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Super Sticky Thread for USB-C Docks, Cables and Accessories [MERGED]

R

retaina

macrumors newbie
Sep 24, 2012
23
0
As a MacBook Pro "escape" owner, the two port situation is even more limited.

I have two HP E242 displays and a few USB-C/USB peripherals.
looking for a clean, ideally single cable, solution to plug in.

Seems the Henge Docks Thunderbolt 3 Tethered dock is the best solution, having 2 Mini-Displayports. Does anyone have experience with their docks? Unfortunately, all I can find is a "march" ship date.


https://hengedocks.com/pages/tethered-docks
 
sidewinder

sidewinder

macrumors 68020
Dec 10, 2008
2,425
130
Northern California
retaina said:
As a MacBook Pro "escape" owner, the two port situation is even more limited.

I have two HP E242 displays and a few USB-C/USB peripherals.
looking for a clean, ideally single cable, solution to plug in.

Seems the Henge Docks Thunderbolt 3 Tethered dock is the best solution, having 2 Mini-Displayports. Does anyone have experience with their docks? Unfortunately, all I can find is a "march" ship date.


https://hengedocks.com/pages/tethered-docks
Click to expand...

You can easily do two 4K or less displays on the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock as well. It should be available in February and has more ports and a better physical presentation...to me anyway.
 
R

retaina

macrumors newbie
Sep 24, 2012
23
0
sidewinder said:
You can easily do two 4K or less displays on the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock as well. It should be available in February and has more ports and a better physical presentation...to me anyway.
Click to expand...

Yes, but it only has one MDP port. Another adaptor would be required to connect through thunderbolt 3.

There is a startech splitter for dual DisplayPort, but it's Mirror-only and Windows-only.
 
R

retaina

macrumors newbie
Sep 24, 2012
23
0
sidewinder said:
That is easy to get around. What interface are you using on the monitor? Buy a Thunderbolt 3 to what interface you are using (HDMI probably) cable.
Click to expand...

I have to maintain a semi-mobile and semi-shareable setup. One less single use cable is one less thing to carry. So, the ideal dock has 2x VGA, 2x HDMI, or 2X DisplayPort/MDP.
 
arkitect

arkitect

macrumors 604
Sep 5, 2005
7,370
16,088
Bath, United Kingdom
So there it was, still is, a MacBook Pro 2016 sitting in my Shopping Basket.

Just before I entered my card details I thought, let me just check (Yes, I know, I should have checked earlier, but… yeah.).

I cannot connect my Apple Display (Pre-Thunderbolt) to the 2016 MacBook Pro.

Is this true? This is still a beast of a 27" display and I am not just going to get rid of it because I have just bought a hugely expensive £2,129 laptop.

So I write in the vain hope that someone here has found a solution… I have searched just about tech site known to man.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
C

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
arkitect said:
So there it was, still is, a MacBook Pro 2016 sitting in my Shopping Basket.

Just before I entered my card details I thought, let me just check (Yes, I know, I should have checked earlier, but… yeah.).

I cannot connect my Apple Display (Pre-Thunderbolt) to the 2016 MacBook Pro.

Is this true? This is still a beast of a 27" display and I am not just going to get rid of it because I have just bought a hugely expensive £2,129 laptop.

So I write in the vain hope that someone here has found a solution… I have searched just about tech site known to man.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

You just need a USB C to minidisplayport adaptor. Someone confirmed it works here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7723603?start=0&tstart=0
 
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Brookzy

Brookzy

macrumors 601
May 30, 2010
4,985
5,577
UK
arkitect said:
So there it was, still is, a MacBook Pro 2016 sitting in my Shopping Basket.

Just before I entered my card details I thought, let me just check (Yes, I know, I should have checked earlier, but… yeah.).

I cannot connect my Apple Display (Pre-Thunderbolt) to the 2016 MacBook Pro.

Is this true? This is still a beast of a 27" display and I am not just going to get rid of it because I have just bought a hugely expensive £2,129 laptop.

So I write in the vain hope that someone here has found a solution… I have searched just about tech site known to man.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Cougarcat said:
You just need a USB C to minidisplayport adaptor. Someone confirmed it works here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7723603?start=0&tstart=0
Click to expand...

