Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Hardware Hacking > Hiding an optical drive in everyday objects - suggestions welcome

Hiding an optical drive in everyday objects - suggestions welcome
Thread Tools
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 13, 2011, 02:36 PM
 
I have recently (about 2 minutes ago) upgraded my iMac 27 with an SSD. As I may have mentioned, my original plan was to install that SSD in addition to the existing drives, but that turned out to be impossible for the very simple reason that there wasn't enough space behind those heatpipes afterall.

Anyway: This means that I have a slimline slotloading optical drive left over. Since I might need it, the plan is to connect it over USB. I have ordered the necessary adapter to do so, but that would leave me with an optical drive and a circuit board lying on the table, which less than ideal, so here's the question:

I'd like to hide that drive in something, and I'd like suggestions as to what. It should be something that might reasonably be found on a desktop, and slightly larger than the optical drive. The drive with the USB adapter will be roughly 150*130*12.5 mm, so anything slightly larger than that.

Best idea so far is to get an old hardcover book and cut out space in the center to hide the drive. The disc would then peak out between the pages when ejected.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Railroader
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Indy.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 13, 2011, 10:17 PM
 
I like the book idea.

You could also, depending on the kind of desk you use, mount to the bottom of the desktop slightly away from the edge and it would be hidden but you'd have easy access.
     
olePigeon
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 14, 2011, 12:00 AM
 
How about emptying the guts of an Apple II 5.25" floppy drive and sticking it in there? The CD would load through the original opening for the floppy drive.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
reader50
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 14, 2011, 01:56 AM
 
     
P  (op)
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 14, 2011, 03:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by Railroader View Post
I like the book idea.

You could also, depending on the kind of desk you use, mount to the bottom of the desktop slightly away from the edge and it would be hidden but you'd have easy access.
I thought about that too. Other than meaning a very long USB cable (or two really, it's going to be one of those solutions which needs a second port to draw power from), it's an interesting option.

As for the other suggestions: Great ideas, if I had those things to build it out of. Keep it coming though.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 14, 2011, 04:34 AM
 
The right adaptor should allow you to run off a single port. Most external slimline drive enclosures do. You could hunt for a faulty MacBook Air superdrive on eBay and replace the internal drive with yours. Though its not very interesting.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
P  (op)
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 14, 2011, 06:02 AM
 
I investigated this pretty thoroughly, and it seems that slimline DVDs generally run well off a single port while reading, but will need more power when burning. Some of the adapters will ask for more power when burning, and compatible USB hosts - like the iMac - will give it to them, but I don't know if the small adapter I have ordered will do that.

In any case, I intend to run it off a USB hub, and it's old enough that I seriously doubt that it will give more power if asked.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
SierraDragon
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 30, 2012, 12:59 PM
 
The book idea sounds bad from a heat standpoint. I would just make a coffee cup coaster out of a real drive enclosure.

-Allen
     
P  (op)
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 2, 2012, 03:54 AM
 
Seems much easier to just buy an external DVD entire - it's not like they're expensive.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Nergol
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2008
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 2, 2012, 10:00 PM
 
I have one of these I'm not using. It's yours for the asking if you want it:
http://www.newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=416

Email me at catchmeifyouspam at yahoo dot com if you want me to send it.

If not, there's this:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/VLSS9TOPTU2/
     
P  (op)
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 4, 2012, 07:24 AM
 
Thanks, but I ordered one already.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:36 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,