USB 3.x PCIe Cards for Classic Mac Pro

[Earl Urley]

RocketU

Remember folks, there's the HighPoint RocketU 1144C and the 1144CM, HighPoint only guarantees the 1144CM to work on the Mac.

The 1144CM also has a $40 premium over the 1144CM. What is the one everyone is using? The 1144C because the M is identical except for the $40 Mac tax?

It should also be noted that the 1144CM requires a driver (recently updated for Yosemite) to be installed as opposed to the Inateck which uses Apple's drivers. Also the 1144CM is based on the ASMedia 1042a now, not multiple NEC chips, and has one controller dedicated to each port instead of one chip having to control two or four ports. That's probably part of the reason the 1144C/CM cost more than a requisite Inateck 4004.

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Info's Calldigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro

As mentioned above, USB 3.0 is not bootable on a cMP. However, eSATA cards should be bootable as long as they don't require a special driver (all I have seen are supported directly by OS X).

eSATA 6Gbps Features:

2 x 6 Gbps eSATA ports
2 x 6 Gbps SATA ports (internal)
2 Lane PCI Express 2.0 interface
Compatible with all eSATA devices
Backwards compatible with older eSATA devices
Data transfer speeds up to 600 MB/sec
Supports AHCI 1.0 programming interface
Supports Mac OS X and Windows RAID features
Supports Hot Plugging under Microsoft Windows 7
Supports Bootable function
Supports Port Multiplier(PM). Only one eSATA port can support port multiplier at a time. Port multiplier capabilities will be assigned to the first device that is detected if two are connected.
Supports Hot Plugging under Mac OS X with RAID 0/1/10 devices


USB 3.0 Superspeed Features:

2 x 5 Gbps USB 3.0 ports
Compliant with Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) Specification Revision 1.0
2 downstream USB ports support SS/HS/FS/LS data rates (5 Gbps/480 Mbps/12 Mbps/1.5 Mbps)
1 Lane PCI Express 2.0 interface
Support UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) under Microsoft Windows 8 & Mac 10.8.4 and above.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

eSATA 6Gbps Features:

2 x 6 Gbps eSATA ports
2 x 6 Gbps SATA ports (internal)
2 Lane PCI Express 2.0 interface
Compatible with all eSATA devices
Backwards compatible with older eSATA devices
Data transfer speeds up to 600 MB/sec
Supports AHCI 1.0 programming interface
Supports Mac OS X and Windows RAID features
Supports Hot Plugging under Microsoft Windows 7
Supports Bootable function
Supports Port Multiplier(PM). Only one eSATA port can support port multiplier at a time. Port multiplier capabilities will be assigned to the first device that is detected if two are connected.
Supports Hot Plugging under Mac OS X with RAID 0/1/10 devices


USB 3.0 Superspeed Features:

2 x 5 Gbps USB 3.0 ports
Compliant with Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) Specification Revision 1.0
2 downstream USB ports support SS/HS/FS/LS data rates (5 Gbps/480 Mbps/12 Mbps/1.5 Mbps)
1 Lane PCI Express 2.0 interface
Support UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) under Microsoft Windows 8 & Mac 10.8.4 and above.

BDM is that for the Cal digit card?

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/FASTA6GU3PRO/

Does the USB 3.0 require a driver for it to work. Is it the same chipset as the on the Inateck card? The Inatec card has worked so well that I'm loathe to experiment, but the super fast internal faster SATA ports are compelling.

Their video is conspicously quiet regarding compatibility with USB 3.0 HUBs (see around 39 second mark in this video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fV6n1nyH08#t=39

 

[m4v3r1ck]

BDM is that for the Cal digit card?

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/FASTA6GU3PRO/

Does the USB 3.0 require a driver for it to work. Is it the same chipset as the on the Inateck card? The Inateck card has worked so well that I'm loathe to experiment, but the super fast internal faster SATA ports are compelling.

Their video is conspicuously quiet regarding compatibility with USB 3.0 HUBs (see around 39 second mark in this video):

Hi Zombie,

Yes, sorry! It's the CalDigit FASTA6GU3PRO. Ordered one, so I'll be testing it very soon.

