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New MacBook Pros May Not Be Compatible With Some Early Thunderbolt 3 Devices [Updated]

MacBH928 said:
Can any one please explain to me, how come the USB-C is the same as thunderbolt? I thought they are different just like Firewire and USB are different.

Plus, I have never seen a thunderbolt device, what can it do that USB 3 can't?
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It's really confusing.

You need to distinguish between the shape of the physical commector, and the protocol over which the connected devices communicate with each other (this would mean they send data over different pins, the rate at which they send data might be different, different power requirements, different ACK formats, etc).

So far, for the most part in the history of computers, each connector usually only supported 1 protocol. So you could tell a device was USB just by looking at the connector at the end (well, even the latest USB connectors, however, supported multiple protocols, such as USB 2 and USB 3, but this wasn't an issue because they were backwards compatible with each other).

The latest connector however, the USB - C connector, has been extremely popular and adopted by other protocols as well. In this case Thunderbolt.

So essentially, Apple is able to deliver USB 3.x as well as Thunderbolt over the same port because it chose the USB-C connector for Thunderbolt.

TB3 is a lot faster than USB. I believe the latest USB spec is at about 10 Gbps while TB3 is at 40 Gbps.

The problem is that the same connector is gonna lead to amass of confusion for most users. Apple has also decided to do away with markings, and/or color schemes which the PC side had adopted which will increase user's confusion.
 
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maflynn said:
The keyboard is crap, but yeah the display is gorgeous.

I think the issue is that people waited so long for a major update, that we only got the typical updates (new chipset, thinner notebook) and one significant update, the touch bar. I think many people were hoping for more.
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Huh? The increased size of the trackpad is a significant update. The inclusion of Touch ID and the secure enclave chipset is a significant upgrade. The speed of the SSD is a significant upgrade. Thunderbolt3 is a significant upgrade. Polaris GPU is a significant upgrade.

Remember, this is a forum where people think the lack of a bezel on a phone is a significant upgrade.
 
MacRumors said:



macbook-pro-late-2016-250x219.jpg
Apple's new MacBook Pros appear to be incompatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices that use controller chips from Texas Instruments, meaning some early Thunderbolt 3 products may not work with the new machines.

The incompatibility was discovered by Plugable (via 9to5), who found that their TBT3-DP2X and TBT3-HDMI2X graphics adapters were not compatible with Apple's new MacBook Pros because they use a controller chip from Texas Instruments. As a result, Plugable will be postponing its upcoming Docking Station as it works on a compatibility solution.Because some existing or soon-to-be available Thunderbolt 3 accessories may not be compatible with the new MacBook Pro, customers who are looking to purchase docks, adapters, and other products should double check with manufacturers to ensure compatibility.

Many products on the horizon newer Thunderbolt 3 chipsets and won't be affected, and it's also possible Apple could push a firmware update to add support for accessories with the older Texas Instruments controller.

Update: Plugable has provided MacRumors with more information on which Thunderbolt 3 accessories are supported by the MacBook Pro and which are not.

Article Link: New MacBook Pros May Not be Compatible With Some Early Thunderbolt 3 Devices [Updated]
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Any second now I expect Phil Schiller to chime in about how surprised he is by the reaction to this considering that he and everyone at Apple thought that their MacBook Pro customers would be overjoyed to be receiving the very latest-spec Thunderbolt 3 ports into which to plug their myriad of adapters.
 
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How can this be a MacBook issue? when this product manufacture jumped the gun and didn't properly test before implementing. perhaps TI's chip is *shockingly* not spec'd properly.
 
stevedry said:
Thanks! I appreciate that! I didn't realize how many prickly people were on here just wanting to argue. This is literally the first MacRumors thread I've ever posted in, and I just wanted to give my perspective as a video professional. I know that Apple doesn't make very much money catering to people like me anymore, but I definitely miss the days when they cared about us. Remember Final Cut Studio? Those days will always have a special place in my heart.
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I remember my first MacBook. It had everything: USB, Firewire, Ethernet, DVI, line in, line out, everything I could ever ask for. Now? The new one sounds like a dead Oasis, if you want to do what you want, you have to dongle the thing to the nth degree, and like it or lump it.

