Thunderbolt Technology

[harrybarracuda]

I wonder if this will make USB obsolete? I only noticed it because MSI and ASUS just released Thunderbolt motherboards for Windows (Apple co-developed it and it's already in the Macbook Pro).

Thunderbolt™ Technology

The fastest connection to your PC experience1

From the company with the fastest processors comes the fastest way to transfer data between a PC and peripheral and display devices1. At 10 Gbps, Thunderbolt™ technology delivers great responsiveness with data and display transfers—in each direction, at the same time—using a single cable to connect devices in a daisy chain.
Thunderbolt™ technology enables products that are able to:

• Transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds2
• Back up one year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes3

Another industry first in connectivity

Developed by Intel (under the code name Light Peak), and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple. Thunderbolt™ technology is a new, high-speed I/O technology designed for performance, simplicity, and flexibility.
Thunderbolt™ technology features:

• Simultaneous bi-directional, 10 Gbps transfers over a single cable
• Dual-protocol support (PCI Express* and DisplayPort*)
• Compatible with existing DisplayPort* devices
• Daisy-chaining devices
• Choice of electrical or optical cables
• Low latency with highly accurate time synchronization for professional audio and video applications
• Uses native protocol software drivers
• Power-over-cable for bus-powered devices

How Thunderbolt™ technology works

Thunderbolt significantly simplifies the end-user experience by concurrently supporting data and display connections over a single cable.
Intel Thunderbolt™ chips interconnect a PC and other devices, transmitting and receiving information for both PCI Express* (PCIe*) and DisplayPort* protocols. The Thunderbolt™ chip switches between the two protocols to support communications over a single cable. Intel is making its chip available to the industry, and is working with other component manufacturers to deliver the Thunderbolt™ connectors and cables.
The end result brings a new balance of performance, simplicity, and flexibility to end users and product designers.
Read the brief for Thunderbolt technology >
Read the press release for Thunderbolt technology >
Visit the Thunderbolt technology Community to learn more about developing products with Thunderbolt technology >



What Thunderbolt™ technology means for the PC industry

By tapping into the performance and protocols delivered over Thunderbolt™ technology, designers are free to innovate new PC products and configurations, no longer constrained to the boundaries of the chassis walls.
With Thunderbolt™ technology, engineers can:

• Design standalone performance expansion technologies commonly used in desktops and workstations, using existing native device drivers and interconnected by a single cable.
• Introduce thinner and lighter laptops, expandable through Thunderbolt™ technology and its miniature connector designed for mobile applications, without sacrificing I/O performance.
• Extend to reach other I/O technologies by using adapters that use widely available PCI Express* controllers. It's simple to create a Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire, or eSATA adapter using existing device PCI Express* drivers.

Industry Support

Several innovative companies have announced Thunderbolt™-enabled products, or plans to support Thunderbolt™ in upcoming products, including Apple Inc., Promise Technology, Inc., and LaCie. Intel is working with the industry to enable a variety of Thunderbolt™-enabled products, including computers, displays, high-speed data storage devices, audio/video devices, and more.
Additional information: 4

[Bazzy]

Last time I look there wasn't much in the way of peripherals on the market. I expect once there are it may take a little before prices drop.

[Mid]

I wonder if this will make USB obsolete?

redferret.net

certainly hope so

[harrybarracuda]

LaCie are normally pretty quick to market; theirs was the first portable 1TB drive I bought, "ruggedised" as well.

[Butterfly]

who fucking care, these are toys for stupid geeks (incidentally apple sponsored devices)

USB2 and USB3 is more than enough,

Techies are as dumb as discount coupons gripping grannies

[Mid]

USB2 and USB3 is more than enough,

"Nobody will ever need more than 640k RAM!" -- Bill Gates, 1981

and yes it's doubtful Bill actually uttered the words but you get the drift

[harrybarracuda]

who fucking care, these are toys for stupid geeks (incidentally apple sponsored devices)

USB2 and USB3 is more than enough,

Techies are as dumb as discount coupons gripping grannies

Jesus wept, you really are a fucktard, aren't you? Stay out of the grown up topics, you fucking moron.

