Apple Silicon support for Apple USB SuperDrive

[minimiggs]

It seams that Apple is no longer supporting the Apple USB SuperDrive (Model - A1379) with specific drivers for Apple Silicon Macs.
Below is the same drive plugged into 2 different 2018 intel Macs, and 1 2020 M1 mac.
Looking at System information on my 2018 intel MacBook Pro & 2018 intel MacMini, both running macOS Monterey 12.3. Both display the same info.

The USB Superdrive is recognised as an Apple Shipping Drive. Displays exact manufacturer and model.

On my 2020 MacBook Air M1, running macOS Monterey 12.3.
The drive is only recognised as a generic drive. No longer shows exact manufacturer and model.

Music ripping programs dBpoweramp & X Lossless Decoder(XLD) also no longer see the exact make and model.

What is the difference between 'Apple Shipping Drive' and 'Generic Drive Support'?
Is there a way to work out what has changed? Is it better or worse in the way the drive works?

 

[SpotOnT]

Yes, driver support is the biggest weakness with M1 right now. Hopefully that gets better with time.

Have you tried burning and ripping a disc with the Super Drive? I assume you get the same rip results and can burn a disc fine on the M1 Air?

If I recall correctly, the Generic Drive Support had some issues mainly with "rights management" stuff. So CDs always worked fine, but there could be some wonky issues with DVDs, like getting the Apple DVD Player software to play a movie or changing the DVD region code. There is probably also some licensing issues that can pop up if trying to run/install some software. Again, it has been a long time, so doing my best to remember, but I think that was mostly it.

 

[powerslave65]

Since I finally have a bunch of ports to play with I plugged my Apple Superdrive into the Mac Studio and it worked just fine. It's sitting right on top of the Studio.

 

[minimiggs]

Since I finally have a bunch of ports to play with I plugged my Apple Superdrive into the Mac Studio and it worked just fine. It's sitting right on top of the Studio.

I'm not saying it doesn't work. It is more that the drivers seem half baked. Losing the ability of programs to see the make and model of the drive. Even the windows bootcamp drivers have this ability. I'm still trying to work out what other functions the Apple Silicon drivers have lost.
There has been quite a few iterations of the Apple Superdrive over the years. The SuperDrive that I own has a HL-DT-ST GX30N inside.
I am now having to setup the drive parameters manually in Music Cd ripping programs. Instead of the programs doing it automatically based on drive models.

I do understand that the market for optical drives is shrinking, but I do rely on mine quite heavily.