The best How To's on YT are short, to the point and relevant....this is one of them. the cable universe can be a nightmare...but not when dealt with succinctly as this...well done!
Hi, Good morning. Thank you mostly for your directness. You were straight to the point and cutout all the %rap. I found your video to be extremely informative and direct. Thank you Sir for making this video. Your time and effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. I have to subscribe to your channel. Have a great day, may God bless you 🙏🏻.
Precise and to the point, could have saved me a whole lot a time by just watching this video in the first place, thanks for the content bro!! Keep up the good work. Subscribed and liked.
I've been struggling to get a modern day guitar interface that has USB-C to connect to my 2018 MacBook Pro without hearing loud crackling. The MacBook Pro has 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports on it. The funny thing is if I run it through a convertor which is just an adapter with different type ports on it, it works fine. Most USB devices will tell you to plug in directly and not use an adapter but that's the only way it works. I suspect something in the adapter changes it to whatever the MacBook Pro ports need. I tried buying a dedicated Thunderbolt 3 and a Thunderbolt 4 cable to test and it didn't resolve the issue. Kind of strange that it's not working with just a USB-C cable on both ends. I have two different devices and they both crackle when hooked up to the computer. Great video Pete.
That’s a weird one my friend? Haven’t had similar experiences personally but it can be hit and miss sometimes. What are the interfaces you’re using? Maybe hit me up on email if you have more info or need more help.
One thing you eluded to was the availability of different power delivery options with Thunderbolt. But in addition a Thunderbolt 5 device can also request one of several voltage options, up to 18 volts. Thunderbolt™ 5 offers a maximum data transfer speed of 80 Gbps, which can be boosted to 120 Gbps with the Bandwidth Boost feature. Introduced in September 2023, Thunderbolt 5 is now available in Apple's latest Macs, making them among the first commercial devices to support this technology.
So I just received my new M3 iMac which has 2 Thunderbolt/ USB 4 ports and 2 USB 3 ports. Am I correct that I should connect my 2 external SSD drives using the 2 Thunderbolt ports. I also have 2 external disk drives. Is it worth getting a Thunderbolt hub to connect these or should I just use the USB 3 ports? Thanks for your help
Yes if your drives are Thunderbolt compatible you should definitely use those ports. A hub would be good if you have more high speed devices that need thunderbolt ports, otherwise would not really be worth it.
1:53 "Two 4K displays connected by one (1) Thunderbolt 4 port" Are you sure about that? That would be great, but how does that work...is there some kind of splitter?
@@PeteJohnsMusic Timely Answer thank you! I just discovered that the OWC thunderbolt 4 hub that I have will do just that! Unfortunately I woke up this morning to a warning message that my M4 restarted due to an error. After research it seems some are experiencing this error when display port hub splitting.
So to be safe just buy the highest version thunderbolt? 5 is out now. So if I buy all thunderbolt 5 cables I’m good right? I bought some other brand Usbc (240 watt capacity though) for charging my iPhones 📱 but should I just get a thunder 4 or 5 by Anker? I also just upgraded to a 2020 MacBook Air and it has all usbc ports. Cool.
Not sure what a Ditti is sorry? Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
I may have unique problem with a new ipad pro that has the new usb-c connector. My old ipad with the lightning port works fine connected to an irig usb interface (using a powered 4 port usb hub). I keep getting "accessory not supported.." error on the new ipad pro (usb-c to lightning connector). Everything is the same on both ipads except for the usb-c connector. I am using all apple products. Have you seen this with the new usb-c connector?
Hey there Tom. I think I replied to your email on this? It’s usually a power issue with this sort of thing so make sure you have an adapter with power pass-through.
Do u have a brand good for those who drop their devices alot while connected which breaks the tips on the thunderbolt cords? Ive gone rhru way too many cords cheap ones to expensive ones and i had a few anker as well. My last one was anker the tip wiggles now and not connecting.
hi i bought an hp laptop that has a type-c connector. Beside the port it says SS so i have 2 questions. Does the SS indicate that it's a thunderbolt type c and also is there a way to tell how many watts of power it puts out. Online it says it should put out 100 watts of power, however my samsung phone when hooked up to my 45 watt charger makes a different noise and says super fast charging on the screen - it does not do this when i charge it using the type-c port on the laptop so it doesn't seem like it has that much wattage... thanks
Hey there. Sorry, or familiar with Samsung phones or HP laptops. There should be a spec sheet in the manual or available online that would have more details.
