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stmp

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 17, 2012
51
0
I'm curious... what are the external RAID enclosures for USB 3.1? I have only found some 2x HDD or 2x SSD products.

Is the hope other enclosures with formats "compatible" with the 3.1 connection might be used?

Please link to what you've found!

Another interesting thought would be if anyone will design an adapter box that converts TB3 to a USB 3.1 (gen 2) Alt Mode for PCIe, enabling TB3 products to be used via USB 3.1 (gen 2) in classic Mac Pro towers.
 

Bytehoven

macrumors regular
Dec 1, 2015
190
69
Up Shellpot Creek
Question for any CalDigit or Sonnet 6G USB 3.0 + 6G eSATA PCIe card users...

... what kind of data rates are you getting from the USB and eSATA ports?

I ask because I'm getting about a max of 375 MB/s for USB and 380 MB/s eSATA with a (4) drive soft raid that gets close to 800MB/s when mounted on a SAS exclosure.

Sonnet said that (4) drive raid should be pushing 500+ MB/s easy, fully saturating the PCIe card, but it looks like I'm getting about 1/2 the data I/O I should be getting. Sonnet is working with to see if it's something in my cMP or maybe the PCIe card.

Just curious.
 

Bytehoven

macrumors regular
Dec 1, 2015
190
69
Up Shellpot Creek
Please link to what you've found!

Another interesting thought would be if anyone will design an adapter box that converts TB3 to a USB 3.1 (gen 2) Alt Mode for PCIe, enabling TB3 products to be used via USB 3.1 (gen 2) in classic Mac Pro towers.

So far, 2 drive bays is all I have seen for USB 3.1 was well. Maybe once TB3 releases with raid enclosure options, maybe there will be a greater offering.
 

jelockwood

macrumors member
Mar 5, 2015
40
16
Please link to what you've found!

Another interesting thought would be if anyone will design an adapter box that converts TB3 to a USB 3.1 (gen 2) Alt Mode for PCIe, enabling TB3 products to be used via USB 3.1 (gen 2) in classic Mac Pro towers.

It is indeed an interesting idea and one I had considered myself. Unfortunately I suspect it is is not practical, Thunderbolt3 is a super-set of USB3.1, not only is Thunderbolt 3 = USB3.1+PCIe+Displayport1.3, Thunderbolt 3 runs at 40Gbps which is four times as fast as USB3.1 so while it would be possible to use USB3.1 from a (genuine) Thunderbolt 3 system I do not see the reverse being possible. One can hope though.
[doublepost=1452002653,1452002329][/doublepost]Purely on the topic of USB, I had originally started off considering a USB3 PCIe card but then came across this thread and decided to wait on USB3.1. Yes as per this thread there are already USB3.1 cards that work in a classic Mac Pro in particular the ASROCK card which has both a Type-C and Type-A connector. However I ideally wanted a 2xType-C connector card so as to be able to use both a standard Type-C device and simultaneously connect a USB3.1 hub which would have multiple Type-A connections able to support both USB3.1 and USB3 devices. (Type-A connections are slower than Type-C).

Up till now the only such cards I have seen have required some form of additional power connector internally unlike the ASROCK card. Today however I found this card. https://www.usbgear.com/CG-2PTCX2PCIe.html it seems to have two Type-C connectors like I want, but does not seem to need additional internal power. I am not sure how effective this will be as obviously two bus powered USB3.1 Type-C devices might draw too much but it is interesting nether-the-less.

I would be interested to hear if any one tries this card out.
 

DEMinSoCAL

macrumors 603
Sep 27, 2005
5,086
7,324
Just confirming, there is no Gen 2 (10Gbps) support in OSX El Cap, so all this talk is about basically using USB 3.1 card as USB 3.0?
 

stmp

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 17, 2012
51
0
Just confirming, there is no Gen 2 (10Gbps) support in OSX El Cap, so all this talk is about basically using USB 3.1 card as USB 3.0?
Yes for the time being given the lack of software support, though given that Caldigit claims a 10GB/s physical I/O and that Type C will be the go-to form factor for the foreseeable future it is an appealing expansion card - and most likely the last I/O expansion that anyone on a Classic Mac Pro will ever need to purchase.
 