I'm disappointed. USB is still 'a thing'. Dropping it totally is a 'bridge to far'. Making the only ports it supports unequal by the side of the notebook you plug in is just ridiculous. Picking and choosing what chips to support is barbaric. Hobbling it with a max of 16g of RAM is unfortunate.

Apple's un-upgradability in many of their later products gives me a lot of concern. You either buy higher in the food chain, or you are screwed. That's no way to treat a customer. This isn't a car after all. I realize that if I want a fast car, I don't buy an Escape, and expect to upgrade it later, but computers have traditionally been upgradeable. To buck that with such disregard for the user is tragic. I will keep my old MacBook Pro's and my MacPro working as long as I can, hoping for something better to come out of the closed jaundiced halls of Apple.

And sorry for some people here. They do seem to want to argue...
 
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dantroline said:
I wonder how many of the commenters in these recent threads are shills for Apple?

I mean, the responses are becoming so predictable. If there is a defect in the design or manufacture of an Apple product, it's either:

1. The customer's fault
2. The customer is wrong because they are too tight to buy an expensive fix
3. The vendors making products to spec are "windows centric" or some other derogatory reference
4. Apple is ahead of its time and doesn't need to think about any other company's products

Don't get me wrong. Apple have made great stuff, some of it the greatest, but really? Pathetic excuses for poor engineering just don't wash.
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Calling something a pathetic excuse for poor engineering, when one simply doesn't understand the engineering involved, doesn't "wash" either. Kind of like the droves of "geniuses" blaming Apple for the number of PCIe lanes intel provides with a given chipset.
It's like an idiot finding out their Android phone can't run Windows software, and then blaming Google for it, and keeping their fingers lodged in their ears no matter what the explanation. "I don't care I just want my Windows software to work on my HTC 10! Don't blame me the customer!".
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
I remember my first MacBook. It had everything: USB, Firewire, Ethernet, DVI, line in, line out, everything I could ever ask for. Now? The new one sounds like a dead Oasis, if you want to do what you want, you have to dongle the thing to the nth degree, and like it or lump it.
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No, you just buy a single hub that has all of the ports you need built in. Thunderbolt3 can drive it all from a single port. OWC is coming out with one that has 13 peripheral ports, and it's all powered by a single Thunderbolt3. People just don't seem to understand how powerful those ports are. It's actually a huge upgrade over treating the laptop itself like the hub.
 
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ZMacintosh said:
How can this be a MacBook issue? when this product manufacture jumped the gun and didn't properly test before implementing. perhaps TI's chip is *shockingly* not spec'd properly.
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Except Plugable didn't jump the gun. In the MR update, it states that their TB3 dock is certified. However it appears there are now different certifications for different generations of TB. Wow, is that helpful!

Apple has chosen to deny accessories which have the first generation certification and only allow second generation certification. The problem is that (1) there is no way for anyone to determine which certification a product has and (2) the second generation certification is still not settled. This means consumers are playing Russian roulette when they purchase TB accessories!

Where was this information in Schiller's presentation?
 
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gnipgnop said:
No, you just buy a single hub that has all of the ports you need built in. Thunderbolt3 can drive it all from a single port. OWC is coming out with one that has 13 peripheral ports, and it's all powered by a single Thunderbolt3. People just don't seem to understand how powerful those ports are. It's actually a huge upgrade over treating the laptop itself like the hub.
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Yes man! People are having a very hard time seeing it for what it is. I actually think they don't want to see it and just prefer give out. Same with every product launch. iPad not having flash comes to mind.
 
gnipgnop said:
No, you just buy a single hub that has all of the ports you need built in. Thunderbolt3 can drive it all from a single port. OWC is coming out with one that has 13 peripheral ports, and it's all powered by a single Thunderbolt3. People just don't seem to understand how powerful those ports are. It's actually a huge upgrade over treating the laptop itself like the hub.
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TB3 would be useful if the consumer could trust the dongles and docks to function properly. I feel sorry for anyone purchasing one of these new MBPs because this feels very much like a beta test.
 