Anker are robust alright, this area can be a minefield alright. The kids and Alicia are forever robbing my MacBook charger, cause it’s the ‘good’ one 😂
Please. No one has clearly answered this question from me. Is usb c and thunderbolt the same form factor? The same connector? They look identical. I get that the cables are wired differently but my understanding is they’re both the exact same mm in width and height and physically they’re interchangeable right? Because i have power cords that fit into my samsung and my mac book air. They seem physically physically the same. They charge equally well. Maybe the power isn’t good for them both but it seems to work for short bursts. Maybe my MacBook air isn’t thunderbolt?
USB type C is the connector type you’re referring to. It typically carries USB 2, 3 or 4 speeds up to the maximum “Thunderbolt” standard. You can use higher bandwidth cables with lower bandwidth devices and they will work, but not at the same speeds. Power delivery is different and depends more on the input power of the A/C adapter. Smaller capacity chargers will work on larger capacity devices, but not charge them as effectively.
@@jae2249 - USB-C is a connector standard. Thunderbolt is a protocol standard. As an example of this, Thunderbolt 1 & 2 used the Mini DisplayPort connector, but with an adapter can plug into and work with a Thunderbolt 3 or later device that uses a USB-C connector. Something having a USB-C port doesn't automatically mean it supports Thunderbolt, however (just as something having a Mini DisplayPort connector didn't mean the device necessarily supported Thunderbolt 1 or 2). Properly designed USB-C does not allow damage if something is plugged in that is not supported.
How do I learn how many USB peripherals a USB controller can use simultaneously? ie. My laptop has 2x USB-3 Ports on the right side and a USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 port on the left. Can I record from a USB-3 Webcam to a USB-3 External SSD, using the USB-C port on the left? Can I do the same using the 2x USB-3 ports on the right? Total of 2 USB Webcams recording to their own USB External SSDs?
Hey there. Only real way to know is to try it out. Every device and system is different. It all comes down to processing power and bandwidth. If you have enough, it will work … if you don’t, it won’t.
Ooh…. Good question? Not sure sorry. Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
I have Thunderbolt 4 port in my laptop. What would happen if I connect an external SSD with USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 ? Will I reach 2000MB/s transfer rate or Thunderbolt 4 will reduce it to 1000 MB/s (according to USB-C 3.2 gen 2 standard)?
@@PeteJohnsMusicwell, so the cable provides 2000, as it's sold with SSD. So from your perspective, it would be max what SSD is capable. But I wonder if Thunderbolt is compatible with USB 3.2 gen 2 or 2x2 compatible. Have you checked it?
Hey there. It depends on what type of drive it is. If it supports Thunderbolt speeds you’ll need a Thunderbolt cable and port. If it’s just USB, a USB-C cable and port will do.
Thunderbolt is the interface technology and USB C is the physical connector. You can have one without the other which is why all USB C ports don't have thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 1 and 2 didn't use USB C port. But the USB cartel has made it as confusing as possible for the average consumer on purpose. Now a PC manufacturer can advaertise they have a USB C port , but it could support USB3 with 5 Gbps to 20 Gbps data only, video/audio data, USB4, Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 or power delivery at varying ranges up to 100W etc.
I have an external hard drive that uses a thunderbolt 2 connection. The external drive has it's own power supply. My Laptop has a thunderbolt 3 connection. After searching the Amazon, eBay and Google I can't seem to find a Thunderbolt 2 (male) to Thunderbolt 3 (male) cable. I have been able to find a Mini Display Port (male) to Thunderbolt 3 (male) cable. Will the Mini Display Port to Thunderbolt 3 cable work with an external hard drive or is it strictly used for external displays?
Hey there. Thunderbolt is backwards compatible so you can use a Thunderbolt 3 rated cable with any Thunderbolt device. If you use an older Thunderbolt cable with newer gear, it will just limit the speed to the slower standard.
Very informative. I have a external storage raid system which has thunderbolt 2 connection and runs fine with my Mac Pro trashcan unit. Can I connect this raid unit to a newer Mac Studio M2 Max which has thunderbolt 4 or even the newest Mini M4 pro which has thunderbolt 5?
It’s worth mentioning that a USB-C cable itself incorporates a chip and that the cable negotiates with the port it’s plugged into as to what it’s going to do (standard or protocol it’s going to support). You tend to think ‘a cable’ is a bunch of wire cores with a connector at either end. A USB-C cable has a little more skin in the game than that, hence your _very_ well made point about ‘Not all cables are born equal’. As to your suggestion of Anker, I completely agree, good quality and excellent support/customer services if needed 👍
Yes. I think it’s time for a deeper dive in to this stuff and talking about why some cables are so much more expensive! Anker seem to be the happy medium of good quality but not super expensive.