I'm sure USB 3.0 is sufficient for your pitiful collection of home made, mobile phone katoey porn, but for people with real world applications it is pitiful.

The faster the better.

[Butterfly]

with real world applications it is pitiful.

like downloading your favorite TV sport show ?

[harrybarracuda]

with real world applications it is pitiful.

like downloading your favorite TV sport show ?

Like Reservoir modelling and Process Control.

Fuckwit.

Anyway, with Intel and Apple behind it, it will probably become a de facto standard before USB 4.0 comes out.

[Butterfly]

Like Reservoir modelling and Process Control.

right, because your HD drive speed will need to be faster than the CPU bus

god, you are a fucking amateur

[baldrick]

but what if you wrap it in tin foil ?

An attacker could, for example, send a maliciously-designed Thunderbolt device to a victim. Upon connecting to a computer, the device, through its direct and unimpeded access to system memory and other devices, would be able to bypass almost all security measures of the OS and have the ability to read encryption keys or install malware.

Thunderbolt (interface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[harrybarracuda]

Like Reservoir modelling and Process Control.

right, because your HD drive speed will need to be faster than the CPU bus

god, you are a fucking amateur

And the highest transfer rate available on third generation BUSes is......?

Or are you still thinking of your Pentium III running Windows XP?

[harrybarracuda]

The Specs on this puppy are fucking great, and $450 doesn't seem too outrageous.

ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM motherboard adds Thunderbolt

Ben Kersey, May 21st 2012 Discuss [2]



USB 3.0 has been trundling along quite nicely, but Thunderbolt has had a bit of a harder time finding a foothold in the market. The tech is only really used extensively on Apple’s line of MacBooks and iMacs right now, and accessories have been slow to appear. Maybe some native support on motherboards will help move things along: ASUS has announced that the P8Z77-V PREMIUM will be the first motherboard certified by Intel to include Thunderbolt.





ASUS and Intel both worked closely on the new motherboard. Not only that, but ASUS partnered with several external hard drive manufacturers such as Elgato, LaCie, and and PROMISE to ensure compatibility with their Thunderbolt solutions under Windows. There’s only one Thunderbolt port on the motherboard, but the ability to daisy chain multiple devices over a single connection mean there shouldn’t be any issues.
Thunderbolt isn’t the only tech that this new motherboard is packing: it sits near the top of ASUS’ line, and looks mighty capable in its own right. Support for Ivy Bridge processors is on board, as well as overclocked DDR3 RAM at 2800Mhz. There are four PCI-e 3.0 sockets, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, dual-band WiFi b/g/n plus Bluetooth 4.0, six SATA 6Gbit/s ports, two eSATA 6Gbit/s ports, and six USB 3.0 ports. A 32GB mSATA SSD is also included to enable fast boot-up and resume times.

ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM Z77 LGA 1155 ATX Intel Motherboard

