Apple Thunderbolt connection....what the heck!

daveyf · « **on:** 8 Dec 2019, 11:58 pm »

Just bought my daughter a new MacBook Pro...very nice laptop...with one factor that kind of concerns me...and I guess, not other Apple lovers ( I am sort of one).
That is the fact that this machine...and all of the new Apple laptops, only offer a connection scheme called Thunderbolt! No Ethernet connectivity, no USB connectivity, no ssd connectivity...you get the picture. Now sure, you can add a dongle that will allow you to connect via Thunderbolt to the various other schemes....at a price!
Apple rep tells me at the Apple store that Apple is moving away from USB and Ethernet...Ethernet he tells me is now very old school...hmmm!

aldcoll · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Dec 2019, 12:22 am »

Ya but it has rounded edges.

PC laptops are dropping ethernet also from the last sampling I looked at. Next will be the keyboard

Alan

rooze · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Dec 2019, 02:58 pm »

It's about time a universal standard was adopted by all! (Mac/PC/Android/iOS etc) I actually think TB3/USB-C is a step in the right direction.

Thunderbolt 3 is compatible with and uses the same connector as USB-C. It's also backwards compatible with DisplayPort.

USB-C does all of the usual USB functions including power delivery up to 100w etc, but Thunderbolt 3 brings along additional features to USB-C such as 40 Gbps where USB 3.1 is 10 Gbps I think. But most importantly for me it's also bi-directional for data and display.
Right now on one of my older MacBook Pros with Thunderbolt 2, getting a cable that runs in the right direction to connect an external monitor with only USB-C is a big problem!
So as long as they keep developing down the USB-C connector path, I think it'll be ok, soon...maybe?

rollo · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Dec 2019, 03:05 pm »

Well how does one connect the Mac to a streamer now ? The USB input for the server or streamer is a different shape.

charles

rooze · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Dec 2019, 03:23 pm »

I believe you'd need to navigate through the minefield of adapter cables

Amazon has everything (except what you'll actually need) and the only advice I can offer is to be wary of the uni-directionality of older systems. For example, you might want to send video from a Thunderbolt 2 equipped older MacBook to a newer external Monitor with USB-C. You'll find tons of cables with the TB2/DisplayPort on one end and the USB-C on the other, but try and find one that sends the data in the direction you want it to!