Bytehoven

macrumors regular
Dec 1, 2015
190
69
Up Shellpot Creek
Yes for the time being given the lack of software support, though given that Caldigit claims a 10GB/s physical I/O and that Type C will be the go-to form factor for the foreseeable future it is an appealing expansion card - and most likely the last I/O expansion that anyone on a Classic Mac Pro will ever need to purchase.

Is the Caldigit card still on track for Mid January 2016 delivery?

I ask because I have decided to return the Sonnet Tempo Duo as well as any eSATA external bays. The eSATA performance is not living up to the promise for use as a way to host back up storage. Instead, I'm gonna run the ATTO H680 to host back up storage options, while the ATTO R680 continues to host the main production RAID0.

That leaves (1) slot and I'm thinking either ... the Sonnet Allegro Pro USB 3.0, which offers (4) USB 3.0 slots capable of 5G/s each or 1800MB/s across all (4) connections... or the Caldigit USB 3.1 card. All I really need right now is a 3.0 or better USB port to support USB 3.0 HDD camera drives and flash readers for bringing in client source material as fast as possible. With the Allegro Pro offering (4) 5G/s ports, I could bring in multiple external sources at once to the fast RAID0. And given my clients usually have multiple portable HDDs with their camera source, this seems very appealing. Maybe more so than the temptation of a theoretical 10G/s USB 3.1.
 

alopecoid

macrumors newbie
Jan 30, 2016
3
0
Does anyone know from first-hand experience whether or not the ASRock USB 3.1/A+C card works on a 2010 Mac Pro running OS X 10.11.3 (15D21)? If so, does it work out-of-the-box? Thank you!
 
Jul 4, 2015
4,487
2,551
Paris
Does anyone know from first-hand experience whether or not the ASRock USB 3.1/A+C card works on a 2010 Mac Pro running OS X 10.11.3 (15D21)? If so, does it work out-of-the-box? Thank you!

Won't work with El Capitan. Wait until you find out which chipset Apple will officially use. Probably Alpine Ridge, which will mean 3.1 cards will never arrive for cMP because that's a motherboard chipset. It can be made available on a PCIE card but like thunderbolt cards it requires a compatible motherboard with a header to connect a cable to:

http://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/...d-in-card-with-thunderbolt-3usb-type-c-ports/

The cMP doesn't have headers on the mobo.
 
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mcmxvi

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2015
8
1
I just bought an Asus USB 3.1 (dual A-type connectors), and from what I gather from this thread, it does not work in El Capitan?!!

I have tried to plug in a couple of different USB sticks, but none show up in finder...

Screenshot 2016-02-05 11.31.27.png
Screenshot 2016-02-05 11.31.01.png
 

Machines

macrumors 6502
Jan 23, 2015
426
89
Fox River Valley , Illinois
With the Asus USB 3.1 Gen 2 PCIe card installed in a Mac Pro 1,1 > 2,1 (2006), slot 3, running OS X 10.10.5 Yosemite , I achieved sequential reads and writes of around 170-200 MB/s . Drivers are found in the OS and the card does not , of course, operate at anything near its potential . But it is compatible . Card costs around 25 bucks used .

ASM1142 controller chip on the card and would probably get higher performance with ASM1351 connected devices .

s-l500.jpg
005 J.jpg
 
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mcmxvi

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2015
8
1
I rolled back to Yosemite 10.10.5 to get this card to work.

Now, Notes is not syncing with my iOS device, and my Safari does not support pinned tabs.

Oh, Apple. I am dissapoint.
 

Squuiid

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2006
1,877
1,713
Is the Caldigit card still on track for Mid January 2016 delivery?

I ask because I have decided to return the Sonnet Tempo Duo as well as any eSATA external bays. The eSATA performance is not living up to the promise for use as a way to host back up storage. Instead, I'm gonna run the ATTO H680 to host back up storage options, while the ATTO R680 continues to host the main production RAID0.

