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Dongle thread for the new Macbook Pro's

Brookzy

Brookzy

macrumors 601
May 30, 2010
4,976
5,573
UK
Baldrake said:
LOL, ok, so if we're viewing keeping around a USB-A and HDMI port for a year as "crippling" the mac, then I guess we don't have a lot of common ground.

To help your perspective though, I'm not a luddite. I have been waiting literally years to get TB3. So the 2015 model really isn't doing me any good.
Click to expand...
It would cripple it in that it would not be the best incarnation of the new ID it could be if it had legacy I/O tagged onto it.
 
BenTrovato

BenTrovato

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2012
3,035
2,198
Canada
GoodOne said:
Well apparently all the Multi function hubs have their issues so I dedided to get individual Dongles instead.

Requirements:

- When I'm in the office, I Need to connect to Ethernet cable (Wifi at the customer site is spotty) and an external Display via HDMI
- I don't want to use the ports on the rights side to Keep it as neat and clean as possible

I ended up getting the Apple Digital AV Adapter which can connect to HDMI and offers one USB A port to Charge the iPhone and it can also do power passthrough plus I a cheap but solid USB-C Ethernet Adapter. Problem solved.

Luckily, when work from my Home Office I don't Need any Adapters. ;-)

To connect to projectors when in I'm in a meeting, I also got another VGA and a Displayport Adapter just in case, you never know.

That makes 4 Adapters, jeeez. But usually I only Need the two Adapters for HDMI/power and Ethernet.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same situation. Need:

  • Ethernet
  • Thunderbolt 2 for a 4k screen
  • HDMI for external TV
  • and at least one USB 2 port

The Bourge Design one would be perfect but it doesn't ship until January. Otherwise I'm looking at filling up all the USB C ports to get my requirements :(
 
Savor

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
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Smoovejayy

macrumors 6502
Jan 20, 2012
366
229
NJRonbo said:
I am surprised no-one is considering a USB-C port

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15250

I am using this one from Monoprice for my MacBook and I love it!
Click to expand...
I just saw this and it is neat. Not sure how I like paying $50 and it being white, the opposite of my future MBP. If I were to consider this over my current dongle, it would be mainly for the ethernet connection but I will just get a usb-c to ethernet adapter.

EDIT: Which, if I were to get from Apple, would be white... lol.

[doublepost=1477862497][/doublepost]
Savor said:
I have a USB hub but more to create four USB-A ports. That one is even better and looks nicer. Total remedy. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yeah it looks really nice and sleek, like something Apple would make. And for $25, it's a steal.
 
egraphixstudios

egraphixstudios

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2007
434
189
Can someone recommend a USB C dock which I can place away on my desk (not a direct connection to the macbook- but connected by a 0.5mtr usb c cable).

Dock needs to have 2x usb 3.0 (supports powering hdd's in caddies and usb dvd writer), USB C charging and gigabit Ethernet (native support on mac-no drivers if possible) and the icing on top to be space grey in colour. Also available in the UK.
 
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JTToft

macrumors 68040
Apr 27, 2010
3,447
796
Aarhus, Denmark
bennyf said:
Are all of us out of luck with new MBP? Is there any theoretical hope for a new adapter that can bridge the gap?
Click to expand...

Baldrake said:
I found this adapter - it's quite pricey though: https://www.startech.com/ca/AV/usb-c-video-adapters/usb-c-dvi-adapter~CDP2DVI

Someone earlier in the thread was recommending using a USB-C to DVI cable, which sounds great, but my google-fu hasn't been good enough to find one.
Click to expand...
- Hey, that's much better. Thanks for finding that!
 
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NAYo2002

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2011
388
81
Hank Carter said:
By removing the SD slot on the new MacBook Pro models Apple just screwed every photographer I know (including myself). You can add to that countless video editors.

Yes, you can use an adapter and it may seem like a trivial thing, but it's the sort of little thing that rubs people very, very wrong and breeds a lot of resentment, because it makes your life just a little more inconvenient.

Between the removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone and now the removal of all widely used ports on the MacBook Pro lineup we are going to be drowning in adapters.

If you plan on charging your iPhone from your computer you will need a USB-C -> USB-A adapter to use your existing Lighting cable. Yes, you could buy a USB-C to Lighting cable, but that would lock you out from the billions of existing USB-A ports we charge at in daily life (Airports, the office, cars etc). Add to that a Lighting -> Lightning Splitter / 3.5mm adapter if you insist on using your existing headphones and want to recharge at the same time.

