Worth getting the MBA Superdrive?

[gwsat]

There are plenty. Just do your research. Most do come with both connectors and an AC adapter port to accomodate PCs that have lower voltage USB ports or unpowered ports but can still draw their power from the same port they use for the data and thus require only 1 USB connection like the superdrive.

There's nothing magical about the Apple superdrive, it's just a marked up 3rd party drive without an eject button.

Yeah, I have done some research on the subject. Most specs for external BD player/burners that I saw said a single USB connection would provide sufficient power but burning would be limited to 2X instead of, typically, 8X. Also such devices, as well as USB powered external hard drives, may be given additional power by connecting them to 2 USB ports with a USB Y adapter.

What worries me about the portable BD players is that most of them have an AC adapter. Most manufacturers of USB powered hard drives, though, are confident enough in them getting enough power via USB that they don't even include a connection for an AC adapter.

 

[ghostwriter]

If all you are trying to do is install Office 2011, there are plenty of ways to do that without the Superdrive. You can "share" a DVD from another Mac or PC.

Ummmm, I tried that and received error message informing me that Office 11 cannot be installed from a network drive. Connected the SuperDrive and Office 11 installed without issues.

 

[KPOM]

Ummmm, I tried that and received error message informing me that Office 11 cannot be installed from a network drive. Connected the SuperDrive and Office 11 installed without issues.

Interesting. I had the "free" upgrade from Office 2008 Business and downloaded the file directly. However, I also downloaded an ISO and used it with my Superdrive on my Rev B (which I migrated to my new MacBook Air through Migration Assistant). That said, I usually have been able to "share" drives when needed.

 

[robby818]

Ummmm, I tried that and received error message informing me that Office 11 cannot be installed from a network drive. Connected the SuperDrive and Office 11 installed without issues.

I installed Office 11 from a Mac Pro superdrive to my 13 MBA but it did take an extraordinarily long time.

 

[FortWorthMac]

Hey all,

So to confirm what I am reading here in regards to the MBA and a USB (Apple of otherwise) DVD drive. One can install Windows 7 via Bootcamp with it, just by plugging it in. No having to mess with ISO images, etc....

I bought the top of the line MBA while in Vegas this week and starting to have a little buyers remorse, since now that I'm home and finding out I need to spend more money to get the thing up to my needs.

Thanks

 

[alau0115]

Not true at all. Many drives much cheaper work fine with only 1 USB cable.

Ditto. I have a Samsung portable optical drive and though the supplied cable has two USB ports which is designed to use both the USB port, the power from the 11" MBA is sufficient to drive the drive.

Again, it depends on the drive. I guess some drives do need two USB ports to power them?

 

[KPOM]

Hey all,

So to confirm what I am reading here in regards to the MBA and a USB (Apple of otherwise) DVD drive. One can install Windows 7 via Bootcamp with it, just by plugging it in. No having to mess with ISO images, etc....

Yes, that works just fine. Just create the Boot Camp partition using Boot Camp Assistant, insert the Windows 7 disc and follow the instructions.

 

[FortWorthMac]

Yes, that works just fine. Just create the Boot Camp partition using Boot Camp Assistant, insert the Windows 7 disc and follow the instructions.

Thanks KPOM.

David

 

[Corax]

Not true at all. Many drives much cheaper work fine with only 1 USB cable.

Not treu at all? it's a 2 in one cable which takes up 2 USB-ports. Maybe there are some out there, but in the mall I was they had several and I checked cable(s) in all and really, they all needed 2 USB-ports.

 

[dudulang]

I'll buy a Blu-ray Superdrive if apple releases it, but not a DVD superdrive.

 

[Tambourine Man]

The Superdrive isn't a bad little toy. I was able to snag one earlier today for $40 (overstock or stolen off some truck in Jersey...not really sure), but after messing with it for awhile at work tonight, it's obvious I'll only be using it maybe a couple times a month. I'm a wee bit OCD about my music bitrates, so I buy CD's whenever and download very little.

I don't think it's $80 good, but it looks sexy and if you like that Mac aesthetic go ahead and snag one.

 

[alau0115]

Not treu at all? it's a 2 in one cable which takes up 2 USB-ports. Maybe there are some out there, but in the mall I was they had several and I checked cable(s) in all and really, they all needed 2 USB-ports.

