Looking at the pictures, it looks like some electronics within the connectors will convert from electrical to optical and vice versa, rather than the ports pushing light directly. Am I correct?
Makes me wonder if the next MacPro will arrive in modular form. Use fibre optic interconnects via the thunderbolt port and build your own supercomputer.I wouldn't be surprised if they added this little invention to the next Apple Announcement coming in early 2013. Chances are it will be in March or it might be June. Who knows for sure!
I thought that the 10 gb limit was because of the copper wire, and that fiber optic TB would transfer at 100 gb. So if there's no difference in transfer speed between the two right now, why would anyone opt for the more expensive fiber optic version? Because of the length?
Is anyone else bothered by the length of those cable ends? That just seems like it would put a crazy amount of stress on the ports and circuit boards. I'm about to order my first TB device, but the cable kind of scares me... (anyone remember those square external SCSI cables?)
Fiber optic is just a transparent plastic cable with an LED and a photodiode at either end, right? Why not put the LED and photodiode in the computer and the device, instead of in the cable? That way, you only pay for the electronics once, no matter how many cables you buy…? That's exactly how optical audio works, isn't it?
Another American invention made overseas.
worked in broadcast environments myself, basically money no object. So I can see this type of cable being used to pump several channels of uncompressed video around the suites and backend area. It's not for the likes of single users really.If multiple machines/people need to use the same piece of equipment, they could put the equipment in a central control room and have them all connected to it from separate rooms. I've seen edit suites do this with decks and firewire. Firewire has a length limit though, so it had to be converted to cat5 and then go through a patch bay.
I do think you are a little narrow in your thinking there.
I'm no expert, but the fact that the fiber-optic cables cannot transfer power and so the fact that the external devices cannot be bus-powered, it's kinda annoying...
Of course, if you use a 30m cable it probably won't be a problem finding a nearby power outlet, but on shorter cable (do they exist? short thunderbolt cables in fiber optic? Or are they just in copper?) it sucks..
Must cost $1 million
In fact, I'm not really sure what Apple is going to do with this connector, seeing as they seem to be letting it go the way of the dodo (I mean FW 800).
Fiber optic is just a transparent plastic cable with an LED and a photodiode at either end, right? Why not put the LED and photodiode in the computer and the device, instead of in the cable? That way, you only pay for the electronics once, no matter how many cables you buy ? That's exactly how optical audio works, isn't it?
Also, why can't power be passed along an optical cable? Just have two wires running along it, no? Power won't carry precise data so it's fine if it loses a few millivolts on the way
Doesn't it seem like they're overcomplicating things just to make it a gazillion times more expensive than what it could be?
Those LEDs don't last forever! It is also possible that they are using lasers. Further making up fiber optic connections, that are reliable, is an art.
Just more channels, 40 max if I'm not mistaken, and the current die that Intel has is limited to 4 channels, some only two channels for peripherals, albeit the second generation TB is on smaller die and less expensive.
I don't recall if the 40 channel capability is specific to fiber cable, but the current 30m was probably chosen for practical reasons rather than technical, and as others have pointed out, has limited topology as compared to available network technology.
I'm no expert, but the fact that the fiber-optic cables cannot transfer power and so the fact that the external devices cannot be bus-powered, it's kinda annoying...
Of course, if you use a 30m cable it probably won't be a problem finding a nearby power outlet, but on shorter cable (do they exist? short thunderbolt cables in fiber optic? Or are they just in copper?) it sucks..
Apple will need to come up with a Female to female Thunderbolt adapter to make it possible to move their monitor-interface hub to the other room from the Mac Mini. Another small additional expense. Still it will be nice to move the monitor/Keyboard and mouse out of the cramped server room and onto the desk in my office
30m .. why? Lol
That's 100 feet.
Because of "noise"? #FirstWorldProblems.
The cables can […] provide full 10Gbps throughput with little performance degradation even when pinched by up to 180 degrees or tangled in knots.
This sounds cool. Of course, since this is an OPTICAL cable, Apple will refuse to support it on their computers, and refer to it as a "bag of hurt".
worked in broadcast environments myself, basically money no object. So I can see this type of cable being used to pump several channels of uncompressed video around the suites and backend area. It's not for the likes of single users really.
Seems the only niche where this is useful is studios that require very quiet operation (not necessarily video production, really audio production) and frankly that's a small niche.
This is an issue that is easily fixed if you actully google it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5172
Just use properly shielded usb3 cables and don't place the HDD behind the screen on hear the hinge on laptops.
So the Thunderbolt glacier has moved another inch....yawn.
I'll be fossilized by the time this "new" technology is actually mainstream and affordable.
While I'm not sure dumping the XServe was a good idea, the problem is more on the software side of things. Yes, with something like TB, a mini makes a decent server hardware wise (we used to have a whole rack of minis in the server room where I used to work ).
Lion and Mt Lion Server dumped way too many features. Who cares if it is cheap if it isn't competent. And, OSX has become quite problematic for the Pro market as well. One great example is the whole 'save-as' mess Apple has created. Sure, that might save a newbie who forgets to save, now and then... but it really messes up entire workflows for Pro and business users. Imagine 50 users sharing documents on a server. Nightmare!
Apple keeps making one silly move after another as they chase the consumer market. It's kind of ironic actually. Apple was a company known for attention to detail. This was the reason many of us spent the extra bucks to use their stuff. Now, it's starting to look like that lack of attention to detail may be the chink in their armor.
I'm really hoping they get their act together soon. I've been an Apple fan and consultant for over 2 decades. But, I think they are starting to make crucial mistakes in very core areas. That does have me worried.
Yea, I hope you are correct. I was a bit joking, though I really wish Apple was putting a bit more effort into this. They could not gouge so much on the cables. They could push for some more devices to be developed. Heck, they could make a device or two if others aren't stepping up to the plate.
Last I checked, Fiber Optic technology was invented in Paris, in the 1840s. So no. Not really.