I agree with you that ALL manufacturers SHOULD be 1:1 clear on what they're selling. If not so, reviewers/users will backdraft onto them and slap them in their faces. Not good for stake- and/or shareholders (another discussion...)

Grrr, I do also hate that us users should find out the actual specs/performance of any product in real life use.

Keep you updated, Cheers....

 

[ActionableMango]

FYI - first post thread summary

I no longer have an "edit" button available to me on the first post. I am logged in and can see an "edit" button on more recent posts, so perhaps MacRumors has an expiration date for edits.

So unfortunately I cannot add the newer information in the thread to the first post. Fortunately my last edit happened to indicate that I wouldn't be updating it anymore and to check the thread. So the trail is there--people will just have to wade through.

 

[Mr. Zarniwoop]

HighPoint RocketU 1144C​

[...]
I've tested it pretty extensively and I can't find any negative characteristics to this card so far.

I had no bluetooth interference during large or short transfers. So far I have nothing but great results with this card.

Do you still feel the same way a couple of months later? I want to add external USB 3.0 support to my Mac Pro and the Bluetooth interference of other solutions is something I'd like to avoid.

 

[crjackson2134]

Yes it's a great card. I can't speak to the BT interference issue being more or less. I don't really have aroblem with that except one particular drive enclosure I have, and it's the same for the Inateck & the 1144C.

The 1144C is my card of choice, but you may still have to deal with the BT issue. nMP, Mac Mini, iMac, MacBooks, all have this issue when dealing with USB 3.0. Not everyone has the issue, but it's inherent to the USB 3 design.

 

[Earl Urley]

Since the RocketU 1144C doesn't use Fresco Logic chips, then Apple must have drivers for the ASMedia 1042 chipset built into the OS.

Seems kind of weird that the closeup screens on Newegg are identical. Is HighPoint extracting a $40 premium just for Mac support?

 

[crjackson2134]

Since the RocketU 1144C doesn't use Fresco Logic chips, then Apple must have drivers for the ASMedia 1042 chipset built into the OS.

Seems kind of weird that the closeup screens on Newegg are identical. Is HighPoint extracting a $40 premium just for Mac support?

Last I looked, the 1144C doesn't even advertise Mac compatibility on their site, but this may have changed.

Yes, OS X has built-in driver support for the ASMedia chipset. I only originally found this out when talking with their Tech. Support regarding another product. The tech guy told me I should upgrade from my 1144CM to the 1144C since no drivers are required for that card. I did upgrade the card and was happy to find out that OSX already supports the card, and it has a host of features that I really wanted. (individual controller for each port, UASP, self-powered, works with HUBS and nearly all USB 3.0 devices).

I put it through it's paces and wrote a review of the card (here and on a couple of blogs). I do have issues with 1 out of 8 drives, but it's the drive enclosure that's at fault (the only one at that). Otherwise it's been the perfect solution for me.

Regarding the price of the 1144C. I don't think they are extracting additional money because of mac support. This is a windows card with support out of the box in Win8. It's also $50 cheaper than the 1144CM card. This card costs more because HighPoint put 4 controllers on the card, and it's very well built. TO ME, you kind of get what you pay for in this case. It just seems to outclass the competition in my opinion.

On another note, I'd like to report;

Some people pointed out that the Amazon AD for the Inateck card indicates it won't work with Yosemite. This is false, it works fine. I spoke with Inateck yesterday and they told me it was an error on their part, and that the AD would soon be updated to reflect Yosemite compatibility.

 

[Synchro3]

BDM is that for the Cal digit card?

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/FASTA6GU3PRO/

Their video is conspicously quiet regarding compatibility with USB 3.0 HUBs (see around 39 second mark in this video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fV6n1nyH08#t=39

One more comment on the Youtube-Video: In 2:12 it is written 'the SATA Ports are for PC only'. This is not correct. I have two bootable SSDs on the internal SATA ports, just had to organize power: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18855446#post18855446

And yes, the USB is compatible to HUBs.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

One more comment on the Youtube-Video: In 2:12 it is written 'the SATA Ports are for PC only'. This is not correct. I have two bootable SSDs on the internal SATA ports, just had to organize power: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18855446#post18855446

And yes, the USB is compatible to HUBs.

Synchro thanks for that. Does the card need a driver or is it driverless (i.e., it has the same chipset as the Inatek/apple USB 3.0)?

