DS Forums

 
 

New MacBook Pro with USB-C dongle hell (or not ?)


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 28-11-2016, 13:56
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206

I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 28-11-2016, 14:12
Maxatoria
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 10,731
Its the fact that you need an adapter thats annoying people, its a easy way for apple to milk a bit more cash out of you and if you leave your adapter at home while traveling to work you'll need another one at a rather nice profit to Culpertino.
Maxatoria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 20:47
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
Its the fact that you need an adapter thats annoying people, its a easy way for apple to milk a bit more cash out of you and if you leave your adapter at home while traveling to work you'll need another one at a rather nice profit to Culpertino.
That comment absolutely displays your prejudice against Apple. Do you not know that USB-C is an industry standard, and therefore you can buy any number of adaptors from any number of 3rd parties. Apple will not make significant money (in proportion to other revenue) from dongles.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 21:40
MartinPickering
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: A small Greek island
Posts: 3,651
My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.

Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering.
MartinPickering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 21:46
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.

Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering.
But there's my point. A suitably selected external hub will do all that for you with only a single connector to plug in.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 21:56
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
I think also my point is that putting aside Apple, the arrival of USB-C across the industry is to be welcomed. For the first time it's possible to drive all the external devices via a single cable.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 22:03
MartinPickering
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: A small Greek island
Posts: 3,651
But there's my point. A suitably selected external hub will do all that for you with only a single connector to plug in.
Excellent, in that case I'll buy one ASAP. Where can I buy that hub and how much does it cost?
MartinPickering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 23:11
Fried Kickin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: 🇬🇧
Posts: 54,239
I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
Glad you're happy with the purchase.
It is your money after all.

However creating a thread that invites opinion only for you to then berate an opinion given is a bit weak.
Fried Kickin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 23:19
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
Glad you're happy with the purchase.
It is your money after all.

However creating a thread that invites opinion only for you to then berate an opinion given is a bit weak.
But an "opinion" that Apple have gone with an industry standard to make money is completely irrational.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 23:23
Roush
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2,935
I think it's pretty much certain now that USB Type-C will become the next dominant connectivity standard with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3. It'll just take a few years for things to migrate over. It's going to gather pace though.

My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.

Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering.
1. The new MacBook Pro is clearly not for people who want to stick to using decade-old peripherals.

2. You run 8 external HDD's through 1 USB 2.0 hub??
Roush is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2016, 23:38
Fried Kickin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: 🇬🇧
Posts: 54,239
But an "opinion" that Apple have gone with an industry standard to make money is completely irrational.
You're doing it again

Just a sidenote ...
The few Apple users I know will only buy peripherals from Apple.
Fried Kickin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 01:33
zz9
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 10,446
I think also my point is that putting aside Apple, the arrival of USB-C across the industry is to be welcomed. For the first time it's possible to drive all the external devices via a single cable.
Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface 3 have been able to do that for a while with their Surface Dock.
zz9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 06:43
MartinPickering
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: A small Greek island
Posts: 3,651
I think it's pretty much certain now that USB Type-C will become the next dominant connectivity standard with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3. It'll just take a few years for things to migrate over. It's going to gather pace though.

1. The new MacBook Pro is clearly not for people who want to stick to using decade-old peripherals.
I'm glad you agree. My ElGato EyeTV decade old TV tuner cost £200 and still works perfectly. Likewise my Epson Perfection 4870 scanner. Why would I want to spend several hundred pounds to replace them AND buy a hub?

2. You run 8 external HDD's through 1 USB 2.0 hub??
No, I don't know what I was thinking! I run only five HDDs plus an SD card through a 7-way USB 2.0 hub. The other three HDDs are connected as necessary. I'm a great believer in backups.

Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface 3 have been able to do that for a while with their Surface Dock. [/url]
No Firewire. No monitor connection.
MartinPickering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 08:21
Maxatoria
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 10,731
That comment absolutely displays your prejudice against Apple. Do you not know that USB-C is an industry standard, and therefore you can buy any number of adaptors from any number of 3rd parties. Apple will not make significant money (in proportion to other revenue) from dongles.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways.
Not apple bashing, made some good change over the years on supporting their stuff (replacing i think it was LC3's batteries was a gold mine when you get paid by the hour as they were an horrific design and took ages).

