it's all a matter of what value you get out of it. my first CD-burner was $1200, by NEC.
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completely wrong. it's just not designed for you, as your ignorance to its existence details.
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Sonnet Echo 15 Docking Stations Delayed for Thunderbolt 2 Upgrade
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it's all a matter of what value you get out of it. my first CD-burner was $1200, by NEC.
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completely wrong. it's just not designed for you, as your ignorance to its existence details.
Macworld UK's review today says "no".
http://www.macworld.co.uk/review/mac-accessories/caldigit-thunderbolt-station-review-3499569/
I think Sonnet made the right move by delaying this. The other docks have all had little issues (not that they don't serve some people's needs as is), but I appreciate that Sonnet is trying to get this right on the first try. Although some of their posts suggest feature creep, I think waiting on TB2 to ensure better Windows compatibility is a good decision for the TB "ecosystem".
Assuming this comes out around the time of the Haswell Mac mini, you could stack them to almost achieve the MMM (Mythical Mac Minitower).
Can someone confirm that the CalDigit allows for a DVI monitor connected to a Thunderbolt port via DVI to MDP adapter, then another with HDMI? I've got a 32" Samsung TV I'd like to use as a secondary monitor, if that's the case. I'd be a happy camper.
Why not leave out the DVD drive and let users add an external (if they ever need one) via USB or whatever?
You bring up a good question there. I like the idea of having a disc reader/writer in the unit. It makes for a tidy set up. However, your point is valid in that stand alone reader/writer will most certainly be an all around faster unit. These laptop sized units put in devices like this are flimsier and slower.
While many reference this unit for the new Mac Pro, I find it is a great addition for a Mac Mini given that TB2 is backwards compatible on this unit. Given the space for 2 2.5 drives, one could easily use one of them as a TM or simple back up and the other for whatever purpose they deem of value.
I don't know if I can agree with the message implied here that just because you spent a couple thousand on your Mac, you must therefore have several thousand more to spend on peripherals and must be willing to spend and pay whatever amount it takes for something which may give you more utility or convenience without concern for cost. Even somebody with thousands more to spend after spending "a couple of thousand" for the Mac would want to draw the line somewhere on what is and is not worth the money vs. worth the convenience (cost/benefit factor). At least, the cost involved here would have to make them think twice about it.
The corollary here seems to be if you want or need "it", you should not be concerned about the price, just perceived satisfaction. So, don't moan or complain about cost, pay whatever it takes, or just step aside for those that will pay it without concern. That is what people used to say about the Rolls-Royce, and look what happened to that firm (almost went bankrupt and had to be bought out)!
This seems a bit elitist, as many "little" people who use Mac hardware and software don't necessarily spend thousands on a computer with a built-in limited useful lifespan with careless abandon, or spent what limited funds they had just to get "into the game" with a computer and system they feel can provide a more enjoyable experience than alternatives like Windows. Not everybody is a "pro" who can write off any costs on taxes or justify an addition that can be written off without concern for costs as a business expense. Actually, I don't know of any business that can survive with that "spend with no limit or concern" policy without spending themselves into a very nicely equipped bankruptcy. Real business needs to contain costs and invest profits back into growing the business, not increased spending for tech toys. (Don't give me that "if I save 10 seconds a day, I will save 300 seconds a month-that's real money!" stuff. The time saved will be wasted waiting by the coffee machine anyway
)This device is not strictly for a high end new Mac Pro, is it? Isn't it for Thunderbolt equipped computers in general? For instance, if you have a Mac Mini with Thunderbolt port, and want to add a SSD without removing or rebuilding the case, or, a student with a MacBook Air who wants to doc the computer after a day of classes, or an office worker with a MacBook Pro used in a home office, or any other ordinary day-to-day Mac user...are they not intended targeted customers for this product? Or, is it strictly for the person who spends thousands on a computer and then wants to spend thousands more without concerns for what it costs.
My point is, this docking port is very expensive. Now the company making it has the right to charge whatever they want, or whatever the market will bear (that's business!), and decide to withhold it for as long as they want until every possible enhancement can be accounted for disregarding revenue stream (because as they say, there is a ground swell of public reaction demanding Thunderbolt 2 capability, who would rather wait then settle, and they apparently care so deeply for their potential client's wants they are willing to delay release until the lily is guilded), and that's fine. That still does not change the fact this costs alot. So much so that many won't even consider it regardless of benefit becasue their limited budget needs to be spent (or saved) for something else, like the next Apple hardware version release, or some useful software, or a digital camera, or whatever, and reject this item regardless of how useful it might have been to them because it ties up too much saved/reserved cash. Or, it just hurts to have to spend this much for so little. These are customers this company is snubbing by setting the price at such a high level. Businesses in general don't normally want to do that, unless they intentionally want to limit the potential market for the product because of a high break even point in manufacturing costs pays them to limit production (and they are really seeming to be limiting production by sliding that release date further and further from the original target, aren't they!).