Sort of. High definition video can be sent over Thunderbolt (and sometimes USB-C) but you’ll need a display compatible with a USB-C connection. Thankfully most modern displays do support this. studiolivetoday.com/gear
Not really. USB-C can carry video, but it isn't dedicated to video alone. You aren't likely to see USB-C on your next TV, for example. HDMI is still far more common for video connections, and as USB-C to HDMI adapters aren't expensive, it isn't likely to fade away.
Thunderbolt 4 could drive a single 4K display. Thunderbolt 5 can drive two 4K displays. Is 5 a replacement for HDMI? I terms of computer displays, most likely yes. But in terms of general video signal distribution, considering sound delivery, probably not.
This was a good video. May I ask a question please? So Tbolt supports video. What renders the video? Is it the integrated graphics in the CPU running signals out through tbolt interface?
Hi Pete - great vid. By chance, would you know how I could connect an Apple 27" Thunderbolt display to Windows laptop- would you recommend using the dock, via USB-C display port?
Hey I need to get some simple cheap USBC to USB c cables for my external SSD's like Sandisk and Samsung T7's and cannot figure out which ones I need or the gigabytes I need compared to the original cables? Does anybody know what I need to look for? I just want ones that are 1-2 feet for my normal external SSD's , thanks!
@@PeteJohnsMusic There are too many and many are for Charging phones? Should those work as well? or do they have to be special data cables or something? and if so is there a minimum gigabytes per second ? I see some cables say 10,20 or 40 gigabytes per second? Do you know what the original T7 or Sandisk standard SSD cables are "rated" by any chance? Thanks so much
@PeteJohnsMusic --- Can you do an overview of all the cable standards compatible with USB-C connector? Like: USB 2, USB 3, USB 4, Thunderbolt, Lightning, FireWire, DisplayPort, HDMI, PS/2, etc.
Useful. Thank you. The complexity and variety of USB species is a bit much... letters, numbers... backwards-compatible, not backwards-compatible... eek. Any info on this topic can help. I also appreciate the info on cable power transfer and quality.
Hello Pete, I hope everything is going smoothly for you. I have a puzzling situation to discuss. I recently bought Apple Type C headphones, and they function perfectly with my iPhone 15 and Android device Mi 11X. However, I'm facing an issue with compatibility on Mi 11X Pro, despite both phones being from the same brand and having the same USB output. Could you help me understand the reason behind this? Additionally, I'm contemplating purchasing a Nothing Phone 2, so I would appreciate it if you could check the compatibility with these headphones on the Nothing phone as well, if possible. and could you explain why this headphone is compactible with some android phones and some are not, even in same brand.
Hey there. Unfortunately I’m not an expert in USB-C tech for various phone models. I pretty much included everything I know in this video. Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
@@PeteJohnsMusic my Apollo x6 is thunderbolt I have the correct cable but it doesn't work on my hp 15 ec 1010nr but it says thunder bolt device working properly
It’s still working, and I use it to make money… so…. Yes? Sorta. I guess if I bought a crappy one and replaced it several times it would still be good … just was convenient? 😳🤷🏻♂️
@ heh…. Nah, buying a crappy one 10 times over is definitely not the trade off to think about, given the inherent frustration in that option. But, well, you’ve got the tax deduction, assuming GB allows for that sort of thing.
I'm struggling to understand this difference for a monitor connection. I have a Macbook Air M2 and I'm looking for a monitor to use as a second screen. What's the difference if the monitor has a Thunderbolt connection or just a type-c connection?
Very confusing. Does a Thunderbolt 4 cable have a USB type C connector? I think the connector type is independent of the data or power protocol. If you listen to what he is saying and read the text he is displaying, then you will see why I am so confused. Oh well.
USB-C cable shopping seems to be filled with pitfalls. There's USB-C power (no data), data (low power), USB-C but only for charging (or USB 2.0-only data transfer), USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5. Only the USB 4 and Thunderbolt variants seem to be labelled in any consistent way. And cable vendors are often vague about the cable's data rating: USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.2 Gen 2 or 3.2 Gen 2x2! (Curse you USB trade group!!!!). So buyer beware. If the vendor isn't explicit about the cable's power and data capacities, then they're probably trying to sell you something you can't use. We need something like an FDA nutrition label for USB cables. There are too many confusing standards and names.
@PeteJohnsMusic I just opened up my laptop and it said there were two thunderbolt power connectors which I imagine can be used both as power and whatever although I don't really know for sure
Thunderbolt means that you can connect your laptop to an external monitor. Just a USB-C connection simply means that you can connect your USB-C pen drive to your laptop or desktop.
Not exactly. USB-C has quite a bit of versatility and allows many other items to be connected such as microphones, audio interfaces and even video… just at slower speeds.
