How much power is required for a SuperDrive?

I have the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (the one with USB-C, HDMI, & USB-A sockets). THIS will power my SuperDrive when plugged into the mains & my 2015 MacBook. No other hub seems to be able to do so.

Not a great situation, as the MacBook obviously only has a single USB socket. So when I'm connected to the SuperDrive I can't connect to Ethernet or other USB devices

If anyone knows of a USB-C hub that will

a. Power the Superdrive

b. Has an Ethernet socket

c. Has another USB-A socket (other than the one used to power the Superdrive)

Then please let me know

I've tried hubs from Anker & CableCreation with no luck

Ok, well it seems you think that if the OP goes out and exchanges his superdrive for a different one that his current hubs will suddenly start working. I am simply stating that I don't think so, I think that Apple designed the drive outside of USB spec.

Here is a link from Apple stating that Apple designs some USB devices that require more power than the USB spec: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049

djcastaldo wrote:

Ok, well it seems you think that if the OP goes out and exchanges his superdrive for a different one that his current hubs will suddenly start working. I am simply stating that I don't think so, I think that Apple designed the drive outside of USB spec.

Here is a link from Apple stating that Apple designs some USB devices that require more power than the USB spec: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049

Nice link, next time read it.

It says that these Appe devices may request more than 0.5a under some conditons.

• Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive (when connected to supported computers)
• Aluminum Wired Keyboard*
• iPod
• iPhone
• iPad

To meet requests for additional power from these Apple peripherals and devices, some Apple computers and displays can provide up to 1100 mA at 5 V through the port to which the Apple peripheral or device is connected. This power is available under certain conditions:

1. An Apple peripheral device must be plugged directly into an Apple computer or display. Apple peripheral devices connected to hubs will not have access to extra power above the standard USB specification of the port the device is connecting to (500 mA for USB 1.1 or 2, 900 mA for USB 3).
2. Your Apple computer or display must be powered on and must be awake. If your Apple computer or display is asleep, all ports will provide their normal maximum output. If your Apple computer or display is powered off, no power will be provided.
3. The port providing extra power is determined by the first Apple peripheral or device to connect to the Apple computer or display that requires power beyond 500 mA for USB 1.1 or 2, or 900 mA for USB 3. The remaining ports will continue to offer their normal maximum output. Some Apple computer and displays may offer the ability to operate more than one USB port at 1100 mA at 5 V. On those computers, the second or third port is enabled when an appropriate device is connected.

The devices that provide the extra power exclude:

Apple computers and displays that were introduced before 2007 support only 500 mA at 5 V from their ports and do not offer additional power.

Why choose to ignore that?

Until today I was happily using my superdrive on the 0.5A usb port of a D-Link DUB H7, I disconnected it to drill some cable access holes around my system and when I reconnected it I got this "connect to mac usb port" warning crap. The system info clearly shows that it possibly has a maximium requirement of at least 1.1A so I don't understand why I was able to use it on the 0.5A port and why it doesn't work on the 1.2A port. Why would the drive work on a usb hub below it's requirements and why would it just stop working the way it did?!

davidsignal wrote:

Ok, well it seems you think that if the OP goes out and exchanges his superdrive for a different one that his current hubs will suddenly start working. I am simply stating that I don't think so, I think that Apple designed the drive outside of USB spec.

This is from the Apple online store technical specifications for the superdrive:

Note my red box. USB2 connection. Your thinking does not conform with the facts.

Ciao.

Not a great photo, but here you go:

I think it requires significantly more than that, which is why his current hub and monitor usb ports are not working.

djcastaldo wrote:

I think it requires significantly more than that, which is why his current hub and monitor usb ports are not working.

Please read the USB power spec, the Superdrive conforms to it and if you are going to discuss it you should be aware of it as well.

To Whit:

Power

The USB 1.x and 2.0 specifications provide a 5 V supply on a single wire from which connected USB devices may draw power. The specification provides for no more than 5.25 V and no less than 4.75 V (5 V±5%) between the positive and negative bus power lines. For USB 3.0, the voltage supplied by low-powered hub ports is 4.45–5.25 V.^[47]

A unit load is defined as 100 mA in USB 2.0, and 150 mA in USB 3.0. A device may draw a maximum of 5 unit loads (500 mA) from a port in USB 2.0; 6 (900 mA) in USB 3.0. There are two types of devices: low-power and high-power. A low-power device draws at most 1 unit load, with minimum operating voltage of 4.4 V in USB 2.0, and 4 V in USB 3.0. A high-power device draws at most the maximum number of unit loads permitted by the standard. Every device functions initially as low-power but the device may request high-power and will get it if the power is available on the providing bus.^[48]

Some devices, such as high-speed external disk drives, require more than 500 mA of current^[49] and therefore may have power issues if powered from just one USB 2.0 port: erratic function, failure to function, or overloading/damaging the port. Such devices may come with an external power source or a Y-shaped cable that has two USB connectors (one for power+data, the other for power only) to be plugged into a computer. With such a cable, a device can draw power from two USB ports simultaneously.^[50]

A bus-powered hub initializes itself at 1 unit load and transitions to maximum unit loads after it completes hub configuration. Any device connected to the hub will draw 1 unit load regardless of the current draw of devices connected to other ports of the hub (i.e. one device connected on a four-port hub will draw only 1 unit load despite the fact that more unit loads are being supplied to the hub).^[48]

A self-powered hub will supply maximum supported unit loads to any device connected to it. In addition, the V_BUS will present 1 unit load upstream for communication if parts of the Hub are powered down.

It is not guesswork, there are rules.

The superdrive is not designed to fall within the usb power spec. Apple made it so that you could only attach it directly to certain Apple computers or certain displays that provide more power than the USB specification.

EDIT: and I am sure that Apple did this because the drive looks "pretier" without an external power supply that needs to be plugged into it (and should be if the device were to fall within standard usb specification).

djcastaldo wrote:

The superdrive is not designed to fall within the usb power spec. Apple made it so that you could only attach it directly to certain Apple computers or certain displays that provide more power than the USB specification.

EDIT: and I am sure that Apple did this because the drive looks "pretier" without an external power supply that needs to be plugged into it (and should be if the device were to fall within standard usb specification).

Sorry, if you use USB connectors you are bound by the USB spec, instaed of posting nonsense post the links containing some attribution for what you are posting.

Roger Barre wrote:

It's hardly "nonsense". here a quote from Apple's own Knowledge Base:

"Apple peripheral devices may request more than 500 mA (Milliamps) at 5 V (Volts) from a port to function or to allow for faster charging. Such Apple peripheral devices include:

Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive (when connected to supported computers)"

See above. and please stop quoting only the part that you prefer, we are not stupid.

I don't understand the argument anymore. The quoted part that you put in bold clearly shows that 1100mA is needed for some Apple USB devices to function.

EDIT: to the OP: there are some USB hubs that can supply higher amperage to facilitate faster device charging. If you get one of these hubs, you could probably get your superdrive to work.