Unable to Format New CD's with Apple Super Drive

[pm-r]

Hi,
It's mid 2013 and mactracker (thanks) confirms it has no optical. Sorry for confusing things.

I checked today on the iMac. It's late 2012 and has no mention of the dual output, only headphones. I looked on mactracker too and no mention of it on there either.

No sorry. The iMac is late 2012.

Are you sure now what year model it is...!!!

It really does help to supply the correct information to get proper support.

BTW: What does your Mac System Information list about its Audio ports???




- Patrick
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[krs]

No sorry. The iMac is late 2012. The macbook air is mid 2013. I must be getting worse than I thought. I do have the combo on the iMac. So as far as I can see, the computer detects the optical converter and TosLink and lets me record (line out). Is that right?

Well, the iMac will provide the audio on the TosLink if you select that output, if the Yamaha will record directly to its internal hard drive depends on the Yamaha unit.
TosLink cables are not expensive - I just bought two, a 3ft and a 6ft, in Canada for six Canadian dollars (the 3ft wasa free one supposedly)
If the Yamaha manual says one can record audio on the Yamaha optical unit, I would just get the cable and try it.
If you end up going back to the converter, USB-to-Optical, you need the cable anyway.
Make sure you get a cable with the right type of TosLink connectors at each end.

PS: Just read your last post again - with the iMac optical out and the Yamaha optical in you don't need any converter, you only need the converter if the Mac has no optical output and you use the USB port for audio out.

 

[hoody]

KRS,
The imac has the combo output as in my post 39, so I need to find the converter plug/socket to use it. As the imac is so easy to move, having no tower, I can put it beside the Yamaha and record direct. Thanks for the help.
PMR,
Sorry about the confusion, but with the head injury which I think I posted about some time ago, I get confused and think I've got things right when I haven't. I did put up a screen shot of the iMac showing that it has the combo output.

 

[krs]

I just took a quick look at the manual for the Yamaha unit.
Seems to me you can record on the Yamaha hard drive either through the analog, co-ax or optical inputs.
If you possibly have a simple analog cable, 3.5mm plug to a left and right RCA plug (looks to me from the manual that the audio in are RCA jacks), then you can try a sample recording just to see how that works. The level may be low depending on the sensitivity of the Yamaha unit an the audio quality won't be great sine you are going through several D/A and A/D conversions.
If that seems to work, then go for the optical cable which will all be digital and the recording quality will be the same as the source quality.

 

[hoody]

Jake & KRS,
I've just tried again to partition a USB drive and got this message: "Discs with master boot record maps can't be partitioned." I set it to MS Dos Fat. Could that be why?

 

[hoody]

Sorry KRS I missed your post (44). I'll get the adapter and try it with the optical cable of which I've got plenty. Does it matter which type of adapter I get? All my cables are optical rather than Toslink.

 

[krs]

Jake & KRS,
I've just tried again to partition a USB drive and got this message: "Discs with master boot record maps can't be partitioned." I set it to MS Dos Fat. Could that be why?

Yes, that is the reason.

 

[pm-r]

Does it matter which type of adapter I get? All my cables are optical rather than Toslink.

Maybe doublecheck that they are "optical rather than Toslink."

Toslink vs Optical

Toslink vs Optical: Uncover the distinctions between these digital audio connections, including HDMI and Dolby Digital.

finddiffer.com

- Patrick
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[krs]

Sorry KRS I missed your post (44). I'll get the adapter and try it with the optical cable of which I've got plenty. Does it matter which type of adapter I get? All my cables are optical rather than Toslink.

See if you can find someone via google who actually connecte their iMac via TosLink or optical.
It looks like the Yamaha can do either.
I thought you nee a TosLink cable with a Mini TosLink connector, but this is what it says on the Apple Support page:

Optical digital audio in and out:

You can use these ports to transfer stereo or encoded 5.1 audio using the S/PDIF protocol over Toslink cables and connect to decks, receivers, digital instruments, and 5.1 surround-sound speaker systems. Use standard Toslink cables, or fiber-optic cables with a 3.5 mm plastic or nylon optical

.

Maybe a query in the Audio section of this forum will provide specifics of what cable to use.
I have no first hand experience connecting an iMac via an optical cable.

 

[hoody]

OK thanks Patrick and KRS.

 

[hoody]

I ordered a converter plug yesterday, so we'll see what happens now.

