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Sharing discs
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If your Mac doesn't have a built-in optical drive and you need to use a CD or DVD, you can connect an external drive like the Apple USB SuperDrive. You can also share discs from the optical drive of another Mac, or from a Windows computer that has DVD or CD Sharing Setup installed. DVD or CD sharing allows you to access documents stored on these discs, and allows you to install some software.
DVD or CD sharing isn't designed for some kinds of optical media. Connect a compatible optical drive directly to your Mac if you need to use one of these discs:
- Audio CDs
- Blu-ray or DVD movies
- Copy protected discs (such as some game discs)
- Recordable CDs or DVDs that you want to burn or erase
- Microsoft Windows installation discs
If you have a Microsoft Windows install disc that you want to use with Boot Camp, you can create a disc image of this disc and copy it to a USB flash drive for installation instead.
Setting up a Mac to share discs
To share discs from a Mac that has a built-in or external optical drive, use these steps:
- On the Mac that has an optical drive, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Click the Sharing icon in the System Preferences window.
- Make sure you've entered a name that you can easily recognize in the Computer Name field.
- Enable the checkbox for DVD or CD Sharing.
- You can also restrict who has access to your optical drive by selecting 'Ask me before allowing others to use my DVD drive.'
Setting up a Windows PC to share discs
To share discs from a Windows PC that has a built-in or external optical drive, use these steps:
- Download and install DVD or CD Sharing Update 1.0 for Windows.
- From Control Panel, open 'Hardware and Sound'
- Click 'DVD or CD Sharing Options.'
- Select the checkbox for DVD or CD Sharing.
- You can also restrict who has access to your optical drive by selecting 'Ask me before allowing others to use my DVD drive.'
If you're sharing discs from a Windows computer and your PC has firewall software enabled, be sure to allow access to the following programs from your firewall:
- ODSAgent
- RemoteInstallMacOSX
Use a shared DVD or CD
After you've enabled DVD or CD Sharing, you can use that computer's optical drive at any time. Insert a disc in the optical drive of the computer that's being shared. The disc should then be available on any Mac that's connected to the same network.
- On the Mac that doesn't have an optical drive, open a Finder window.
- Select Remote Disc in the Devices section of the sidebar. You should see the computer that has DVD or CD Sharing enabled.
- Double-click the computer's icon, then click Connect to see the contents of the CD or DVD available from that computer.
If you can't use a shared disc
If your Mac already has a built-in optical drive, or an external optical drive connected, you won't see the Remote Disc feature appear in the Finder or other apps.
If you're using a compatible disc and you don't see it from Remote Disc, make sure the sharing computer is turned on, is connected to the same network as your Mac, and has a compatible CD or DVD in its optical drive. If you've enabled the option to ask for permission before using the drive, click Accept on the computer that is sharing its optical drive.
There are two main situations people will install external DVD player and get one DVD ripper on laptop – no internal DVD drives, or get 70012 error in OS X.
The current trend of personal computer releasing is to offer users thinner and lighter product. As more and more people prefer to bring laptop around them, and deal with business or personal cases everywhere. The demand of getting easy-to-take personal computers has been top factors of purchasing. As a result, the CD/ DVD drive is removed, which seems to eliminate one important function of Mac and PC. To solve the problem, getting one external DVD player has been the best solution at present.
As for MacBook users, whose computer has DVD slot, the notification of error-70012 is the bad news for all Apple users. The internal DVD drive fail to find the valid DVD. The common approaches are changing a new internal DVD drive, or to use external DVD player for laptop. Obviously, the latter solution is easy to achieve, with less dollars you need to pay.
You can get cheaper and reliable external DVD player for MacBook and Windows on Amazon and other huge online shopping sites, instead of repairing $80 on Apple's model.
Part 1: Top 5 External DVD Player for Mac
Top 1: USB Super Drive ($79)
The USB Super Drive is the product released from Apple. The simple and technology outlook is similar with your MacBook and other versions. Moreover, the external DVD Player for MacBook Pro does a good job to be as the external DVD drive, just similar with other Apple digital devices.
Top 2: Slim Blu Ray Drive by Samsung ($79)
For people who owns large amount of Blu-ray discs, the Slim Blu Ray Drive released from Samsung is more suitable. Compares with other external DVD players on MacBook, it costs less power. The black and Samsung-style outlook may attract you.
Top 3: Ultra Slim Portable Drive by LG ($33)
The Ultra Slim Portable Drive of LG only costs half price of the Apple USB Super Drive, if you do not have enough spare money, then it will be your good external Mac DVD player. Moreover, the external drive supports M-Discs, which will be the leading format, and replace the traditional discs. But M-Disc is not supported by all DVD drives yet.
Top 4: Slim External Drive by Asus ($33)
Asus Slim External Drive has one specific design, you need to put DVD into the disc tray instead of common disc slot. And then press the button to insert it. Definitely, it will be a little larger in the appearance.
Top 5: Ultra Slim DVD Drive by Samsung ($25)
Ultra Slim DVD Drive is the slimmest DVD player at present, with 14mm thickness. Thus, it is easy to take out, and play DVD on MacBook. And the external DVD drive on Mac is cheap to get.
Part 2: Best 3 External DVD Player for Windows
Top 1: Slim External DVD Drive by Samsung ($79)
The Slim External DVD Drive for PC by Samsung runs fast, and you can play Blu-ray movies as well. Though there is the disc tray built-in, it is still 12.7 mm thickness. But the appearance of the external DVD drive for Windows seems not to be fashionable.
Top 2: External DVD Drive by Asus ($65)
Burn DVD and Blu-ray in fast speed, and get the slim outlook as well. External DVD Drive designed by Asus offers high quality service as well.
Best Cd Dvd External Drive For Mac
Top 3: External DVD Drive by Dell ($30)
This External DVD Drive is slim and lightweight, with only 14 mm thickness and 200 grams. Moreover, it is the power-saving external DVD player for Windows, and loaded with CyberLink Media Player.
Top 4: Super Multi Drive by LG ($24)
External Dvd Rom For Mac
This DVD Drive has a unique curved design and is very beautiful. This is very compact and weighs only 380 grams. This DVD Drive is also consumes a lot less power than the other drives and has a USB 2.0 interface.
Top 5: External DVD CD Drive by MiluoTech ($32)
This DVD Drive is perfect super thin and light, the CD/DVD drive is easy to use and carry. The exquisite and durable CD/DVD drive is a perfect gift for your family and friends.It is easy to plug and play; the drive can do without softwares and it is easy to charge when plugged into the USB port. USB 3.0 provides more stable performance, meanwhile being compatible with USB 2.0.
Part 3: FAQs of External DVD Player
What is an external DVD player?
An external DVD player, also named as a hardware DVD player, is a device that plays DVD video and DVD audio. It needs you to be connected with your TV or PC with wireless or cables to make a smooth playback.
Can you watch movies on an external DVD drive?
Yes, though most external hardware DVD player only supports the DVD playback, still some DVD players can play digital media types like MP4, MP3, etc., with a USB port connection.
Can I use an external DVD drive to play PC games?
It all depends. If your external hardware DVD player supports USB post connection, then it can play PC games by putting the PC games in the USB flash drive.
Dvd Drive External For Mac Computers
Bottom Line
If you are fail to receive one external DVD player as soon as possible, and you are eager to watch the specific DVD movies, turn to your friends for help, with the flash drive bring, to save the video files from your friends. No brand limitation and just leave enough room for storing DVD videos. It is just the method aims for emergency cases. If you are the fan of DVD discs, operate two steps above, and then you just get the lifelong solution, to play DVD movies, through external DVD player and DVD ripper software.