External DVD writer confusion

[jrbehm]

Well, as usually happens when I try to save a buck (as in "didn't get the Superdrive"), I need an external DVD burner now.

Talk about confusing! On DPReview's Professional Photographer forum, I got so many conflicting recommendations that I'm worse off than before. It's not even clear from them whether I have to buy burners that say "Mac compatible" on their specs. Some say no. I have trouble believing that although, of course Samsung or Pioneer 16X writers are like $40 and the LaCie that my local Mac Outfitters sells costs around $90. Retrofitting a Superdrive in my 12" G4 Powerbook is $190...

So...here I am, asking Mac folks who'll know. I kind of think I'd like to be able to use Toast, just because I'm used to it, but maybe that's not in the cards. I'm a photographer who wants to upgrade the digital product delivered to brides and other clients, as well as archive images for the studio. I don't make home movies and have no interest in copying existing films. But making a DVD that a bride could plop in her home system and watch on TV does appeal.

Thank in advance
Jeff

[fryke]

Well... Those Samsung and Pioneer drives are _internal_ at 40 USD, I guess. If they ARE external: Take a Pioneer, since Apple's using Pioneer drives as Superdrives. I'd certainly forego the 190 USD internal Superdrive update. Probably the best way would be to get

a) an external FW/USB-2 case for optical drives &
b) a Pioneer "Superdrive" (one of those internal ones).

Then, you might have to use the free PatchBurn [ http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16466 ] to enable iLife/Finder support for the drive. That's all. This way, I've managed to make a no-name external drive which had a NEC-2500 DVD writer inside compatible with my iApps and the Finder. Toast had support for it even without it.

Why forego the internal solution? Because the external one gives you the option to _sell_ the Pioneer drive anytime and replace it (cheaply so) with a better drive - even a BluRay or HD DVD writer, come the time.

[jrbehm]

Excellent! Thank you. I gather my concerns about specs not stating "Mac compatible" are unfounded then? Great!

Thanks

[fryke]

Yeah. Usually companies who have "Mac compatible" stickers or similar are asking for more money, knowing full well that customers might be insecure and rather pay a bit more for guaranteed compatibility. Look at particular models (Pioneer, Matsushita) and find reports on successful Mac using of that model online.

[jrbehm]

Thanks for all your help!

[jrbehm]

fryke,

I downloaded Patchburn and it immediately solved the lack of recognition problem I was having until then (Sony DRX-810URL). I imported the Quicktime movie I wanted to test with, started the burn process and early into the actual iDVD burn, it kicked out the disk with an "Error in multiplexing or burning" warning. Any ideas? Since I'm not using the Sony software, and not using Apple hardware, I'm fairly lost now.

Suggestions welcomed.

[fryke]

I've never personally used iDVD, so... No idea. Care to test whether it works fine in iTunes or Finder etc.?

[jrbehm]

Hmmm... If only the "Help" section of iDVD could even find "Multiplexing error"! Whatever it is, it doesn't like it. So, considering I'm a complete babe in the woods at this DVD burning stuff, and we both use Macs, what are you burning with? Toast?