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I wish the new iMacs had 3 thunderbolt ports.
- Thread starter iCaleb
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Don't need the drive to have the TB ports.
eSATA adapter $199
http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10574
If already have a quad interface drive ( eSATA , FW800/400, usb 2.0 ) then done for a $100 less than $300.
Otherwise just need a drive with an eSATA port for about $100.
If already have a drive then $99 enclosure
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/ME3QHKIT0GB/
and done. $300 (before taxes/shipping )
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Likewise, somewhat wrongheaded constrictions. What really looking for is a 5+ enclosure with SATA connections.
If find box and that worry about how to connect the SATA box to TB there are more options.
What is missing is empty, multibay enclosures that don't weave an relatively expensive RAID controller ( and functionality) into the system. Basically something that is just a JBOD box. Those boxes exist though. They just typically have SAS or eSATA connectors on them.
I would have much preferred if they had kept the FW port (At least one, the Mini still has one.) and maybe a few extra USB ports. Without DVD built in it's like you're down 2 ports. So 6x USB3 would have been a good start, it's not like they don't have the room back there. HDMI would be a nice touch also, again the Mini has one.
Unfortunately it is only 4 disks (and 2.5" size), but the Promise Technology "Pegasus J4" is configured like that (a pair of them will give you 8 drives to play with). Each drive appears to OS X separately.
I have mine configured with 4ea. HGST 1TB 7200rpm disks currently configured as 2 RAID-0 arrays, each one 2TB in size and transfer rates of 255MB/sec. If I set it up as a 4 drive RAID-0, I get transfer rates of >500MB/s. All configuration is done in OS X with Disk Utility, not a imbedded RAID hardware controller.
I love the fact that Apple is bold enough to get rid of legacy crap. Sometimes it seems premature... but they do drive progress.
I was watching the two following clips on YouTube... and without a doubt, I think that Apple made the right choices.
MBA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E98Eyl5Et0w
Lenovo X300: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hnOCUkbix0
/Jim
I would've just bought an SSD enclosure with two Thunderbolt ports and attached the screen to that.
I mostly agree but the fact still remains that if you need DVD you'll have to use one of the USB ports, unless you share DVD from an older Mac, which I've done one the 2 occasions I needed it to install software.
I also have a wired KB so that's 2 ports down, add a local printer and you're down to just one USB port unless you get a hub, which I have and assume many other will also.
It's a first world problem. When we invented USB... we designed it to support 127 devices through cheap hubs. That single fact (decoupling peripherals from the number (and type) of physical ports)... plus our decision to provide external power are the two that propelled USB to ubiquity.
If you have more than 4 devices connected to your iMac... you already have a mess of wires. Using an external hub probably allows you to hide much of it away... actually creating a cleaner installation.
/Jim
At the early USB 1.1 "plugfests" (interoperability workshops)... in the evenings, after all of the prototype testing was over... the engineers from each peripheral company would sequentially plug their devices into a single system. They would chug some beer after each device was plugged in... waiting for the inevitable "blue screen of death". Things kept improving from event to event as USB matured. Eventually, things got good enough that all 127 devices were operational.
Tben... at '98 Comdex we did a large "press event" and invited "Bill Nye the Science Guy" to plug in the final USB device. There was so much static from the carpet in the dry Las Vegas desert air we stopped at 111 devices to avoid embarrassment in front of the press.
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9811/17/usb.cdx.idg/
/Jim
There aren't 6 USB3 ports in the chipset. If look at the chart here:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4318/intel-roadmap-ivy-bridge-panther-point-ssds/2
You'll see there is only 4 USB 3.0 ports on the chipset even though the total number is much higher. The other issue will be power and shielding for the USB 3.0 ports. It is easy to do crappy USB 3.0 ports that leak all kinds of havoc into the Bluetooth (and other EM ) bands. It is also somewhat easy to do more USB 2.0 so that have "mix and match" USB ports. Apple isn't likely to do that either. ( all USB 3.0 or all USB 2.0 ).
So the chipset has 4 and there are 4 on the back. That's why.
More than a few more general PC motherboard designs put embedded USB hubs onto the motherboard so that get to "all the USB ports you'll ever need" state. Most folks don't need a built in hub so it is not likely going to make an Apple design. Those that need a hub can just buy one instead of making everyone buy one.
Okay I didn't realize the technical reasons were so restrictive.
I agree it's unlikely Apple would have both USB 2 & 3 on the same computer or device.
I can live with external Hubs as long as they work and look good, I'd love one with USB3, device charger and SD reader but not found anything I like so far.
Would the Matrox DualHead2Go Display Port edition be of any use to you?
It seems to be able to drive two external monitors (each 1920 x1200) from a single display port/thunderbolt port using the graphics card, so one would assume that means that GPU acceleration is available on each monitor (unlike a USB to VGA box).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcgLcI14jtQ
Ask around.
It seems to be able to drive two external monitors (each 1920 x1200) from a single display port/thunderbolt port using the graphics card, so one would assume that means that GPU acceleration is available on each monitor (unlike a USB to VGA box).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcgLcI14jtQ
Ask around.
Even if next gen Intel chipsets offer more I wouldn't count on Apple going much higher though. They've never subscribed to running everything slavishly from the chipset to the edges of a Mac.
On an updated Mac Pro there is a chance will get them because the "front" is so far from the "back". I could see Apple keeping the current 5 ( two front , three back ) but transition to either
two USB 3.0 front and three USB 2.0 back
or vice versa
two USB 2.0 front and three USB 3.0 back
They'll probably be using a 4 port discrete USB 3.0 controller solution. (it would match providing 3 USB 3.0 ports on back of updated TB display) Maybe a 2 port controller though in which case the first is nice fit (and perhaps the TB dispaly looses a USB socket.) [ there is a 4 port Fresco Logic controller available so I think they'll go with 4. But Apple pinches pennys from time to time. ]
It wouldn't be surprising though to loose at least one of the front FW ports and that would become the more symmetrical 3 front ( USB 3.0) and 3 rear ( USB 2.0) ports.
I don't think they will put them near each other but very far apart should work with minimal user attention. ( keyboards, printers, mice , security DRM fobs, monitor hubs go in the back and portable/sneaker-net devices go in front. That is a pretty natural slow/old versus faster/new split. )
The SD reader is likely the significant blocking factor there. A discrete card reader would still work and could take it with you when necessary.
The next Mac Pro is anyone's guess, so here's my guess. If they keep the same basic layout and case design then I can see 2 USB3 ports on the front and maybe 3 on the back, I don't see them mixing USB 2 & 3 and I'm sure the 2x on the front will be shared. FW might go from the front and replaced with TB but I think the Pro will retain 2x FW800 on the back along with 2 TB ports.
But getting back the iMac I really wish they found a way to put 1 or 2 USB 3 ports on the side or underneath, so the lead goes down, it would be easier to get to and when not in use you'd never know they were there. Also I wish the SD card was a tiny slot on the side, maybe at the very bottom on the 'chin' again much easier to use every day.
But getting back the iMac I really wish they found a way to put 1 or 2 USB 3 ports on the side or underneath, so the lead goes down, it would be easier to get to and when not in use you'd never know they were there. Also I wish the SD card was a tiny slot on the side, maybe at the very bottom on the 'chin' again much easier to use every day.