Looking for a thunderbolt dock to restore USB functionality

[jrm27]

Hello all,

I've recently lost USB functionality on my macbook. The techs opened up the laptop and noted "liquid damage" (on a completely unrelated issue), thus voiding my warranty. The cost of getting a new logic board is too high for me. So, now it seems that the only way I can restore USB functionality is by using a Thunderbolt dock.

Any recommendations? I see that Belkin has one out there. I've been reading conflicting reports about it though. My external drives are largely bus powered drives. Will they be powered through the Belkin? Will the ports charge an iphone?

Are there other similar pieces out there that might be more cost effective? I probably need something with an extra thunderbolt port as I've been using the one on my macbook as a mini display port to power an old Apple display I have.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be very much appreciated.

-jon

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Since warranty coverage was denied you might look into a third-party repair. Apple's solution is a whole new logic board but that doesn't mean the repair can't be done cheaper, just that they won't do it.

 

[MCAsan]

get an ATD and you get a very good 27" screen plus a docking station. Granted the USB connects are USB 2 and not USB 3. But there is FW 800 which is faster than USB 2. You can also hookup any eithernet cables as well.

And....you can reuse the ATD on a new laptop when you get one in the future.

 

[jrm27]

get an ATD and you get a very good 27" screen plus a docking station. Granted the USB connects are USB 2 and not USB 3. But there is FW 800 which is faster than USB 2. You can also hookup any eithernet cables as well.

And....you can reuse the ATD on a new laptop when you get one in the future.

As much as I would love a new ATD, it just isn't practical for me at the moment. I've got an old apple cinema hd display that is serving me very well, and I've no need to replace it at the moment. I used to have a 27" imac though, and I LOVED that screen. Once day, I'll get one, but not in the foreseeable future unfortunately. Good thought though!

 

[thedeske]

The Caldigit looks like the best design, but all their Tbold products are on hold for some reason.

http://www.caldigit.com/thunderboltstation/

 

[jrm27]

yeah, that looks great. If I could order it now, I would!