GeneralBrandASUSModelP8Z77-V PREMIUMHighlightsASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM Z77 LGA 1155 ATX Intel Motherboard, Intel Z77 Chipset, Socket LGA 1155, ATX Form Factor, The First Intel Certified and Windows Optimized Motherboard to Feature Thunderbolt Technology.SpecificationsCPUIntel Socket 1155 for 3rd/2nd Generation Core i7/Core i5/Core i3/Pentium/Celeron Processors
Supports Intel 22 nm CPU
Supports Intel 32 nm CPU
Supports Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0ChipsetIntel Z77Memory4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3 2800(O.C.)/2600(O.C.)/2400(O.C.)/2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
Supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)ThunderboltVGA output support
Data transfer rate up to 10 Gbps
Daisy-chain up to 6 Thunderbolt devicesGraphicIntegrated Graphics Processor
Multi-VGA output support : HDMI/DisplayPort/Thunderbolt ports
- Supports HDMI with max. resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
- Supports DisplayPort with max. resolution 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz
- Supports Thunderbolt with max. resolution 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz
Maximum shared memory of 1696 MB
Supports Intel HD Graphics, InTru 3D, Quick Sync Video, Clear Video HD Technology, InsiderMulti-GPU SupportSupports NVIDIA 4-Way SLI Technology
Supports AMD 4-Way CrossFireX Technology
Supports LucidLogix Virtu MVP TechnologyExpansion Slots4 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (dual x16 or x16, x8, x8 or quad x8)
2 x PCIe 2.0 x1StorageIntel Z77 chipset :
2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), gray
3 x SATA 3Gb/s port(s), blue
1 x mini-SATA 3Gb/s port(s) with onboard 32GB SSD, black
Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10
Supports Intel Smart Response Technology, Intel Rapid Start Technology, Intel Smart Connect Technology
Marvell PCIe 9230 controller :
4 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), navy blue
Support Raid 0, 1, 10
ASMedia PCIe SATA controller :
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s port(s), redLANIntel® 82579V, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller(s)
Intel® 82583, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller(s)
Dual Gigabit LAN controllers- 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) appliance
Intel LAN- Dual interconnect between the Integrated LAN controller and Physical Layer (PHY)Wireless Data NetworkWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Supports dual band frequency 2.4/5 GHzBluetoothBluetooth V4.0
Bluetooth V3.0+HSAudioRealtek ALC898 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
- Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
Audio Feature :
- Absolute Pitch 192kHz/ 24-bit True BD Lossless Sound
- Blu-ray audio layer Content Protection
- DTS Ultra PC II
- DTS Connect
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) at back panelUSB PortsASMedia USB 3.0 controller :
2 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at back panel, blue)
Intel Z77 chipset :
4 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid-board)
Intel Z77 chipset :
6 x USB 2.0 port(s) (2 at back panel, black, 4 at mid-board)Overclocking FeaturesOverclocking Protection :
- ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall)Special FeaturesASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 3 - SMART DIGI+ Power Control :
SMART DIGI+ :
- Smart DIGI+ Key- quickly delivers higher VRM frequency, voltage and current for superior CPU/iGPU/DRAM overclocking performance with one switch.
- Smart CPU Power Level (Intel VRD 12.5 Future Power Design)- provides the best digital power saving conditions. ASUS TPU :
- Auto Tuning
- TurboV
- GPU Boost
- TPU switch
ASUS EPU :
- EPU
- EPU switch
ASUS Digital Power Design :
- Industry leading Digital 20 Phase Power Design
(16 -phase for CPU, 4 -phase for iGPU)
- Industry leading Digital 2 Phase DRAM Power Design
- CPU Power Utility
- DRAM Power Utility
ASUS Wi-Fi GO!
- Wi-Fi GO! Function: DLNA Media Hub, Smart Motion Control, Remote Desktop, Remote Keyboard & Mouse, File Transfer, Capture & Send *6
- Wi-Fi GO! Remote for portable Smartphone/Tablet, supporting iOS & Android systems
- Wi-Fi Engine for network sharing and connection: Client Mode, AP Mode
ASUS Exclusive Features :
- USB BIOS Flashback
- AI Suite II
- Ai Charger+
- USB Charger+
- Anti-Surge
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface - ASUS SSD Caching II
- Network iControl
- USB 3.0 Boost
- Disk Unlocker
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution :
- Stylish Fanless Design Heat-pipe solution
- ASUS Fan Xpert 2
ASUS EZ DIY :
- ASUS O.C. Tuner
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS Q-Design :
- ASUS Q-Shield
- ASUS Q-Code
- ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED)
- ASUS Q-Slot
- ASUS Q-DIMM
- ASUS Q-ConnectorBack I/O Ports1 x Thunderbolt port(s)
1 x DisplayPort
1 x HDMI
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s
2 x LAN (RJ45) port(s)
4 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0
1 x Optical S/PDIF out
6 x Audio jack(s)
1 x Bluetooth V4.0 connector(s) for ASUS Wi-Fi GO! card
1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button(s)Internal I/O Ports1 x USB 3.0 connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.0 port(s) (19-pin)
2 x USB 2.0 connector(s) support(s) additional 4 USB 2.0 port(s)
1 x TPM connector(s)
6 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s)
3 x SATA 3Gb/s connector(s)
1 x mSATA connector(s) with 32GB SSD onboard
1 x CPU Fan connector(s) (4 -pin)
1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s) (4 -pin)
4 x Chassis Fan connector(s)
1 x S/PDIF out header(s)
1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector(s)
1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power connector(s)
1 x Front panel audio connector(s) (AAFP)
1 x System panel(s) (Q-Connector)
1 x MemOK! button(s)
1 x TPU switch(es)
1 x EPU switch(es)
1 x Power-on button(s)
1 x Reset button(s)
1 x Clear CMOS button(s)AccessoriesUser's manual
ASUS Q-Shield
2 x SATA 3Gb/s cable(s)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s)
1 x 3-Way SLI bridge(s)
1 x 4-Way SLI bridge(s)
1 x SLI bridge(s)
1 x Q-connector(s) (2 in 1)
1 x ASUS Front Panel USB 3.0 Box(es)
1 x ASUS Wi-Fi GO! card(s)
2 x Wi-Fi Ring Moving Antenna(s)BIOS64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI 2.0a, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3, F12 PrintScreen, F3 Shortcut Function and ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect) memory informationManageabilityWfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, PXESupport DiscDrivers
ASUS Utilities
ASUS Update
Anti-virus software (OEM version)Form FactorATX Form Factor
12 inch x 9.6 inch ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm )

