Burning images to external DVD drive?

<p>Hi everyone. I've always been a PC user, but have recently switched to a Mac Book Pro, which no longer has an internal DVD drive. I purchased the external one, which plugs in to the USB drive. I can't seem to copy my images to it. Can you help? Here's what I've done. I converted the RAW images to jpegs and exported them out of Lightroom to a folder on my desktop. Then I tried to drag and drop it in to the DVD drive, but the drive does not appear anywhere on my desktop. I went to Finder and the only thing that's listed is 'remote drive', but it does not allow me to copy to there. I'm using a program called 'CARBON COPY CLONER', which is what I use when I copy from my Main External Drive to my Back-up Drive. Is there another way I can do this? Thanks if you can help!</p>

<p>The OS should allow you to copy, you don't need CCC for that. Right click (option click) on the folder with the images and choose burn "folder" to Disc. It will then tell you that you need to put the disc in the drive. Once you do, a dialogue box pops up that gives you a naming and speed choice. </p>

<p>The OS doesn't show the drive unless there's a disc in it, in which case it shows you a disc. You can also put the blank disc in first and you may be able to do a drag and drop although I always use the "Burn..." option from the folder menu.</p>

<p>Jeff, I see the burn option when I right click. But when I click on 'burn', it says to 'insert disc', which I've already done. I feel kind of silly, but I can't figure out how to eject the disc. I went to Finder, clicked on 'Remote Disc', which is the only option (I think) that could be this drive. But when I went up to the top and clicked the eject button, nothing happens. It does not come out. I had put the DVD into the drive before I started trying all of this. Hope I'm making sense and you can understand what is happening. But I still can't get it to work. I hope I don't have to make the 45 minute trip to the Apple store! :-) Ughh! This would have taken me 2 minutes on my PC, but this computer is so different. Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>It shouldn't show up as a remote disc. Are you connecting to a port on the computer directly? If you go through a hub, that may be a problem. It's always possible the drive has a problem, is there another computer you can try it on?</p>

<p>Okay, that's kind of what I was wondering too. So it should not show up as 'remote disc'. I wonder what that is.....when I click on remote disc, nothing happens. Anyway....I guess I don't need to worry about that just now.<br>

I've tried both ways.....directly into the USB port and also with a hub. Same both ways. Gosh, I hope the drive isn't bad.....I just recently bought it. I'll check and get back to you when I figure it out. Thanks!</p>

<p>It sounds to me that the Mac built in burning software is as lame as the one in Windows 8/8.1.<br>

An easier workaround:<br>

Go to www.download.cnet.com<br>

click on the search symbol in the search download box in the top right and select Mac software if it does not come up as the default for you<br>

put dvd burner in the search box then click on the search button or hit enter<br>

you should get 6 results for free, 20 for free to try.<br>

The first two in the free look to be adequate for basic burning of your images without hassles.</p>

<p>I had similar problems with Win 8.1 on a Dell XPS and found a suite that fit all my burning needs without the Windows hassles and can't read disk problems.</p>

<p>Charles and Jeff.....thanks so much. For some reason....another day....who knows......but the drive is working today. I was able to successfully copy the images. Charles, I'll keep your info for future reference. I may need it down the road. <br>

I appreciate your help, gentlemen! Thanks!</p>

 

<p>Built-in CD software generally writes in a packet fashion. This makes the CD/DVD look like a floppy drive, except a new directory is created with each burn. If everything goes right, the previous directory is copied along with the new, but only the latest directory is readable. If there is any glitch in the burn, all previous data is lost. Since there is no standard for packet writing, the discs often can't be read on another computer or operating system.</p>

<p>The best way to save data on an optical disc is with software that writes in a Disc-at-once mode (DAO) that finalizes the disc. These discs follow ISO standards, and can be read on any computer, PC or MAC. Software like Roxio (PC) or Toast (MAC) will write DAO, but not as a default. You have to dig through layers of menu to set that up. I use Nero software, which is better suited for archiving. AFIK, it only works on a PC.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Go to www.download.cnet.com</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

Don't do this. He obviously hasn't checked out these downloads. I did at one time. Many of them don't run on current software. Most of the "free" downloads won't work long. And many of them create DVDs and CDs that will only work as movies or audio discs. The third party ones that worked are long gone.<br>

<br>

"Track at once" is more relevant to audio CDs. It's meaningless here, millions of people have burned discs using the OS software without a problem.<br>

<br />Find someone else with a Mac and test the drive on their system. If it's still not working, call Apple and see if you can get some phone support to see if there is something broken in the OS. Then take it in.</p>

<p>Edward.....thanks for your time and suggestion! Things are actually now working as they should....copying and verifying the disc. To be sure, based on your remarks, I tried playing the DVD in both a MAC and PC and they play fine. So problem solved.....tho' I'm not sure how exactly. :-) Thanks!</p>

<p>Jeff.....same comment.....thanks for watching out for me though! It's all good now. Don't know why the DVD drive was so finicky, but for the moment it seems to be working fine. </p>

<p>The Mac built in software works, but for years I have found it much easier to use Toast.</p>

<p>"...millions of people have burned discs using the OS software without a problem."</p>

<p>Perhaps, but millions of people find discs they burned ten years ago have "faded," when in reality, their software is no longer compatible with the way they were burned. Millions of people burn music Track-at-once too, even though it leaves a 2 second gap between songs, then wonder what is going wrong. Disc-at-once is just as applicable to archiving images as for audio CDs. The difference is having one directory, closed to further entries, and a gapless data structure.</p>

<p>My primary business is audio and video recording, for which disc burning is an important function. I'm able to apply what I've learned to archiving of all types. If your discs go south, you blame the disc. If mine go south, I hear from angry customers.</p>

<p>Andrew, Although I've figured out how to do in with my computer, I'll check out Toast.....never heard of it before. If it's easier, I'm all for it! :-)</p>

<p>Edward.....are you saying if I burn images to DVD's now, and at some point in the future my computer OS no longer reads them, wouldn't I at least be able to go to a professional video/audio person like yourself and have them converted to the current format? Kind of like we had VHS tapes, which ultimately had to be converted to discs? So I guess what I'm asking is this......do you think DVDs are a rather safe way of storing images as a 3rd back-up? I already save to 2 external hard drives, but then I also back up to a DVD disc as well.</p>

<p>As it has been discussed many times here.... CD's and DVD's are one more medium that were marketed as "bulletproof". They are not. They are fine for transporting images, but sometimes they fail. You must not use them as an archiving mechanism.</p>

<p>It isn't that they will all fail, but some will - you will write to them but you won't get it back. No expert in a clean room will be able to help. Backing up to DVD is a waste of time. Get another hard drive.... they're dirt cheap these days, $100-$300, depending on quality, speed, etc.</p>