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Elgato Becomes Latest Company to Launch Thunderbolt Docking Station
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Probably never.
1. PC desktops and notebooks which have Thunderbolt are few and far between
2. You need to purchase a relatively expensive controller from Intel for your device to communicate over thunderbolt
This is why USB continues to be dominant, every PC has 2 to 14(!) USB ports and the USB controllers literally cost 1 to 5 bucks for USB3 connectivity.
The suggested retail price of the Belkin with no cable is 199.99... isn't that the same (well, actually 4 cents more)?
Anybody else think this is a Caldigit TB station just in a plastic shell for $5.95 more? 
Same EXACT ports (and placement) and specs as the Caldigit
and if you get the Caldigit bundles with the 1 meter TB cable, it's $5.95 more...
Same EXACT ports (and placement) and specs as the Caldigit
and if you get the Caldigit bundles with the 1 meter TB cable, it's $5.95 more...
Which HDMI?
When posting products like this, you really need to start asking which version of HDMI it is supporting.
When posting products like this, you really need to start asking which version of HDMI it is supporting.
I'm curious if anyone knows if this can support two DVI monitors via an HDMI adapter and a Mini DisplayPort adapter. The resolution isn't anything too fancy (1600x1200) for each of them, so I don't think that would cause an issue. Just not sure if the Thunderbolt port on the device actually supports something like this (I'm 90% sure it doesn't, but would love to hear otherwise).
agreed -- $150 on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbolt-E...914&sr=8-1&keywords=Thunderbolt™+Express+Dock
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Not for me.
But the Elgato hasn't reached its street price yet.
You're essentially comparing retail to street.
It's hard to tell exactly what the street price of Elgato will be... all kinds of factors go into that. But unless you need to buy right now, wait a month or so and then compare. Or compare retail price to retail price. (Though the retail Amazon's lists is bogus. That's the original retail price but that's been lowered since then at least here.)
From my experience, Elgato sells good hardware. I'd pick one up if it had Thunderbolt 2.0 as I want my next display to be 4K. I'm also waiting on an update to the Apple Thunderbolt Display, which should be 4K with a Thunderbolt 2 hub built into the back. So I'll keep waiting. Of course I'll also need a new Mac to run 4K, but that's a whole other can of worms.
And for all those talking up the Belkin—I've heard many really bad things about it. Has something changed?
And for all those talking up the Belkin—I've heard many really bad things about it. Has something changed?
The CalDigit only supports one non-TB monitor. I'd think that the ElGato is the same, since they look like the same unit.
Oh I certainly shall be waiting a bit. My new MP is still being shipped by UPS and it looks like it'll take a while I'll certainly like one of these as that TB cable can handle more than a normal USB hub I have.
Why do Mac peripheral makers hate FireWire? When I finally upgrade to a new Mac, I for one will buy the Dock that lets me keep using my FireWire 800 drives. Macs already have USB 3 ports so including more of those ports in leu of the missing FW800 makes these Thunderbolt Dock products seem like overpriced USB hubs.
Why aren't more monitor makers making thunderbolt monitor with built in docking station.
Why hasn't intel produces a Thunderbolt remote card spec for something like a MXM PCIe card that could be embedded in a monitor or dock device?
I think that the lack of competition in the Mac PRV market has let them basically coast on bug fixing or making eyetv compatible with newer hardware capture products, such as the new Silicon Dust OTA & Cablecard tuners.
Now Elgato makes SSD drives, video game capture devices, thunderbolt docks, and bluetooth keychains. Other than continuing to sell the eyetv software, they are mostly a hardware company now.
Maybe we will see a competitor enter the market and eyetv will have to update and innovate their hardware/software again.
Another Thunderbolt Dock - Startech
I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, but Startech also sells a TB hub that looks even more like the CalDigit model.
http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapt...hunderbolt-Laptop-Docking-Station~TBDOCKHDPBC
$249.99 USD from Startech, I think it's also available for less from other retailers.
At first glance, I thought they might have bought out CalDigit except for the color.
Includes a cable, same ports.
RE: multi-displays: I think all 3 - CalDigit, Startech, and Elgato would probably work the same way.
So long as you have an Apple TB display, you can run that, and then 1 other display off of HDMI port, (or possibly daisy-chained off of the TB display, or off this dock's TB port if the dock is daisy-chained off the TB display).
I've read a hook-up sequence somewhere else in a review of the CalDigit hub. You need a TB display for multi-monitor, if not using a laptop. The reviewer actually had 3 screens running as the TB set-up was attached to his Macbook Pro. The documentation for both the Elgato and Startech seem to indicate a similar arrangement is needed.
I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, but Startech also sells a TB hub that looks even more like the CalDigit model.
http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapt...hunderbolt-Laptop-Docking-Station~TBDOCKHDPBC
$249.99 USD from Startech, I think it's also available for less from other retailers.
At first glance, I thought they might have bought out CalDigit except for the color.
Includes a cable, same ports.
RE: multi-displays: I think all 3 - CalDigit, Startech, and Elgato would probably work the same way.
So long as you have an Apple TB display, you can run that, and then 1 other display off of HDMI port, (or possibly daisy-chained off of the TB display, or off this dock's TB port if the dock is daisy-chained off the TB display).
I've read a hook-up sequence somewhere else in a review of the CalDigit hub. You need a TB display for multi-monitor, if not using a laptop. The reviewer actually had 3 screens running as the TB set-up was attached to his Macbook Pro. The documentation for both the Elgato and Startech seem to indicate a similar arrangement is needed.