You may not care if you have no intention of buying this in the first place, but if you did have a use for this dock, and you are otherwise interested, or just plain don't care to be ripped off by Sonnet just because they can, then you may just want to express that the cost for this peripheral is just not worth it. You may also come to the conclusion that Thunderbolt, although a promising technology, is just too expensive to be practical for any peripheral to sell at volumes permitting reduced unit costs, there are less expensive alternatives (like USB 3.0 and others to yet come) that will set the standards because they can gain market traction in numbers large enough to establish a standard, and Thunderbolt (1 or 2) is destined to be doomed to an early death because it can only be afforded and used by the elite who need not concern themselves about costs, only wants.
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Hell, that's the main reason I was looking at this. Nice to have it internal instead of having another external case.
Polaris,
The CalDigit TB dock WILL NOT support more than one display. I currently have my NEC 26" connected to the dock via the display port to DVI adaptor. Works great. When I plug in the HDMI to the dock at the same time, the NEC goes dark and the image comes up on the Sony TV (HDMI). My understanding is the CalDigit's chipset doesn't support more than one video out. If you have another TB device that you can put in your TB chain after the dock, this device's TB chipset should also support a video out. So, connect your DVI monitor to the CalDigit via HDMI or display port to DVI. Connect another TB device to the CalDigit's second TB port. On the other TB device attach a display port to dvi/hdmi to the second monitor.
I am able to get my NEC, Sony and MBP monitor all working at the same time. I connect the NEC to the CalDigit via MDP->DVI and the Sony TV to the HDMI port on the MBP (not the CalDigit dock). That works for three monitors. This is a Late 2013 15" MBP.
Rob
First off, calm down a bit.
Now, we all know that essentially ALL thunderbolt accessories are expensive. Now they are waiting for Thunderbolt 2 which is brand new technology - hence very expensive. The licensing fees and the thunderbolt tech itself is expensive and it's evolving so quickly that prices remain high.
If you know how expensive other docks are, then this price point shouldn't surprise. This is cutting edge: Thunderbolt 2, Blue-Ray, eSATA, SATA, FireWire, USB 3.0, Audio IN, Audio OUT, Ethernet.
For the price, you get a nice-looking accessory that has expensive components inside.
And maybe you don't need ALL of he features and can find a cheaper alternative for your uses.
Just realize that Apple's Thunderbolt IS at the cutting edge of pro-sumer data transfer and the upgrade to ThunderBolt 2 means that companies will upgrade their devices and prices won't come down in the near future.
If you don't need the optical drive, then you can buy one of the other Thunderbolt docks that fits your needs better.
Exactly.
Yeah, we've yet to see a Thunderbolt controller with more than one DisplayPort Source protocol adapter. This is why the Apple Thunderbolt display can drive the built-in panel, but not a second directly attached DisplayPort display. A Thunderbolt device daisy-chained off of the CalDigit dock could, however, drive another display, as long as the Mac it's all attached to can support it (almost all of them can).
This dock looks bigger than the mac pro. And yeah, I'm not sure whats going on with the astetic here.
This will be interesting and there will be surprises.
Dp1.3 will come in the spring and all display makers will jump to it.
Then TB2 needs upgrading.
Will Apple make newMP obsolete in less than a year?
Will any other mac get TB3 before MP?
Could mac mini get TB2 before macbooks & imac?
Will display makers make 4k displays with "legacy compliance" to macs, so that dp1.2 (=TB2) will be enough for 60Hz 4k?
Will 2014 model of macbooks include two TB chipsets to drive two 4k displays?
Well at this rate, both this device and the MacPro will roughly be available around the same time. MacPros aren't shipping until March now anyway. Aaaarrrrrrggghhhh!!!
Yes, but the big market for this product is surely users with MacBooks who want a 1-wire 'docking' solution, or Minis and iMacs with limited USB and TB ports - and they've been around (and waiting for a decent dock) since 2011.
