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ExpressCard/34 to Thunderbolt adapter?
- Thread starter james*b
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Because...
Seriously though, Thunderbolt provides high speed access to PCIe bus and graphics. All at speeds greater than what an ExpressCard slot can provide. Further, there are no graphics/video outputs on the ExpressCard slot. The power available from ExpressCard also is not enough to meet the Thunderbolt spec.
While it is technically possible to design a card that would plug-in to the PCIe bus, it would also have to provide graphics capability or have an input to provide graphics from another source. The Thunderbolt connector has to provide power + PCIe I/O, and DisplayPort graphics.
ExpressCard cannot meet these requirements.
Seriously though, Thunderbolt provides high speed access to PCIe bus and graphics. All at speeds greater than what an ExpressCard slot can provide. Further, there are no graphics/video outputs on the ExpressCard slot. The power available from ExpressCard also is not enough to meet the Thunderbolt spec.
While it is technically possible to design a card that would plug-in to the PCIe bus, it would also have to provide graphics capability or have an input to provide graphics from another source. The Thunderbolt connector has to provide power + PCIe I/O, and DisplayPort graphics.
ExpressCard cannot meet these requirements.
It's not as clear cut as you make it out to be.
The expresscard standard is the precursor to what you described. It had the benefit of functioning in either USB 2.0 or 3.0 mode as well, but essentially it was an external method of externally tapping into the PCIe.
Unfortunately, it was limited to 2.5Gbps in PCIe mode (A single-lane PCIe). By comparison, Thunderbolt can operate up to 10Gbps (4-lane PCIe). However, the biggest difference in the technology is that Thunderbolt multiplexes video with the port allowing both video & data to be transferred from a single link.
To look at it another way, Thunderbolt is the successor to Expresscard. Or in another way:
Expresscard 2.0 = USB 2.0 + USB 3.0 + PCIe 1x
Thunderbolt = PCIe 4x + Video Output
That also means that, with the exception of video output, Expresscards can be used for many of the same purposes as Thunderbolt, including Firewire, USB, SATA and Gigabit ethernet.
Still not able to provide the 10watts of power from the ExpressCard slot; would require an external power supply.
And as both you and I state in different ways, will also not meet the performance requirements.
I assume the original question was about the ExpressCard slot on older, existing laptops. Not some new enhancement of an ExpressCard implementation.
Bottom line, it's not going to happen - there won't be any Thunderbolt card for current ExpressCard slots.
Thunderbolt is the new expansion capability for laptops, and some desktops and all-in-one computers.
And as both you and I state in different ways, will also not meet the performance requirements.
I assume the original question was about the ExpressCard slot on older, existing laptops. Not some new enhancement of an ExpressCard implementation.
Bottom line, it's not going to happen - there won't be any Thunderbolt card for current ExpressCard slots.
Thunderbolt is the new expansion capability for laptops, and some desktops and all-in-one computers.
Thanks for the explanations.
I was hoping there might one day be an adapter to connect a 2009 Macbook Pro to a Thunderbolt-only drive, but it does sound very unlikely
Wrong way around, this is from Thunderbolt>Expresscard, the question was from the internal Expresscard slot to Thunderbolt.
