03-02-2004, 10:17 AM

I understand that if I get a Power Book, I can get it with a superdrive, dvd-r.

Does this mean that if I put a dvd-rw in there and try to use it, it will not work? I would use it for storing things like pictures and important documents.

Also, if I were to get a powerbook WITHOUT the superdrive, and changed my mind later, could I just buy a superdrive and install it OR have someone else install it?

03-02-2004, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by HazelGirl

I understand that if I get a Power Book, I can get it with a superdrive, dvd-r.

Does this mean that if I put a dvd-rw in there and try to use it, it will not work? I would use it for storing things like pictures and important documents.

Also, if I were to get a powerbook WITHOUT the superdrive, and changed my mind later, could I just buy a superdrive and install it OR have someone else install it?

I don't know about using -RW's w/ the SuperDrive, but I'm sure you can get a SuperDrive after-the-fact and put it in yourself (or have someone do it).

03-02-2004, 01:09 PM

get external DVD-RW. i em not happy with superdrive. you can only use DVD-R discs with it. its around 300 for external and 200 for superdrive if you buy it later, plus installation fee. so my advice would be to eather get powerbook with superdrive already there, or if you think of upgrade get external one.

03-02-2004, 01:48 PM

not sure really...it depends on what company mac has baught their shipment from... i know a lot of the original G5's were either sony dvd-r/cd-rw's or pioneer.... i know mine is a pioneer...and if you go into "about this mac" it will say exactly what you have...mine is a DVD-RW / CD-RW even though its only advertised as DVD-R...mine will do rewritables as well

so supposing that mac baught thousands of sony drives.... and thousands of pioneer drives....you either get the one or the other...and the pioneer is dvd-rw

so im supposing the same thing goes for laptops...when they order thousands of parts for their powerbooks..the get deals from the companies that make the hardware....and if they get 2 different companies..they will have different specs.... but they will advertise the specs that both drives have....

so luck of the draw you may get an "upgrade" to whatever the specifications are on a dvd-r drive

03-02-2004, 02:56 PM

Thanks.....maybe it would be better to get an external....I dunno. Aaaargh! I am so confused as to what I want to do!

03-02-2004, 03:00 PM

Just remember that iDVD does not work with an external DVD burner. You can use either Toast or DVD Studio Pro with an external DVD burner.

03-02-2004, 03:58 PM

My drive specs say that CD-RW/DVD-RW are supported.
It's a Matshita DVD-R drive... This info is under the Apple Menu: System Profile: ATA

03-02-2004, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by msSwitch

My drive specs say that CD-RW/DVD-RW are supported.
It's a Matshita DVD-R drive... This info is under the Apple Menu: System Profile: ATA

BTW, I also have an external Plextor PX-504UF drive:
4X/2.4X/12X DVD+R/RW / 16X/10X/40X CD-RW External FireWire and Hi-Speed Combo Drive - USB 2.0, which I use when I need DVD+R/RW capabilities. I only purchased it because a friend was selling it under $100 bucks and it was a good deal at the time. I also have a windows machine for my kids (pre-switch) so I usually let them burn movies on it with the external.

03-02-2004, 05:48 PM

I'm fairly sure my handbook says my super drive supports dvd-rw.....though it may be only certains companies disks...I've heard of something like that going on....I have yet to try rw....r works great though...

03-03-2004, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by rman

Just remember that iDVD does not work with an external DVD burner. You can use either Toast or DVD Studio Pro with an external DVD burner.

yes, sorry I forgot to mention that. but now with iDVD 4 you can build DVD and burn it later with toast

03-03-2004, 10:59 AM

Can I load iDVD 4 with having a superdrive insdtalled? Also does it create mpeg2 files?

03-03-2004, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by rman

Can I load iDVD 4 with having a superdrive insdtalled? Also does it create mpeg2 files?

yes you can
i do not have iDVD 4 myself, here is what i have heared:
1. it works on the macs without superdrive (unlike iDVD3)
2. has aditional 20 themes
3. has some sort of menu browsing tool, so one can see his menu scheme like a tree.

now about mpeg2
I em not sure, but i donot think iDVD can encode mpeg2. from what i know it encodes DVD directly from your DV or quicktime movie. if you are particularly interested in having mpeg2 files (quality really rocks) you have to have DVD studio pro. this software installs mpeg2 codec in your quicktime so you can use quicktme to create mpeg2 files. though you wont be able to play them unless you buy mpeg2 playback component for quicktime.

may be you already know all this