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Thunderbolt Hub?
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
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So the question is how long before a Thunderbolt hub gets made? When it does how much do you think they'll cost? I'd love to see one with Two HDMI outs, a plethora of USB outs, maybe even an ESATA out, and of course a couple more Thunderbolt ports.
This would be great, especially if they built in a MagSafe adapter. Imagine only having to plug in two cables to your laptop (To be honest I wonder if Thunderbolt could be combined with MagSafe.)
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After reviewing Thunderbolt it pretty much makes the current ports on a laptop obsolete.
So yes, a TB hub would streamline that layout of cables for all the options on the desk.
Cost may not be a factor, based on the options.
Start out as docking sync charger, include ports for printers, current drives, card reader, etc.
The cinema display is a spoiler with it's built in ports.
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Any Apple branded thunderbolt hub won't be less then $69. If it does exist I only expect 1 HDMI, 1 Minidisplay Port, 2 USB, 1 Firewire 800, and 2 thunderbolt ports. Since the original port only carries 10 watts I'm not sure it will ever have an apple branded hub since it would look ugly with an AC adapter.
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AT&T iPhone 5S and 6; 13" MBP; MDD G4.
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Sure, an Apple-branded hub would be expensive. However, something like a Monoprice-branded one could prove quite compelling.
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I hope to see some thunderbolt devices before I'm going to start thinking about thunderbolt hubs.
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A Thunderbolt hub is a Thunderbolt device.
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by Wiskedjak
I hope to see some thunderbolt devices before I'm going to start thinking about thunderbolt hubs.
ya man
I am still waiting for the glut of displayport monitors that someone promised me, once upon a time.
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blabba5555555555555555555555555555555555555
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by CharlesS
A Thunderbolt hub is a Thunderbolt device.
Very true, but, I suspect it'll be a few years before more than a handful of people will be plugging more than 1 device into that hub.
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Posting Junkie
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You think so? I'm wishing I had the money for the new machine so that I could get a hub to connect all my USB, FireWire, eSATA, and DisplayPort devices with one cable. That would be incredibly convenient — like a laptop dock, but a lot less bulky and cumbersome. I think that will find a market right away.
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Again this isn't for splitting Thunderbolt devices, (though having a say four thunderbolt ports would be great!) It's about sending EVERYTHING through one port.
Currently I have my Monitor, my USB, and sometimes my sound connected when I put my 13 inch MacBook in it's stand. With Thunderbolt I could have not just one monitor, but potentially two or more (not sure how many pixels my Intel HD 3000 could power) also all my USB devices, (and my one Firewire device) plus a set of speakers that could remain continually connected to the hub so that they're there when I dock but I don't need to disconnect them. Add to that something to charge my iPhone when my MacBook isn't at my desk!
Even if it was 69 bucks I'd buy it! Of course that'd have to have a lot of ports.
I'm thinking:
4 Thunderbolt ports
1 DVI out
1 HDMI out
10 USB 2
1 Firewire 400
1 Firewire 800
Mic in
Audio out
SD Card reader,
You know if Apple really wanted to they wanted to they could build it into the AirPort line (I know AIrport = Wireless) but they could also include a wireless router with airplay so that you could stream to your connected speakers! (OK I know that's actually a bit much to hope for but a guy can dream!)
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Clinically Insane
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If you're looking at all that in one box, you're looking at well over $150, and that's with a bordering-on-useless mic in/audio out.
I'm a little confused what the hell your reference to wireless is doing in that hodgepodge of swiss-army-knife requests, since the reason Thunderbolt works as a standard is that it's roughly 100 times faster than wireless protocols can currently muster.
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by Salty
Even if it was 69 bucks I'd buy it! Of course that'd have to have a lot of ports.
I'm thinking:
4 Thunderbolt ports
1 DVI out
1 HDMI out
10 USB 2
1 Firewire 400
1 Firewire 800
Mic in
Audio out
SD Card reader,
That almost sounds like a separate computer ...
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Join Date: Apr 2000
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What you want is not really a hub in the traditional sense but a docking station. I'm sure that the next Apple display will have at least a bunch of USB ports with the traffic going over the TB connection. With that, you can add audio adapters and SD card readers to that hub. If the TB market develops the way Apple seems to think (all devices having two ports with daisychaining all over the place) you won't need a TB hub, so such a display would cover everything in that list except Firewire. Apple seems to phasing out Firewire, so you'd need a third-party TB-Firewire adapter daisychained in somewhere.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by PhilCat
After reviewing Thunderbolt it pretty much makes the current ports on a laptop obsolete.
