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rawweb

macrumors 65816
Aug 7, 2015
1,126
943
You're right, joevt. The card also works in High Sierra.

I have a 2010 Mac Pro with the GC-Titan Ridge AIC, Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and an Apple Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter working on High Sierra (10.13.6). I needed to jumper pins 3 & 5 on THB_C header cable, boot into Windows 10 with the AIC driver installed, and then reboot into macOS High Sierra for it to work.
[doublepost=1541696256][/doublepost]

Thank you for the update, Factionrider. I wonder if we need to connect the USB 2.0 header cable on the AIC to make the Apple Thunderbolt Display work.

From my knowledge, I might be wrong here: I don’t believe available builds of High Sierra will work with titan ridge. The 2018 MacBook Pro was the first to use the controller and was released with a unique build, if memory recalls.
 

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,963
4,259
From my knowledge, I might be wrong here: I don’t believe available builds of High Sierra will work with titan ridge. The 2018 MacBook Pro was the first to use the controller and was released with a unique build, if memory recalls.
But we're not using the macOS to enable Titan Ridge. We're using Windows. Most of the macOS Thunderbolt software is not working but that's ok because all we need is the PCIe tunneling to be setup by Windows so that device drivers in macOS can see the devices. DisplayPort stuff is handled by the graphics drivers and goes through Thunderbolt controllers without help from the OS. The USB controller in the Titan Ridge is mostly a standard XHCI host controller and can therefore be handled by the standard XHCI driver. The only thing that requires more work is sleep/wake, hot plug, and other Thunderbolt services such as Thunderbolt networking, Target Display Mode, and Target Disk Mode.

The MacBook Pro 2018 (July 12) with Titan Ridge came out before Mojave (September). High Sierra 10.13.6 came out July 9, so it might be the same version as included with the MacBook Pro 2018. Anyway, there was a security update released October 30 and the version of High Sierra on my Hackintosh has mention of Titan Ridge.
 
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rawweb

macrumors 65816
Aug 7, 2015
1,126
943
The only thing that requires more work is sleep/wake, hot plug, and other Thunderbolt services such as Thunderbolt networking, Target Display Mode, and Target Disk Mode.

IMHO, what needs work is trying to get this to function without booting to windows. That would be a big step. We need to spark the interest of someone creative and technically inclined enough to step up to this huge task. I know I would donate a few bucks to the cause!
 
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DearthnVader

Suspended
Dec 17, 2015
2,207
6,392
Red Springs, NC
IMHO, what needs work is trying to get this to function without booting to windows. That would be a big step. We need to spark the interest of someone creative and technically inclined enough to step up to this huge task. I know I would donate a few bucks to the cause!

How is the Linux support?

If there are Linux drivers for the card, they shouldn't be too hard to port to the macOS.
 
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DearthnVader

Suspended
Dec 17, 2015
2,207
6,392
Red Springs, NC
That’s a damn good question. Any distro you think would be best to test with?

Not sure, I don't own one of the cards, but I have interest in getting one when my fun budget allows it.

If the card works in a 3,1, and has linux drivers, I could take a stab at porting them to the macOS, I've done a few PCI devices in the past. It's been many years, and I'm sure I'll have to brush up, but it's likely something I could get a basic driver working so others could add to it.
 
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equals

macrumors member
Jun 24, 2018
34
19
If the card works in a 3,1, and has linux drivers, I could take a stab at porting them to the macOS
Titan Ridge support has been added to the Linux kernel's Thunderbolt driver on March, 2.
And here is the driver itself.

P.S. I have received my GC-Titan Ridge card and my M.2 to PCIe riser (ordered the latter one to be able to plug the card into Highpoint SSD7101A) quite some time ago, but due to unforeseen circumstances I have no Thunderbolt devices on hand right now. But I'll test the card with my Highpoint controller in cMP4,1>5,1 tonight or tomorrow just to check if it'll give some useful information.
 

kings79

macrumors regular
Sep 16, 2015
227
105
My interest in TB on a Cheesegrater under macOS lies in the realm of audio... higher-end audio i/o hardware now typically includes a TB port, and there are advantages to TB (lower latency and support for more audio i/o channels than USB) that are compelling. As such, this thread is very interesting.

Me too. Has anyone tested this with a decent Audio I/O?

IMHO, what needs work is trying to get this to function without booting to windows. That would be a big step. We need to spark the interest of someone creative and technically inclined enough to step up to this huge task. I know I would donate a few bucks to the cause!

I would happily donate of necessary.

If the card works in a 3,1, and has linux drivers, I could take a stab at porting them to the macOS, I've done a few PCI devices in the past. It's been many years, and I'm sure I'll have to brush up, but it's likely something I could get a basic driver working so others could add to it.

Go for it son! I've also asked my brother in law if he's keen. He's a Linux guy too.
 

eksu

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2017
329
151
I wonder if there's a not-to-complicated way to get a USB 2.0 header exposed internally through an adapter in one of the HighPoint's M.2 slots.

This would be a clean way to get it to the TB3 adapter.
 

Forbidden Era

macrumors member
Nov 15, 2018
45
3
Damn I'm excited about this too.. for audio use!
[doublepost=1542435618][/doublepost]
IMHO, what needs work is trying to get this to function without booting to windows. That would be a big step. We need to spark the interest of someone creative and technically inclined enough to step up to this huge task. I know I would donate a few bucks to the cause!