 

[hoody]

An update on the saga. Plug hasn't arrived yet, but I bought a new USB drive. Formatted it to mac os extended journalled, partitioned it and put music from iTunes on it... it wouldn't work in the Yamaha Amp (RX757) so I erased it and formatted to MS-Dos (FAT32). Now it works but I couldn't partition it. I went to put some more music on it and poof, it flashed the screen and the imac shut down. I took the USB out and restarted and tried another USB and all was well, phew. Took it back today and got my money back. The USB was a Lexar 16Gb. I've got another couple of these with various things on them and they've given no trouble. Just bad I s'pose.

 

[chscag]

The USB was a Lexar 16Gb. I've got another couple of these with various things on them and they've given no trouble. Just bad I s'pose.

I just yesterday threw two Micro SD drives away for the same reason. These were premier SDs of 64GB each that just quit working and would not mount. I do not trust either SD or flash drives to keep any kind of valuable information on. I've had too many of them go bad.

 

[hoody]

I agree. I won't be deleting anything that I load on to these things. The safest way, I think, is to use an external SSD. I got the money back with no trouble anyway even if it was only a few dollars.

 

[hoody]

The converter plug arrived yesterday. Plugged in to headphone jack and connected a good quality optical cable and away it went. It only transfers at one to one, but it doesn't matter because it's all stuff that I like... except for some that the wife likes, but you can't win 'em all.
Thanks to all that helped specially about the dual output. I'd never have thought of that.

 

[krs]

Happy to hear that everything is working.

Just for interest - could you post which converter plug you ended up getting?

 

[hoody]

Sure thing. Here's the link. As you can see, it's from an Australian company. just click the title.

Cable Chick | Australia's Best Range of Computer Cables, Switches & Adapters

Shop Australia's best range of HDMI, DisplayPort, and other computer & AV cables, switches, and splitters. Save up to 75% off retail, and view our huge range today! Same-day shipping on all orders!

www.cablechick.com.au

 

[krs]

Thanks Hoody,

This thread has been quite educational for me (and others too I imagine)
For one, I didn't know that one cannot partition a drive that is formatted MS-DOS, at least not with Mac Disk Utility.
And secondly it clarifies that the optical output on the Macs that do have it is a Mini TosLink connector,seems Apple doesn't efine that correctly in at least one note.
I should also mention that in this thread the terminology used, adapter and converter, is sometimes confusing.
An adapter is a device that changes the physical characteristic of a connector but not the signal itself. There is usually no electronics involved.
A converter is a device that changes the signal from one type of signal to another type. For that there is usually electronics involved.
You calling the device a "converter plug" had me a bit confused.

BTW - my definition of adapter and converter here is a bit simplistic, there are cables that do not change the signal end-to-end but still require electronics in the cable just to extend the distance the signal can be transmitted. These are typically referred to as "active" cables.

 

[hoody]

Well guess what. There was I happily recording when I got the message "not enough space." After all this trouble I've come to a full stop! I know the HDD can be replaced, but I'm not sure about what type I'd need. I know it's an IDE and I also know that I can't go over a certain size... about 120Gb is somewhere near the biggest. I don't suppose I could use an SSD either.

 

[krs]

Some not so good news for you Hoody

I have a CDRHD-1300. Can I upgrade the hard disc drive to a larger size and will I be able to transfer the data?

The HDD on the CDRHD-1300 (mkI and mkII) can be upgraded by your dealer but to a maximum size of 137Gb. A larger drive could be inserted but only 137Gb would be used. The electronics which manage the HDD on the new CDRHD-1500 are different, allowing larger drives to be used. When upgrading the HDD the data will be lost and it is not possible to transfer it.

Those who've had the HDD upgraded have all said that as only the dealer is given the necessary software by Yamaha to re-set the BIOS within the unit, fitting your own is a waste of time. Simply because the current BIOS still sees the new drive as '80gb'.

Someone may have a found a workaround, and if so could post it here. As the unit is out of warranty now, this isn't such a big deal on that score, however, be advised that if Yamaha are recommending dealer upgrades only, any workaround may mess up your unit.

Advice needed on upgrading a Yamaha CDR-HD1300 please

Hi guys My step dad has a Yamaha CDR-HD1300 and wants to upgrade his hard drive. He asked me for advice so I said I'd have a look into it for him. Is there a limit to the hard disk size you can use with them? Presumably it's EIDE, but it there's no limit he'll be best getting a 300 or...

www.avforums.com

Maybe searching some more on the net will bring up some options of how to get past the 137 GB limit, or even the 80 GB limit.