Belkin Shows Off Upcoming Thunderbolt Express Dock - Page 2

brainzilla · Sep 13, 2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConnYoungy

Bit annoying to have the power lead on the front though, poking out all the time where you can see it/ where it gets in the way

My guess here is that this is indeed some sort of Macbook stand - so those connectors would be on the back. That would also explain the rather CHEAP plastic they used.

Also it lacks the 2.0 audio and the mag-power.

BRLawyer · Sep 13, 2011, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikus

Most, if not all. Regardless, the bottleneck will be USB 2.0 on the laptop itself, it wouldnt make a difference to have USB 3.0 on the hub.

Well, the point is EXACTLY to profit from USB 3 via the computer's TB port (at least while there are no TB devices out there)...

wikus · Sep 13, 2011, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basesloaded190

1. Yup
2. Not if it's going through the TB port

Wouldnt there be overhead on the controller or something in the Apple computer itself holding back USB 3.0 speeds? I would agree that on a hub with TB and USB 3.0 two separate drives copying files between eachother should give faster speeds than USB 2.0....??

aaaaaaron · Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM

when they make part 2 of this dock with esata, usb3, and another TB port, i will be interested.

AppleScruff1 · Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM

Hopefully this will only be about $200.

neilw · Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM

Those are pretty clearly USB2.0 connectors, not USB3.0.

This looks useful. I'd expect price to be ~ $150. I am mildly bummed that Apple didn't see fit to offer any way to integrate the power connection (somehow) with the Thunderbolt port, so there'd be a true one-connection dock, but this is still way better than reconnecting Ethernet, USB, monitor, and power each time.

brainzilla · Sep 13, 2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikus

Wouldnt there be overhead on the controller or something in the Apple computer itself holding back USB 3.0 speeds? I would agree that on a hub with TB and USB 3.0 two separate drives copying files between eachother should give faster speeds than USB 2.0....??

Overhead is not the problem here - USB3 drivers are.
Copys within the USB3 would depend on the USB3-chipset behind the Thunderbolt-lane.

The "blue connectors" was a good hint - this one will be USB2.

benpatient · Sep 13, 2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basesloaded190

1. Yup
2. Not if it's going through the TB port

are there USB 3.0 drivers for the mac yet?

I would love one of these, but if it doesn't do double duty as a stand, they are really missing an opportunity.

I hate plugging in my MBP every day at the office. I have binder clips all over the place keeping wires in place while I'm gone, and there is this whole ritual of plugging and unplugging everything each morning that I could do without.

The only "docking" option available takes away the use of your screen and keyboard, which isn't a good option for me.

I'm really hoping this thing is $99 and comes with a TB cable.

basesloaded190 · Sep 13, 2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benpatient

are there USB 3.0 drivers for the mac yet?

I would love one of these, but if it doesn't do double duty as a stand, they are really missing an opportunity.

I hate plugging in my MBP every day at the office. I have binder clips all over the place keeping wires in place while I'm gone, and there is this whole ritual of plugging and unplugging everything each morning that I could do without.

The only "docking" option available takes away the use of your screen and keyboard, which isn't a good option for me.

I'm really hoping this thing is $99 and comes with a TB cable.

No sure on how usb 3.0 drivers work.

I do agree that this would be the ultimate stand/dock. I am going to purchase a stand for my MBP and was looking at a dock, but if something can do both, awesome.

MacRacer · Sep 13, 2011, 03:15 PM

I would love to see this with USB 3.0 but I have the feeling that the device that it connects to will need USB 3.0 support (software) and a USB 3.0 controller to handle USB 3.0. But I will use Firewire 800 over USB 2 anyday.

iSee · Sep 13, 2011, 03:19 PM

This is cool but I wish they would build a nice big monitor into it.