I'm creative and technically inclined. And interested. 20+ years of software dev experience too. A bit with Mac/Hackintosh but definitely need to brush up.

I would love to see Thunderbolt support.. For Audio/Studio use, I just never really felt the iMac/Mac Mini was up to the task really.. the Mac Pro is.. I would love to get Thunderbolt audio devices going, my firewire cards are showing their age.

I may have to order a card and join in on hacking..but I have a few things I need to solve first..I need boot screens (can't hack anything without that) and I don't have an appropriate card I do not believe. Then I want to upgrade my storage, NVMe preferably. Then TB3 would be great.

I may also need to invest in a 5,1. I have a 3,1 ATM. Money is up and down right now so we will have to see. It is my busy season for my business but I have been sick a lot lately so I haven't been able to take on as much work as I've wanted to..Which is part of why I'm back in front of the computer more lately..!

I'm definitely happy to devote some time/experience towards this though.
 

handheldgames

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2009
1,943
1,170
Pacific NW, USA
I wonder if there's a not-to-complicated way to get a USB 2.0 header exposed internally through an adapter in one of the HighPoint's M.2 slots.

This would be a clean way to get it to the TB3 adapter.

A couple other options besides using a m.2 to pcie x4 to pcie adapter monstrosity.

1. A non-standard usb header under the cpu tray is used for Bluetooth could be tapped.

2. The WiFi slot is mpcie 2.0 compatible. Populating it with a usb 2 adapter is also an internal option. Although finding a compatible chipset could be an issue.
 
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eksu

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2017
329
151
Will either of those work without interfering with a Bluetooth/Handoff setup? I’m using both the mPCIE & USB header for WiFi + Bluetooth!
 

cdf

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2012
2,256
2,583
Will either of those work without interfering with a Bluetooth/Handoff setup?

For option 1, perhaps a hub could be wired to the header, allowing for both the connection to bluetooth and the TB3 adapter.
 

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,963
4,259
I've installed Ubuntu 18.04 on my MacPro3,1 using EFI mode (because Ubuntu's can handle the old EFI 1.1, unlike Windows). The thunderbolt drivers are there, but they don't expose the domain, devices, and nvm stuff. Connecting a Thunderbolt device does nothing (unlike in Windows on the same computer). Google /sys/bus/thunderbolt to learn about the linux thunderbolt drivers.

On my GA-Z170X Gaming 7 with built in Thunderbolt port (Alpine Ridge), /sys/bus/thunderbolt doesn't appear unless Thunderbolt is enabled in BIOS. The domain, devices, and nvm stuff don't appear until you connect a Thunderbolt device (after the os is booted).
 
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itdk92

macrumors 6502a
Nov 14, 2016
504
180
Copenhagen, Denmark
You're right, joevt. The card also works in High Sierra.

I have a 2010 Mac Pro with the GC-Titan Ridge AIC, Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and an Apple Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter working on High Sierra (10.13.6). I needed to jumper pins 3 & 5 on THB_C header cable, boot into Windows 10 with the AIC driver installed, and then reboot into macOS High Sierra for it to work.
[doublepost=1541696256][/doublepost]

Thank you for the update, Factionrider. I wonder if we need to connect the USB 2.0 header cable on the AIC to make the Apple Thunderbolt Display work.


This is great news
 

Bion1nc

macrumors member
May 3, 2014
39
31
I got myself a really cheap Titan Ridge GC at a very good price could not resist and bought it, here a picture of what's on the PCB..

Now need to test under Mojave.

I want to see what in the Winbond chips... especially the one that has the green dot.. which I think is the rom...
 

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joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,963
4,259
I got myself a really cheap Titan Ridge GC at a very good price could not resist and bought it, here a picture of what's on the PCB..

Now need to test under Mojave.

I want to see what in the Winbond chips... especially the one that has the green dot.. which I think is the rom...
the eGPU.io website has many pictures of Thunderbolt devices including the GC-TITAN RIDGE. Everyone of them has a windbond chip for the Thunderbolt firmware (and probably NVM storage?) I don't know why the GC-TITAN RIDGE has two of them.
 

aclarubicin

macrumors member
May 27, 2018
76
20
So I've got an Asus eGPU enclosure hooked up to my Titan Ridge, and it works well on Windows.

On macos, after warm boot, my system recognises the Vega 56 in the eGPU and I'm even able to run Luxmark on it.
Video output is attempted but gives a grey screen on secondary monitor (plugged into the Vega), so something's going there.
Any suggestions?
 

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,963
4,259
So I've got an Asus eGPU enclosure hooked up to my Titan Ridge, and it works well on Windows.

On macos, after warm boot, my system recognises the Vega 56 in the eGPU and I'm even able to run Luxmark on it.
Video output is attempted but gives a grey screen on secondary monitor (plugged into the Vega), so something's going there.
Any suggestions?
The people at egpu.io have the same problem:
https://egpu.io/forums/builds/2010-...16gbps-tb3-mantiz-venus-win10-1803-theitsage/
 

XNorth

macrumors 6502
Feb 23, 2018
300
464
United States
Anyone want to update the first post as a how-to sticky/wiki? Would help those of us who want to test TB on cMP but are not techies.
 
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