SuperDrive Upgrade

when i ordered the SuperDrive upgrade through my local reseller, they recommended i do it "built-in" by Apple.

They said they could upgrade it later, but it would cost more than Apple's $100 "add-on" custom-build-to-order method.

It was going to be at least $50.00 to install a SuperDrive, plus the a la carte cost of the drive itself, they urged me to have it installed by the factory, so i did.

Hi Paul,

You have a few options here. Several Mini users are using external DVD burners because they like the portability and they can buy one that's faster than what comes with the Mini. There are some DVD burners that also can be used both either by USB or Firewire. That's a nice option!

Another option you have is to buy one and try to install it yourself. I hear and read it's not that difficult if you don't mind voiding your Apple warranty.

Last, you can check out this company below. Here, you can send in your Mini for a Superdrive upgrade, hard drive upgrade, or memory upgrade, and it doesn't affect your Apple warranty! PLUS....their superdrive upgrade includes and 8x Superdrive rather than a 4x! Here's the link:

http://www.fastmac.com/ProductPage/minimax.html

Have a great day!

Paul don't do it, the apple superdrive is slow, an external one will be faster and supports more media types, not to mention it will still be cheaper. Get a $60 16x dual layer drive and external enclosure from newegg. You will get it for cheaper than an internal 4x single layer dvd-r only drive from apple.

I have this drive, I burned 40 copies of an idvd movie on it this weekend, no coasters.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=27-152-035&DEPA=1

Here's a better deal.

I ordered my MacMini but only with the combo drive. I figured there would be new drives releasing shortly. We'll I am still waiting for my MacMini to arrive but I found this in the mean time.

$150 - Internal DVD Burner - With DVD+R DL - That's right an Internal Dual Layer burner for the Mini. No need to compress movies down. Plus able to place over 2 hours of video from iDVD on one disc.

Wonder if there is a market for the Combo Drive.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/item/7472/PIODVRK04L/

Same as the one I installed a few weeks back. From reports looks like the one that matches the model number Apples puts in does not work. And this one does.

I desides to get an internal due to wanting to keep the mini small in cables and footprint. Also I normally burn at 4x. Also some drive are not reconised and other require the OS to be patched.

The system see it and have burn disk at 4x on it only with iDVD and NTI Dragonfire. Need to order Toast.

Have not tried DL since its way to expensive and has at abolute best 60% playback on set top boxes. And those test wer done by a place that check for compatablity for the film industry.

PS: You can find it cheeper.

strongly recommend you have it done by apple at the factory (as opposed to a possible ad on at some future date) that is if you plan to use iLife apps like iDVD5 which is fully supported on internal superdrives and not on external devices.

On a separate note, when i went to configure or select which S-Drive i wanted on the mac mini i did notice that apple now only allows for the selection of a 4x burner to be installed.

Mac Mini Sales Question: Did apple recently remove the 8x burner option from their sales menu? I did notice that the 4x is the only current option available on said drop down sales menu for drive types.

Same here. Would recomend going to Apple for it.

There was a flap about one day it was changed from 4x to 8x but was a misnomer. It was listing read speed not burn speed. It took. I think. A day or less to sort it out. But the drive is listed by Apple as a 4X.

Saw this in the 2x burning thread... Covers the bit about the typo.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/26/macminisuperdrive/index.php

Wonder how much an Apple store charges to switch out a combo to a super drive?

You can buy the Pioneer superdrive and install it in the mini yourself. It is easy to do. Other World Computing sells the drive and has a video that shows just how to do it.

IDVD supports non apple DVD burners. You do not need an internal apple drive for it to work.

Hi i may be totally thick but there are sections on the apple website which are slightly confusing. There is a section that says all current macs shipping with superdrives support dvd±r/rw compatibility....i have been told that it will only burn dvd-r and not dvd-rw is this true! does ± mean plus and minus formats....its all so confusing! what can i actually use with the superdrive!

any help would be cool

From reports, I understand that the 8x spec on the Apple Superdrive for the Mini was only posted a short while and was a MISPRINT. All the Superdrives have always been 4x.

Edit: Sorry, Nightwing beat me to it.

I think Apples was very wise in listing the drive as 4x even though the drive itself is listed as 8x.

Usually in small print on both the drives and the media will list usually somthign to the effect of "up to". Due to some media mfg and or batches will do 4x in one drive but 8x in another. Most drive and media will do 4x.

The Pioneer drive at OWC is 8X and Dual Layer. It is a snap to put in the Mini. They give you $25 back when you send them your "old" Combo drive. The Mac OSX recognizes the Pioneer and even calls it Apple Installed on the System list. I just burned my first DVD at 8X and it worked flawlessly.

If you dont mind. Whose media are you using.... Tnks.