 

[EdDuPlessis]

You'll all be upgrading to USB 3.1 next year anyway. Same speed as Thunderbolt 1 but carries better power for charging devices.

 

[Synchro3]

Synchro thanks for that. Does the card need a driver or is it driverless (i.e., it has the same chipset as the Inatek/apple USB 3.0)?

For SATA/eSATA functionality no driver needed. Bootable.

For USB 3.0 functionality only OS X 10.7 (or Windows 7) needs driver http://www.caldigit.com/Support.asp#FASTA, OS X 10.8 and higher (or Windows 8 +) no driver needed. Not bootable.

 

[crjackson2134]

Remember folks, there's the HighPoint RocketU 1144C and the 1144CM, HighPoint only guarantees the 1144CM to work on the Mac.

The 1144CM also has a $40 premium over the 1144CM. What is the one everyone is using? The 1144C because the M is identical except for the $40 Mac tax?

Actually Earl, they do promise Yosemite compatibility if you contact them, they just don't advertise it (just like Inatack).

Also, the 1144C and 1144CM aren't identical but the picture is. They are very similar. The 1144C also has full hardware support for sleep, and 1144CM doesn't.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

For SATA/eSATA functionality no driver needed. Bootable.

For USB 3.0 functionality only OS X 10.7 (or Windows 7) needs driver http://www.caldigit.com/Support.asp#FASTA, OS X 10.8 and higher (or Windows 8 +) no driver needed. Not bootable.

Thanks so much for that Synchro. Have you used this card much? Have you used the Inatek card? Wondering how the two compare regarding compatibility?

How compatible do you find it with USB 3.0 devices? Do you find it ejects external drives any more than you'd expect?

 

[Earl Urley]

You'll all be upgrading to USB 3.1 next year anyway. Same speed as Thunderbolt 1 but carries better power for charging devices.

Yeah, and Apple will take two damn years before it shows up in a Mac, and it'll be fundamentally buggy for another three years. I've lived through this before starting with the ol' Blue and White G3s.

 

[Earl Urley]

Actually Earl, they do promise Yosemite compatibility if you contact them, they just don't advertise it (just like Inatack).

Also, the 1144C and 1144CM aren't identical but the picture is. They are very similar. The 1144C also has full hardware support for sleep, and 1144CM doesn't.

Hopefully not with a custom driver; I'm treating USB 3 now like I used to treat Firewire cards; only get cards with certain chipsets known to be supported by MacOS (with Firewire it was always Texas Instruments or Oxford Semiconductor)

Well, thanks, looks like a 1144C is in my future since I have to do a lot of cloning / copying / archiving between devices.

 

[Synchro3]

Thanks so much for that Synchro. Have you used this card much? Have you used the Inatek card? Wondering how the two compare regarding compatibility?

How compatible do you find it with USB 3.0 devices? Do you find it ejects external drives any more than you'd expect?

Well, used a Velocity Solo X2 and a Sonnet Tempo SSD card before the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro.

Velocity Solo X2
With the Velocity Solo X2 I had a big problem: Once booted in Boot Camp Windows 7 (on internal Mac Pro SATA Slot 1), i could not return to boot OS X (on Velocity Solo X2): In Windows I could define OS X as start volume, but it started Windows again, nor i could use Option boot to return to OS X, again and again it booted only the Windows volume. The only way the Mac could boot OS X again was to physically remove the Velocity X2 from PCI Express slot, and connect the OS X SSD to an internal SATA slot. This is not what I would call a stable system… And i had boot lags (~ >1 Min).

Sonnet Tempo SSD
With the Sonnet Tempo SSD card had no problem as long as using Mac Pro firmware 4,1. But when i changed to firmware 5,1 option boot no longer worked. This issue is known. But i need option boot for Boot Camp Windows. Also here minor boot lags.

CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro Card
Yes, i have used the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro Card now for a while, no boot lags, all eSATA/SATA booting just fine, USB 3.0 just fine, and it is a little bit faster than the Sonnet Tempo SSD card, here you go: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18856622#post18856622

Never saw unwanted ejects of external drives.

