Unable to Format New CD's with Apple Super Drive

[hoody]

I bought this drive from apple some time ago and yesterday I thought I'd download some music from iTunes. I tried on the imac, 21.5" late 2012, 10.14.6 with upgrade to 8Gb of ram and a 1TB SSD. I put in a brand new disc, opened disk utility and everything except 'info' was dimmed. I tried several times and zilch. Then I tried on the macbook air, 13" mid 2013, 10.12.6 bought refurbed from apple and no mod's except for a new battery. I disconnected the battery to reset the SMC and then tried with the same new CD... nothing. I unpacked another new CD and still the same. I found an old DVD and it played it perfectly. I tried a bought music CD and it played that perfectly too. I don't think it's the CD's themselves, they're Verbatim which I think are a decent make. I know I could be better off using a flash drive/usb stick, but I have an old Yamaha CD player/hard drive (CDR HD-1300) that only has line in (av) or I can record from a CD to the hard drive. So basically, I want to format/initialise a disc so that I can record from iTunes.

 

[ferrarr]

If the discs are blank, there is nothing to display. What is it you want to do with the discs exactly? Burn music to them?

Create CDs and DVDs in iTunes on Mac

In iTunes on Mac, create a custom CD or DVD for the items in a playlist. This includes audio CDs, MP3 CDs, and CDs and DVDs for media storage.

support.apple.com

 

[krs]

So basically, I want to format/initialise a disc so that I can record from iTunes.

I haven't burned any disks for a long time, but I don't remember that one had to format a recordable disk like one does with a hard drive or USB Flash drive.
When you insert the disk you should get the window I added below, I then just opened the disk, dragged in the files I wanted to burn.
There is also an application called Burn which I think works well.
But like I said, I haven't done this for years

 

[pm-r]

but I don't remember that one had to format a recordable disk like one

You don't. The optical disk gets Initialized And Formatted during the burn process, and it's usually a "write- once" process. Unless it's "Kept Open" for later additional recording that some software supports. I can't recall the proper name for what that process is called.

It's been a while since I last used an optical disc...

BTW: If the drive is an Apple external USB Optical "SuperDrive", They will not normally work with any Mac that originally came with a built-in optical drive. Also be aware that apparently it is very easy to install a disk upside down on the units, I cannot recall if the Apple logo goes on the top or the bottom to work properly. Bad design!!!



- Patrick
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[chscag]

I cannot recall if the Apple logo goes on the top or the bottom to work properly. Bad design!!!

The Apple logo goes on the bottom side. That's what makes using that drive so confusing. Besides, it's more expensive than a generic optical drive which works as well or better than the Apple one.

 

[krs]

Yes, I use an ASUS DVD burner which I bought many, many years ago for about $40.-
Still works perfectly and requires only one USB port for data and power.

 

[pm-r]

The Apple logo goes on the bottom side. That's what makes using that drive so confusing. Besides,

Thanks, Charlie, I can never figure out Apple's logic or thinking or whatever it is that they use when designing such things.
Were they made before or after Jony Ive's departure? That could be part of the explanation... ? ?



- Patrick
=======

 

[hoody]

Thanks for the replies and what a muppet I am! I've been thinking that I needed to go to disc utility and initialize from there. After reading these replies I woke up and went to 'open in finder,' then it was straight to 'burn to disc' and away it all went. Now I'll have to find some CD+RW because the -R's are a pain.

 

[IWT]

Hi Pete

Now I'll have to find some CD+RW because the -R's are a pain.

You said you were using Verbatim CDs. Well so do I exclusively and I use CD-R and DVD-R without difficulty.

Ian

 

[hoody]

Yep, age is certainly catching up with me. I meant CD-RW so that I can record music from itunes, put it on the hard drive, wipe it and record some more. I can't use a DVD because the old Yamaha CDR-HD 1300 doesn't read them. The Verbatim discs haven't given me any trouble at all.

 

[krs]

I meant CD-RW so that I can record music from itunes, put it on the hard drive, wipe it and record some more.

I'm obviously missing something here....
This sounds as if you use re-writable CD's just to transfer music from iTunes to a hard drive?
Is there any reason why you go through that exercise?

 

[ferrarr]

Yes, I agree @krs, that is a strange situation indeed....

 

[pm-r]

Now I'll have to find some CD+RW because the -R's are a pain.

And what seems to be the problem using the -RW or -R discs????

I've always used -R optical discs and I don't recall having any problems, but I must admit I didn't use very many -RW discs and all their extra hassles needed.

I understood the -RW or -R discs were actually recommended for Mac use over +RW and +R discs but I could be mistaken.



- Patrick
=======

 

[pm-r]

Is there any reason why you go through that exercise?

Gee, I sure missed that comment earlier!!! So another member here and questioning why???



- Patrick
=======

 

[pm-r]

I can't use a DVD because the old Yamaha CDR-HD 1300 doesn't read them.

Are you sure and have you checked lately??

IE: https://www.google.com/search?q=mac...i57j69i64l3.5702j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

But I must admit that Drive seems to be quite ancient and DVDs probably weren't invented or even allowances made to use them.

Heck, a new Modern CD/DVD external drive that can do things much better And faster only cost about $40.00cdn!!!

Just saying...



- Patrick
=======

 

[IWT]

but I have an old Yamaha CD player/hard drive (CDR HD-1300) that only has line in (av) or I can record from a CD to the hard drive.

The situation as I read it - tell me if I'm wrong, Pete - is this. Pete wants to transfer his songs from iTunes/Music to his Yamaha HD. To do this , Pete has chosen to burn the songs to a Rewrite CD which he transfers to the Yamaha HD.

What I think most people are saying is:

1. Why use a CD at all? Answer may be that is the only input the Yamaha will accept.

2. If he must use a CD, why a Rewrite CD? CD-RW are prone to faults if repeatedly used. But his answer might be, that using standard CDs is expensive.

How am I doing, Pete?

Ian

 

[krs]

Ian,

I think you're doing great!

I just read Pete's original post again - at the end it says:

I have an old Yamaha CD player/hard drive (CDR HD-1300) that only has line in (av) or I can record from a CD to the hard drive. So basically, I want to format/initialise a disc so that I can record from iTunes.

You are absolutely right - the hard drive is part of the Yamaha unit not a separate hard drive.
I just read Pete's post #10 when I made my last comment which just said "hard drive"

 

[hoody]

You're right KRS. I'd use a usb or SD card if I could.

 

[krs]

I just glanced through a review of this Yamaha unit

Yamaha CDR-HD1300 CD/Hard-Disk Recorder

Photos by Tony Cordoza Most people never see hard-disk drives, but their impact on our lives is becoming universal. We take them for granted, remembering how essential they are only when they occasionally fail. While CDs pretty much own the data of the audio world, hard-disk drives are providing...

www.soundandvision.com

Pretty sophisticated, especially for its time.

 

[hoody]

Yes it's a good bit of gear. As the review says, it sounds really good on playback. It just doesn't do SD cards/USB's.