Mini Disc Use in an iMac
Mini discs cannot be used directly with iMacs because the slot-loading drive is incompatible with them. Using a mini disc the right way decreases the risk of damaging your iMac's drive. Although iMacs can only read 120 mm discs, compatible mini disc camcorders can be used to transfer content such as photos and videos from a small disc to the computer.
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Compatibility
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The Intel-based iMac is incompatible with mini discs used in camcorders. IMac is only compatible with standard 120 mm round discs. Unfortunately, iMac is incapable of reading mini discs because they don't meet the recommended size requirements. Mac OS X operating systems allow you to verify whether mini discs are indeed compatible with your iMac. If you click "About Mac" from the Apple menu, click the "More Info" button to display information about your computer's hardware. If you click the "Disk Burning" option, the computer displays information about compatible discs.
Slot-Loading Drive
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The slot-loading drive on an iMac is an 8x superdrive with 4x double-layer burning. The drive is only capable of reading the following discs: DVD-R DL DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and CD-RW. These discs, which are rewritable, are in standard 120 mm dimensions.
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Tips
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Although mini discs cannot be used directly with an iMac, you can use them to transfer content such as videos and photos using a compatible camcorder. Before connecting the camcorder to the computer using a USB or FireWire cable, insert the mini disc into the camera's drive. Depending on the camcorder, use third-party video recording software to transfer content to your computer. Transferring content using mini disc camcorders may vary with different models, so refer to your device's manual.
Recommendations and Warnings
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Inserting a mini disc into the slot-loading drive on an iMac can cause system problems. An incompatible disc is more than likely to get stuck in the drive. If you inserted a mini disc and can't eject it, you need to reset the System Management Controller. The SMC is responsible for low level functions and should only be reset as a final troubleshooting step. To reset the SMC, shut down the computer and unplug the power chord. After 15 seconds, plug in the power chord, wait five seconds, and then press the power button to turn on the computer. If you're still unable to eject the mini disc, contact Apple for additional support. Force-ejecting the disc increases the risk of further damage, so avoid tampering with your iMac.
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