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Thunderbolt

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Re: Thunderbolt

#71

Post by hop »

jordanroher wrote: post #44
sandipc wrote: post #4

So I guess the official branding of Lightpeak is Thunderbolt, even from Intel? And the standard connector (even outside of Apple products) is essentially Mini-Displayport?

I wonder if Apple will eventually replace the dock connector on the iPhone/iPad with Thunderbolt? That would be a compelling reason to upgrade: your music sync time would be freed of another bottleneck. Of course, it kind of messes with the third-party accessory market, but I'm sure they'd love another reason to get people to buy new stuff.

Thunderbolt may work thru the 30 pin conector, needs four lanes of copper. We should know Tuesday if they do it with the iPad 2.

Re: Thunderbolt

#73

Post by siglesias »

jordanroher wrote: post #44
sandipc wrote: post #4

So I guess the official branding of Lightpeak is Thunderbolt, even from Intel? And the standard connector (even outside of Apple products) is essentially Mini-Displayport?

I wonder if Apple will eventually replace the dock connector on the iPhone/iPad with Thunderbolt? That would be a compelling reason to upgrade: your music sync time would be freed of another bottleneck. Of course, it kind of messes with the third-party accessory market, but I'm sure they'd love another reason to get people to buy new stuff.

The dock connector is actually wide enough to allow the device to dock! So don't expect it to go away while docking is a priority for Apple's design decisions.

Re: Thunderbolt

#74

Post by maggit »

tantalor wrote: post #27

Can a Thunderbolt device (eg display) expose USB to peripherals? With my current setup, I connect my display via USB and DVI to my MBP in order to connect USB peripherals via the display. I'd love to break that redundant USB connection with Thunderbolt.

Yes. It looks like you would have to implement USB on top of PCIe in the monitor, though.

> Intel's Thunderbolt controllers interconnect a PC and other devices, transmitting and receiving packetized traffic for both PCIe and DisplayPort protocols. Thunderbolt technology works on data streams in both directions, at the same time, so users get the benefit of full bandwidth in both directions, over a single cable.

http://www.intel.com/technology/io/thunderbolt/index.htm

Re: Thunderbolt

#75

Post by glhaynes »

ghc wrote: post #30

Five years ago I would have been eagerly anticipating this, but I can't really get excited anymore. USB3 has probably already won, and while I love the idea of monitors and other devices all using the same port, I don't think it will be enough to drive adoption.

USB3 has probably already won

Why do you say that? Are there more USB 3 things on the market than I'm aware of? With Intel and Apple behind it, I wouldn't say Thunderbolt is a sure thing, but it seems promising.

Re: Thunderbolt

#76

Post by jonknee »

Splines wrote: post #67
CrLf wrote: post #9

Technically it seems nice, but what's up with reusing the "high voltage" symbol for this? And "thunderbolt" is a very tacky name...

IMO, nearly all of the icons on the side of the laptop don't make sense. The headphones are clearly recognizable, and the rest are just pretty shapes. I'd argue that the headphone jack is the only place you actually need the icon, since it shares the same shape as the goatse-plug next to it (whatever that's supposed to be).

The other mini-jack is an audio line in.

Re: Thunderbolt

#77

Post by __david__ »

maggit wrote: post #74
tantalor wrote: post #27

Can a Thunderbolt device (eg display) expose USB to peripherals? With my current setup, I connect my display via USB and DVI to my MBP in order to connect USB peripherals via the display. I'd love to break that redundant USB connection with Thunderbolt.

Yes. It looks like you would have to implement USB on top of PCIe in the monitor, though. > Intel's Thunderbolt controllers interconnect a PC and other devices, transmitting and receiving packetized traffic for both PCIe and DisplayPort protocols. Thunderbolt technology works on data streams in both directions, at the same time, so users get the benefit of full bandwidth in both directions, over a single cable. http:…

> It looks like you would have to implement USB on top of PCIe in the monitor, though.

Isn't that basically UHCI?

Re: Thunderbolt

#78

Post by Semiapies »

maggit wrote: post #54
bugsy wrote: post #50

It really seems to me a lot of this is about making your current peripherals obsolete so they can sell you new ones.

In the long run, Thunderbolt aims to replace USB, FireWire, Ethernet, DisplayPort/HDMI/etc, eSATA and be considered an external variant of PCIe. This is feasible and would be a good future, just like the future we live in now where USB has replaced serial ports, parallel ports and PS/2.

I for one don't miss serial, parallel, and PS/2 ports.

Re: Thunderbolt

#79

Post by Goldstein »

no doubt it is a great innovation, but it is a Epic Fail with its logo or symbol or branding whatever you call it. it should be something special like USB, Ethernet, Sound symbol etc.

Re: Thunderbolt

#80

Post by __david__ »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #56
pyre wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IIRC, it was because Intel made USB chipsets really cheap vs IEEE1394a (aka FireWire) chipsets.

I recall it being because Apple screwed up the licensing so bad ($1 per port) that everyone got together to create and then push USB 2.0 as a replacement even after the royalties got reduced to something semi-reasonable like 25c per device.

I worked at a place that developed FireWire peripherals. I can tell you the $1/port price never mattered to us, despite the loud backlash on the internet.

The real reason USB "won" is because Intel really pushed it and integrated it into every one of their chipsets. Possibly even licensing it to the other PC chipset makers for cheap/free up front.

Given that Intel is backing Thunderbolt, it stands a good chance at achieving the same widespread usage.

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