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Workaround: Lacie LBD Thunderbolt with 30 " ACD-Noise issue Question?

E

ejosepha

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 12, 2009
283
0
Hello,
I know that I can connect my 30" ACD to the Lacie Thunderbolt Disk with my mini display adaptor currently connected to the Mini. However, I realize these disks are a bit noisy so I would only be using the backup disk occasionally for quick backups or Time Machine once a week or or during video work. Otherwise, the Mini is extremely quiet, especially with the ssd in it now. I prefer a quiet working environment.
My question is whether, for short periods, I would be able to plug the 30" display somehow, even with an adaptor, into the HDMI port, so that I can see what's going on while I backup and use the Lacie Thunderbolt disk. I know that HDMI only supports a lower resolution, but this would only be used for short periods of time.
I don't want to have to hear the high fan noise on the Lacie disk all of the time while the display is daisy chained to it's thunderbolt/mini display port.
Eventually I believe Belkin will be coming out with a thunderbolt docking station, but until then does anyone have any suggestions here.
Thanks
 
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mcb001982 said:
This, as a matter of fact the Mini ships in the US with a hdmi to dvi adapter so you should be all set. I think the max res on hdmi is 1900 x 1200.
Click to expand...
I have the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter which originally was plugged into a Mac Pro. Now it is used with the mini display port into the Mini. I presume this would work through the HDMI as plug and play. I would sure like to find a way to use the display on normal resolution and the Lacie disk. My problem is that I hear the Lacie Thunderbolt disk noise is quite disturbing, especially in a quiet room. Are there any other workaround ideas for this setup? Unfortunately there's only one Thunderbolt port on the mini.
 

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philipma1957 said:
depends on if you don't mind voiding the warranty of the lacie.

the fan may not be needed in your case.


here is a solution
Click to expand...
Looks interesting, but I would prefer to leave the disk as is, with warranty. I suppose that eventually Belkin or someone else will come out with a docking station, then I could run both the screen and occasionally the lacie disk as needed. But I have read that even when not accessing or using the disk that the fans run and make noise, meaning as a full time setup running my display out of the lacie disk would consist of constant fan noise.
I think the promise pegasus also makes constant noise, so that doesn't sound like a solution, and it certainly is less portable. (Although perhaps the noise might be more acceptable--don't know the answer to that.)
Any other suggestions would be appreciated. If there aren't any, I might just have to live with the switching of the display over to HDMI several times a week to access the thunderbolt drive.
Thanks
 
So I'm assuming you are going to plug and unplug the Little Big Disk from the thunderbolt port whenever you aren't utilizing the disk? So I guess my question is, why bother with the Lacie Little Big Disk as opposed to a a Firewire 800 drive? Doesn't the Little Big Disk use two 2.5" drives? I assume you would set it up to run RAID 1 to protect your data (or at worst you set it up as two separate drives and not RAID 0 *shutters*). Using RAID 1, I can't imagine that the firewire 800 would slow down the drives all that much in comparison to Thunderbolt.
 
paulrbeers said:
So I'm assuming you are going to plug and unplug the Little Big Disk from the thunderbolt port whenever you aren't utilizing the disk? So I guess my question is, why bother with the Lacie Little Big Disk as opposed to a a Firewire 800 drive? Doesn't the Little Big Disk use two 2.5" drives? I assume you would set it up to run RAID 1 to protect your data (or at worst you set it up as two separate drives and not RAID 0 *shutters*). Using RAID 1, I can't imagine that the firewire 800 would slow down the drives all that much in comparison to Thunderbolt.
Click to expand...
Well my plan was to just leave the drive as it is out of the box, which I believe is a Raid 0. I would just like to use the speed of thunderbolt to transfer and download and work on certain files when needed, and at the same time keep my display at normal high resolution. I can plug my 30" ACD into the port on the Lacie drive but I am just seeking a way to avoid the constant fan noise when I don't need to access the drive.
I know that some of the IMacs come with two Thunderbolt ports. I would like to stay with my setup, which is quiet, and eventually use a Thunderbolt speed backup drive--one that doesn't drastically change the noise level in the room...which is relatively quiet.
Thanks
 
the little b d t-bolt with 2 7200 rpm 500gb hdds inside costs about 400 us dollars. I pulled them out and sold the pair on ebay for 150 this means the 2 drive empty enclosure cost me 275. 400 - 150 is 250 but the fees were 25 so 275 for an empty case.

