Among the most technologically advanced communicationsinterfaces on the modern IT-market - Thunderbolt. Devices compatible with it, first appeared on the market in 2011. What is the specificity of this standard? What are its advantages over common competitive solutions?
What is Thunderbolt technology?
Thunderbolt - what is this technology?Previously, it was known as Light Peak. It is a wired communications standard by which it is possible to transmit various types of digital data, as well as electricity. Developed by joint efforts of two giants of the IT industry - Intel and Apple. In English, Thunderbolt means "rumble of thunder." A similar name has a military aircraft A-10 Thunderbolt II, used by the US Air Force. It is not known whether there is any continuity between it and solutions from IT brands. But the fact is quite remarkable.
The technology is based on two architectures:PCI Express, as well as DisplayPort. The main advantage of the technology is in high data transfer rate, as well as in universality. It is possible to organize interaction with a wide range of devices - hard drives, multimedia devices. Also, a port that supports the Thunderbolt standard can transmit a high-resolution video stream via the DisplayPort protocol. The total maximum power of the equipment connected to the Thunderbolt port is 10 watts.
The technology allows data to be transmitted both optically and electronically. The second option is more economical. But the demand for optical technology implementation is also expected to be palpable.
Delay in data transfer withinthis standard is minimal - about 8 ns. To connect devices, you can use a copper cable with a length of up to 3 m or an optical cable up to 100 m. Connecting devices to Mac computers equipped with Thunderbolt ports is possible in the “hot” mode - without turning off the device.
It is expected that in the future technologyThunderbolt will be able to provide data rates up to 100 Gbps. The demand for the corresponding standard is especially noticeable on the part of specialists who process high-quality video files.
History of technology
The technology, originally called Light Peak, wasIntel was introduced to the public in 2009. At the same time, the American brand used a prototype of a Mac Pro device PCB, through which high-definition video streams were transmitted via an optical cable. At the same time, the possibility of data transmission within the local network and the interaction of the system with an external drive was shown. The technology functioned on the basis of the PCI Express interface.
Through optical channels provideddata transfer rate of 10 Gbit / s. It was also noted that it is possible to achieve indicators of 100 Gbit / s. Intel representatives said that devices equipped with Light Peak may hit the market in 2010. In multimedia online presentations, it was also shown that Light Peak technology is able to interact with a wide range of devices - cameras, computers, monitors.
In May 2010, Intel showedpublic laptop equipped with Light Peak, thereby proving that the interface can be embedded in a small device. Intel experts also showed how simultaneous transmission of two video streams in high quality can be carried out. The brand announced that factory production of controllers supporting the appropriate technology is possible at the end of 2010. In the autumn of 2010, some prototypes of devices in which the new standard was implemented were shown to the public on the Intel Developer Forum.
Appearance on the market
In February 2011, the Light Peak standard wasimplemented under the new name - Thunderbolt on Apple devices. First, a new port appeared on the MacBook Pro, then on the iMac computers, as well as on the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, as well as on Apple's monitors.
Now on the basis of technology has already created a largenumber of devices. These include the popular Thunderbolt Display from Apple. It is remarkable primarily for its size. The number of inches with which Apple equipped it is 27. Thunderbolt Display allows you to fully utilize one of the main advantages of the technology - data transfer speed. Through this resource, the output to a large screen video stream in high resolution and high quality.
Thunderbolt and PCI Express
Выше мы говорили о Thunderbolt, что это technology combining two standards. Consider how the PCI Express architecture is enabled within it. This standard is high-speed, it is used to integrate various elements of devices such as Mac-processor, video card, disk. Thanks to the technological capabilities of PCI Express, the Thunderbolt standard can transfer data at a speed of about 10 Gbit / s. At the same time, within each port there are two channels - reception and transmission. The speed indicated is higher than when standards such as FireWire 800 are used, or, for example, USB 3.0. But the high data transfer rate is not the only advantage of the technology.
Technology advantages
Among the key features of the technology -versatility. The considered standard allows transmitting the corresponding type of digital data, as well as power supply via a common port. Thus, there is no need to connect a large number of cables to the computer. Another aspect of the universality of technology is compatibility with USB ports and the FireWire standard through special adapters. At the same time, the Thunderbolt technology allows devices to operate within the speeds that are guaranteed by the corresponding interfaces, that is, does not slow down their operation.
Следующий аспект универсальности технологии — The ability to simultaneously connect up to 6 devices to a single Thunderbolt port in a sequential manner. True, the channel resource will be shared between devices. In order to ensure an optimal data transfer rate, it is important that each of the chain-forming devices maintain the appropriate standard without the use of adapters. Another aspect of the universality of technology - compatibility with any processors and chipsets - no matter under what specific brand.
Competing technologies
Итак, мы рассмотрели основные преимущества Thunderbolt. What is this technology, now you know. But she has competitors. Consider their specifics. The main competing standard for Apple’s technology is SuperSpeed USB, also referred to as USB 3.0. What are its key benefits regarding the Apple solution?
Among those:
- support for equipment operating on the previous technology, USB 2.0;
- compatibility with modern models of digital equipment, motherboards;
- growing market demand for the appropriate type of equipment;
- the supply voltage is characterized by high power, and this allows you to run various portable devices.