Ports on the laptop, yes. However, apparently you can use a Thunderbolt to eSATA adapter. This could theoretically saturate the Thunderbolt port if you're running two high resolution, high bit-depth displays and an eSATA drive.
Once Thunderbolt becomes more ubiquitous, I would imagine all the ports will simply be replaced with Thunderbolt, and this will no longer be an issue.
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Originally Posted by olePigeon
Ports on the laptop, yes. However, apparently you can use a Thunderbolt to eSATA adapter. This could theoretically saturate the Thunderbolt port if you're running two high resolution, high bit-depth displays and an eSATA drive.
Once Thunderbolt becomes more ubiquitous, I would imagine all the ports will simply be replaced with Thunderbolt, and this will no longer be an issue.
Not quite all... USB will stay, for USB memory sticks if nothing else. I also suspect that cheaper items like mice and keyboards will remain USB for the forseeable future - there is no gain in going Thunderbolt, and considerable cost. I also expect the headphone port to remain along with a port for power, but everything else might conceivably go.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by olePigeon
Ports on the laptop, yes. However, apparently you can use a Thunderbolt to eSATA adapter. This could theoretically saturate the Thunderbolt port if you're running two high resolution, high bit-depth displays and an eSATA drive.
Thunderbolt has separate PCIe and DisplayPort channels, all running at 10 GBps, full-duplex.
So you've got 20 out, 20 in.
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
Thunderbolt has separate PCIe and DisplayPort channels, all running at 10 GBps, full-duplex.
So you've got 20 out, 20 in.
Seriously!? How many monitors/pixels could that push out then? Granted I'm sure my HD 3000 would crash and burn with more than one external... but what about with a better graphics card?
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And yes, I do want a docking station. I essentially have this already with a USB hub connected to another USB hub + my AirPort express. What I'm hoping for though is Apple simplifying everything into one device.
The WiFi would be so that even when you disconnect from the Thunderbolt port your Time Machine drive would still be able to continue to back things up, you'd still be able to access content stored on any externals you have, you could still print wirelessly, do airtunes, and maybe even stream a movie from your iPhone to your monitor without having to take your laptop out of your bag.
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Originally Posted by Salty
Seriously!? How many monitors/pixels could that push out then? Granted I'm sure my HD 3000 would crash and burn with more than one external... but what about with a better graphics card?
Since the display side of Thunderbolt is just DisplayPort, I'd expect it to have the same monitor support — up to 3 monitors at once.
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Clinically Insane
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Plus whatever graphics card might be in an external Thunderbolt chassis via PCIe, no?
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Mmmm! Imagine if they could actually put a decent graphics card in there connected by Thunderbolt? Could they? That'd be killer! Imagine plugging in your 11 inch Air, and then having a graphics card on par with something in a Mac Pro!
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They could. PCIe is supported over Thunderbolt.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
Plus whatever graphics card might be in an external Thunderbolt chassis via PCIe, no?
Like the Duo Dock, which rocked. The Duo, closed, slid into the dock exactly like a cassette into a VCR. You used the Duo in the field then it became a desktop in the office: VRAM, large display, etc. I have wished for a similar setup ever since. With Tbt if Apple does not make such a dock available for the next MBA some third party will.
-Allen Wicks
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I'd quite like to see a thunderbolt networking hub. I haven't found any mention of running TCP/IP over thunderbolt anywhere though.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Originally Posted by SierraDragon
Like the Duo Dock, which rocked. The Duo, closed, slid into the dock exactly like a cassette into a VCR. You used the Duo in the field then it became a desktop in the office: VRAM, large display, etc. I have wished for a similar setup ever since. With Tbt if Apple does not make such a dock available for the next MBA some third party will.
-Allen Wicks
The Duo Dock wasn't without it's faults. Because the Dock/Eject mechanism was motorized, it was very difficult to eject the laptop when the eject button began to fail (which didn't take too long, back then). After a few years, I always had difficulty ejecting my laptop.
