burning cds and dvds with MBA

[financeguy]

Do you have to have an external drive to burn CDs with the MBA?

So far, I've avoided getting the superdrive by using the remote disk option, but I tend to burn CDs and data onto DVDs from time to time. Is there a work around for doing that without the superdrive or are there no other options?

 

[Scottsdale]

I recently had to replace my SuperDrive for MBA. At the rime, I looked for an external BluRay but all I found were too expensive. Anyways a guy posted in a thread stating slim BluRay drives can be found for around $100. Saw them at MacMall and Amazon after his post for $100. That's a much better deal. You get ability to read BluRay if you use it with Boot Camp Windows and hopefully OS X gains support soon. In addition it does DVD/CD RW too in OS X.

I would go that route before buying an MBA SuperDrive. I paid $100 for the far inferior SD that looks pretty but spends its life in a drawer 99% of the time.

Good luck.

 

[financeguy]

I was hoping there might work around to the remote disk and not have to buy an external drive.

There are actually some used Superdrives on EBay selling for around $50. I might just do that then.

 

[McGilli]

You could just transfer your files to the other computer and burn them there?

 

[Scottsdale]

There is no way to "burn from" the MBA without an external drive, think about it. Any other remote way would just be burning on the remote computer. If there is something on the MBA you want burned to a DVD you need an external OR move the files with USB drive or network/Internet to a remote computer that has a burner available.

I don't know what else you would mean if you want to "burn from" your MBA yet don't want an external drive. I don't get what other option you are expecting??? Or if you just want files moved from MBA, a USB drive will do the job not requiring an external DVD burner.

$50 on eBay, beware, I checked there and they're all used/open box and sometimes the old version (a1266 or similar). The old version is reported to not work via USB hubs, ACDs, and etc. You want the newer model (starts with MB). When I saw the new models they were $80 + $10 shipping new on eBay. Honestly not worth the hassle. I would not buy the "display" models being sold on there by Best Buy; people shove things in those and mess with them. Plenty of them used have damaged cables too, as the cable is poorly designed.

Bottom line is you should buy new in sealed box as they are fragile devices to begin with. Or buy another brand. External DVD drives on NewEgg.com start at $45, or you can get BluRay around $100. I would advise you do either of those before Apples version. It is pretty but very fragile and quite honestly, JUNK!

Good luck.

 

[financeguy]

The old version is reported to not work via USB hubs, ACDs, and etc. You want the newer model (starts with MB). When I saw the new models they were $80 + $10 shipping new on eBay. Honestly not worth the hassle. I would not buy the "display" models being sold on there by Best Buy; people shove things in those and mess with them. Plenty of them used have damaged cables too, as the cable is poorly designed.

Didn't know. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[coolbreeze]

Just get a refurb MBA superdrive direct from Apple for $79.

That's what I did. Works great with my ACD and in Windows.

 

[ooo]

I use a lite-on slim dvd burner. The reason I didn't pick up the superdrive was because it only works on the air. The lite on slim works on windows/macs and it can burn lightscribes.

 

[alphaod]

Toast offers the option to share DVD burners, so if you have that installed on 2 Macs, you can use the burner of one Mac on the Air.

Of course Toast isn't free and it costs as much if not more than a generic external DVD burner.