I'm using a Mac mini (late 2014) with OS X 10.11.6. I want to buy an external. USB Blu Ray writer. Will I need to load some special drivers to make it work on my Mac? Specifically, I'm looking at a ASUS BW-16D1X-U 16x Blu-Ray Drive. The seller doesn't know the answer to my question.
Mac mini 2018 or later
If you get a USB Blu-Ray writer then the Mac as standard will support burning data format discs. These will be fine for backing up or sharing data files and these could be any type of file including video files.
If you want to burn video format Blu-Ray discs that could be played using a standard Blu-Ray player then you need to buy Toast Titanium Pro for Mac.
Until you connect this proposed Blu-Ray device to the Mac, you won't know a priori, if it will work with the installed version of macOS, or on the intended Mac hardware. Provided it works, nothing will appear on your Desktop until media is placed within the writer.
I recommend that you check on the Asus site if there are any recent firmware updates for the specific DVD writer and apply them before using it with the Mac. You may need a Windows machine to apply any said firmware — if Asus has not created a Mac-based firmware flasher, or they have not provided a USB stick burnable Linux distribution that has the firmware flashing software on it.
Frontiersman wrote:
Apparently not, and neither do I. That's why I'm asking you experts for help. Will I need to load drivers to make the device work? I provided the name of the device, from the seller's description, in my first message.
Yes, and I provided you a link to that device’s actual specs on the ASUS web site. As noted by simply clicking the link I provided that drive is “Mac and Windows OS Compatible“. It will either be completely plug’n’play or will come with any drivers or software ASUS needs you to install.
Apparently not, and neither do I. That's why I'm asking you experts for help. Will I need to load drivers to make the device work? I provided the name of the device, from the seller's description, in my first message.
So I can just connect the Blu-ray drive to a USB port and it will automatically be added to the little menu at the top of the screen, and be listed along with my existing DVD drive. Is that correct?
I tried to paste in a picture of the little menu but I got an error message.
The seller doesn’t know how to use an internet search to spec their products?
I don't know. I don't have a Blu-ray burner. I just found this info and thought it might help you. So I posted it.
USB Blu Ray Drive