Its not going to be a great money maker but a nice regular bit as people start buying the new machines and start to realise they still need to connect to legacy kit. Yep the stuffs cheap only 10-50 quid but it soon mounts up if you've got to furnish an office with them.
Maxatoria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 12:06
zz9
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 10,446

No Firewire. No monitor connection.
Four USB 3.0 ports and two monitor outputs.
zz9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 15:24
Stiggles
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 9,292
That comment absolutely displays your prejudice against Apple. Do you not know that USB-C is an industry standard, and therefore you can buy any number of adaptors from any number of 3rd parties. Apple will not make significant money (in proportion to other revenue) from dongles.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways.
It's nothing to do with prejudice against apple. Apple will also make a fortune on these dongles, sorry adapters.

USB-C is not yet an industry standard since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard.

I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there!
Stiggles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 15:25
Stiggles
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 9,292
But there's my point. A suitably selected external hub will do all that for you with only a single connector to plug in.
I think the point is you shouldnt have to buy any suitable hub when they should have the connectors in place anyway. Also ditching the card reader was simply daft.
Stiggles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 16:26
TheBigM
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
You could already have had an adapter (i.e. dock) to handle everything except power i.e. two wires.

It's dongle hell because people have a lot of existing accessories for which they'll need to use adapters now where they didn't before (e.g. SD cards). The comment applies especially when you are on the go.
TheBigM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 17:15
bspace
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,776
I remember when apple ditched floppy drives and dvd/cd caddies and vga and and and.

Heard it all before.
bspace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 19:31
neo_wales
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria
Posts: 8,294
It's nothing to do with prejudice against apple. Apple will also make a fortune on these dongles, sorry adapters.

USB-C is not yet an industry standard
since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard.

I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there!
Its getting there Stiggles, and USB 3 is common and cheap

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...l_4agd63yrl2_e

But Apple...do their thing and sadly the followers just pay up. I was given a mac book pro air laptop by my son (network engineer and the company switched ot MS Pro, sold the Apple's for nowt to the engineers) and I don't much like it. Its well made, runs nice but for me the shortage of software puts me off it so I stick with my W10 PC's and Pro 4.

I'm by no means knocking Apple products, they are well made, work well and if you can stand the software limitations then all is good.

My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's.
neo_wales is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2016, 19:37
neo_wales
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria
Posts: 8,294
It's nothing to do with prejudice against apple. Apple will also make a fortune on these dongles, sorry adapters.

USB-C is not yet an industry standard
since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard.

I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there!
Its getting there Stiggles, and USB 3 is common and cheap

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...l_4agd63yrl2_e

But Apple...do their thing and sadly the followers just pay up. I was given a mac book pro air laptop by my son (network engineer and the company switched ot MS Pro, sold the Apple's for nowt to the engineers) and I don't much like it. Its well made, runs nice but for me the shortage of software puts me off it so I stick with my W10 PC's and Pro 4.

I'm by no means knocking Apple products, they are well made, work well and if you can stand the software limitations then all is good.

My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's.
neo_wales is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-11-2016, 10:46
TheBigM
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
It

My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's.
No such thing as a Pro Air.

You either have a Macbook Air or a Macbook Pro.
TheBigM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-11-2016, 14:22
s2k
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,741
I have no idea which iteration it was but a little while ago one of my users presented me with a Macbook (Air?) that consisted of just the one mini USB C connection that was being used for the power and nothing else. Of course they didn't have the adaptor either.

If that wasn't bad enough it also had one of the worst keyboards I have ever come across on a laptop.

Was half tempted to tell them to send it back and buy a real computer but then I remembered that it had been purchased primarily for Apple Configurator which sadly isn't available for Windows.
s2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 17:20
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
You're doing it again

Just a sidenote ...
The few Apple users I know will only buy peripherals from Apple.
Yes but you are probably talking about peripherals that are basically Apple proprietary that third parties have copied like lightning cables. However here we are talking about industry standard cables where there is no sense in paying double the price.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 17:22
tdenson
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,206
Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface 3 have been able to do that for a while with their Surface Dock.
You missed my point. I deliberately said "putting aside Apple". No way was I suggesting that this was a first by Apple.
tdenson is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:59.