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Super drive alternative?
- Thread starter dilgit
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Something like this would be sufficient
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-External-Optical-SDRW-08D2S-U-Black/dp/B003YT578O
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-External-Optical-SDRW-08D2S-U-Black/dp/B003YT578O
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http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-External-Optical-SE-S084D-TSBS/dp/B0044DEDBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1313303242&sr=1-1
This works fine with the MBA, only needs one USB port too.
This works fine with the MBA, only needs one USB port too.
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I've got an older samsung (boxy, square, black) DVD drive. While it has double USB connections, my 2011 can drive it with one.
The samsung does not need 2 ports on the 2011 air. It is quite happy to write DVDs at an indicated 8x with one connector. 1st hand experience not hearsay.
It also works on the front USB ports of my pc, which are not powerful enough to charge my iPad,
Like most other modern USB CD/DVD drives. Plenty of examples already in this thread, all much cheaper if you shop around. The superdrive is overpriced.
I have the Pioneer slim external optical drive and prefer it over the Apple external superdrive. The Pioneer slim external optical drive is smaller than the Apple external superdrive. The Pioneer drive also has an actual eject button making it much easier to use with non-Apple computers, the Apple drive does not have an eject button.
I don't think this one will work easily because it needs two adjacent USB ports - one for connection and one for power. The Samsung would be better since apparently it uses only one USB port.
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Unless I've got another model, mine has a two pronged USB cable connecting from the dvd player.
From the Asus link above itself: Note that this drive is NOT recommended if you have a computer with only one USB port per side, as some small systems do (unfortunately, small systems are the ones most likely to need an external optical drive). You would need to buy a different mini-USB cable for power.
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if i remember correctly apple doesn't strictly adhere to the usb standard and the ports on the mac provide more power, you could try only connecting one of those two usb cables, and see if you can burn and read correctly.
from what i've read on amazon's reviews with the airs you only need to connect the one that's data/power and not both (the other one is only for extra power)
i have an external case for 2.5 drives that also have two ports, it works fine with just the data/power one connected.
Most do, yet they only require 1 cable when connected to a properly powered USB ports. They have 2 for PCs that ship with underpowered ports.
People should stop assuming. I have the Asus I got from newegg for like $20 right in front of me and it works with 1 USB. Like knight said above, the second one is for under powered USB ports ie USB hub. I can't speak for the Samsung but the Asus I linked to will work with one MBA USB port.
That would be nice. I will check it out. Thank you for the suggestion.
It doesn't look like I'm really going to need this drive, but thanks folks for showing me that it does in fact work on the MBA just in case I ever do need it. I spoke to soon, and stand thankfully corrected.
I can confirm that the Liteon ETAU108-01 8x Slim Top-Load External DVDRW bought from Amazon UK for 25 quid (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002TPSEV6/) works fine with my Air - single USB port, top loader. Used to install Windows, write dvds, read data dvds
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