[harrybarracuda]

[Butterfly]

And the highest transfer rate available on third generation BUSes is......?

right, because we all know there is no cost in speed between hardware and software

[harrybarracuda]

That's what benchmarks are for, you retard.

[Butterfly]

right, because we all know benchmarks are accurate and reliable and void of all computing assumptions flaws

jesus, what a gullible fool you are. No wonder you are an XBOX hero.

[harrybarracuda]

Buttplug, stop trying to pretend you understand this stuff. We know you have a cheapo tablet with an old version of Android, a iPhone 3, and you don't even understand how to open a program in Windows 7.

You are a retard. Just accept it and move on.

[Mr Earl]

Not really ready for prime time yet.
I don't think many vendors making very many thunderbolt devices other than apple.

[harrybarracuda]

Like I said, ASUS and MSI are making motherboards. Not sure about MSI, but ASUS have about a 30% market share in motherboards.

Promise and LaCie are mainly storage vendors.

I can see the likes of WD and Samsung jumping on board if they aren't working on it already.

The big loser could be AMD, I'm fairly certain Intel wouldn't put a bundle into a technology like this and allow AMD's processors to exploit it for nothing.

Then again, it could turn out like MicroChannel....

[Butterfly]

We know you have a cheapo tablet with an old version of Android, a iPhone 3, and you don't even understand how to open a program in Windows 7.

still better than playing the XBOX 24/7 in a basement,

[harrybarracuda]

I don't know, maybe you should try it, might keep you away from those katoey cocks for a while.

[baldrick]

I wonder if 60 GHz will render this tech obsolete very quickly

if you could just put your device onto a inductive power pad and have it autolink would you want something that required cables ?

[VocalNeal]

USB seems fast enough for my mouse and printer. Still some people like sports cars and some people don't.

[VocalNeal]

and Process Control.

I'm going for a beer with Hank Brittain in July if you are thirsty.