A means for receiving an optical disc to be transported to an optical drive is oriented off-axis to maintain an optical disc within such receiving means during loading/unloading of the disc to/from an optical drive. In a preferred embodiment, the optical drive comprises a receptacle operable to transport a disc to/from the optical drive, and such receptacle comprises a cavity that receives the disc. In a preferred embodiment, such cavity is oriented at an acute angle .theta. from the vertical axis. In a more preferred embodiment, such angle .theta. has a value selected from approximately 5 degrees to approximately 45 degrees from the vertical axis. In a most preferred embodiment, angle .theta. is has a value selected from approximately 5 degrees to approximately 15 degrees from the vertical axis. Angle .theta. is sufficient to maintain the disc within the receptacle. In a preferred embodiment, the optical drive itself is oriented at angle .theta. from the vertical axis. In an alternative embodiment, the drive can be oriented vertically, and the receptacle for transporting the disc to the drive is oriented at angle .theta. from the vertical axis. In yet a further alternative embodiment, the receptacle can be oriented vertically, and the cavity that receives a disc within such receptacle is oriented at an angle .theta. from the vertical axis. In a preferred embodiment, a user can easily place a disc into the off-axis oriented receiving means with little effort and little potential for damaging the disc.