I'm running out of ports

[Ploki]

I have CalDigit TS3+ and all four ports taken.

Port1: CalDigit TS3+ // UltraFine 4K on the passthrough port
Port2: USB-C to miniDP Adapter for PackedPixels display (doesn't work over the fullsize display port on CalDigit)
Port3: Firewire audio interface (will be upgraded to thunderbolt audio interface)
Port4: Thunderbolt3 NVMe SSD

None can be connected to the USB-C 3.1 and 3.0 ports on the CalDigit.
Both displays are just a waste of bandwidth too, so I could easily get away with a splitter, if it existed, and if any of the damn display had a daisy chain port. My new audio interface won't have one either.

A usb-c to 2x display port splitter won't do good either, because it's annoying hard to convert USB-C input of the ultrafine 4K to display port.

So I have two video ports that i can't really use (HDMI, and fullsize displayport on the caldigit)

Anyone has an idea how to make this work?

I wanted to add another TB3 NVMe drive, but as it is now - i can't

edit:
I guess if the 2nd display worked with blackmagic eGPU Pro DisplayPort, that would solve my issues. But it's a rather expensive solution to gain another TB3 port.

 

[xraydoc]

I have CalDigit TS3+ and all four ports taken.

Port1: CalDigit TS3+ // UltraFine 4K on the passthrough port
Port2: USB-C to miniDP Adapter for PackedPixels display (doesn't work over the fullsize display port on CalDigit)
Port3: Firewire audio interface (will be upgraded to thunderbolt audio interface)
Port4: Thunderbolt3 NVMe SSD

None can be connected to the USB-C 3.1 and 3.0 ports on the CalDigit.
Both displays are just a waste of bandwidth too, so I could easily get away with a splitter, if it existed, and if any of the damn display had a daisy chain port. My new audio interface won't have one either.

A usb-c to 2x display port splitter won't do good either, because it's annoying hard to convert USB-C input of the ultrafine 4K to display port.

So I have two video ports that i can't really use (HDMI, and fullsize displayport on the caldigit)

Anyone has an idea how to make this work?

I wanted to add another TB3 NVMe drive, but as it is now - i can't

edit:
I guess if the 2nd display worked with blackmagic eGPU Pro DisplayPort, that would solve my issues. But it's a rather expensive solution to gain another TB3 port.

You need a NVMe enclosure that has a TB3 passthrough/out. Don't know of any off-hand, but worth a search.
Or replace the Packed Pixels display with something that works off the HDMI or DP.

 

[Spectrum]

What about a TB3 dual NVMe enclosure. I think OWC sell them. Not cheap though...

 

[Zdigital2015]

I have CalDigit TS3+ and all four ports taken.

Port1: CalDigit TS3+ // UltraFine 4K on the passthrough port
Port2: USB-C to miniDP Adapter for PackedPixels display (doesn't work over the fullsize display port on CalDigit)
Port3: Firewire audio interface (will be upgraded to thunderbolt audio interface)
Port4: Thunderbolt3 NVMe SSD

None can be connected to the USB-C 3.1 and 3.0 ports on the CalDigit.
Both displays are just a waste of bandwidth too, so I could easily get away with a splitter, if it existed, and if any of the damn display had a daisy chain port. My new audio interface won't have one either.

A usb-c to 2x display port splitter won't do good either, because it's annoying hard to convert USB-C input of the ultrafine 4K to display port.

So I have two video ports that i can't really use (HDMI, and fullsize displayport on the caldigit)

Anyone has an idea how to make this work?

I wanted to add another TB3 NVMe drive, but as it is now - i can't

edit:
I guess if the 2nd display worked with blackmagic eGPU Pro DisplayPort, that would solve my issues. But it's a rather expensive solution to gain another TB3 port.

HDMI TO DisplayPort for the Packed Pixels display? Or if you have an (supported) iPad, simply use it with Mojave/Luna Display/AstroPad/Duet or Sidecar with Catalina?

EDIT: LaCie or MacSales/Akitio might have something storage wise with a TB3 pass through.

 

[Ploki]

HDMI TO DisplayPort for the Packed Pixels display? Or if you have an (supported) iPad, simply use it with Mojave/Luna Display/AstroPad/Duet or Sidecar with Catalina?

EDIT: LaCie or MacSales/Akitio might have something storage wise with a TB3 pass through.

Hm, didn't think of HDMI to DP.
I used to use duet and the performance compared to packed pixels is abysmal.

i could also use this:

Huawei VR 2 Computer Connection Cable

Specially designed for Huawei VR 2. Contain 1 USB-A, 1 USB-C and 1 DisplayPort 1.2.. Transmission speed of up to 21.6Gbps. Made of TPE material, stable and safe.

www.giztop.com

to use the displayport for the ultrafine 4k

 

[drmeatball]

What about a TB3 dual NVMe enclosure. I think OWC sell them. Not cheap though...

OWC Express 4M2

Four M.2 SSD bays with pure adrenaline inducing Thunderbolt 3 performance.

www.owcdigital.com

Saving for one myself. Also does passthrough.

 

[Ploki]

OWC Express 4M2

Four M.2 SSD bays with pure adrenaline inducing Thunderbolt 3 performance.

www.owcdigital.com

Saving for one myself. Also does passthrough.

i don't like this one because it limits each drives speed to 1/4 of its capacity, because it only has x1 lane per drive.
good for making a hefty RAID out of cheap M2 drives tho.

edit:
i'm thinking of just using the CalDigit's usb3.1gen2 10GBPS port to add a much cheaper USB-C enclosure with a much cheaper (intel 660p) drive that wouldn't take full advantage of TB3 anyway.

Enclosure is also about 5 times cheaper.
so i get around 40% performance hit for... 50% less money.

 

[hagjohn]

I'm a bit unhappy with my WD NAS, speed wise, and I'm looking into this and using NAS SSD's, instead of NAS HD's. I have the NAS and I also have a HD on my Mini, which I use to store my files for Apple Music and TV apps. NAS isn't quite quick enough.

AKiTiO Thunder3 Quad | Thunderbolt 3 4-Bay Storage Enclosure | AKiTiO

This 4-bay storage enclosure is designed to house four 2.5' or 3.5' drives. The Thunderbolt 3 interface provides lighting fast transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps

www.akitio.com

 

[drmeatball]

i don't like this one because it limits each drives speed to 1/4 of its capacity, because it only has x1 lane per drive.
good for making a hefty RAID out of cheap M2 drives tho.

edit:
i'm thinking of just using the CalDigit's usb3.1gen2 10GBPS port to add a much cheaper USB-C enclosure with a much cheaper (intel 660p) drive that wouldn't take full advantage of TB3 anyway.

Enclosure is also about 5 times cheaper.
so i get around 40% performance hit for... 50% less money.

Skip the 660p, get the inland premium. Had a 2tb 660, it's now a keychain.

 

[Ploki]

Skip the 660p, get the inland premium. Had a 2tb 660, it's now a keychain.

wait what? what happened

 

[Fishrrman]

Channeling Forrest Gump...
Ports are like a box of candies.
You only get so many of them.