I notice you're in the UK and USB-C to Mini DisplayPort can be a bit hard to find (the top listing on Amazon is out of stock, for example) - however remember that you can also do USB-C to DisplayPort, and then use a DisplayPort to female Mini DisplayPort adapter - both of those are in stock and pretty cheap on Amazon UK right now.

Make sure you get one that supports at least 1440p - i.e. not one that is limited to 1080p.
 
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arkitect

arkitect

macrumors 604
Sep 5, 2005
7,370
16,088
Bath, United Kingdom
Cougarcat said:
You just need a USB C to minidisplayport adaptor. Someone confirmed it works here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7723603?start=0&tstart=0
Click to expand...

Brookzy said:
I notice you're in the UK and USB-C to Mini DisplayPort can be a bit hard to find (the top listing on Amazon is out of stock, for example) - however remember that you can also do USB-C to DisplayPort, and then use a DisplayPort to female Mini DisplayPort adapter - both of those are in stock and pretty cheap on Amazon UK right now.

Make sure you get one that supports at least 1440p - i.e. not one that is limited to 1080p.
Click to expand...

So there is hope! :)

Thank you both @Cougarcat and @Brookzy for your links and help.

Looks like it will have to be trial and error…
 
RichardF

RichardF

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2006
565
78
New York City
I need a method to the charge my MBP 13" with Touch Bar in the car. Anyone knows of a quality car charger capable of charging with clean current close to what the 61W Apple charger outputs?

I don't want to use an inverter.
 
bartvk

bartvk

macrumors 6502
Dec 29, 2016
386
149
The Netherlands
RichardF said:
I need a method to the charge my MBP 13" with Touch Bar in the car. Anyone knows of a quality car charger capable of charging with clean current close to what the 61W Apple charger outputs?

I don't want to use an inverter.
Click to expand...

The only thing that comes close, is this 30W charger from Verizon:
https://www.verizonwireless.com/acc...arger-with-fast-charge-technology-typecpdvpc/

It's tested by Nathan K., a very thorough tester:
https://plus.google.com/102612254593917101378/posts/dGJcy58yC7w?sfc=false

An alternative is this car charger, American made. It provides up to 36W. The owner, Mike, is very responsive to any questions you might have:
http://mct-corp.com/store/index.php?product/page/589/Macbook+12in+USB-C+Car+Adapter+charger

Edit: just checked their Facebook page and apparently they have a 10% off, only today, with code 10DiscFac.
 
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B

bambambob

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2008
4
0
Connecticut, USA
Just started using a 15" MacBook Pro with Touchbar. I have a Thunderbolt Display, which I really love. I have the display hooked up to the MBP with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adaptor, and it works perfectly. I'd like to power the MBP with the Magsafe cable that is hardwired into the Thunderbolt Display. Is there an appropriate adaptor or dongle that can make this work?
 
RichardF

RichardF

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2006
565
78
New York City
bartvk said:
The only thing that comes close, is this 30W charger from Verizon:
https://www.verizonwireless.com/acc...arger-with-fast-charge-technology-typecpdvpc/

It's tested by Nathan K., a very thorough tester:
https://plus.google.com/102612254593917101378/posts/dGJcy58yC7w?sfc=false

An alternative is this car charger, American made. It provides up to 36W. The owner, Mike, is very responsive to any questions you might have:
http://mct-corp.com/store/index.php?product/page/589/Macbook+12in+USB-C+Car+Adapter+charger

Edit: just checked their Facebook page and apparently they have a 10% off, only today, with code 10DiscFac.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much.
 
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B

bambambob

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2008
4
0
Connecticut, USA
What a shame. Unless I can find a solution, I guess I'll have to coil up the Magsafe cable coming from my Thunderbolt Display and shove it away unused on the back of the display, then purchase another Apple power adaptor for the office. I'm trying to avoid schlepping the Apple power adaptor with me from home to office to home every day/night. Seems like a waste, the Thunderbolt Display technically can power/charge the new MacBook Pro, the only missing link is an inexpensive adaptor.
 