Most of us are probably going to end up carrying around some sort of dock to make up for the loss of widely used ports on the new MacBook Pros, which completely negates any gains made by Apple shaving off another few mm in thickness. Remember when you could just slip your MacBook Pro in a sleeve and go? Say goodbye to those days, because you're either going to be carrying around a small dock or multiple adapters or special cables.

You are probably going to need:

USB-C -> Magsafe syle power adapter.
USB-C -> HDMI
USB-C -> Mini displayport
USB-C -> USB-A
USB-C -> Micro-B SuperSpeed (external USB3 drives)
USB-C -> Thunderbolt2 ($49)

It's completely insane.

People are constantly sharing data via USB sticks and external drives and everything is going to need an adapter, until you spend hundreds of dollars rebuying everything. It is going to take YEARS until USB-C has anywhere near the market penetration that USB-A has. Just because you may decide to upgrade all of your peripherals does it mean that the rest of the world will follow suite anytime soon.

Would it really have killed them to keep the SD slot and at least ONE USB-A port for one more generation to ease the transition, just like they did with Firewire and Thunderbolt?
Click to expand...

Did you just come here to complain? This thread is to help each other find solutions rather than to complain. I specifically decided to post here rather than other whine-fest threads full of negatrons because this thread is not full of complainers.

Matter of fact, USB C to USB A adapters are tiny and only cost $4; that solves most of the problems. There are also very small SD card readers for under $10. As others pointed out, most of these aren't new issues as 99% of projectors don't use mini display ports anyway and you always needed dongles if you used MacBooks. Now let's get back to the topic.
 
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NAYo2002

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2011
388
81
psymac said:
How about this, no power but cheaper than most.
For the 13" MacBook Pro, the Caldigit with power may be the best overall solution however.

https://www.amazon.com/CableCreatio...1477873101&sr=8-17&keywords=usb-c+displayport
Click to expand...

That looks like an excellent solution. No reviews yet so I'd like to see if it works as advertised.

I really don't like the idea of a third party power solution anyway though. This is one thing that could fry the MacBook if quality control is not sufficient. Since you get two ports even on the non touch bar MBP, you don't really need a one cable solution especially if the dongle supports that much options.
 
P

psymac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2002
548
153
BenTrovato said:
Aren't all of these hubs capped at 30hz for 4K? Question for anyone.. just what I'm noticing.
Click to expand...

Yes, it seems the Caldigit is 30hz @4K, got an email request to both Bourdge and Cable Creation asking if they support 4K@60hz for the display port. Otherwise, not a single cable solution that I can see so far.

Update: Cable Creation confirmed only 4K@30hz, while Bourdge said "Our engineers are currently working on upgrading the MDP so it can output 4K@60hz. I'll add you to our list of people to contact if we get it to work" which suggests no, it will not work.

So, its at least a two cable solution, one video, the other power, usb etc. Unless Caldigit's Thunderbolt 3 update reported to be announced 11/1/16 will offer 4K@60hz over Displayport.

Update2: Caldigit says it will support 4K@60hz display port via firmware update:"4K @ 60hz will be supported on the new Macbook Pro, however it will require a special firmware obtained directly from us to be uploaded to the dock. This firmware will allow you to connect a 4K monitor and run it at 60Hz, however, your USB speeds on the dock will be relegated to USB 2.0 speeds."
 
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Baldrake

macrumors 6502
May 22, 2012
335
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Great White North
So hard to tell the real capabilities of all these devices.

I'm leaning to just buying a bunch of USBC-to-whatever dongle/cables and putting up with all the plugging/unplugging for now. That makes it possible down the road to buy a hub with just USBC ports, or to use the fancy LG display which also has just USBC ports.
 
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Brookzy

Brookzy

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May 30, 2010
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NAYo2002

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2011
388
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Brookzy said:
Or wait for the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock. https://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/27/belkin-debuts-thunderbolt-3-express-dock-hd/
Click to expand...

It's probably going to be around $300. Not a deal breaker but definitely a consideration. Also, I'm not sure if one of the two USB C ports will be used to connect to the MacBook or not.

It does fix one thing for people who want to have a dedicated home charger though as it charges sufficiently for even the 15 inch MBP.

I'd personally rather get the 4K LG display that comes with 3 USB C slots and get a USB C to USB 3.0 hub. The LG monitor charges the MacBook too supposedly. It's just the cleanest solution in my opinion.
 
C

Capt T

macrumors 6502a
Mar 20, 2010
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