New desktops need faster CDR-W/SuperDrives

satchmosatchmo
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Any reason why Apple hasn't incorporated the fastest possible drives in their desktops?

I know there are 52x combo drives out there, and I think the SuperDrives are up to 8x with 16x announced (forget who, I think Samsung).



The current iMac is only at 32x which is fine, but it shoud have the fastest given it's premium price. Hopefully future Macs will address this minor issue.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    kraig911kraig911 Posts: 912member
    what is it after 32x it doesn't really matter....?
  • Reply 2 of 12
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    No. But Superdrives should be at the fastest available speed... I assume 8x would be included in future revisions.
  • Reply 3 of 12
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    The B&W PowerMac G3 had a 32x CD-ROM drive. Apple's never gone above 32x since then. I've heard it's because of noise... but I've used a 52x Lite-on CD-RW (same brand Apple uses for their machines) and it was whisper quiet even when burning.



    To be fair, the fastest DVD-R drives available when the G5s came out were 4x, but now 8x ones are emerging. 16x may be coming soon but I don't know of any 16x DVD burners that you can just go out and buy right now.



    What's funny is that looking at NewEgg reveals that although the G5s have the fastest DVD burners of their time, I couldn't find one Combo drive with a CD read or write speed below 48x. I guess Apple is getting custom-built slower drives for their machines
  • Reply 4 of 12
    jubelumjubelum Posts: 4,490member
    As I think I said in another thread, I am still baffled as to why CD write speeds are so much less on Superdrives. Why does the speed of the CD write have to fall when DVD burning is added?



    <hanging curveball for the hardware-informed>







    I love my Yahama 52x in my MDD, but hate to send it to a firewire enclosure when I get my G5. Sure wish I had a second bay. (yea, Apple, that was directed at YOU! )
  • Reply 5 of 12
    the placid casualthe placid casual Posts: 49member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Luca Rescigno

    The B&W PowerMac G3 had a 32x CD-ROM drive. Apple's never gone above 32x since then. I've heard it's because of noise... but I've used a 52x Lite-on CD-RW (same brand Apple uses for their machines) and it was whisper quiet even when burning.







    My PC has an LG combo drive 48 x CD-RW and DVD-ROM, and it too is whisper quiet in operation...



    Can't see why they are not in Macs yet.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    jobjob Posts: 420member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Jubelum

    As I think I said in another thread, I am still baffled as to why CD write speeds are so much less on Superdrives. Why does the speed of the CD write have to fall when DVD burning is added?



    Ditto.



    Why the heck are the Combo drive CD-RW and CD-R speeds faster than the much vaunted 'Superdrive?'
  • Reply 7 of 12
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    Isn't there some kind of conversion factor, like a 1X DVD is equivalent to a 16X CD or something like that?

  • Reply 8 of 12
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    They're referring to the cd write speed in DVD recorders, which is absurdly slow, i.e. the current G5 super drive only writes CDs at 16x.
  • Reply 9 of 12
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    DVD+R DL is coming in April -- 8.5GB dual layer discs you can write in your PC. Those will be nice. I hope the DVD forum can release a competitive product, or it looks like the DVD alliance has suddenly gone from bastard format, to premier DVD recording system.



    I'd like to see those in all macs... should tide us over nicely untill blue laser discs arrive.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    jobjob Posts: 420member
    DVD formats are something I've never been too clear on.



    Who exactly is in the DVD Forum and the DVD Alliance.



    I'm assuming, given the different names, that they are promoting different formats..
  • Reply 11 of 12
    futuremacfuturemac Posts: 242member
    watch out on those + drives tho. they may be "faster" than - drives but i find they are far less compatible when being played on a number of drives.



    last year i bought a combo +/- dvd drive and burned 5 + discs and 5 - discs. the minus discs have worked in every drive i've tested them in while the plus discs would only work in the original drive...



    i hope things have changed by now however, i plan on getting the plextor px-708a and testing again.



    what burners do the superdrives use?
  • Reply 12 of 12
    futuremacfuturemac Posts: 242member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by job

    DVD formats are something I've never been too clear on.



    Who exactly is in the DVD Forum and the DVD Alliance.



    I'm assuming, given the different names, that they are promoting different formats..



    job:



    Quick facts on the DVD Forum



    The DVD Forum is a consortium of 212 international hardware manufacturers, software firms and other users of DVDs. Its mission is to exchange and disseminate ideas and information about the DVD format and its technical capabilities, improvements and innovations. It is currently the biggest participant in the development of specifications for DVDs.



    In case you are in any doubt, each DVD standard maintains its own list of supporters from some of the most influential industry players.



    DVD-RAM is backed by Hitachi, Toshiba, Panasonic and Samsung, and is also endorsed by the DVD Forum. DVD-RAM was the first standard developed by the DVD Forum, and the first format used both in PC drives and in a DVD recorders for the living room.



    DVD-RW is also endorsed by the Forum, and is backed by Pioneer, NEC, Sharp and Thomson. This format also features in systems by Apple and Compaq. The Forum also support the write-once DVD-R format, which is recognised as the DVD equivalent of CD-R media. This is the most versatile standard, as all DVD writers except the DVD+RW will operate with this format.



    DVD+RW is not endorsed by the DVD Forum, but does have the support of the DVD+RW Alliance. This Alliance consists of Hewlett-Packard, Philips, Sony, Yamaha, Verbatim, Ricoh and Dell. Microsoft also announced its intention to join the DVD+RW alliance in February 2003. Like the DVD Forum, the DVD+RW Alliance has developed its own write-once format, DVD+R, which claims to offer a level of drive compatibility similar to that of DVD-R.



    http://www.digitalworld.co.uk/index....des.dvd&page=5





    Please note that the "+RW" format, also known as DVD+RW was neither developed nor approved by the DVD Forum. The approved recordable formats are DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM.



    dvdforum:



    http://www.dvdforum.org/forum.shtml

    ----



    The DVD+RW format will not copy content with CSS protection. As a group, the DVD+RW Alliance fully supports the legal use of copy write content around the world and we recognize the rights of content owners. DVD+RW copy protection meets the requirements of industry accepted copy protection technologies.



    dvdalliance:



    http://www.dvdrw.com/
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