Thunderbold port (light peak) on new macs

[1audio]

I got a pretty good download from an insider of stuff not under NDA.

1) only Intel makes the chip and its not cheap enough to go into many boxes at over $6 ea. now.

2) It doesn't connect directly to the CPU or memory, instead it takes PCIexpress and displayport and "mixes" them over a cable.

3) It has a precision synchronization ability to keep attached devices in time to 8 nS. I'm not sure how this will help with a single stereo or even 8 channel interface. It may be important for AV production environments where sync of multiple audio and video devices is necessary.

4) The optical link uses an electrical to optical conversion in the cable and back. There is up to 10 W of power available at the connector (a lot for such a small connector) to power whatever, like the lasers in the cable. Its not clear that the load device will provide power and the isolation may be gone with the source powering the load. We will know soon enough.

5) Whatever is at the end of the cable will convert from thunderbolt to PCI express (or Displayport) to USB or whatever to I2S to drive a DAC. It seems like a lot to do not much in the end.

 

Despite the hoopla it could easily be firewire redux since there isn't much outside of a few niche markets that it will enable that isn't possible now. If there were a lot of applications waiting for an interface you would see a lot more expresscard slots on laptops (a single lane PCI express connection). I think those are gone for the most part.

 

[Phil Townsend]

In a phone call to Lynx about the Aurora I asked about Thunderbold... Actually I was putting in my request for Light Peak support. I mentioned that Apogee aka Gee had plastered on the front of their web site...

"WE SUPPORT THUNDERBOLT"

So I ask the rep at lynx whats up with USB 3 or USB 2 or Thunderbold. (Lynx is coming out with a USB solution for their Aurora line. Perviously it only had a firewire 400. Plus a few others that I was not interested in.

He said..."I can't talk to you about our Thunderbold project.

So I'm guessing they will announce soon.

That New Mac Mini in the wings will no doubt support Thunderballs as well.

20gigs full duplex?

Or

10 gigs full duplex?

That is the question.

 

Phil

Santa Fe