A

anson42

macrumors 65816
Mar 13, 2014
1,068
985
Oakland, CA
I pulled mine back and twist tied it to the cable to get it out of the way. What is the power output of the Thunderbolt display's MagSafe? The product below is one such magsafe to USB-C adapter but professes to pass only up to 45W to the computer.

https://www.amazon.com/HIOTECH-MagSafe-Adapter-Converter-Macbook/dp/B0167WMHP0/

Unfortunately, this adapter is not well reviewed nor is it available. And the biotech.com URL redirects to a different company entirely. I was hoping to find a reliable adapter like this one that could pass at least 60W to be somewhat usable for the 15" but have had no luck so far. Anyone?
 
tofagerl

tofagerl

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2006
983
428
No, nothing new.

I have the TB2 one, and the only thing that would be worth upgrading for is the included power, but I'll get that by using the new VGA adapter anyway...

Just making sure: The TB2 Belkin dock will still output 4k over Displayport with the TB3->TB2 adapter, right?
 
lord patton

lord patton

macrumors 65816
Jun 6, 2005
1,052
12
Chicago
Did I consign my parents to dongle hell?

Out-of-state parents called me for tech support on a dying 13" MBP with spinning hard drive, and they decided to replace it. I steered them toward a refurbished 2016 MacBook ($1099), as their alternative was a full priced 13" 256 GB MBA ($1199).

But now I have to figure out how to deal with the single USB-C port, and I've had to do that previously (still rocking' a tricked out 2011 15" MBP).

They need at least two USB ports (keyboard, hard drive), and a display (VGA). Four USB, audio, and ethernet would be nice-to-haves.

10-15 minutes of googling found me these two items:

Satechi port adapter/dock $60

Benfei hub (also $60)

And they'd need an HDMI-to-VGA converter like this $10 Rankie Thing.

Which of the above two docks would you recommend? Are there others I should consider?

Thanks, MR!
 
Clix Pix

Clix Pix

macrumors Core
Oct 9, 2005
21,606
48,689
8 miles from the Apple Store at Tysons (VA)
lord patton said:
Did I consign my parents to dongle hell?

Out-of-state parents called me for tech support on a dying 13" MBP with spinning hard drive, and they decided to replace it. I steered them toward a refurbished 2016 MacBook ($1099), as their alternative was a full priced 13" 256 GB MBA ($1199).

But now I have to figure out how to deal with the single USB-C port, and I've had to do that previously (still rocking' a tricked out 2011 15" MBP).

They need at least two USB ports (keyboard, hard drive), and a display (VGA). Four USB, audio, and ethernet would be nice-to-haves.

10-15 minutes of googling found me these two items:

Satechi port adapter/dock $60

Benfei hub (also $60)

And they'd need an HDMI-to-VGA converter like this $10 Rankie Thing.

Which of the above two docks would you recommend? Are there others I should consider?

Thanks, MR!
Click to expand...


Well, can't speak to any docks since I don't use one with my 2016 rMB, but one way to skip using a port is to use the Apple wireless keyboard.....and another is to use the Apple wireless mouse. Both are BT and painless to set up and use. As for the need to use a port to plug in an external hard drive, all that's needed there is the right kind of cable; for instance, if the external drive uses a Micro-B connector on one end, just get one that has that on one end and a USB-C connector on the other end. I've done that and it works a treat with my rMB! When I need to plug in one of my external drives, I'm good to go. Can't help with the VGA or HDMI-to-VGA thing, as I don't use a monitor with my rMB. Also I haven't bothered with an ethernet connector in years, since this household is WiFi with an Apple Airport Extreme that handles all of my devices.

That Satechi adapter works fine, though -- I do have one and have used it on a couple of occasions with my rMB but I don't keep things plugged into it all the time.
 
lord patton

lord patton

macrumors 65816
Jun 6, 2005
1,052
12
Chicago
Clix Pix said:
That Satechi adapter works fine, though -- I do have one and have used it on a couple of occasions with my rMB but I don't keep things plugged into it all the time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! I'd like not to push them into a new keyboard and mouse, and I'm pretty sure their backup drive is just a run-of-the-mill USB 3.0 type thing. Glad to hear you have had good luck with the Satechi.

If there was one with 4 USB in this price range it'd be perfect, but from what I've found thus far models like that are much pricier.

Thanks again.
 
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