USB 3.0:When the Mac Pro wakes up from sleep I get the "Disk not ejected properly" message, but after waking up the disk is recognized again. Because I put the Mac Pro rarely to sleep this isn't a problem for me.
By the way: The sleep issue does not exist on eSATA/SATA ports, only on USB 3.0 ports.

Only one issue: When i set my Windows Boot Camp partition on internal SATA slot 1 as start volume, i get a boot lag (~ >30 Sec), even if I boot to OS X again. Needs a PRAM reset [cmd]+[alt]+[P]+[R] to boot again without boot lag. So i use option boot for Windows, never set it as start volume.
Meaning: Set only volumes attached to the CalDigit card as start volume, start all other volumes attached to the old internal SATA 2 slots, especially Boot Camp volumes, with Option boot, to avoid boot lags.

 

[crjackson2134]

Hopefully not with a custom driver; I'm treating USB 3 now like I used to treat Firewire cards; only get cards with certain chipsets known to be supported by MacOS (with Firewire it was always Texas Instruments or Oxford Semiconductor)

Well, thanks, looks like a 1144C is in my future since I have to do a lot of cloning / copying / archiving between devices.

No custom drives for OS X at least for Mavericks / Yosemite. It's a really good card. If you want a nice card with the FrescoLogic chipset, I'd look at the Sonnet card. I personally haven't tested it YET, but others have and it seems to be a great card, it just doesn't have the dedicated controllers. I believe it has UASP compatibility too, but I can't swear to it. It's next on my list to test when I get some time.

None of them are perfect however, and neither is the built-in USB 3.0 on any of the systems. It just seems to be a finicky connection method no matter who makes it.

 

[flowrider]

USB 3.0:When the Mac Pro wakes up from sleep I get the "Disk not ejected properly" message, but after waking up the disk is recognized again. Because I put the Mac Pro rarely to sleep this isn't a problem for me.

It's been my experience that the "Disk Not Ejected Properly" issue is not a USB 3.0 issue but an electrical issue with the USB 3.0 device. I have had the issue with my 5,1 Mac Pro with both the KT4004 and the 1144C cards when I was using it with a Micronet Fantom HDD. When I switched to an Hornettek Viper USB 3.0 enclosure with a fast Seagate HDD, the problem went away. Also, the Fantom drive could make up it's mind if it was a USB 3.0 or a USB 2.0 Device. The description would change in "System Information."

Also, I have an MBA with native USB 3.0. I use an Orico 2.5" USB 3.0 enclosure with a 2.5" Hybrid SHDD. I only use that drive occasionally, but it has the same "Disk Not Ejected Properly" issue.

Lou

 

[apphotography]

You'll all be upgrading to USB 3.1 next year anyway. Same speed as Thunderbolt 1 but carries better power for charging devices.

How soon before 3.1 cards and devices are available, if any have been announced?

 

[crjackson2134]

How soon before 3.1 cards and devices are available, if any have been announced?

I'll be upgrading when/if it becomes available for the cMP. I'm sure HighPoint will be making one.

 

[EdDuPlessis]

I'll be upgrading when/if it becomes available for the cMP. I'm sure HighPoint will be making one.

On USB 3 cards is there any way to crank up the ampage on the ports to properly charge devices like iPads and Jambone speakers?

 

[crjackson2134]

On USB 3 cards is there any way to crank up the ampage on the ports to properly charge devices like iPads and Jambone speakers?

I would think not. You just have to get a card designed to do that. I don't know what the power requirements are for the devices you listed but have a look at the Sonnet Allegro card for Mac. It's known for it's charging power and compatibility.

Delivering up to 10W of power per port, this Sonnet solution supports USB 3.0 bus-powered hard drives, SSDs, DVDs & Blu-ray™ devices without the need to connect an additional AC power adapter. The Allegro USB 3.0 card also supports the USB 3.0 charging specification that enables you to simultaneously charge and sync your iPad®, iPhone®, or other device that supports USB 3.0 charging!

 

[EdDuPlessis]

I would think not. You just have to get a card designed to do that. I don't know what the power requirements are for the devices you listed but have a look at the Sonnet Allegro card for Mac. It's known for it's charging power and compatibility.

That's great thanks, now just gonna have to see if the 3.1 cards will live up to promise. They will be able to carry video signals too,