Tag Archives: Thunderbolt

IOGear Brings Thunderbolt 2 Dock/KVM Switch to CES

January 31, 2017cesces, CES 2017, dock, iogear, ThunderboltShawn Thorpe

Thunderbolt-based docks are turning into big business thanks to recent developments in computing hardware (mostly on behalf of Apple). Docks have been used for years to make it easier to use laptops in desktop situations. But what if your desktop already has a computer on it? Todd met with David from IOGear to gett the answer to that question.

David showed off the new Thunderbolt 2 KVM/Docking Station from IOGear. This dock is more than just a standard port extender for a laptop computer. Here are some details:

Built-in KVM switch allows you to connect two computers to the dock at the same time
Two Thunderbolt 2 inputs
Thunderbolt expansion port allows for connecting up to 5 additional Thunderbolt devices
4K 30hz video output
Analog and optical audio I/O
eSATA connection, USB 3, and USB 2 connections for storage
Gigabit Ethernet port

This new dock/KVM device is available for purchase now at a price of $399.95.

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Elgato Unleashes Thunderbolt 3 Dock at CES

January 22, 2017cesces, CES 2017, dock, Elgato, ThunderboltShawn Thorpe

Much publicity, good or bad, was made over the recent updates to Apple’s MacBook Pro line of laptop computers. “Where are all the ports?” was a constant refrain from critics who didn’t like the line’s lack of traditional I/O. It’d definitely be inconvenient to carry a collection of dongles around with that shiny new MBP in order to get all those old ports back. That’s why clever companies like Elgato have designed powerful laptop docks like the new Thunderbolt 3 Dock.

Todd spoke with Lars from Elgato at CES 2017. Lars gave some impressive specs on the Thunderbolt 3 Dock, including:

One cable will charge your laptop and carry all data
Connect up to two 4K displays
3 USB ports
Gigabit Ethernet
Audio input and audio output jacks

The Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock will be available for purchase within the next month and will sell for $299.

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Corning Brings Fibre To Thunderbolt and USB3

February 1, 2015ces, Interview, smartphone, Special Media, USB, videoces, corning, gorilla glass, Interview, smartphone, Thunderbolt, usb3, videoAndrew

Corning are famous for their glass-based products, most notably Serengeti Drivers sunglasses and Gorilla Glass screens which protect the majority of mobile devices on the planet. Todd gets a hands-on demonstration of Corning’s latest products from Jon Pesansky and Gabriela Allen.

This year sees Gorilla Glass 4 come to market which roughly doubles the height a phone call fall without smashing its screen. Alternatively, the glass can be made thinner for the same level of survivability and a 0.4 mm thick piece of Gorilla Glass 4 is the same as a 0.55 mm of Gorilla Glass 3.

Partly as a result of the high data transfer rates, the maximum length of Thunderbolt and USB3 electrical cables is only a few metres. To address this, Corning have developed fibre versions of these cables which can run for tens of metres and put up with the abuse typically associated with plugging and unplugging cables. Mind you, they don’t come cheap with a 5.5 m Thunderbolt cable costing $179 and a 10m USB3 cable costing $109. Available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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MOTU Introduces the HDX-SD with Thunderbolt Technology

April 4, 2014Information, videoHDX-SDI, motu, Thunderbolt, video production, WorkstationKL Tech Muse

HDX-SD-TB MOTU has introduced an addition to their family of Video I/O products at NAB the HDX-SDI with Thunderbolt technology. (HDX-SDI-TB). The HDX-SDI will work with Final Cut Pro, Avid and Premiere Pro. The HDX-SDI with Thunderbolt technology captures and monitors all types of videos from 1080p30 down to Standard Def. It works with all the popular codecs including ProRes and DNxHD. It is a plug and play operation.

