A recent voyage into the land of Apple compatibility... *PIC*

[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

Posted By: J242 (71.231.203.254)
Date: Monday, 6 November 2006, at 8:12 a.m.

So, recently I found myself in need of a DVD burner in order to finish a project for a local client of mine. I was looking around online at the various big retailers to see what listed OSX compatibility. I wasn't too suprised when I was able to find very little available listed as compatible and what was listed was too expensive for my budget.
I figured that most likely they don't list OSX compatibility but I could safely assume that the majority would be compatible and the compatibility listings were only for the bundled software and thankfully I was right on my first purchase! More on that later though... So, after a couple of meetings and scrambled, fruitless attempts to search for decently priced retail models on XLR8yourmac I decided to just go in to one of the large national chains and take a look.
I came across a very sparsely stocked wall'o'drives and out of the 3 externals they had in stock there was one little gem on the shelf and I had to triple -check the price because I flat out couldn't believe it. It was the Sony DRX-830U and for only $79.99! Of course, there was no mention of OSX and their net kiosks there in the department were locked down so after 15 minutes of talking with the "geek squad", their tech department AND their business sales department I said screw it and just took it to the register. I figured if it worked, no problem, if not, I caould return it and try again and it was so cheap, I'd be kicking myself for not giving it a chance. I DON'T like that it's only USB 2.0 I prefer to have Firewire only external hardware with secondary FW pass-through ports becauase I can then daisy-chain my devices strategically and not have to completely re-engineer my cable layout every time I want to charge my iPod or connect my freakin' camera but Oh Well...
So, the moment of truth arrives and I have the sucker plugged in to my mini with my project itching to be pressed to DVD and I turn it on for the first time. I give it a minute while I'm staring at the system profiler icon giving in to the inevitability that I'm either (and most likely) going to have really kicked myself in the ass and have to go out in the rain, back to the store and try all over again then go through this entire episode repeatedly (all the while my deadline is creeping up on me) and worrying that I'll have to push back for more time on the project due to hardware issues all the while hoping with baited breath that somehow the Sony will be picked up and all my worry will have been for naught (yeah, right, how often does that happen?!). So with one set of fingers crossed and my breath held I launch the system profiler and the moment is further delayed as I have to select USB! ARRRGGGGG! But then I see that there is "USB High-Speed Bus" and under it "DRX-830-U"! Could it be? Is it working automatically? So I scrambled to open up Toast Platinum and YES! It's available in the recorder options! Woo-Hoo! Sucess!!!
Now, I'm happy as a clam that I have a dirt-cheap external DVD SUPERDRIVE burner that is rediculously fast, dual layer and handles every format I've ever heard of outside of HD and Blu-Ray but WTF? Why is it that we have to go through this crap as Apple customers? When is Apple going to get off their keisters and publish an easily accessed list of supported hardware upgrades? My first attempt to find one was at their on-line store but Apple doesn't have any external DVD burners there and in their retail stores all they carry are LaCies for twice the cost and half the performance. You would think that there would be someone in a retail position out there who could convince their tech department to start keeping track of what works and what doesn't so that their sales-staff can be better informed and by extension, so can their customers but maybe I'm asking too much? Eh, anyways, I have a kick-ass DVD burner now that I paid less than a bill for and it worked magically. It's fast, silent and looks nice to boot! If anyone else is in the market for an external addition like this, I HIGHLY recommend the Sony! Also, @ BestBuy is where it's so cheap. I don't know about any other retailer who might be also carrying it in store (CompUSA, Radio Shack, Circuit City) but I was pleasantly suprised to find it cheaper in-store versus online so good stuff all around. :)

Messages In This Thread

A recent voyage into the land of Apple compatibility... *PIC*
J242 (71.231.203.254) -- Monday, 6 November 2006, at 8:12 a.m.
- OWC
  Zach (24.249.152.11) -- Monday, 6 November 2006, at 9:02 a.m.
- Re: A recent voyage into the land of Apple compatibility...
  Lord Crosis (209.193.22.233) -- Monday, 6 November 2006, at 2:56 p.m.
  - Re: A recent voyage into the land of Apple compatibility...
    J242 (71.231.203.254) -- Tuesday, 7 November 2006, at 11:55 a.m.