As a non- American I simply cannot understand how performing tricks like a trained monkey is a more accurate testing method than doing a roadside (handheld) breathalyser test! Granted - this case was not about alcohol but many are.
@@PeteJohnsMusic F that guy mate. Nice review btw, I was confused on even what Thunderbolt really was. Why is it important to be mentioned in Laptop reviews. Your vid helped me understand. Thanks!
⚡ Recommended Cables - amzn.to/3G4fAXa
🎙 Studio Gear Guide - studiolivetoday.com/gear
The best How To's on YT are short, to the point and relevant....this is one of them. the cable universe can be a nightmare...but not when dealt with succinctly as this...well done!
Thank you my friend. Appreciate the kind words.
Way too confusing.
Hi, Good morning. Thank you mostly for your directness. You were straight to the point and cutout all the %rap. I found your video to be extremely informative and direct. Thank you Sir for making this video. Your time and effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. I have to subscribe to your channel. Have a great day, may God bless you 🙏🏻.
Thanks for the feedback my friend.
Precise and to the point, could have saved me a whole lot a time by just watching this video in the first place, thanks for the content bro!! Keep up the good work. Subscribed and liked.
Thanks my friend. Glad it helped.
Excellent and very informative video!!! Now I understand the difference. Thank you!
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
I've been struggling to get a modern day guitar interface that has USB-C to connect to my 2018 MacBook Pro without hearing loud crackling. The MacBook Pro has 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports on it. The funny thing is if I run it through a convertor which is just an adapter with different type ports on it, it works fine. Most USB devices will tell you to plug in directly and not use an adapter but that's the only way it works. I suspect something in the adapter changes it to whatever the MacBook Pro ports need. I tried buying a dedicated Thunderbolt 3 and a Thunderbolt 4 cable to test and it didn't resolve the issue. Kind of strange that it's not working with just a USB-C cable on both ends. I have two different devices and they both crackle when hooked up to the computer. Great video Pete.
That’s a weird one my friend? Haven’t had similar experiences personally but it can be hit and miss sometimes. What are the interfaces you’re using? Maybe hit me up on email if you have more info or need more help.
The video I didn’t need until today 🙇♂️ Thank You
Awesome. Yes, that was the intention here.
Thanks for the useful info
Welcome as always.
Thanks Pete. Very insightful.
Cheers Frank.
Thank for the explanation. I didn't know this until now!
Very welcome my friend. It’s a seemingly unnecessarily confusing standard!
Excellent and very informative video
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Thanks for the video 😊
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Hi, what USB-C lightning cable will fit MacBook Pro to transfer photos from iPhone 3gen?
iPhone 3? Hmmmm. Not sure sorry. You’d need something that converts 30pin to USB-c. Might be something you’ll need to google.
Love the ATARI logo shirt.
Pretty cool isn’t it?
One thing you eluded to was the availability of different power delivery options with Thunderbolt. But in addition a Thunderbolt 5 device can also request one of several voltage options, up to 18 volts.
Thunderbolt™ 5 offers a maximum data transfer speed of 80 Gbps, which can be boosted to 120 Gbps with the Bandwidth Boost feature.
Introduced in September 2023, Thunderbolt 5 is now available in Apple's latest Macs, making them among the first commercial devices to support this technology.
Nice one! Yes, I should probably update this video to include Thunderbolt 5 now that it’s available.
So I just received my new M3 iMac which has 2 Thunderbolt/ USB 4 ports and 2 USB 3 ports. Am I correct that I should connect my 2 external SSD drives using the 2 Thunderbolt ports. I also have 2 external disk drives. Is it worth getting a Thunderbolt hub to connect these or should I just use the USB 3 ports? Thanks for your help
Yes if your drives are Thunderbolt compatible you should definitely use those ports. A hub would be good if you have more high speed devices that need thunderbolt ports, otherwise would not really be worth it.
What about usb c connector to hdmi? Needs to be particular port and or cable too?
Depends on… a lot of factors. But most modern gear can send video over USB-C.
1:53 "Two 4K displays connected by one (1) Thunderbolt 4 port" Are you sure about that? That would be great, but how does that work...is there some kind of splitter?
I believe I was referring to use via an adapter or dock? For multiple anything you pretty much need a device with multiple ports on the other side.
@@PeteJohnsMusic Timely Answer thank you! I just discovered that the OWC thunderbolt 4 hub that I have will do just that! Unfortunately I woke up this morning to a warning message that my M4 restarted due to an error. After research it seems some are experiencing this error when display port hub splitting.