There have almost always been 3rd party docks made for Apple laptops. The problem is that the MacBook design results in them all being kinda kludgy. Given the placement of the expansion ports, a proper Dou Dock-type solution is next to impossible.
http://www.google.ca/search?q=macboo...w=1440&bih=757
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Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep
I'd quite like to see a thunderbolt networking hub. I haven't found any mention of running TCP/IP over thunderbolt anywhere though.
No, much easier to put a 10 gig Ethernet controller in a small Thunderbolt hub - or Infiniband or whatever floats your boat.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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10g ethernet costs a bomb though.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep
10g ethernet costs a bomb though.
As opposed to Thunderbolt?
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Clinically Insane
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Anyone know if it's possible to multiplex several Thunderbolt ports?
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Clinically Insane
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by Wiskedjak
The Duo Dock wasn't without it's faults. Because the Dock/Eject mechanism was motorized, it was very difficult to eject the laptop when the eject button began to fail (which didn't take too long, back then). After a few years, I always had difficulty ejecting my laptop.
I set up three docks operating on a PhoneNet FMP network in my office and all always worked perfectly. It always amazed me to come in from the field, drop the Duo into the slot and have the database synch. Now it is many years later and Aperture still cannot synch.
Originally Posted by Wiskedjak
...Given the placement of the expansion ports, a proper Dou Dock-type solution is next to impossible.
The ports on my 17" 2011 MBP actually look designed for a dock - all ports on one end, DVD slot on the other end, nothing on the front or back. However I expect the 9 smallish ports (10 if you include the EC/34) might be difficult to properly plug in all at once. Unless of course only the power, EC/34 and/or Thunderbolt needed to be connected...
-Allen
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I had a dock for my G3 which plugged into SCSI, 2 USB, 2 audio jacks, printer, modem, keyboard, the works. Its doable.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Thunderbolt can daisy-chain, so I'd think that wouldn't be a problem. Just connect your Mac to the adapter, then the adapter to the display.
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Moderator
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Originally Posted by SierraDragon
The ports on my 17" 2011 MBP actually look designed for a dock - all ports on one end, DVD slot on the other end, nothing on the front or back. However I expect the 9 smallish ports (10 if you include the EC/34) might be difficult to properly plug in all at once. Unless of course only the power, EC/34 and/or Thunderbolt needed to be connected...
-Allen
I think they're there so Apple can make "docking hub", ie one where you connect a bunch of ports together on one cat-of-nine-tails type cable harness. To have an actual dock, you'd need some sort of guiding cones to guide it in, which would require two unsightly holes on the side of the MBP. This is one of those cases where I fear that form goes before function.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Clinically Insane
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I'd prefer a single Thunderbolt cable.
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Originally Posted by mike95
I spoke to someone at Belkin today and the tech said he's not even sure if this thing will go into production. Anyone know more about this particular box or others like it???
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Posting Junkie
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I'm beginning to think we'll be into another generation of Macs before we see any Thunderbolt devices in production.
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Clinically Insane
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Promise Pegasus have been shipping for a while now.
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Posting Junkie
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The Lacie drives are no shipping too and of course Apple's TB display. I'm surprised the Chinese haven't started selling extra controller boards from those to make into docks. Maybe they need a little more time...
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
Promise Pegasus have been shipping for a while now.
Whoops, sorry, I should have said "affordable Thunderbolt accessories that the average person can use"
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep
The Lacie drives are no shipping too and of course Apple's TB display.
I didn't realize the Lacie drives had started shipping. Hopefully that price starts to come down. $400 for 1TB feels a little steep these days.
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Posting Junkie
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A little? Its crazy prices. The Pegasus is much better value. Given the speed and capacity, they actually represent a pretty good deal.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Professional Poster
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Thunderbolt devices: The few, the fast, the expensive!
Can't remember a less successful interface introduction by Apple...
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Firewire wasn't a blast either, but we forget because there were video cameras. And it isn't Apple's standard, it's Intel's.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Clinically Insane
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Posting Junkie
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ADC was great. Real pity that one never caught on. It was probably a bit ahead of its time. If Apple had introduced it when everyone had switched to LCD it might have stood a better chance.
That said, it amazes me how many LCDs still ship with VGA as the only connector.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Clinically Insane
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I know, but that wasn't the question.
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