Post Response

Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Subject:
Message: : So, recently I found myself in need of a DVD burner in order to finish a : project for a local client of mine. I was looking around online at the : various big retailers to see what listed OSX compatibility. I wasn't too : suprised when I was able to find very little available listed as : compatible and what was listed was too expensive for my budget. : I figured that most likely they don't list OSX compatibility but I could : safely assume that the majority would be compatible and the compatibility : listings were only for the bundled software and thankfully I was right on : my first purchase! More on that later though... So, after a couple of : meetings and scrambled, fruitless attempts to search for decently priced : retail models on XLR8yourmac I decided to just go in to one of the large : national chains and take a look. : I came across a very sparsely stocked wall'o'drives and out of the 3 : externals they had in stock there was one little gem on the shelf and I : had to triple -check the price because I flat out couldn't believe it. It : was the Sony DRX-830U and for only $79.99! Of course, there was no : mention of OSX and their net kiosks there in the department were locked : down so after 15 minutes of talking with the "geek squad", their : tech department AND their business sales department I said screw it and : just took it to the register. I figured if it worked, no problem, if not, : I caould return it and try again and it was so cheap, I'd be kicking : myself for not giving it a chance. I DON'T like that it's only USB 2.0 I : prefer to have Firewire only external hardware with secondary FW : pass-through ports becauase I can then daisy-chain my devices : strategically and not have to completely re-engineer my cable layout every : time I want to charge my iPod or connect my freakin' camera but Oh Well... : So, the moment of truth arrives and I have the sucker plugged in to my mini : with my project itching to be pressed to DVD and I turn it on for the : first time. I give it a minute while I'm staring at the system profiler : icon giving in to the inevitability that I'm either (and most likely) : going to have really kicked myself in the ass and have to go out in the : rain, back to the store and try all over again then go through this entire : episode repeatedly (all the while my deadline is creeping up on me) and : worrying that I'll have to push back for more time on the project due to : hardware issues all the while hoping with baited breath that somehow the : Sony will be picked up and all my worry will have been for naught (yeah, : right, how often does that happen?!). So with one set of fingers crossed : and my breath held I launch the system profiler and the moment is further : delayed as I have to select USB! ARRRGGGGG! But then I see that there is : "USB High-Speed Bus" and under it "DRX-830-U"! Could : it be? Is it working automatically? So I scrambled to open up Toast : Platinum and YES! It's available in the recorder options! Woo-Hoo! : Sucess!!! : Now, I'm happy as a clam that I have a dirt-cheap external DVD SUPERDRIVE : burner that is rediculously fast, dual layer and handles every format I've : ever heard of outside of HD and Blu-Ray but WTF? Why is it that we have to : go through this crap as Apple customers? When is Apple going to get off : their keisters and publish an easily accessed list of supported hardware : upgrades? My first attempt to find one was at their on-line store but : Apple doesn't have any external DVD burners there and in their retail : stores all they carry are LaCies for twice the cost and half the : performance. You would think that there would be someone in a retail : position out there who could convince their tech department to start : keeping track of what works and what doesn't so that their sales-staff can : be better informed and by extension, so can their customers but maybe I'm : asking too much? Eh, anyways, I have a kick-ass DVD burner now that I paid : less than a bill for and it worked magically. It's fast, silent and looks : nice to boot! If anyone else is in the market for an external addition : like this, I HIGHLY recommend the Sony! Also, @ BestBuy is where it's so : cheap. I don't know about any other retailer who might be also carrying it : in store (CompUSA, Radio Shack, Circuit City) but I was pleasantly : suprised to find it cheaper in-store versus online so good stuff all : around. :)
If you'd like to include a link to another page with your message, please provide both the URL address and the title of the page:
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
If you'd like to include an image (picture) with your message, please provide the URL address of the image file:
Optional Image URL:
If you'd like to have the option of deleting your post later, please provide a password (CASE SENSITIVE!):
Password:
If you'd like e-mail notification of responses, please check this box:

[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

MacOpz Forum is maintained by MacOpz Administrators with WebBBS 5.12.

Web Design for the 21st Century

Site Designed/Edited/Published by Jason Buck and Stephan Jones- Apple, Mac, Macintosh, and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple, any other trademarks used are property of their respective owners - © 2001 Jason Buck and Stephan Jones. All rights reserved. Neither all or part may be reproduced or distributed without prior consent, including this copyright notice. Contact Us.