A nMP already has 2 Ethernet ports 4 USB3 ports, 6 thunderbolt ports and is mostly going to live on the desktop - it isn't crying out for a dock like a Macbook Air is.
Mac Pro users are more likely to spring for a $$$$ hotswap RAID or PCIe SSD than a couple of built in SATA drives. Also, I suspect that surprisingly few video editors (the core Mac Pro market) actually need/want to read BluRays on their editing machine.
This dock strikes me as more of a device for deep-pocketed consumers than "pro" gear.
Don't get me wrong - if I bought a Mac Pro, one of these would be a great jack-of-all-trades peripheral, but I have no rational justification for buying a Mac Pro. True Pro users will have more specific needs.
However, I'd quite like a TB dock now for my 2011 MBP 17" (which could really do with USB3).
Ugh. Sounds like a lot of work. I should have bought the retina 13", not an MBA! Ah well. Thanks for the detailed response though, much appreciate it!
I am very disappointed with Sonnet, and doubt that they will ever ship this. The pitiful updates on their website over the past year have left me with a feeling of distrust and so I've given up with them.
Has anyone got experience of this product? ESata, FireWire and USB 3.0 dock, looks too good to be true?
http://www.akitio.com/accessories/thunder-dock
Has anyone got experience of this product? ESata, FireWire and USB 3.0 dock, looks too good to be true?
http://www.akitio.com/accessories/thunder-dock
Oh, good; so there's still time to lose the ugly, or at least drop those ridiculous colored 1/8" plugs on the front. If you keep them, make the colors go away. (YMMV)
Happy with the functionality, but the aesthetics, ugh; why not work a little on that Sonnet, while waiting for those Thunderbolt 2 chipsets.
One apparently doesn't notice great design, until it's actually missing.
One apparently doesn't notice great design, until it's actually missing.
Great, but HUGE. Should be tiny like this:
LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10574
LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10574
Yeah, but one point of the Sonnet dock is that it can have an optical drive and/or hard drives fitted internally *and* eSATA devices connected externally *and* provide extra ethernet and USB3 ports (even for non-USB3 Macs).
Single purpose products like the LaCie are great for professional users with well-defined workflows, and make sense for performance-critical nMP users who want every device on its own TB channel.
The appeal of the Sonnet dock is more for "pro-sumers" and hobbyists who want maximum versatility out of one purchase (and probably won't be using every interface on the dock simultaneously).
I just got mine. I haven't hooked it up, but after waiting for the Sonnet one, I saw this one and realized it really had everything that I wanted (especially port multiplier aware ESATA) for half the cost (granted it doesn't have BluRay but I already have two external bluray players).
When I get some time to hook it up, I'll let you know.
I waited until prices dropped, I think I got mine for $600.
It just seems insane now to have paid that much...
Gary
It isn't really a lot of work if you really think about it. I think "if" you really need a TB external drive and dual external displays this could be the best solution for you.
For example, with this quote from "theluggage" in this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1673723/
"Mac --> Caldigit dock ----> HDMI/DVI display
|---> Any dual-port TB external storage---> MiniDP display or adapter
The rule with Thunderbolt is that although the computer can drive 2 displays via TB you can only have 1 display per Thunderbolt peripheral - either built in to the device or a miniDP device connected to the peripheral's TB out (that includes all the various miniDP-to-VGA/HDMI/DVI adapters). The Apple Thunderbolt Display is a thunderbolt peripheral with a display (D'oh!) so you can't also connect a minDP display to it - but you can connect a second Thunderbolt display or any other TB device with a thru port, to which you can then connect a MiniDP display."
Just a quick search for some Thunderbolt drives with dual TB ports, I came up with these:
CalDigit is offering a dual TB port 3TB external Raid:
http://www.caldigit.com/store.asp#T3
LaCie offers a dual TB port 2TB external drive:
http://www.amazon.com/LaCie-Little-...1682614&sr=8-1&keywords=lacie+little+big+disk
LaCie dual TB 1TB external drive:
http://www.amazon.com/Lacie-LITTLE-...1682614&sr=8-7&keywords=lacie+little+big+disk
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I also noticed while on the website that CalDigit is offering $10 discount on their Thunderbolt Station if you simply like their FaceBook page:
http://www.caldigit.com/store.asp#ThunderboltStation
I hope this helps
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Akitio seems to know how to do it!
Compared to lacie's esata, this is only slightly more expensive and better in every way (port multiplier!).
How was it?