Your accent forced me to drink a tea and wear a tuxedo 😂
Because British? But… I’m Australian. You should have drank a Fosters and worn a hat with corks hanging from it.
@@PeteJohnsMusic😂😂😂😂
So to be safe just buy the highest version thunderbolt? 5 is out now. So if I buy all thunderbolt 5 cables I’m good right?
I bought some other brand Usbc (240 watt capacity though) for charging my iPhones 📱 but should I just get a thunder 4 or 5 by Anker?
I also just upgraded to a 2020 MacBook Air and it has all usbc ports. Cool.
Yeah, thoughThunderbolt 5 cables are very expensive. Very few devices support higher than 3/4 so probably not worth the cost.
What is best connection from Ditti to macbook pro 2013 running Big Sur?
Not sure what a Ditti is sorry? Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
Thunderbolt is really revolutionary ❤ thunderbolt 5 is now available in market 💪🏼
Yup. Time to update all these vids for 2025!
My computer has USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps Type-C. Will Apollo Twin X (Type C version ) be compatible with my computer?
Yup. Sure will. 🙏😎
studiolivetoday.com/gear
@ ty
Thank you for this information.
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Very simple to understand 🇦🇺👍
Thanks! 🙏
Thanks. Now I get it!
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
so if i buy something that uses thunderbolt, but i have a usb-c port, will it work?
Yes. But it would only run at the slower USB-C speed. studiolivetoday.com/gear
Hi Pete do you have any videos showing how to set up a lacie rugged usb c set up for windows?
Not specifically sorry. Powered USB hubs are good if you’re having any issue. studiolivetoday.com/usb
Thanks for info
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Thanks pete!
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Can we charge recent iPads that has USB-C port with thunderbolt 4 to thunderbolt 4 cable ?
Yes, generally Thunderbolt cables are backwards compatible with all USB-C standards.
I may have unique problem with a new ipad pro that has the new usb-c connector. My old ipad with the lightning port works fine connected to an irig usb interface (using a powered 4 port usb hub). I keep getting "accessory not supported.." error on the new ipad pro (usb-c to lightning connector). Everything is the same on both ipads except for the usb-c connector. I am using all apple products. Have you seen this with the new usb-c connector?
Hey there Tom. I think I replied to your email on this? It’s usually a power issue with this sort of thing so make sure you have an adapter with power pass-through.
Thank you. Well done.
I hope you get value from the other videos on the channel and consider subscribing if you haven’t already. 👍
Do u have a brand good for those who drop their devices alot while connected which breaks the tips on the thunderbolt cords? Ive gone rhru way too many cords cheap ones to expensive ones and i had a few anker as well. My last one was anker the tip wiggles now and not connecting.
Not specifically. Though there are silicon wraps for cables you can use.
@@PeteJohnsMusic is that to help prevent damage?
hi i bought an hp laptop that has a type-c connector. Beside the port it says SS so i have 2 questions. Does the SS indicate that it's a thunderbolt type c and also is there a way to tell how many watts of power it puts out. Online it says it should put out 100 watts of power, however my samsung phone when hooked up to my 45 watt charger makes a different noise and says super fast charging on the screen - it does not do this when i charge it using the type-c port on the laptop so it doesn't seem like it has that much wattage... thanks
Hey there. Sorry, or familiar with Samsung phones or HP laptops. There should be a spec sheet in the manual or available online that would have more details.
Anker are robust alright, this area can be a minefield alright. The kids and Alicia are forever robbing my MacBook charger, cause it’s the ‘good’ one 😂
Haha! Yup. I too know the curse of having the “good cable”.
Thanks for the info, Pete!!! : )
Welcome as always.
Please. No one has clearly answered this question from me. Is usb c and thunderbolt the same form factor? The same connector? They look identical. I get that the cables are wired differently but my understanding is they’re both the exact same mm in width and height and physically they’re interchangeable right? Because i have power cords that fit into my samsung and my mac book air. They seem physically physically the same. They charge equally well. Maybe the power isn’t good for them both but it seems to work for short bursts. Maybe my MacBook air isn’t thunderbolt?
USB type C is the connector type you’re referring to. It typically carries USB 2, 3 or 4 speeds up to the maximum “Thunderbolt” standard. You can use higher bandwidth cables with lower bandwidth devices and they will work, but not at the same speeds.
Power delivery is different and depends more on the input power of the A/C adapter. Smaller capacity chargers will work on larger capacity devices, but not charge them as effectively.
@@PeteJohnsMusic so is tat a yes? They are physically the same form factor?
@@jae2249 - USB-C is a connector standard. Thunderbolt is a protocol standard.
