongside aesthetic.
Why do you guys still spread this nonsense about Air's SuperDrive?
It's only locked by Apple, not restricted by tech per se.
And Air's USB doesn't put out more current then the spec ...
P.S. you don't have to trust me, google it
Brighten up
It's only locked by Apple, not restricted by tech per se.
And Air's USB doesn't put out more current then the spec ...
P.S. you don't have to trust me, google it
Brighten up
Why do you guys still spread this nonsense about Air's SuperDrive?
It's only locked by Apple, not restricted by tech per se.
And Air's USB doesn't put out more current then the spec ...
P.S. you don't have to trust me, google it
Brighten up
Would you care to post some links? I dont have a superdrive but when it came out initially, it only worked with the MBA. Secondly, if you look at the Apple sore, the system requirements for the "MacBook Air SuperDrive" list "MacBook Air".
you dont even need to google it, just open up your profiler and look under usb then available power. 500mah....standard.
i dont know why people always say usb powered drives require 2 ports....maybe if the laptop is 6+ years old.
not newer ones.