Motu has not forgotten that good audio is just as important as video, with this device you can monitor and capture up to 16 channels of audio with sample rates up to 96 kHz. To keep everything in sync there is a clearly visible time code on the front of the device or you can use Genlock or machine control. You can use it to monitor video on multiple displays. The HDX-SDI-TB will work with a desktop computer or a full editing bay. You can daisy chain the device with other Thunderbolt devices, such as a high def Thunderbolt display or a hard drive.

With the HDX-SDI with Thunderbolt technology your Thunderbolt enabled Mac or PC can become a powerful HD/SD video production workstation. The device will run $1,195.00 and is available for preorder and it should ship toward the end of April. If you work with video and are looking for a fast, reliable video production workstation than the HDX-SDI with Thunderbolt maybe just want you are looking for.

USB Type-C Standard to Remove Annoying “2-Flip” Rule to Insert USB Plug

December 5, 2013Technology, USBgbit/s, implementers forum, Thunderbolt, USBJ Powers

You know the 2-flip USB rule. The USB plug won’t work, so you flip it. It still doesn’t work so you flip it again. Then it plugs right in.

Well that is all going to change.

The USB Implementers Forum announced they are working on a new plug that will work however you plug it in. Other features will include a smaller size plug and the connector design will scale for future USB bus performance. You can read it all on USB Implementers Forum document.

Smaller Type-C connectors will be an advantage to newer and smaller tablets, phones and notebooks. Alex Peleg, Vice President of platform Engineering at Intel stated his excitement over the device. He believes this will become a great all-in-one plug and the “only connector one will need across all devices.”

Current USB 3.0 standards can transfer at speeds of 5 Gbit/s. As compared to Thunderbolt 1, which can do 10 Gbit/s per channel (20 Gbit/s total).

This new connector could show up as early as mid-2014 when the USB 3.1 specification is expected to be completed.

Buffalo Launches Thunderbolt Portable SSD

November 30, 2012Apple, mac, PC, storage, WindowsApple, buffalo, mac, ministation, pc, SSD, storage, Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, WindowsAndrew

Following on from GNC’s review of the MiniStation Air earlier this month, Buffalo have a launched the MiniStation Thunderbolt SSD. As you might guess from the name, it’s a portable SSD with a Thunderbolt connection so it’s ideal for connecting up with Apple Macs.

Combining the SSD with Thunderbolt, the MiniStation has a read performance of more than 370 MB/s and a write performance that exceeds 250 MB/s, which is pretty nippy in anyone’s book. And I think those are Bytes and not bits. PC users aren’t left out with a USB 3.0 connection too, though it’s not as fast as the Thunderbolt connections.

Paul Hudson, Sales Director for Northern Europe at Buffalo, said: “The MiniStation Thunderbolt SSD combines a highly robust and aesthetically pleasing design with exceptionally fast data transfer speed. We have seen how Thunderbolt hard drives have transformed the available speed for read and write to storage devices, but with the additional of SSD in the Buffalo range, the speed stakes are raised again providing astounding performance.”

The drive is bus-powered and will be available in two storage sizes, at a recommended price of £229.99 for the 128 GB product and £349.99 for the 256 GB version. There’s a .pdf spec sheet here.

Hopefully GNC will be bringing you a review of the MiniStation Thunderbold SSD in the not-too-distant future.

LaCie Thunderbolt at CES Unveiled

January 17, 2012Apple, ces, mac, Special Media, storageApple, ces, esata, external storage, lacie, macintosh, storage, ThunderboltAndrew

LaCie Logo Mike Mihalik from LaCie shows off their new Thunderbolt-connected hard drives for the Apple Macs, including the previously announced Little Big Disk and the new 2big, which has two internal 3.5″ drives. Also announced was the eSata Dock, a docking station that connects legacy SATA devices via Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt offers seriously quick data transfer speeds with write speeds of 252 Mb/s and read speeds of 459 Mb/s shown in the video.

The Little Big Disk is available now, but the 2big and eSata Dock units won’t be available until later in the quarter, with pricing to be announced.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast network.

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