[ecking01]

I currently have a ppc mac mini with a combo drive and would like to get a dvd burner.

Now I can buy a burner and put it in an enclosure for way cheaper than it costs to buy a burner for the mini and have it installed (which I don't wanna do I wanna keep what I get for later computers), and for way cheaper than ones that on the box say they work with with macs.

Almost no burners say on the box that they work with macs and ones like the lacie one that does cost like 200cad, I could build one for under 100cad.

My question is does a self built external dvd burner with macs? Does it work with programs like idvd, toast and dvdstudio pro?

I don't see why not since any usb or firewire hard drive would work, why wouldn't a usb or firewire burner, right?

[ghporter]

If you buy a standard USB or Firewire enclosure and install a high-quality drive in it, it should work. To tell the truth, most manufacturers just don't bother saying the awful truth: Macs can use just about any drive in the world. And with a USB or Firewire interface between the Mac and the drive, it's probably not an issue whether the Mac even thinks it supports the drive or not. Really, any good brand of burner should work in just about any situation (though you may need to do an online upgrade of Toast or whatever to get specific support for whatever drive you use, internal or external).

[tooki]

Originally Posted by ghporter

And with a USB or Firewire interface between the Mac and the drive, it's probably not an issue whether the Mac even thinks it supports the drive or not.

More like the reverse: with a supported burner, the Mac doesn't care whether it's connected via ATA, USB, or FireWire. (For burning purposes, the Mac is seeing the drive, not the interface.)

Anyhow, any mainstream drive like a Pioneer, Sony, Lite-On, NEC, etc. will have at minimum some level of support, and most likely complete support. At most, you may need to use PatchBurn to convince iDVD.

tooki

[ecking01]

Thanks a lot guys that's exactly what I wanted to know!

[SpaceMonkey]

If you want actual confirmation that a drive you are interested in is compatible with iLife, Finder burning, etc., then look them up in XLR8YourMac's Drive Compatability Database.