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Super Drive with USB hub

L

lnathan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 11, 2008
1
0
Has anyone heard if someone has figured out a way to connect the SuperDrive (optical drive) to the MBA via a USB hub? If not, can someone recommend a good external optical drive that I can connect through the hub?

I have a love/hate relationship with my macbook air. The fact that the Super Drive must be connected directly to the computer's only USB port is my biggest complaint.
 
You can probably use the superdrive through a powered usb hub. Otherwise, there won't be enough power to power the superdrive. You can use pretty much any generic external drives, at least in my experience. Im using a external LG DVD+/-RW drive in a generic external 3.5" case.
 
ayeying said:
You can probably use the superdrive through a powered usb hub. Otherwise, there won't be enough power to power the superdrive. You can use pretty much any generic external drives, at least in my experience. Im using a external LG DVD+/-RW drive in a generic external 3.5" case.
Click to expand...

I will try this with a powered hub and see if it will work but I have doubts considering that powered USB hubs feed power that is insufficient for Apple's USB Superdrive.
 
The MBA SuperDrive has a higher power requirement than any port in a USB hub, powered or not, currently provides. Only the MBA's built-in USB port currently provides the necessary level of power required by the MBA SuperDrive.
 
Does the MBA Superdrive have an additional USB port on it like 10-key pads do for connecting a HDD or anything?
 
roland.g said:
Does the MBA Superdrive have an additional USB port on it like 10-key pads do for connecting a HDD or anything?
Click to expand...
No.

Basically, use of the MBA SuperDrive and use of any other USB devices of any type, including powered and non-powered hubs are mutually exclusive: You can use the SuperDrive, or you can use other stuff. Not both at the same time.
 
MAc

I just got my Air and am finding out that my superdrive will not work
through the powered usb hub (Belkin). My internal drive is shot on my old powerbook so I tried to connect the super drive to it but without success and I want
to transfer files/apps to the Air. Any other suggestions
 
marshgeo said:
I just got my Air and am finding out that my superdrive will not work
through the powered usb hub (Belkin). My internal drive is shot on my old powerbook so I tried to connect the super drive to it but without success and I want
to transfer files/apps to the Air. Any other suggestions
Click to expand...

Just suck it up and wait for the wireless transfer. Yeah, it takes the better part of 24 hours, but when it's done that's the last time you'll ever have to mess with it.
 
Superdrive uses too much current

the amount of current provided by the usb port on the MBA exceeds the current provided by other computer's usb ports and powered hubs. nothing is gonna run the superdrive unless you use a power supply to give the drive the extra current it needs. This would require a variable power supply and a multimeter to measure the current provided from the MBA usb port. WARNING: this may fry your superdrive or possibly your MBA. I haven't tried this.
 
I was able to use the superdrive on my vista bootcamp partition with a Linksys usb hub but not on the mac side. Not sure why.
 
I think its possible to modify the superdrive to work with a hub or any other mac for that matter. There was a blurb about it in a recent geekbrief.tv video podcast. Its a $9 part or something. You have to open it to do the mod though... so bye bye superdrive warranty.

bill
 
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/06/24/mod-use-your-macbook-air-superdrive-on-any-machine/#comments

i think that's another link to what he was talking about
i'm not sure if it will work with a hub after that though

i personally have my superdrive in a drawer and on a usb extension cable so i don't have to have the drive out and in the way all the time. it's not really a solution for having multiple usbs plugged in at once, but it's less of a hassle that way.
 
mac book air usb port

I've just found out today that LOGITECH has a usb port(4 PORTS) that will support the external hard drive. I did not order it because it requires a power supply than is currently out of stock at LOGITECH. I'm returning a Belkin that according to Apple support is designed for older systems. It didn't work with my hard drive.
 
wagz69 said:
I've just found out today that LOGITECH has a usb port(4 PORTS) that will support the external hard drive. I did not order it because it requires a power supply than is currently out of stock at LOGITECH. I'm returning a Belkin that according to Apple support is designed for older systems. It didn't work with my hard drive.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the only USB port the SuperDrive for the Air will run on is the built-in one.
 
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