What is the best external CD/DVD player for my 2019 iMac running Catalina?

keithfromva wrote:

Need an external CD/DVD player compatible with my iMac running Catalina. Apple's SuperDrive has mixed reviews mostly negative. Looking for suggestions on other well tested products. Mostly need for TurboTax and the occasional DVD that I might play. Main concern is about compatibility.

I bought an LG brand CD/DVD player from Amazon for about $25. It works fine for light use.

It seems I was mistaken! 🥵 My SuperDrive does NOT appear to be working on my 'new' iMac 18,3 running macOS Catalina.

I've just asked another question here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250821224?answerId=251560538022

Now plugged into my new iMac , I CAN play - and am playing - a music CD! 🤔

It's DVDs it will not play. 🙄

Suggestions welcomed!

David

I suggest CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drives provided by Other World Computing (OWC) as a good place to start your comparison shopping for an external drive.

Ref: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/optical-drives/superdrives?_ga=2.6425778.1667075410.1572812979-468994456.1571074797

Noted, 'dialabrain'. 😞 Thank you.

Before using mechanical cleaners, I'd like to know if it's another of Catalina's inherent faults. 🙄

I can't be certain, but I'm fairly sure everything was working fine back along!

Can anyone else play DVDs when using Catalina? 🤔

HunterBD wrote:

Noted, 'dialabrain'. 😞 Thank you.

You're welcome

an anyone else play DVDs when using Catalina? 🤔

You mean besides me? How many folks do you need? Nothing special about my copy of Catalina.

keithfromva wrote:

Thank you, I would only be using a few time per year.

This is the one I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDE7K4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's actually $28. But, if you go with the black version, it's $25.

FWIW, my Apple SuperDrive works just fine! 😎

the usb interface for optical discs is pretty generic so unless it's a really bad product all usb drives should work

FWIW, a tray loading device is far more reliable than the super thin slot loading Suprdrive (and, depending on what you decide on, less expensive as well).

FWIW, a blu-ray disk will not play on a Super Drive under any circumstance. If it's not, try using a CD/DVD lens cleaner.