There are technological nuances in which the standard USB 3.0 objectively inferior technology from Apple. Namely:
- channel bandwidth SuperSpeed USB two times lower;
- the largest suppliers of system solutions do not practice branded standard support;
- Do not connect devices using the serial method.
There is a thesis according to which technologySuperSpeed USB will still not be a direct competitor to Thunderbolt, which is the standard for another market segment. Therefore, two interfaces that have both advantages and disadvantages will be able to comfortably be present on the market simultaneously.
Second version
Intel and Apple are actively developing technology.A new standard has already been introduced to the market - Thunderbolt 2. The new technology makes it possible to increase the data transfer rate up to 20 Gbit / s. Its name, however, sounds almost like the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. It can be used to broadcast video stream in UltraHD format. Also, thanks to the integrated support of the DisplayPort standard in version 1.2, the new interface can transmit video to two displays operating in QHD mode. Thunderbolt 2 technology is fully compatible with devices and accessories released in the 1st version of the interface.
Thunderbolt devices: monitor
Какого типа устройства, поддерживающие technology under consideration, common in the market? Among the most popular devices - the monitor Thunderbolt Display from Apple. This device has a large diagonal - 27 inches. Apple Thunderbolt Display is equipped with LED-backlit. It is designed for use with Mac Series computers, as well as with MacBook laptops. The main advantages of the display are: high resolution, excellent sound quality, presence of a camera like FaceTime HD, compatibility with the standard FireWire 800, as well as with the Gigabit Internet interface. Of course, all the advantages of the Thunderbolt technology this device fully allows you to use. Peripheral devices can also be connected to the Apple Thunderbolt Display monitor via FireWire.
Let us consider the characteristics of the screen.devices. The number of inches possessed by the Apple Thunderbolt display is 27. With this device you can build realistic panoramic images. The aspect ratio of the screen is 16: 9, the display resolution is 2560 by 1440 pixels. The fact that the Thunderbolt Display size is 27 inches is not its only advantage. The display is also equipped with a modern LED-backlit, which is characterized by instantaneous activation to full brightness. Also, the screen can be adjusted to the external light conditions. The optimum brightness of the display can be set automatically, thanks to the built-in sensor in the device. This feature can significantly reduce the power consumption of the monitor. Apple Thunderbolt Display allows you to comfortably view images and videos from any viewing angle thanks to IPS technology. This standard provides a high level of brightness of the display, as well as stable color reproduction.
Устройство характеризуется отличным качеством sound. The speakers, which are equipped with a display from Apple, include a subwoofer, which gives the multimedia stream a particularly pleasant hues at the expense of additional frequencies. Other notable display accessories include a FaceTime HD camera, as well as a built-in microphone. Thanks to these devices, the monitor can be connected to a computer and comfortably communicate through video call programs. As we noted above, the screen size that supports the Thunderbolt standard is 27 inches. And therefore the user will be able to see the interlocutor during video calls and his surroundings in sufficient detail.
Thunderbolt devices: express station
Above we talked about the versatility of Thunderbolt,that it is a technology that allows the integration of various types of devices. Among the common solutions on the market based on the communication interface in question is an express station manufactured by Belkin. What is this device?
Express station - a tool with whichA computer user can use one connection to the Thunderbolt port to connect 8 devices simultaneously via FireWire, USB, Ethernet, and Thunderbolt loopback connections. Thanks to the capabilities of the express station, no additional Thunderbolt adapter is needed to connect devices. FireWire and USB standards are among the most common IT industries on the market today.
Основные возможности экспресс-станции от Belkin involve the key benefits of the technology in question, namely high speed and versatility. Using the device, you can quickly transfer files, including FullHD video, and music in large volumes.
Thunderbolt devices: hard drive
An example of another device usingThunderbolt technology - LaCie d2 hard drive. This device is notable for the fact that it combines two interfaces at once - Thunderbolt itself and one of the most competitive standards, as we noted above, USB 3.0. This feature allows you to significantly increase the versatility of the device.
The main characteristics of the hard disk:
- data transfer rate - up to 200 MB / s;
- the presence of one USB 3.0 port and two connectors such as Thunderbolt 2;
- reduced noise emission and high cooling efficiency due to the aluminum housing;
- weak vibration, due to the presence of shock-absorbing elements in the hull structure;
- the device is compatible with Time Machine;
- The delivery set includes several programs for backing up data;
- the hard disk can be upgraded to the SSD model, thanks to which the speed of data exchange can grow 5 times;
Thanks to the Thunderbolt 2 drive, you canuse as a powerful backup tool for big data - for example, high-quality video editing files. Included with the device is a cable for connection to the Thunderbolt connector, a similar component for connecting via USB 3.0 (with compatibility with an earlier standard - USB 2.0), a power supply unit and an installation guide.
Разумется, Apple Thunderbolt Display, жесткий LaCie d2 disc and Belkin express station are just some examples of devices working on new technology. Devices that exploit the benefits of high-speed and universal standards from Intel and Apple are presented on the market in the widest range. It is no wonder how many inches Apple equipped the 27 "Thunderbolt Display display with the highest quality picture of the user. We can also explain Belkin's interest in the new technology - the standard developed by Apple and Intel assumes universality, compatibility with many other interfaces. and therefore demand on the market.