As I previously pointed out, you really have to actually plug your portable optical drive to the Air in order to verify whether it requires one or two USB ports.

I for one, who is using a portable, optical drive from Samsung which comes with a 2 in one USB cable (model # is SE-S084 if it matters. It was a popular drive) and yet it only requires one USB port of a 11.6" MBA to power the drive up. I also have to mention I did that without the MBA powered by external power. At least it works fine for installing MS Office 2011 for Mac disc.

Hope it helps.

 

[KnightWRX]

Not treu at all? it's a 2 in one cable which takes up 2 USB-ports. Maybe there are some out there, but in the mall I was they had several and I checked cable(s) in all and really, they all needed 2 USB-ports.

You don't have to plug both of them. They just all have both cables like I mentionned earlier for PCs that have lower voltage USB ports and they have AC Adapter ports for PCs without USB powered ports.

Don't forget these things are made to be a little more universal than your Apple superdrive. They also happen to have an eject button on the drive and they also have an emergency eject mechanism so you don't brick your drive if a disc gets stuck in it.

For Macs, all you need is to take the data plug and plug it into the port. 1 USB plug, 1 cable, same as the superdrive. Shop around the net, you can get "Superdrives" with lightscribe support for under 50$ that still only require 1 port.

Now stop spreading misinformation and actually read what people post, I have covered all of this already in this thread.

As I previously pointed out, you really have to actually plug your portable optical drive to the Air in order to verify whether it requires one or two USB ports.

Or just read the reviews on the web where there's always a kind soul that will point out if the drive works off of only 1 plug.

 

[Corax]

You don't have to plug both of them. They just all have both cables like I mentionned earlier for PCs that have lower voltage USB ports and they have AC Adapter ports for PCs without USB powered ports.

Don't forget these things are made to be a little more universal than your Apple superdrive. They also happen to have an eject button on the drive and they also have an emergency eject mechanism so you don't brick your drive if a disc gets stuck in it.

For Macs, all you need is to take the data plug and plug it into the port. 1 USB plug, 1 cable, same as the superdrive. Shop around the net, you can get "Superdrives" with lightscribe support for under 50$ that still only require 1 port.

Now stop spreading misinformation and actually read what people post, I have covered all of this already in this thread.



Or just read the reviews on the web where there's always a kind soul that will point out if the drive works off of only 1 plug.

Do you guys think i'm crazy? Ofcourse i know that. But the cable looks ugly with one plug unused.

 

[KnightWRX]

Do you guys think i'm crazy? Ofcourse i know that. But the cable looks ugly with one plug unused.

Changing your argument much ?

Not treu at all? it's a 2 in one cable which takes up 2 USB-ports. Maybe there are some out there, but in the mall I was they had several and I checked cable(s) in all and really, they all needed 2 USB-ports.

That's not what you said at all. And ugly/beautiful is not a characteristic I tend to associate to my electronic devices. I'd rather save the 30$.

Look, you got it wrong, you misinterpreted the use of the 2 plugs, get over it. The proper information is now in this thread twice.

 

[Corax]

Changing your argument much ?



That's not what you said at all. And ugly/beautiful is not a characteristic I tend to associate to my electronic devices. I'd rather save the 30$.

Look, you got it wrong, you misinterpreted the use of the 2 plugs, get over it. The proper information is now in this thread twice.

What's changing? Sorry guy's it's all confusing. I was just trying to explain that others had a 2 in one cable, and described why, and ofcourse there was the fear it might actually need the extra connection plugged in.
My reason i chose the superdrive is because it simply had 1 clean cable, I prefer that, together with the overal Apple slim alu look, it's worth some more money to me, yes to ME.

Sorry my main language isn't english, so it's difficult for me to explain stuff clearly with the wright words or sentences.

And what is the proper information for this thread?? Read the starter post again.

 

[kryca]

Failure rate: 50%

I would like to add that the Apple MBA Superdrive was a total failure on our end. Out of 3 SuperDrives 2 have been DOA, still waiting for #4 to be picked up. (I assume that one will work, so we're at 50% success Sure they look nice, but functionality is not always there. :-/

One drive had inherent problems reading disks. The second one read one disk and then quit completely.