External DVD reader and MBP

I have a late 2016 MBP, which, of course, has no optical reader. I use it primarily like a desk top, with an external monitor and magic mouse. It also has only two Thunderbolt 3 access ports, thus necessitating the use of a dongle and a hub with USB connections to a attach the peripherals, external HD, printer, and wired Apple keyboard. I recently bought a external drive with a USB 3 connection, but when I plug it in through the hub, the computer does not recognize. The directions, which are mostly in Chinese with a minimum of English, say that you have to plug the drive into the computer directly, which I cannot do. I have no more ports on the dongle. I could shelling out another $50 or so bucks for a Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3 adaptor, but that is more than the drive costs, and is not worth the cost or the effort. Is there a way around this dilemma? The DVD drive would be a convenience not a necessity. Thanks of any ideas.

EMS

You might want to return that USB 3 external DVD drive and get one that is a standard USB 2. USB 3 devices usually only work thru a powered hub or directly connected. A USB 2 standard DVD drive should work when plugged in to a hub. And if you're using a wired Apple keyboard, it may even work when plugged into that.

Thanks of any ideas.

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Well, you could gain one USB port by connecting your USB printer to the second USB port on your Apple wired keyboard.




- Patrick
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pm-r said:

Well, you could gain one USB port by connecting your USB printer to the second USB port on your Apple wired keyboard. - Patrick ======

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Good idea, but he may already be using a wireless printer. Also, that model MacBook Pro only has the 2 Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 ports. No single USB ports at all. Lousy setup by Apple in my opinion. The more expensive models both 13" and 15" have 3 Thunderbolt/USB 3.1 ports and no single USB port.

The MacBook models are even worse. No ports other than the charging port which also doubles as USB. Too bad you can't use them at the same time.

The drive itself won't be recognized until a disk is put in. Your post wasn't clear as to if you had done that.

yes as Jake as said the dvd drive won't show unless there is media in there.


if it was a windows laptop then yes it shows it all the time but OSX don't.

give that a try and let us know

chscag said:

Good idea, but he may already be using a wireless printer. Also, that model MacBook Pro only has the 2 Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 ports. No single USB ports at all. Lousy setup by Apple in my opinion. The more expensive models both 13" and 15" have 3 Thunderbolt/USB 3.1 ports and no single USB port.

The MacBook models are even worse. No ports other than the charging port which also doubles as USB. Too bad you can't use them at the same time.

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I would assume they would be avoiding using any USB port if it was a wireless printer, but one never knows. And some don't realize the Apple wired keyboards have spare USB ports.

As for Apple's lack of ports and usage with their later model laptops, I couldn't agree more and quite a stupid move IMHO.




- Patrick
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Thanks for the help so far, but none of suggestions seem plausible. I guess the real question is why all of the other peripherals will work through a hub, but the DVD readers won't. The only wireless part of this set up is the bluetooth mouse. The keyboard connects through a powered hub, but I've not been able to get power out of the keyboard ports. When I could plug it into the computer directly as in the 2010 model I had before, the ports did provide power. The MBP powers through the dongle, which is plugged into the power port and two hubs plug into that. Everything else runs off that, so I still have an unused Thunderbolt 3 port, but I'm not ready to pay $50 for a TB# to USB3 adaptor for something I don't really have to have. Wish I'd held out for a 2017 model, but I didn't have the option at the time.
EMS

What hubs? Do they support power to the USB ports? I suspect some of the el-cheapo hubs won't, but it could very from hub to hub.

Did you get the DVD drive Working?

Thanks for the help so far, but none of suggestions seem plausible. I guess the real question is why all of the other peripherals will work through a hub, but the DVD readers won't.

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Basically it's simply due to design and costs!!

Not even Apple's own external optical "SuperDrive" will work with Macs with an existing internal optical drive.

As your's says:

The directions, which are mostly in Chinese with a minimum of English, say that you have to plug the drive into the computer directly, which I cannot do. I have no more ports on the dongle. I could shelling out another $50 or so bucks for a Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3 adaptor, but that is more than the drive costs, and is not worth the cost or the effort.

Click to expand...

As you have already said, you should be able to get probably a self-powered optical drive that will work using a hub, preferably powered, and for less money than the darn expensive TB cable.

PS: Can you not just unplug everything else and just attach the DVD drive directly while you work with it???

Just some thoughts from this old brain…






- Patrick
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