The only reason this is worth doing is I dropped in ssds and made a monster 512gb raid0 or 256gb raid1 or two 256gb JBOD.


You are far better off buying this and running it as fw800


http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MEQMH0GBK/


put your own hdds inside it must be the same hdds run it raid0 or raid1 no JBOD.

I love these with iMacs they are quiet and in raid0 they are faster then the stock 1tb internal hdd of an iMac. you can copy the internal at about 65-70 MB/s
 
ejosepha said:
My question is whether, for short periods, I would be able to plug the 30" display somehow, even with an adaptor, into the HDMI port, so that I can see what's going on while I backup and use the Lacie Thunderbolt disk. I know that HDMI only supports a lower resolution, but this would only be used for short periods of time.
Click to expand...
The 30" Cinema Display will operate at 1280x800 resolution on a non-DualDVI port (e.g. I have plugged it into a 2006 Mac mini at that resolution.)

I realise your question is also about noise levels with the LBD plugged in, but you should be able to see what is going on on your machine temporarily via the HDMI port should you choose not to purchase the Dual DVI adapter.
 
Edge said:
The 30" Cinema Display will operate at 1280x800 resolution on a non-DualDVI port (e.g. I have plugged it into a 2006 Mac mini at that resolution.)

I realise your question is also about noise levels with the LBD plugged in, but you should be able to see what is going on on your machine temporarily via the HDMI port should you choose not to purchase the Dual DVI adapter.
Click to expand...
Hello,
I already have the Dual DVI adaptor, so I know I can just switch eventually the display over from the Thunderbolt/mini display port over to the hdmi. I am really looking for a way to use the Lacie Thunderbolt drive but only intermittently when I need it for backups and other occasional uses while viewing my display at normal resolutions.(I don't leave the current backup drive used for Time Machine and video files plugged into the computer at all times even now.) This is a noise issue, but I want to stay with the Thunderbolt technology here. and I suppose that unless there is another workaround, I would probably just use the Lacie Thunderbolt drive and plug the 30" ACD into it while using it for backups and video use, and then simply shutdown, disconnect the Lacie drive and re-connect the cinema display into the Mini's mini display/thunderbolt port.
Hopefully a Thunderbolt multi-port dock station will come out sooner rather than later. If there are any other possible workarounds, would surely appreciate them.
Thanks
 
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philipma1957 said:
the little b d t-bolt with 2 7200 rpm 500gb hdds inside costs about 400 us dollars. I pulled them out and sold the pair on ebay for 150 this means the 2 drive empty enclosure cost me 275. 400 - 150 is 250 but the fees were 25 so 275 for an empty case.

The only reason this is worth doing is I dropped in ssds and made a monster 512gb raid0 or 256gb raid1 or two 256gb JBOD.


You are far better off buying this and running it as fw800


http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MEQMH0GBK/

put your own hdds inside it must be the same hdds run it raid0 or raid1 no JBOD.

I love these with iMacs they are quiet and in raid0 they are faster then the stock 1tb internal hdd of an iMac. you can copy the internal at about 65-70 MB/s
Click to expand...
In reading the details on the Lacie Thunderbolt disk Apple claims:
Hello and thanks,
In reading carefully about the Lacie Thunderbolt disk Apple claims:
"A front power button allows you to turn off the Little Big Disk without breaking a daisy chain, always with energy conservation in mind."

I wonder if this means that one could run my ACD daisy chained from the Lacie disk while the disk is turned off.
Thanks for any further info.
 
This may be a late reply, but you can indeed turn off the LaCie Thunderbolt Little Big Disk and maintain the daisy chain. This only work for OSX as it allows hot plugging of Thunderbolt drives. Windows drives can be disconnected but not reconnected without rebooting.
 
shortcut3d said:
This may be a late reply, but you can indeed turn off the LaCie Thunderbolt Little Big Disk and maintain the daisy chain. This only work for OSX as it allows hot plugging of Thunderbolt drives. Windows drives can be disconnected but not reconnected without rebooting.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update.
It's good to know that I'll be able to daisy chain my display through the Lacie LBD while it is turned off.I have the 30" ACD.
The Lacie unit should be arriving within a week or so.
thanks again
 
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