As an example of this, Thunderbolt 1 & 2 used the Mini DisplayPort connector, but with an adapter can plug into and work with a Thunderbolt 3 or later device that uses a USB-C connector. Something having a USB-C port doesn't automatically mean it supports Thunderbolt, however (just as something having a Mini DisplayPort connector didn't mean the device necessarily supported Thunderbolt 1 or 2). Properly designed USB-C does not allow damage if something is plugged in that is not supported.
How do I learn how many USB peripherals a USB controller can use simultaneously?
ie. My laptop has 2x USB-3 Ports on the right side and a USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 port on the left.
Can I record from a USB-3 Webcam to a USB-3 External SSD, using the USB-C port on the left?
Can I do the same using the 2x USB-3 ports on the right?
Total of 2 USB Webcams recording to their own USB External SSDs?
Hey there. Only real way to know is to try it out. Every device and system is different. It all comes down to processing power and bandwidth. If you have enough, it will work … if you don’t, it won’t.
@PeteJohnsMusic --- Is USB-C connectors compatible with USB 1 standards? You mentioned 2, 3, and 4.
Yup. It they won’t be very fast.
Great video Pete! Kind of unrelated question but... would the latest Mac mini M4 connect to my old intel 2017 iMac 5k retina as a second display?
Ooh…. Good question? Not sure sorry. Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
I have Thunderbolt 4 port in my laptop. What would happen if I connect an external SSD with USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 ? Will I reach 2000MB/s transfer rate or Thunderbolt 4 will reduce it to 1000 MB/s (according to USB-C 3.2 gen 2 standard)?
It will always go down to the slowest speed of the cable or device.
@@PeteJohnsMusicwell, so the cable provides 2000, as it's sold with SSD. So from your perspective, it would be max what SSD is capable. But I wonder if Thunderbolt is compatible with USB 3.2 gen 2 or 2x2 compatible. Have you checked it?
Thank you for your video So my question is would I use a Thunderbolt 4 Port and cable to connect to an external SSD hard drive?
Hey there. It depends on what type of drive it is. If it supports Thunderbolt speeds you’ll need a Thunderbolt cable and port. If it’s just USB, a USB-C cable and port will do.
Thunderbolt is the interface technology and USB C is the physical connector. You can have one without the other which is why all USB C ports don't have thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 1 and 2 didn't use USB C port.
But the USB cartel has made it as confusing as possible for the average consumer on purpose. Now a PC manufacturer can advaertise they have a USB C port , but it could support USB3 with 5 Gbps to 20 Gbps data only, video/audio data, USB4, Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 or power delivery at varying ranges up to 100W etc.
Also don't let me get started on how USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 are same thing.
You’d think it would be simpler by now. It’s not. It’s harder.
I have an external hard drive that uses a thunderbolt 2 connection. The external drive has it's own power supply.
My Laptop has a thunderbolt 3 connection.
After searching the Amazon, eBay and Google I can't seem to find a Thunderbolt 2 (male) to Thunderbolt 3 (male) cable.
I have been able to find a Mini Display Port (male) to Thunderbolt 3 (male) cable.
Will the Mini Display Port to Thunderbolt 3 cable work with an external hard drive or is it strictly used for external displays?
Hey there. Thunderbolt is backwards compatible so you can use a Thunderbolt 3 rated cable with any Thunderbolt device. If you use an older Thunderbolt cable with newer gear, it will just limit the speed to the slower standard.
Can I use thunderbolt docking station in laptop that doesn't have thunderbolt port ? If so, will it damage my laptop over time ?
It will generally work, but only be at USB 3 speeds if you’re using USB-C.
@@PeteJohnsMusic thanks for taking time out your busy life to reply to me. It truly meant a lot . you're a nice person
Very informative. I have a external storage raid system which has thunderbolt 2 connection and runs fine with my Mac Pro trashcan unit. Can I connect this raid unit to a newer Mac Studio M2 Max which has thunderbolt 4 or even the newest Mini M4 pro which has thunderbolt 5?
Yes. So, thunderbolt 4/5 is backwards compatible. You’ll only get Thunderbolt 2 speed, but it will work fine. 👍
It’s worth mentioning that a USB-C cable itself incorporates a chip and that the cable negotiates with the port it’s plugged into as to what it’s going to do (standard or protocol it’s going to support). You tend to think ‘a cable’ is a bunch of wire cores with a connector at either end. A USB-C cable has a little more skin in the game than that, hence your _very_ well made point about ‘Not all cables are born equal’. As to your suggestion of Anker, I completely agree, good quality and excellent support/customer services if needed 👍
Yes. I think it’s time for a deeper dive in to this stuff and talking about why some cables are so much more expensive! Anker seem to be the happy medium of good quality but not super expensive.