That leaves (1) slot and I'm thinking either ... the Sonnet Allegro Pro USB 3.0, which offers (4) USB 3.0 slots capable of 5G/s each or 1800MB/s across all (4) connections... or the Caldigit USB 3.1 card. All I really need right now is a 3.0 or better USB port to support USB 3.0 HDD camera drives and flash readers for bringing in client source material as fast as possible. With the Allegro Pro offering (4) 5G/s ports, I could bring in multiple external sources at once to the fast RAID0. And given my clients usually have multiple portable HDDs with their camera source, this seems very appealing. Maybe more so than the temptation of a theoretical 10G/s USB 3.1.
I can vouch for the Sonnet Allegro Pro USB 3.0 card. It really is an excellent card.
Using two 64GB Kingston HyperX USB flash drives I can simultaneously transfer at 600MB/s (300MB/s from each stick) to an XP941 SSD and it doesn't flinch!
 

reddrag0n

macrumors 6502a
Oct 1, 2007
624
159
Canada
I'm wondering if this card will work.
It's sporting 10.6 and up mac drivers, and is a dual A+C style card.


dodocool USB 3.1 Gen II (10 Gbps) Type-C and Type-A 2-Port PCI Express PCI-E Card for Desktop PC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...e=Asus_USB_3.1_pci-_-9SIA1GK3X89706-_-Product

A1GK_131021628040571927QJsPX2kvHt.jpg


Providing both SuperSpeed+ USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A ports, this dodocool USB 3.1 2-Port PCIe Express Card is a simple and economical solution for adding the latest high speed 10 Gbps USB 3.1 ports to any desktop computers or servers. USB 3.1 enables you to transfer videos, music, photos, data files between USB devices and the computer at enhanced transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Features:
Sturdy Design
Crafted with ASM1142 chipset, durable multilayer PCB board and galvanized sheet steel, this dodocool USB 3.1 2-Port PCI-E Express Card offers an excellent solution to use USB 3.1 devices on your standard desktop PC.
2x USB 3.1 ports
Extend with one USB 3.1 Type-A (USB-A) and one USB 3.1 Type-C (USB-C) downstream connectors for standard desktop PCs.
10Gbps Super Fast Speed
SuperSpeed+ USB 3.1 supports up to 10Gbps data transfer rate, twice as fast as USB 3.0, 20 times faster than USB 2.0, and backwards compatible with USB3.0 / USB2.0 / USB 1.1.
PCIe or SATA 15-pin power connector for power supply
Supply power directly from PCIe bus or from 15-pin SATA power connector. When using the 15-pin SATA power connector, it supports up to 5V 2A bus power on each USB 3.1 port.
Compatibility
The PCI-E port fits in any PCIe x4 or x8 or x16 slot. Compatible with Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10 or above, Mac OS V10.6 or above and Linux, and drivers required are included on the provided CD.
Reliable Quality
Over current protection and short circuit protection on each USB port. Free lifetime technical support and 18-month manufacturer's warranty.

Specifications:
Brand: dodocool
Material: PCB, galvanized sheet steel
Chipset: ASM1142
Color: Black
Interface: 1 * USB 3.1 Type-A port, 1 * USB 3.1 Type-C port
Motherboard with PCI-Express expansion slots required
Support any USB 3.1, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 devices
Support 5V Max 2A power output to each USB 3.1 device
Built-in over current protection and short circuit protection on each USB port
Support SuperSpeed+ (10 Gbps), SuperSpeed (5 Gbps), HighSpeed (480 Mbps), and FullSpeed (12 Mbps) transaction (Note: The actual transmission speed is limited by the setting of the device connected.)
Up to 10 Gbps for data transfer when connecting to USB 3.1 compliant peripherals
Support PCIe 1.0, PCIe 2.0, or PCIe 3.0 motherboard
Compliant with PCI Express Base 3.0 Specification
Compliant with Universal Serial Bus 3.1 Specification
Warranty: 18-month limited warranty
Certification: CE, FCC, and RoHS compliant
Item size: Approx. 4.76 * 3.23 * 0.75 in / 121 * 82 * 19 mm (L * W * H)
Item weight: Approx. 44g/1.55oz
Package size: Approx. 5.87 * 4.53 * 1.18 in / 149 * 115 * 30 mm (L * W * H)
Package weight: Approx. 96g/3.38oz
 

jelockwood

macrumors member
Mar 5, 2015
40
16
I'm wondering if this card will work.
It's sporting 10.6 and up mac drivers, and is a dual A+C style card.


