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New Macbook Pro's with those USB-C ports


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  Apparently also called "Thunderbolt 3" connectors.

  Has anyone used these with Thunderbolt 2 HDs?  Should I wait for G Tech to make USB-C HDs or take the plunge on the Thunderbolt 2 drives?  Seems dumb to have to use an adaptor for brand new stuff.

  Thanks!

 Dan Izen

 

EDIT: Nevermind no one has Thunderbolt 3 and it might be a while...  USB 3 seems like the fastest for now...

Edited by Izen Ears
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  • 2 weeks later...

depends if you *really* need the thunderbolt3 speed, for most normal hard drives thunderbolt 1 is plenty enough.

even USB3 is really fast, so if hook up an USB hard disk with USB-C connector it will work nicely (it will use the USB3 bus and not thunderbolt). there are quite a few disks with USB over the USB-C connector, even some with SSDs.

but if for some reason you need the full throughput, here are some tests from the speed wizards:

http://barefeats.com/tricktb3b.html
http://barefeats.com/tricktb3.html
http://barefeats.com/tricktb3b.html

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

  Yeah I posted uninformed (as usual!).  I read an article that talked about how the real benefit to thunderbolt 3 is the ability to have lots of stuff going through one adaptor, since no hard drives are that fast.  So, instead of one 40mb/ hard drive (that does not currently exist), you can run multiple usb3 drives at 10mb/s as well as plenty of other crap.

  So I'm just gonna spring for a usb3 HD, whenever I find the time to research that crap.

  Dan Izen

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On 2/9/2017 at 4:49 AM, ao said:

eliminating multiple dongles with one adapter:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hyperdrive-thunderbolt-3-usb-c-hub-for-macbook-pro#/

it is annoying to have apple ignore power users

  This thing is supercool, except that it doesn't have FW800...  Damn!  Gotta try that OWC thingee.

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While that looks pretty cool, you can simply get the cables for your existing devices. Cable Matters available on Amazon for example: https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-USB-C-Micro-Black/dp/B00UUBQ710/ref=pd_sim_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WT6Q9PJ2Y9D3PAX2XTZD

I got a couple of those. Works with my WD MyPassport hard drive and Kingston SD/CF reader. 

Looks like they have a few different versions with micro USB etc. All around $7-9 a piece. 

(No FW versions as far as I know)

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1 hour ago, Johnny Karlsson said:

(No FW versions as far as I know)

apple itself makes one (and made one for the older thunderbolt2/displayport connector too):

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter

as I understand it, it's basically a PCIe FW800 card stuffed into the connector - pretty amazing how small things got.

 

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1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

apple itself makes one (and made one for the older thunderbolt2/displayport connector too):

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter

as I understand it, it's basically a PCIe FW800 card stuffed into the connector - pretty amazing how small things got.

 

That is a Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter. I believe they also make a Thunderbolt 2 to Firewire adapter, but I am not 100% certain if daisy chaining the two would in fact work with, let's say, a Firewire audio interface....?

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8 hours ago, Johnny Karlsson said:

That is a Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter. 

doh, of course you're right, my mind must have severely confused last night, sorry for that :/

but yeah, there's a TB2 to FW800:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter?fnode=8b

and I've used that for connecting disks and firewire interfaces several times without any problems, so chances are that a TB3/USB-C --> TB2/DP --> TB2/DP --> FW800 will work as well.... but it sure gets fiddly and a bit expensive.

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I have had no problems chaining through a thunderbolt 2 adaptor so far.  After using the MBP for a few months now, I don't mind the switch to USB-C/TB3.  I bought a few cables to connect the things I need without dongles, and never looked back.  I do miss having a mag safe power connector though.  Charging through either side of the computer is convenient, but losing magsafe is probably my only complaint about the machine.  To my surprise, PT HD 11 hasn't had any problems running on it on Sierra, despite not being qualified.

The internal storage is impressively fast, I'm very glad I spent the money for 1TB internal instead of just relying on slower external SSD's.

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18 hours ago, Izen Ears said:

  This thing is supercool, except that it doesn't have FW800...  Damn!  Gotta try that OWC thingee.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter?afid=p238|s4YeFq8ZJ-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_52243316890_&cid=aos-us-kwgo-pla-btb--slid--product-MD464LL/A

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  Yes thanks I have that and it works, but it needs another adaptor to work with USBC connector, and also I don't wanna have to keep unplugging stuff.  That OWC thing would literally be everything I could possibly use, including ethernet!  I should get one.

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  • 5 months later...

I'm looking at the OWC adapter too - I've used a lot of their other products through the years and while not always the "flashiest" they have a good sense of the needs of the pro community and deliver products that meet that need. I don't think you'd be off for waiting for G-Tech to come out with TB3 devices either, as they make fantastic kit. As other users have also pointed out you're probably fine on USBC, however it never hurts to future proof wherever possible. 

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On 3/23/2017 at 4:42 PM, Wandering Ear said:

The internal storage is impressively fast, I'm very glad I spent the money for 1TB internal instead of just relying on slower external SSD's.

 

Yes likewise, I discovered the internal storage is blazingly fast, and changed my 500Gb 15" MBP (Kaby Lake) for a 1TB when I found out just how fast it is. (Like double a SanDisk Extreme 900 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Portable SSD.)

Apple were very helpful and allowed me to return my 500Gb within 14 days.

 

It's dongle spaghetti though, I got one of these for studio use -
CableCreation USB 3.1 Type C/Thunderbolt 3 Multiport 4K UHD Adapter, USB-C to USB 3.0/ HDMI/VGA/Mini DisplayPort/Ethernet/Stereo/SD Card/Micro SD Card and USB-C Female Charger Adapter.


and one of these for mobile use -
GN30H USB C Hub Shuttle Type C Hub with Power Delivery for Charging ,HDMI Output ,Card Reader, 3 USB 3.0 Ports,Gigabit Ethernet Port Adapter
Which has the amusing 'QacQoc' stamped on it, made in China and not too expensive :)

 

They've both been fine and done what they're supposed to so far......QacQoc gets a bit warm....

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