Generic (non-Apple) USB CD-ROM drives work?

[pup975]

Anyone know if other non-Apple branded external USB CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives will work on the Macbook Air. I really just need a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM occasionally (e.g., install Windows) and it seems silly to spend $100 on the Apple optical drive that I'll use 2-3 times over the lifetime of my Macbook Air and that I can't use on any other computer. One such example is this one from Philips:

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Super...3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1202499594&sr=8-3

 

[TEG]

ANY USB DRIVE WORKS. The MBA isn't special, except that the USB port has more power to drive the Apple Superdrive for MBA. A $25 Superdrive from Tiger Direct would work, or Amazon, or Best Buy.

TEG

 

[Mr.Green]

Most external drives, especially the cheap ones, will require an external power source. The superdrive can run over the USB drawing power from the MBA's battery alone.

 

[Consultant]

The Philips is internal but those drives can be bought for half that price.

Internal drives needs some kind of enclosure with USB adapter.
It would then need to be plugged into the wall.

 

[kyleen66]

I used a Sony DVD drive that I borrowed from my mom. It worked great.

And yes, it had it's own power source. But as someone said, why buy something that you only want to use a few times?