dodocool USB 3.1 Gen II (10 Gbps) Type-C and Type-A 2-Port PCI Express PCI-E Card for Desktop PC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...e=Asus_USB_3.1_pci-_-9SIA1GK3X89706-_-Product
I could not find a manufacturer website. Initially one would interpret the fact it includes Mac drivers for 10.6 and above as a yes, however I did find a user feedback on Amazon saying that it does not work in El Capitan.

This is inline with previous comments about other USB 3.1 cards which do not include Mac drivers and relied on built-in Apple drivers, however it could be down to the included driver not having been updated to be SIP compatible. If it is a SIP issue then the usual trick of disabling SIP might be sufficient to allow the driver to load even in El Capitan.

Most people are now I believe waiting for Apple to ship additional Macs with built-in USB 3.1 support and perhaps the next version of OS X (whatever it will be called) to see if Apple improve support for USB 3.1.
 
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ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,613
6,909
I'm wondering if this card will work.

Using drivers that are included in OS X, the ASM1142 USB cards doesn't work at all in El Cap. They work as a USB-3.0-only card in Yosemite 10.10.3 and newer.

So unless they have written their own drivers, I am suspicious of their claim for compatibility with OS X 10.6 and newer, and I wouldn't expect this card to work except as described above. The dodocool website has no drivers available for download, so where would you get drivers for newer operating systems?

My guess is that this is just an OEM ASM1142 card using OEM drivers with a dodocool logo slapped onto the slot cover.

I would welcome someone getting it to confirm one way or another, but if so, I'd order it from a place with a great return policy in case it fails to stand up to its claims.
 
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Jul 4, 2015
4,487
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Paris
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reddrag0n

macrumors 6502a
Oct 1, 2007
624
159
Canada
Leave it. Another case of people mis-selling an upgrade product and being dishonest or misled about the drivers.
True, but if it worked, then one could possibly use it as an upgrade card for USB 3.0 devices. I was looking at it as a possible stepgap for the USB-C standard for mac pro towers. Just like how i am looking at thunderbolt upgrade cards (that's another story).
 
Jul 4, 2015
4,487
2,551
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True, but if it worked, then one could possibly use it as an upgrade card for USB 3.0 devices. I was looking at it as a possible stepgap for the USB-C standard for mac pro towers. Just like how i am looking at thunderbolt upgrade cards (that's another story).

That's what I thought. The Asmedia chipset works in Yosemite as a 3.0 device but in El Capitan it's blocked from initialising any device. Blame this on Apple's implementation of XHCI. It's still an old version and doesn't respect industry standards.
 

yurc

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2016
835
1,014
inside your DSDT
Blame this on Apple's implementation of XHCI. It's still an old version and doesn't respect industry standards.

might bit OOT a little....tempted to get 3.1 card from caldigit but after i found my fresco-based logic usb 3.0 card no longer working after installing sierra PB4 so i hold back...i hope this just usual bug from beta software..but i afraid apple play dirty again with changing usb implementation again..don't say if apple planning only allowed usb from intel controller directly (alpine ridge/TB or whatsoever)

still work in 10.11.6 flawlessly. Need another tester report with sierra.
 
Jul 4, 2015
4,487
2,551
Paris
Could be Apple wants to save money and only use the Kaby Lake's built in USB 3.1 support. No need to pay a few bucks for an additional controller in millions of Macs.
 

yurc

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2016
835
1,014
inside your DSDT
That's fairly unlikely given that Apple's own nMP uses Fresco Logic, not an Intel controller, for USB 3.0.

whuuut...i think nMP using built-in intel USB 3 controller...I don't know much info about nMP, including fresco-logic based baked on nMP. Probably my USB 3 card getting faulty...hmmm i should test again with a new fresco logic card.

at least i'm glad knowing one of their product using fresco logic based controller so cMP won't lose USB 3 capabilities
 
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