OS X Updates: Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.1

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OS X Updates: Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.1

28 November 2012 2,231 views 5 Comments

Apple has released more than a dozen Thunderbolt updates. However, all of this attention hasn't spurred Thunderbolt's adoption outside the Mac universe…

Tweak, tweak, tweak and tweak some more has been Apple’s approach since the it introduced this advanced I/O technology back in February 2011 — the company has released more than a dozen Thunderbolt specific and related/includes updates. However, all of this attention hasn’t spurred adoption outside the Mac universe.

• Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.1, download
— This update addresses an issue with MacBook Pro (mid 2012) and some cables that may prevent bus-powered Thunderbolt devices from functioning properly.

Despite being demonstrably superior to USB 3 (graphic above), Thunderbolt hasn’t gained market traction, largely due to cost considerations.

Does Thunderbolt play in your workflow or are you wedded to FireWire and/or USB?

Related posts:
— Why Thunderbolt is [almost] ready for prime time
— Fusion Drive FAQ, Troubleshooting guide posted
— Ultimate Mac Pro: Modular, stackable, cool
— What’s new in OS X 10.8.1: MacBook battery life and more
— Retina MacBook Pro: Three attached displays, 15.6 megapixels

5 Comments »

Bill said:

I use the Thunderbolt output on my MBP 17″ (late 2011) to drive 3 x 20″ LCD monitors – so including my MBP, I have 4 screens, via a Matrox Triple Head 2GO (DP Edition).

The set-up works very well and occupies one of the MBP’s USB ports and the Thunderbolt.

Instant response, no lag or disturbance to any of the screens and I can move pages across all 4 displays very easily.

So on one screen I have Skype, Terminal and a radio, on another my emails, then on the other 2 – I have a draft and a master of my work so I can compare as I go.

The whole setup has been working well for nearly a year and the only minor irritation is that I sometimes have to unplug & plug Monitor No 3 on a re-boot.

# 28 November 2012 at 2:55 am

Phil said:

I am using a ATTO UL5D Parallel SCSI device in an OWC box that accommodates 1 half size PCIe card and connects to a Mac Mini via Thunderbolt. The ATTO board talks to two LTO4 tape libraries for backup. It works perfectly without any extra drivers (although some PCIe boards may need updated drivers). The only issue I had is the UL5d is actually a bit longer than a “real” half length board so I had to make some “minor” mechanical adjustments to make the board fit. I also have a 12 TB Promise Thunderbolt RAID daisy chained with the OWC box. The whole system runs like a dream.

# 28 November 2012 at 5:06 pm

Wolfram ships Mathematica 9 - FairerPlatform said:

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# 29 November 2012 at 1:49 am

2012 Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.7 - FairerPlatform said:

[...] posts: — OS X Updates: Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.1 — Why Thunderbolt is [almost] ready for prime time — iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 — MacBook [...]

# 11 December 2012 at 7:58 pm

Does 2012 Mac mini Firmware Update 1.7 work? Yep - FairerPlatform said:

[...] your take? Did the Mac mini Firmware Update 1.7 work for you? Related posts: — OS X Updates: Thunderbolt Firmware Update v1.1 — Why Thunderbolt is [almost] ready for prime time — iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 — MacBook [...]

# 12 December 2012 at 12:05 am