Replacing cd whith dvd...?

[ADSR]

Hi,

Is it possible to replace (or add)  the internal cd rom in my G4 pci graphic whith a dvd ?
If yes wich one do you suggest..? ( i think they 're all cd compatible..?)

Thanks

GR

[kbeartx]

Just make sure that the replacement drive is Mac Bootable [requires a special ROM chip].

You don't wanna lose the ability to boot to a CD if things on the hard drive get wonky.

If you have an open optical drive bay, then you won't have to replace the CD drive [and not worry 'bout the DVD drive's bootability].

 - KB

[Texas Mac Man]

There are two possibilities you may want to consider.

1. Get a drive that will read both CDs & DVDs.

2. Get a drive that will read both CDs & DVDs, plus burn CDs.

My G4 AGP came with a CD & DVD reader, I replaced it with a drive that also burns CDs.

Bought it from Other World Computing for $39.99 + shipping. Here's the description.

Apple Logo Phillips CDD5301 (The drive is bootable)
32X CD-R
10X CDRW
40X CD-Read
12X DVD-Read
1 yr warranty

Send me [ caltx(at)flash(dot)net ] an email and I will email you a copy of the G4 Service Manual which will give instructions for removal of your current drive & installation of a new drive.

[gunug]

I have replaced one in my G4/AGP with a DVD burner from a iMAC G4 and after updating the firmware it works great.  This old DVD burner only burns minus DVD media but that's okay.  I also have run cheaper non-supported CD burners in the same box and they will work well with a third party driver called Patchburn:

http://www.patchburn.de/

You still have to have Toast, Discblaze or something else to do the burning; although I think I was able to burn from iTunes.

Discblaze: http://www.radicalbreeze.com/blaze/index.shtml

[kelly]

GR. Did you have to Register again?

What are you after. A DVD Reader or DVD Writer.

It's very important what OS you're going to use.

[ADSR]

Hi,

Just  had a new pseudo account on Aol and could reregister.

What are you after. A DVD Reader or DVD Writer.

Maybe both...:-)

I'm using 9.2.2 on the G4


GR

[gunug]

I guess I'll have to take back what I said about Patchburn but I think I remember something similar available for OS 9; you might look around on Versiontracker's OS 9 section.  I bought a firewire external drive enclosure with a burner for my iMAC and it came with software (including Toast) for pre-X operating systems.  I can look around for receipts and such but it's been 2 years ago.

[kelly]

Ok. I think OS 9.x limits you somewhat.

IMO. You should probably try to find an older DVD Burner.

Something like a Pioneer 104. Should be cheap.

And they can be made to work with OS 9.x

That machine may have problems playing DVDs also.

Because it doesn't have an AGP Video Card.

Check here for more.

http://forums.xlr8yourmac.com/action.lasso...ost=yes&-search

http://forums.xlr8yourmac.com/drivedb/search.drivedb.lasso

[gunug]

Kelly, I think some of the older beige G3's could playback DVD's and they never had AGP slots.  I'm thinking of the Tower models that had 300MHz clocks and came with DVD's!  I think if you prowl around Apple's website you'll find a version of DVD player that "might" work!  We had one of those guy's in one of our schools and I'm sure I saw a teacher watching a DVD on it.

Later: I decided to look this up and the following link talks about it (I think you can reach it without an Apple tech login:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=22199

[kelly]

I didn't say it wouldn't.

I said he was going to have problems with it.

[gunug]

No doubt about it!  I think the accelerated video would probably be the worse; although if you could pick up the proper DVD drive you could probably find the proper video card.  But it is sort of recreating the world from scratch sort of thing!  I do things like that but I don't expect it from "rational" people!