In line with recent consumer trends toward weight and size, the number of laptops and desktops released without an optical disk drive (ODD) is increasing. However, consumers who want to use optical media for DVD viewing or HDD storage are increasingly purchasing external ODDs due to the inconvenience. Therefore, here are three reasons why we still need an ODD.

#1 Install the Drive CD

Mr. A, in his 50s, recently purchased a PC and a new printer for work. He connected the printer to his PC, but couldn't use it because the printer driver wasn't installed. He was given an installation CD, but his new PC didn't have an optical drive (ODD). He tried to download the driver from the printer company's website, but the process proved more complex than he'd anticipated, leading him to give up. If he had an ODD with an installation CD, the process could have been completed in just a few clicks.

▲ Samsung external ODD

#2 Using DVD and Blu-ray players

Mr. B, a 30-something, wanted to watch popular movies on Blu-ray by connecting them to his TV. He'd released the movie on Blu-ray disc, but he needed a player to watch it on his TV. However, the cost of a Blu-ray player was too high, making him feel burdened. Then, he remembered the external Blu-ray disc drive he'd recently purchased, and connected it to his TV to try playing the movie. Fortunately, I was able to watch movies using the AV connectivity function of the Blu-ray ODD.

#3 OS Installation

Mr. C was using his computer when a Windows error suddenly occurred, preventing him from booting. He attempted to reinstall Windows, but since his computer didn't have an optical drive (ODD), his Windows PC was rendered useless. He tried various methods to find out that USB installation was possible, but his computer wouldn't boot, making it impossible to create a bootable USB drive. He ultimately purchased an external optical drive (ODD) and easily installed Windows.

Even these few examples alone demonstrate that there are still places where ODDs are needed. And ODDs are still being developed and improved. An official from TSST's domestic distributor, 3S Solutions, stated, "While demand for ODDs has decreased significantly, there are still many customers seeking them out, and their uses are diversifying. Going forward, we expect the use of ODDs to continue to increase, albeit slowly."