What is Optibay and what does it entail?

[Shady Pioneer]

As per title really. I've been trying to read up on it and don't really get it. I'm guessing it's something that replaces the SuperDrive, but then what after that?

I'm thinking of what people have been saying about using ab SSD as a boot drive and for Apps, which I like the sound of, then using the HDD for storage. A Kingston 64GB SSD is about £70 and that seems great for what I think I can do, but my main questions are these:

1. What is Optibay?
2. As it removes the SuperDrive, is there a way to still use it?
3. Is this whole process easy for a complete novice?
4. What needs to be bought other than the SSD?

Thanks for peoples input in advance.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

1. It is a caddy to place into the ODD location.
2. Yes, as there are enclosures for the ODD Apple uses. MCE-TECH offers it with their OptiBay.
3. Might be. Take a look at any of the guides or even iFixIt and see for yourself if you are up to it.
4. Other storage device maybe, unless you use the HDD you replace with an SSD.

 

[Shady Pioneer]

What's a caddy? Sorry for sounding stupid. If I'm still able to use the SuperDrive when needed I would be very keen to do this, and I'd use the HDD coming with my Pro (500GB 7200rpm).

I'll take a look at some videos when I get the chance. I'm based in the UK so why prices are the required parts?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What's a caddy? Sorry for sounding stupid. If I'm still able to use the SuperDrive when needed I would be very keen to do this, and I'd use the HDD coming with my Pro (500GB 7200rpm).

Caddy = storage container, according to Dictionary. It is the enclosure to put the HDD into, as the HDD is smaller than the ODD and needs to be fastened.

I'm based in the UK so why prices are the required parts?

Did you mean "what" or some other interrogative particle instead of "why"?
Can eBay help?

 

[Shady Pioneer]

I did mean what. I do apolagise, I am typing on my iPhone and I hate it. I will look to eBay now. Thanks for explaining what a caddy is.

Does doing this modification void the warranty then? It seems like a great idea but warranty is important to me (3 years).

 

[zer0sum]

http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/

google? anyone? bueller?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I did mean what. I do apolagise, I am typing on my iPhone and I hate it. I will look to eBay now. Thanks for explaining what a caddy is.

Does doing this modification void the warranty then? It seems like a great idea but warranty is important to me (3 years).

That I am not sure of, but there are dozens of threads about this OptiBay, maybe search them via MRoogle and see for yourself.