No DVD drive in new iMac ???

Yeah I agree, Apple should have simply placed the optical drive (with a Blu-ray combo) and SD slot and more USB ports on the foot of the base of the stand, don't see why Apple couldn't of. But overall, the loss of the optical drive isn't a big issue for me, I'll simply buy the external superdrive and perhaps get an external blu-ray drive, and these devices don't have to sit on my desktop 24/7, 365 days of the years either, when not in use, they can be securely placed in a discrete drawer.

I'm not really a gamer, so my requirements for what I want the iMac to do, I'm sure, are far more simple than most iMac users. All I need is a quad-core i7, able to run both Mountain Lion and Windows 8 parallel to each other with great performance, as my purposes are mainly music, entertainment, web design, photos and writing.

I believe the new iMac 27" is more than capable of what I require it to do and more. But alas, this just my humble opinion. And I do still agree that the removable of the optical drive was premature, but I don't see it as a major issue though.

Fortunately I have the older model with the built in DVD and cannot believe how lucky I am given it was only a few weeks after my purchase that it all changed. However, like you one of my 'issues' is to convert old pictures and videos into DVDs through the i movie programme. I have managed to complete most of the process, but am unable to transfer the final product to DVD; can you please advise?

zBernie2 wrote:

I've discussed the elimination of the optical drive issue in NUMEROUS forums, and the vast majority of the people feel it was premature,

I've discussed the elimination of the optical drive issue in NUMEROUS forums, and the vast majority of the people feel that it was overdue.

Not only do opinions matter, they also vary.

To get better help, I'd suggest you start your own thread or your query will no doubt get lost in a thread that is totally unrelated to your question.

The short answer (without having any details as to your work process, what you've done, what format the project is in, etc) is that you need an encoding/burn software. There are some freebies (google) or you can consider purchasing the retail iLife 09 or 11 versions online which includes iDVD - the best and most customizable app for this. There is no equivalent for it.

I received for Christmas, 2012, the most-recent Coldplay concert DVD.

It's an amazing show and I know it because I have an old MAC.

This has all been said already but I can't help adding my own rant- maybe it will make me feel better. I've already sent this feedback to Apple. I will be surprised if they respond to me.

I guess I didn't do my homework before buying, so I have to share some of the responsibility. But this is outrageous. The lack of a DVD drive could have been more explicit in Apple's promotional materials, or the Apple Store could have pointed it out when I bought my iMac. Yeah, I know DVD's are going to eventually become a thing of the past, but they haven't come close to disappearing yet. The floppy comparison is not yet valid; they've jumped the gun.

I use DVD's to give and receive photos. I still have essential software like Microsoft Office and Photoshop that I can't reload as "out of the box". What about burning music CD's from iTunes to play in my car? And how am I supposed to load my Windows disc on a Boot Camp partition??

Most importantly, as a physician, I can tell you that XRay and other medical imaging is shared by sending a disc containing the images- this is the international standard of practice. The only other Mac desktop choice is the Pro- way more expensive. I realize that I can buy a USB Superdrive but it kind of defeats the purpose of my "all in one" machine.

To add insult to injury Apple removed the Firewire port- necessitating my buying $60 worth of cable and adaptor to migrate my old stuff and to use peripheral's.

I've been a loyal Mac user since the mid 80's but they may have lost me on this. Shame on Apple for this blatant disregard of users needs in the service of some patronizing vision of how we Luddites need to adjust to the future. Iwould guess this is some sort of business strategy: Are hard discs going next to force us to migrate to the Cloud?

JackSiegel wrote:

I use DVD's to give and receive photos. I still have essential software like Microsoft Office and Photoshop that I can't reload as "out of the box". What about burning music CD's from iTunes to play in my car?

These posts are hilarious. The drama that's kicked up for the sake of having to buy a solitary $30 peripheral is unbeleivable. Again,your remarks are written as if you're no longer going to be able to do any of these things which is just nonsense.

I suppose you can't please everyone but I'd wager your not writing a DvD every 5 minutes (and even if you were you'd be better off with a high performance external anyway).

They are long overdue for getting out of the machine and someone's got to take the lead so I for one am glad they're doing it.

Sorry to sound like a b*tch JackSiegel, but Apple couldn't have made it more obvious to us the consumer that the optical drive is no longer available, even the photos of the new iMac make it very clear. As I suggested in my previous post, for me, it isn't the end of the world as far as losing the optical drive, I'll simply buy an external one and keep it in a drawer when not in use, still a painless process so for me at least it isn't a big deal.

I second what Indigopete said as well, hit the nail on the head really. When I buy my 27" iMac in March I'll be buying both an external superdrive and an external blu-ray drive too - simples.

Have a good day folks.

I think it's hilarious some not understanding the gravity of the situation. The iMac is becoming dysfunctional. I aready have ugly cables hanging from the back just so I can plug-in and a USB thumb drive. Now you will need another ugly cable and external drive to continue using an optical drive. What is your SD card reader? You guessed it, yet another ugly cable hanging from the back of your "all in one". Want to upgrade the RAM in your new 21.5 inch iMac? You can forget about it, it's no longer possible.

Hilarious indeed.

zBernie2 wrote:

I think it's hilarious some not understanding the gravity of the situation. The iMac is becoming dysfunctional. I aready have ugly cables hanging from the back just so I can plug-in and a USB thumb drive. Now you will need another ugly cable and external drive to continue using an optical drive. What is your SD card reader? You guessed it, yet another ugly cable hanging from the back of your "all in one". Want to upgrade the RAM in your new 21.5 inch iMac? You can forget about it, it's no longer possible.

Hilarious indeed.

Buy something else if the current Mac does not fit your needs, this is not rocket science!

Then unplug it and put it away when not in use? Little things like this shouldn't cloud your judgment at the overall performance of the iMac.

Csound1 wrote:

Buy something else if the current Mac does not fit your needs, this is not rocket science!

Do you understand the concept of an-all in-one?

I understand the concept of purchasing the wrong machine and then complaining about it, as do you.

Buy what you need, not something that you don't!

Csound1 wrote:

I understand the concept of purchasing the wrong machine and then complaining about it, as do you.

Buy what you need, not something that you don't!

You obviously don't. Just a hint...The iMac started as an a ll in one. That might have something to do with people being upset. Maybe you could find a forum where people like to pay more for less.

I'm sure Csound1 fully understands the concept of an AIO, but times are changing, nothing stays the same for ever. One might argue that the removal of the optical drive was premature, yes it was in my opinion too, but overall I'm not that bothered nor concerned about this, easily solved with an external drive and which can be hidden from view when not in use, how many more times have I got to repeat that lol.

And besides, I heard a lot of complaints about the optical drive in the previous generation of the iMacs, a member of my family has the previous generation of the 21.5" model and the optical drive always plays up, she now uses an external drive, and other customers with the same issue said they resulted to the same option of an external drive.

The elimination of the optical drive just isn't a big issue when there is a clean solution = a nice slick external superdrive which can be put in a drawer when not in use! Therefore not cluttering your desktop. Simple as a pair of nipples.