DVD drives- where did they go?

Jump to First Reply
salmonstksalmonstk
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Does a DVD-CD drive like the ones in the old iMac's cost that much more than a plain CD-drive. Why don't they put these in base models?



With more software going on DVD's it seems like this would be a better base selection that the CD-drive in the base eMac etc?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    I think they use plain-jane CD-ROM drives not because they're that much cheaper (they aren't), but because otherwise you'd get people buying the DVD-ROM version and then getting a third-party external CD burner, if they even want one. The way it is, you have to pony up an extra $200 to get DVD capability, and those $200 all go to Apple.



    It applies even more to the iBook - it would be great if they had a DVD/CD drive on the low end (even as an option) but I think a lot of people would ditch the Combo version for the DVD version.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 10
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    DVD ROM really is the bare minimum in just about every machine that sells for what Apple's low end sell for. Some have CDrw only, no DVD-rom, but ALL have either CD burning or DVD-reading. They really should move to all DVD in the base. In the next two years, a lot of major software will ship on DVD's, and all those CD rom only machines will need awkward external drives.



    But then again, Apple's low end offerings have always been half hearted at best.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 10
    pesipesi Posts: 424member
    people have been saying that all major software will be soon shipping on DVDs for the past five years... and it has yet to happen.



    and i don't think it's going to happen.



    the few titles that have come out on DVD have been flops.



    i'd love for DVD to be standard, but that's the market reality.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 10
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    DVDs have been awesome in terms of reducing clutter (i.e., Apple putting all the software for a computer on one DVD for easy restores). The thing about Apple being money-miserly seems true. I can't think of another reason beyond that. Gotta remember the company we worship is still in it for the money, as much as they'd like to dispute that with a bunch of sentimental goo about "improving lifestyles."
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 10
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    mmm.... ...sentimental goo...



    *drool*
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 10
    clayton magnetclayton magnet Posts: 110member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pesi

    people have been saying that all major software will be soon shipping on DVDs for the past five years... and it has yet to happen.



    Well, it sure is nice to reinstall the system on a new iMac and have it all on one DVD. No pain in the ass 5 CD mess to deal with.



    Something else Apple could consider. Pumping out 1 DVD per machine, as opposed to all these CDs to press and package...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 10
    bodhibodhi Posts: 1,424member
    Shipping this off to Current Hardware...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 10
    gizzmonicgizzmonic Posts: 511member
    Where did they go?



    They were right here a minute ago!



    You took them, didn't you?



    Just admit it.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 10
    der kopfder kopf Posts: 2,275member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Clayton Magnet

    No pain in the ass 5 CD mess to deal with.





    Or 37 floppys
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 10
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by der Kopf

    Or 37 floppys



    Try about 2,400 formatted floppies for 5 formatted CD-ROM's worth of space.



    Wow...if every floppy disk is about 1/8" thick, a stack of 2400 floppies would be about 25 feet tall.



    If every floppy weighed in at around .64 oz, 2400 floppies would weigh almost 100 pounds.



    Assuming a transfer rate of 75KB/s, and about five seconds to swap each disk, it would take 15 hours to get all of that data from media to hard disk...assuming perfect timing and no breaks.



    And some most PC OEMs still include a floppy drive on all of their machines. And I thought I knew some really stupid people...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.