Intel Mac Pro: What DVD drive can I use?

00Photo · Jan 2, 2008

I purchased a second dvd burner from a local "mac specialist" store about a year ago since apple doesn't sell them. It was a pioneer DVR-112R. It is currently not reading disks. Primary Pioneer DVR-111R is still working fine. What can I replace the drive with? I don't feel like spending another $100 for a "special mac pro dvd burner" when I can go to newegg.com and pick up something that will work fine for $30. I see new DVD rom drives use SATA. Is the interface on the Mac Pro SATA or IDE? Will any old IDE burner work and clear the bay door?

bryphotoguy · Jan 2, 2008

I picked up this Pioneer DVR-112D for my Mac Pro. It works fine and it was only $45 with shipping and tax.
It's super simple to upgrade. I think they gave me a little "how to" or a link to install it.
The standard Mac Pro connection for an optical drive is the older IDE connection. There are two, hidden, unused SATA ports near the rear of the optical drive bay. If you bought a SATA optical drive, you could use one of the hidden ports.

harryb2448 · Jan 3, 2008

Have installed the Pioneer 115D DL burner which sell for $39 here in Australia so you may even get one cheaper. Only hard part in replacing the old drive is undoing the power connection. Struth they are tighht.

louishen · Jan 3, 2008

The Pioneers are great burners and they just work straight of in macs, you don't have to go to a mac dealer either

Joe Redifer · Jan 3, 2008

I have a Pioneer 112D that came with my Mac Pro and I installed a Pioneer 111D (which I bought online) from my old Mac. I'm not sure what the differences between the D and R models are. You may need to run a free program called... I can't remember. But it lets "unsupported" drives work with iTunes (at the very, very least) and usually everything else. Does anyone know what this app is called? I always forget until I need to use it.

bryphotoguy · Jan 3, 2008

Joe Redifer said:
I have a Pioneer 112D that came with my Mac Pro and I installed a Pioneer 111D (which I bought online) from my old Mac. I'm not sure what the differences between the D and R models are. You may need to run a free program called... I can't remember. But it lets "unsupported" drives work with iTunes (at the very, very least) and usually everything else. Does anyone know what this app is called? I always forget until I need to use it.

If you are running 10.4 or lower, you need to download patchburn. With 10.5, patchburn isn't needed.
I believe the D means it doesn't burn DVD-RAM discs.

Joe Redifer · Jan 6, 2008

Patchburn, yeah, that's it.

I thought DVD-RAM died years ago. I had a Mac which came with a DVD-RAM drive once. That thing was 100% useless.