Is USB-C or thurnderbolt a replacement for HDMI ?
Sort of. High definition video can be sent over Thunderbolt (and sometimes USB-C) but you’ll need a display compatible with a USB-C connection. Thankfully most modern displays do support this. studiolivetoday.com/gear
Not really. USB-C can carry video, but it isn't dedicated to video alone. You aren't likely to see USB-C on your next TV, for example. HDMI is still far more common for video connections, and as USB-C to HDMI adapters aren't expensive, it isn't likely to fade away.
Thunderbolt 4 could drive a single 4K display. Thunderbolt 5 can drive two 4K displays. Is 5 a replacement for HDMI? I terms of computer displays, most likely yes. But in terms of general video signal distribution, considering sound delivery, probably not.
This was a good video. May I ask a question please?
So Tbolt supports video. What renders the video? Is it the integrated graphics in the CPU running signals out through tbolt interface?
It really depends on the device. Most graphics processors can send their video output via HDMI, display port or Thunderbolt using the same processing.
Thanks.
You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍
Hi Pete - great vid. By chance, would you know how I could connect an Apple 27" Thunderbolt display to Windows laptop- would you recommend using the dock, via USB-C display port?
Hmmmm…. Outside of my area of expertise I’m afraid. Probably a video about this somewhere on TH-cam.
Hey I need to get some simple cheap USBC to USB c cables for my external SSD's like Sandisk and Samsung T7's and cannot figure out which ones I need or the gigabytes I need compared to the original cables? Does anybody know what I need to look for? I just want ones that are 1-2 feet for my normal external SSD's , thanks!
If they are just USB -C, pretty much any USB-C cables will work fine.
@@PeteJohnsMusic There are too many and many are for Charging phones? Should those work as well? or do they have to be special data cables or something? and if so is there a minimum gigabytes per second ? I see some cables say 10,20 or 40 gigabytes per second? Do you know what the original T7 or Sandisk standard SSD cables are "rated" by any chance? Thanks so much
my laptop have only type c . so how can convert it in thunderbolt type c ??? because I can't charge it with tupe c cable
Hey there. Most charging can be done by just USB-C. So maybe give another cable a try.
All I want to do is connect a video capture device to my laptop, would a cheap cable suffice for this?
Yeah, any digital USB cable will work for non-Lightning stuff. You do tend to get the you pay for though. studiolivetoday.com/cables
As you said at the start USB-C is a connector. It is neither a cable, nor a protocol.
Except when it is. Sort of. 😀
@PeteJohnsMusic --- Can you do an overview of all the cable standards compatible with USB-C connector?
Like: USB 2, USB 3, USB 4, Thunderbolt, Lightning, FireWire, DisplayPort, HDMI, PS/2, etc.
Possibly. There are videos already online covering this if you dig around.
@@PeteJohnsMusic--- I don't think one so comprehensive. Plus your videos are better.
Useful. Thank you.
The complexity and variety of USB species is a bit much... letters, numbers... backwards-compatible, not backwards-compatible... eek. Any info on this topic can help.
I also appreciate the info on cable power transfer and quality.
Glad to hear it helped my friend. Yes, I still get confused. Sometimes I feel like companies make it unnecessarily complex!
@@PeteJohnsMusic I think the engineers like the mish-mash of terms, not thinking about the consumer.
Hello Pete, I hope everything is going smoothly for you. I have a puzzling situation to discuss. I recently bought Apple Type C headphones, and they function perfectly with my iPhone 15 and Android device Mi 11X. However, I'm facing an issue with compatibility on Mi 11X Pro, despite both phones being from the same brand and having the same USB output. Could you help me understand the reason behind this? Additionally, I'm contemplating purchasing a Nothing Phone 2, so I would appreciate it if you could check the compatibility with these headphones on the Nothing phone as well, if possible. and could you explain why this headphone is compactible with some android phones and some are not, even in same brand.
Hey there. Unfortunately I’m not an expert in USB-C tech for various phone models. I pretty much included everything I know in this video. Maybe ask over at the Create Record Release Facebook group at createrecordreleaae.com, or the Discord group here - studiolivetoday.com/discord.
@@PeteJohnsMusic Thank you so much for the prompt response 👍🏻
Can a thunderbolt dock make it work on USB C 3
Make what work sorry? Thunderbolt is backwards compatible with USB-C.
@@PeteJohnsMusic my Apollo x6 is thunderbolt I have the correct cable but it doesn't work on my hp 15 ec 1010nr but it says thunder bolt device working properly
Has that $200 thunderbolt cable proven to actually be worth the cost (as impossible as that is to imagine…)?