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Val-kyrie said:
TB3 would be useful if the consumer could trust the dongles and docks to function properly. I feel sorry for anyone purchasing one of these new MBPs because this feels very much like a beta test.
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Thanks to articles like this, people can make sure the product they're buying is compatible.
 
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OPEN MESSAGE TO APPLE - LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
Apple, please include 2-3 FREE dongles with the new Macbook Pro until USB-C devices are widespread.
.
It would send a signal that Apple understands the seriousness of the situation:
1) with USB-C only, the new laptop is pretty much unusable for most PRO users in 2016
2) it is only usable if the customer spends another $150-$400 on docking stations and adaptors. Since you considerably raised prices, this extra would make the total amount pretty much unjustifiable.
.
If you are serious about keeping your pro user base then please comment on the situation publicly.
.
LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
 
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"Our Flagship TBT3-UDV dock with Power Delivery/Charging is using the next generation controller chip from TI, and will be compatible with the 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks."

So Pluggable's products with an older TI chipset aren't compatible, but their next-gen, newer dock *IS* compatible. How is that an issue with the MacBook Pro?

This happens all the time with chipsets. If the older chipset was fully compatible, then why is Pluggable using a newer version in their TBT3-UDV dock?
 
vjahbeas said:
I made an overview of all the USB-C hubs in a spreadsheet here - http://goo.gl/K9pFq0
Let me know if I'm missing anyone.
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Nice idea! I suggest you add a Thunderbolt 1/2 column.
[doublepost=1478268207][/doublepost]
Etienne79 said:
OPEN MESSAGE TO APPLE - LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
Apple, please include 2-3 FREE dongles with the new Macbook Pro until USB-C devices are widespread.
.
It would send a signal that Apple understands the seriousness of the situation:
1) with USB-C only, the new laptop is pretty much unusable for most PRO users in 2016
2) it is only usable if the customer spends another $150-$400 on docking stations and adaptors. Since you considerably raised prices, this extra would make the total amount pretty much unjustifiable.
.
If you are serious about keeping your pro user base then please comment on the situation publicly.
.
LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
Click to expand...
Love it. Suggest creating a petition and sharing it on FB and other social media as well.
 
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Why not jus use USBC for all ... iPhones and Macbooks etc ... one standard for all
 
I am a bit confused now on what to buy. I need USB-C to DVI. Do I just wait to see if someone releases something compatible or will any connectors work?
 
Etienne79 said:
OPEN MESSAGE TO APPLE - LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
Apple, please include 2-3 FREE dongles with the new Macbook Pro until USB-C devices are widespread.
.
It would send a signal that Apple understands the seriousness of the situation:
1) with USB-C only, the new laptop is pretty much unusable for most PRO users in 2016
2) it is only usable if the customer spends another $150-$400 on docking stations and adaptors. Since you considerably raised prices, this extra would make the total amount pretty much unjustifiable.
.
If you are serious about keeping your pro user base then please comment on the situation publicly.
.
LIKE IT IF YOU AGREE
Click to expand...


What about just not being it if you're so dissatisfied?

"Please comment on the situation publicly"? Seriously? Do you know how much of a "special snowflake" you sound like with this statement?
 
I do think that a lot of the newer MR lot lose sight that generally any problem you have with any apple kit is a "first world" problem. You won't die if it doesn't get any more updates or suddenly a port is incompatible. For new kit believe it or not you dont actually HAVE to buy it ! I know it sounds incredible :)
 
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