Light Peak/Thunderbolt, the end of USB/Firewire/HDMi and more?

[NeoY2k]

Now we just have to wait for this interface to be integrated in Windows/Linux computers. Then we could just integrate these PCIe DSP cards... in our laptops.
And with the 10Gb Ethernet capacity...

This is really incredible job from Intel. Incredible.

[qusp]

i'm with you, the collaboration between these 2 companies sure seems to be a winner, the possibilities are endless for expanding the capability of smaller computers and creating super computers/crossovers with nodes all connecting together via data and music stream simultaneously

i'm dreaming of 2 x new mac minis with thunderbolt connected with single cable for network protocols, clock and hidef content running all in sync on the same bus and daisy chained to ssd raid and sharing dsp of my favorite pci audio hardware ;D

[NeoY2k]

Yep, why not extend this protocol to make small clusters? Lacking of power? Just plug one more unit and there you are O_o.

"I added a 4.000 MIPS DSP" vs "I added a 100.000MIPS Intel i7 to make DSP"...

[SunRa]

Yup, incredible indeed. From what I've heard the bandwidth of this thing is scaling very nicely. Intel is expecting to pump it up to 40Gb once on fiber. This has the potential to revolutionize everything, from audio/video to server communications.

@qusp. Well, isolation would have been interesting for avoiding ground loops between the pc and dac, as well as the additional interferences and RF electrical lines tend to collect. Using optocouplers solves these issues but again I guess they induce some latency. Just as lightpeak on fiber would do presumably.

[jrenkin]

Originally Posted by NeoY2k

!!!! I thought they would launch it later! I wanted to sell my old non unibody macbook pro before, so it would be worth more than 100$... I'll have to keep it till it's dead now I think

I'll give you $150! ;-)

[AR2]

From my perspective this opens whole new world with high end digital photo backs like Phase One. All these years, the bus was the biggest problem in moving files from camera to computer. With such a huge bandwith now camera, mechanically, would not be able to catch up with file transfer, The biggest evolution happened when they switched from SCASI to Fire Wire, somewhere in '99 and still with that we were are able to only make a few shots per sec. FW bus get clogged while dumping images from buffer. So it seems like every 10-11 years we are having a major breakthrough in technology.

This is a major improvement affecting almost any computer user. This allows laptop performance to get closer to desktop, first comes to mind.

[SunRa]

With such a huge bandwith now camera, mechanically, would not be able to catch up with file transfer,

Definitely! I mean, the new 80mp backs from phase one clearly show signs of inadequate processing power. As a proof, the live view is still under development, and it still won;t be a real live view, as on dslr's.

[AR2]

Originally Posted by SunRa

Definitely! I mean, the new 80mp backs from phase one clearly show signs of inadequate processing power. As a proof, the live view is still under development, and it still won;t be a real live view, as on dslr's.

Live view is useles feature anyways. It overheats the back. Phase One was never meant to have one with reason. I have it on P60+ and P45+ backs and it just overheats back that results in noisy captures after use. Live view is useless feature, because it is ackward to focus on 4x5 and to view at the screen. I have no problem focusing on the screen and making capture that will show much better than fuzzy live view. Try live view in back light, hehe

[AR2]

Originally Posted by SunRa

Definitely! I mean, the new 80mp backs from phase one clearly show signs of inadequate processing power. As a proof, the live view is still under development, and it still won;t be a real live view, as on dslr's.

Phase one was never designed to have live view, because the idea was to design camera with only one wire coming out. At the time, that was the big deal because all backs had numerous wires which made them clumsy and hard to work with. Phase One was the first to implement FW and that did not allow for any additional current to be waisted on cooling fan. Any other back at the time like Leaf later incorporated FW and fan, but with additional power supply and wire coming out of back. That is why P1 back needed to be first woken up and than shoot would be taken. That way they managed heat to the minimum - the back is all the time off, and only when the shoot is taken it gets active. That problem was easily overtaken when attached on Hasselblad, or any other medium back through electronic means, but on 4 x 5 was kind of anoying until guy from Kapture Group made wake up cable.
With live view, back is active for too long without any cooling and you risk to blow $ 45K back just because some dumb art director cannot live without it. He, he, not with my digital back, hehehe. I had those conversations, believe me...

[qusp]

Originally Posted by SunRa

Yup, incredible indeed. From what I've heard the bandwidth of this thing is scaling very nicely. Intel is expecting to pump it up to 40Gb once on fiber. This has the potential to revolutionize everything, from audio/video to server communications.

@qusp. Well, isolation would have been interesting for avoiding ground loops between the pc and dac, as well as the additional interferences and RF electrical lines tend to collect. Using optocouplers solves these issues but again I guess they induce some latency. Just as lightpeak on fiber would do presumably.

yeah i figured thats why, but i'm guessing the reason they couldnt make it work with fiber was exactly these issues, when dealing with such speeds adding wasteful processing and conversion is sure to produce bottlenecks. besides i reckon you'll find its a differential connection and ground linked between devices only for power supply chaining. it is daisy chained rather than connected in parallel any which way, it might be hard to create a loop, since one ground is passed onto the next and onto the next etc etc. transformers are gonna have a hard time at these speeds, so isolation might be a ways off if its needed. its pouzzling since the backbones over the world are fiber, but if intel couldnt make 10gbs work on fiber, what makes you think they can do 40? not doubting, just wondering where that info is coming from?

Neo2k: indeed mate, thats exactly what i mean, so exciting!! wow i bet there is all manner of companies around the planet right now with their head in their hands after spending money and time on development of next gen usb and proprietary transport protocols; only to be wiped out in one swoop. usb 3.0 of course through an adapter will still just work, but it wont be the industry leading thing they planned, and will likely be ignored by the neophytes they were chasing.