It’s still working, and I use it to make money… so…. Yes? Sorta. I guess if I bought a crappy one and replaced it several times it would still be good … just was convenient? 😳🤷🏻♂️
@ heh…. Nah, buying a crappy one 10 times over is definitely not the trade off to think about, given the inherent frustration in that option. But, well, you’ve got the tax deduction, assuming GB allows for that sort of thing.
Hey Pete. Can you please point me to the video you did a few days back where you typed words into distrokid and it made an AI photo. 🙏
Hey mate. Go to DistroPic.com. It was in last week’s YML show. th-cam.com/video/6jpsngx-ehc/w-d-xo.html
@@PeteJohnsMusic thanks Pete 👍
Correction: tb3 can support dual 4k at 60hz
Nice!
An ideal place to go to get USPC cables is a Ikea good quality reasonable price you do have to pay the Apple tax though
Nice tip! Love it.
3:45 u lost me here.. I wonder u can show us how it is done
Maybe check out the website for more info. studiolivetoday.com/usb
Respect❤️
🙏
I'm struggling to understand this difference for a monitor connection. I have a Macbook Air M2 and I'm looking for a monitor to use as a second screen. What's the difference if the monitor has a Thunderbolt connection or just a type-c connection?
So it usually just comes down to the resolution you can expect. USB-C has less bandwidth so lower resolution and frame rate.
Very confusing. Does a Thunderbolt 4 cable have a USB type C connector? I think the connector type is independent of the data or power protocol. If you listen to what he is saying and read the text he is displaying, then you will see why I am so confused. Oh well.
Hey there. All Thunderbolt cables use the Type-C connector. Thunderbolt 5 is backwards compatible with all previous Thunderbolts and standard USB-C.
awesome
👍😎
USB-C cable shopping seems to be filled with pitfalls. There's USB-C power (no data), data (low power), USB-C but only for charging (or USB 2.0-only data transfer), USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5. Only the USB 4 and Thunderbolt variants seem to be labelled in any consistent way. And cable vendors are often vague about the cable's data rating: USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.2 Gen 2 or 3.2 Gen 2x2! (Curse you USB trade group!!!!). So buyer beware. If the vendor isn't explicit about the cable's power and data capacities, then they're probably trying to sell you something you can't use. We need something like an FDA nutrition label for USB cables. There are too many confusing standards and names.
Yup. 100%. I think my next version of this needs to be “how to choose a cable that won’t ruin your life”. 😄
You didn't define your terms.
Thunderbolt 4 is ?
Thunderbolt 3 is?
I think we all know what USB 3 is but you could define that I guess if you want.
Sorry to hear. I’m doing an updated version of this soon. I’ll probably describe it better. Always improving!
@PeteJohnsMusic
I just opened up my laptop and it said there were two thunderbolt power connectors which I imagine can be used both as power and whatever although I don't really know for sure
I recommend this Lumafield video (th-cam.com/video/_wvHira3giM/w-d-xo.html) to see the difference between cheap and quality USB cables
Thanks.
Thunderbolt means that you can connect your laptop to an external monitor. Just a USB-C connection simply means that you can connect your USB-C pen drive to your laptop or desktop.
Not exactly. USB-C has quite a bit of versatility and allows many other items to be connected such as microphones, audio interfaces and even video… just at slower speeds.
Do you have a glass eye?
Yup. Sort of. Not glass. That might break and hurt me. 😎
th-cam.com/video/NvpFpOxD4pU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=9JgqgMTm8vN_wSlt
As a non- American I simply cannot understand how performing tricks like a trained monkey is a more accurate testing method than doing a roadside (handheld) breathalyser test! Granted - this case was not about alcohol but many are.
Might be a comment for another video? But yes… don’t drink and drive folks.
Yeah, my bad (but I did find your video very interesting!)
You have a booger in your nose
Thanks. Sorted now. That was a tough few years.
@@PeteJohnsMusic The Booger adds to his character! Regardless, your info is spot on! Cheers mate!
🥴
Hey there!
I just hate usb-c , why Apple made all of us switch is stupid, just charge those across the pond more not us!! DAMIT!!!!
I think longer term it will be a much better option.
Hey man you should always check the mirror before you turn your cameras on. You got a booger hanging out your left nostril
Nice one.
Is it my eye or your eye!?
Huh?
USB-C. I’m not sure I mentioned my eye or your eye? 🤷🏻♂️
@@PeteJohnsMusic F that guy mate. Nice review btw, I was confused on even what Thunderbolt really was. Why is it important to be mentioned in Laptop reviews. Your vid helped me understand. Thanks!