CrAkD · Sep 13, 2011, 03:19 PM

nice now we just need a single external hd thats thunderbolt.....or an external enclosure thats thunderbolt.

wrinkster22 · Sep 13, 2011, 03:20 PM

I like this as
a) I cant afford the TB display
b) I could use this and daisychain a display to this
c) I could use an book arc to hold my mba
it would look nice... or i could forget about it.......

Manzana · Sep 13, 2011, 03:22 PM

why did they not include any display ports?

GekkePrutser · 03:35 PM

This is JUST what I need. And, unlike other announced Thunderbolt devices (like the Sonnet ExpressCard adapter) it seems to come with its own cable so it won't need Apple's $50 cable.

Also Belkin products are usually not in the same price range as Apple accessories. I'm also hoping for 100-150$ (or rather Euro, in my case).

It should support an external display through the daisy chain port through, otherwise it would be useless to me.

Edit: It probably will work with an external display, according to this blog post it worked with the promise raid array anyway.

By the way I'd also miss USB 3.0 but if it's not there then I'd probably get it anyway. By the way they don't HAVE to be blue. I can't imagine Apple putting a blue port on their laptops on which all the other ports are light grey. They're too much into design to do that.

Actarus · Sep 13, 2011, 03:25 PM

No USB 3.0 -> No party. Big Fail.

diamond.g · Sep 13, 2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilw

Those are pretty clearly USB2.0 connectors, not USB3.0.

This looks useful. I'd expect price to be ~ $150. I am mildly bummed that Apple didn't see fit to offer any way to integrate the power connection (somehow) with the Thunderbolt port, so there'd be a true one-connection dock, but this is still way better than reconnecting Ethernet, USB, monitor, and power each time.

I believe TB offers 10W of power (which isn't enough for firewire by itself) per port.

jdechko · Sep 13, 2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manzana

why did they not include any display ports?

Do you mean full size display port? Because for all intents and purposes the Thunderbolt port is a miniDisplayPort, though not the other way around.

Unless I missed something...

Pentad · Sep 13, 2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Actarus

No USB 3.0 -> No party. Big Fail.

I could not agree more. What a shame...

-P

KPOM · Sep 13, 2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAkD

nice now we just need a single external hd thats thunderbolt.....or an external enclosure thats thunderbolt.

Like this?

http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery/Album/1369#1

danielwsmithee · Sep 13, 2011, 03:35 PM

For those of you complaining about the power port on the front. It is not on the front, it is on the back. The picture is of the back, the side with the TB cable would be the front, facing your MBP.

I do wish this had USB 3.0 though. eSATA and SATA are dead soon so this is fine without those.

kainjow · Sep 13, 2011, 03:47 PM

Definitely getting this. eSATA and/or an extra FireWire 800 port would have been nice though.

basesloaded190 · Sep 13, 2011, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPOM

Like this?

http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery/Album/1369#1

I'm sure he meant one that you could buy right now.

brainzilla · Sep 13, 2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielwsmithee

eSATA and SATA are dead soon so this is fine without those.

Right... USB and SATA/eSATA are two VERY different things.
SATA is a rather low level protocol for short ranged, fast transmissions.
USB has a huge protocol-overlay on both sides and a quite long cable range on cheap cable running in noisy environments. USB knows different protocols and speeds and so on.

Without SATA there would be no HDD to put in your USB case :-)

firestarter · Sep 13, 2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LimeiBook86

I'd be far more interested in this if it had an SATA or eSATA port on the dock.

Still it is nice to see adapters finally start to come out. Let's hope it's not too pricey!

Thunderbolt to eSATA is definitely the killer feature!

Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM	#30
AppleScruff1 macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2011	Hopefully this will only be about $200.
	-6

Sep 13, 2011, 03:15 PM	#35
MacRacer macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oviedo, FL	I would love to see this with USB 3.0 but I have the feeling that the device that it connects to will need USB 3.0 support (software) and a USB 3.0 controller to handle USB 3.0. But I will use Firewire 800 over USB 2 anyday. __________________ 64GB iPhone 4 S⃣ MBP 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB, 250GB HHD iMac 27" 3.06GHz "Be a Hero, GoPro HD x 3"
	1

Sep 13, 2011, 03:19 PM	#36
iSee macrumors 68030 Join Date: Oct 2004	This is cool but I wish they would build a nice big monitor into it. __________________ "Nobody ever reads these things so I can write anything. I'd eat bananas every day if they were crunchy."
	0

Sep 13, 2011, 03:19 PM	#37
CrAkD macrumors 68020 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boston, MA	nice now we just need a single external hd thats thunderbolt.....or an external enclosure thats thunderbolt. __________________ iPhone 5 64GB Macbook Air TV iPad Mini 16gb 4G Hackintosh i7 920
	2

Sep 13, 2011, 03:20 PM	#38
wrinkster22 macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Toronto	I like this as a) I cant afford the TB display b) I could use this and daisychain a display to this c) I could use an book arc to hold my mba it would look nice... or i could forget about it....... __________________ Macrumors Scavenger Hunt Part 1 Score: 7 Macrumors Scavenger Hunt Part 2 Score: 3 Macrumors Scavenger Hunt Part 3 Score: 1
	2

Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM	#29
aaaaaaron macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2010	when they make part 2 of this dock with esata, usb3, and another TB port, i will be interested.
	6

Sep 13, 2011, 03:10 PM	#31
neilw macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New Jersey	Those are pretty clearly USB2.0 connectors, not USB3.0. This looks useful. I'd expect price to be ~ $150. I am mildly bummed that Apple didn't see fit to offer any way to integrate the power connection (somehow) with the Thunderbolt port, so there'd be a true one-connection dock, but this is still way better than reconnecting Ethernet, USB, monitor, and power each time.
	-1

Sep 13, 2011, 03:22 PM	#39
Manzana macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orange County, CA	display ports? why did they not include any display ports? __________________
	-4

Sep 13, 2011, 03:22 PM	#40
GekkePrutser macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ireland	This is JUST what I need. And, unlike other announced Thunderbolt devices (like the Sonnet ExpressCard adapter) it seems to come with its own cable so it won't need Apple's $50 cable. Also Belkin products are usually not in the same price range as Apple accessories. I'm also hoping for 100-150$ (or rather Euro, in my case). It should support an external display through the daisy chain port through, otherwise it would be useless to me. Edit: It probably will work with an external display, according to this blog post it worked with the promise raid array anyway. By the way I'd also miss USB 3.0 but if it's not there then I'd probably get it anyway. By the way they don't HAVE to be blue. I can't imagine Apple putting a blue port on their laptops on which all the other ports are light grey. They're too much into design to do that. __________________ Macs: Mac Mini i5 2.5 Ghz w/Radeon GPU 16GB 2x128GB Crucial M4 SSD; MacBook Pro Retina 13", 2.5Ghz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Mobile: iPhone 4 16GB, iPad (3rd gen) 32GB WiFi, iPod Shuffle 3G Last edited by GekkePrutser; Sep 13, 2011 at 03:35 PM. Reason: It was an ExpressCard adapter, not PCI-Express
	0

Sep 13, 2011, 03:25 PM	#41
Actarus macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2011	No USB 3.0 -> No party. Big Fail.
	-3

Sep 13, 2011, 03:35 PM	#46
danielwsmithee macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2005	Power For those of you complaining about the power port on the front. It is not on the front, it is on the back. The picture is of the back, the side with the TB cable would be the front, facing your MBP. I do wish this had USB 3.0 though. eSATA and SATA are dead soon so this is fine without those.
	0

Sep 13, 2011, 03:47 PM	#47
kainjow Demi-God (Moderator emeritus) Join Date: Jun 2000	Definitely getting this. eSATA and/or an extra FireWire 800 port would have been nice though.
	2

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