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Power Macintosh G4 Q&A - Updated April 25, 2009
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How do you replace or upgrade the optical drive in the Power Mac G4 models? What are the capabilities of the default optical drives? What is DVD-RAM?
It is simple to replace or upgrade the optical drive in the Power Mac G4 models and for systems that shipped with anything less than a DVD-R/CD-RW "SuperDrive" an upgrade is particularly worthwhile. Even systems that shipped with an optical drive capable of writing to single layer DVD-R are good candidates for many users to upgrade to a dual-layer DVD burner.
For those who have more recently picked up a Power Macintosh G4 and are not familiar with the ill-fated DVD-RAM standard, it is an archaic rewritable DVD format that can store between 2.6 GB (one sided) and 5.2 GB (double sided) on a disc. DVD-RAM can read DVD-ROM and DVD-Video discs, but can only write to DVD-RAM discs.
DVD-RAM could be used along with video editing software to create a DVD-Video disc layout with MPEG-2 video and AC-3 audio, which could be replayed in DVD-RAM drives, but not in DVD-Video drives. Any Power Macintosh G4 with a DVD-RAM drive defintely is a great candidate for an upgrade.
All Power Macintosh G4 models use an EIDE (ATA-3) bus for the optical drive, and the default capabilities of the optical drive that shipped with each -- as well as instructions from Apple and site sponsor Other World Computing -- are provided below:
Power Mac G4 |
Default Optical Drive |
Instructions |
32X CD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM, RAM |
||
5X DVD-RAM |
||
32X CD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM |
||
5X DVD-ROM, RAM |
||
8X CD-RW |
||
8X CD-RW |
||
8X CD-RW |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
12X CD-RW |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
24X CD-RW |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
8X "Combo Drive" |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
2X "SuperDrive" |
||
12X "Combo Drive" |
||
12X "Combo Drive" |
||
4X "SuperDrive" |
||
12X "Combo Drive" |
This video from Other World Computing is for the "AGP Graphics/Gigabit Ethernet" line:
Additionally, OWC has optical drive upgrade videos for the "Quicksilver/Quicksilver 2002" and "Mirrored Drive Doors/Firewire 800" models. The always excellent XLR8YourMac has a guide to replacing the optical drive in pre-Quicksilver systems as well.
On top of helpful upgrade videos, as you would expect, OWC has optical drives for sale compatible with every Power Macintosh G4 model. Site sponsor Operator Headgap Systems also has optical drives available.
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