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Seems like there are some new $79 adapters to split out the USB-C port into power, usb and av[1]/vga[2]. [1] http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-

by Finbarr 12y ago

Seems like there are some new $79 adapters to split out the USB-C port into power, usb and av[1]/vga[2]. [1] http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av-multiport-adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av... [2] http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1L2AM/A/usb-c-vga-multiport-adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1L2AM/A/usb-c-vga-multip...

Someone1234 12y ago
Thanks for posting that. I think when the rumour was spreading about USB-C/loss of Magsafe everyone was asking if Apple was going to do something like that, or even if it was feasible to both charge AND provide back out USB/Mini-Displayport ports. I hope IFixIt guys takes those things apart, I bet they have their own little OS and processor just like we've seen in previous Apple "adapters."
- lsaferite 12y ago
  The VGA one has to have something special for sure. The Type-C connector doesn't do analog video at all.
  - api 12y ago
    Even for mini display port these have a chip inside that actually does the VGA modulation. It's not a big deal.
drinchev 12y ago
One more thing to carry in the bag I guess.
stcredzero 12y ago
That's fine for portability...except that it's a whopping $79. What we also want is a hub into which we can plug our monitors and additional storage. For desktop use, this should have a longer cord, of course. (There are such hubs for USB 3, which can already be bought for ~$79 t0 ~$250 depending on what you want out of video compatibility.
lsaferite 12y ago
Neat tidbit, Type-C connectors also support analog audio mode. In this mode it can do stereo audio out, mic in, and 5V@500mA power in. Obviously the chipset would have to support this, but the connector spec allows it in any case.
0942v8653 12y ago
Think about it. Eighty dollars just to get less than you had before (with the 11-inch Air). And you're already paying the Apple tax, plus that ugly adapter defeats the purpose of the whole making-it-pretty thing. All in the pursuit of a few millimeters.
- lazyjones 12y ago
  > Think about it. Eighty dollars just to get less than you had before (with the 11-inch Air) or: $70-odd additional margin for Apple that people will be happy to pay once they notice they need it regularly. Clever.
- zanny 12y ago
  I easily expect monitors to start supporting Type C input, where they feed the host machine power and do USB passthrough to a classic USB interface hub with maybe a daisychained type C port on there as well. Its temporary. In five years everything will have these ports and adapters will not be necessary. In the same way today you can get a DP to VGA adapter instead of having a bulky analog video output, even if it costs $15.
  - igrekel 12y ago
    Yes and yet I am still lugging adaptors - DP to VGA - DP to HDMI - DP to DVI Because I never know what I'll have when I present and you know what, I nearly always have to revert back to VGA, its not like HDMI is new ! I have a nice integrated laptop but I have all these parts around in my bag that I sometimes lose or forget connected to a projector somewhere. What may have seem like a simpler solution really wasn't in the end.
    - zanny 12y ago
      It isn't meant to be a simpler solution, but staying on analog video was never an answer. The only reason VGA projectors are still in use because they still work because we have all these passthrough options. Without them businesses would have replaced them as soon as VGA was going out of style, aka, 2002.
nickysielicki 12y ago
I'm sorry but when you ship a machine with ONE PORT for the purposes of charging and peripherals, this absolutely needs to be in the box. Nickel and $80'ering me on a $1400 computer is ridiculous. I'll stick with my thinkpad.
- pbreit 12y ago
  With Bluetooth, the cloud and AirPlay, who even needs those ports? People are up in arms every time Apple changes/deletes ports and are almost always wrong. Go ahead and stick with your thinkpad.
  - chronolitus 12y ago
    Most people I know, many times.
  - robotresearcher 12y ago
    Show up to give a presentation anywhere in the world. Standard plug-in? VGA. Maybe HDMI. You can't count on an AirPlay connection being present and I wouldn't want to rely on wireless video for important presentations with 20 seconds set up time anyway.
    - integraton 12y ago
      That particular use case is apparently not expected by Apple to be a common use case for the target market of this particular device. Fortunately, other devices with different features focused on different usage patterns are available for purchase from Apple and other manufacturers. It's strange that this is at all controversial.
      - robotresearcher 12y ago
        On the contrary, it is totally expected. They sell a dongle with VGA out.
        12y ago
JBiserkov 12y ago
Indeed. Yet video output is limited at 1/4 4k a.k.a. FullHD/1080p which is ridiculous in this day and age.
mseebach 12y ago
But no Thunderbolt to USB-C. So those sexy $1000 displays you just got because Thunderbolt is the new black and integrated seamlessly with your MacBooks? GFYS, they're deprecated, no more Thunderbolt. Two years is a long time for a Retina 27" monitor anyway, time to upgrade.

by Finbarr 12y ago

Someone1234 12y ago

Thanks for posting that. I think when the rumour was spreading about USB-C/loss of Magsafe everyone was asking if Apple was going to do something like that, or even if it was feasible to both charge AND provide back out USB/Mini-Displayport ports. I hope IFixIt guys takes those things apart, I bet they have their own little OS and processor just like we've seen in previous Apple "adapters."

lsaferite 12y ago
The VGA one has to have something special for sure. The Type-C connector doesn't do analog video at all.
- api 12y ago
  Even for mini display port these have a chip inside that actually does the VGA modulation. It's not a big deal.

drinchev 12y ago

One more thing to carry in the bag I guess.

stcredzero 12y ago

That's fine for portability...except that it's a whopping $79. What we also want is a hub into which we can plug our monitors and additional storage. For desktop use, this should have a longer cord, of course. (There are such hubs for USB 3, which can already be bought for ~$79 t0 ~$250 depending on what you want out of video compatibility.

lsaferite 12y ago

Neat tidbit, Type-C connectors also support analog audio mode. In this mode it can do stereo audio out, mic in, and 5V@500mA power in. Obviously the chipset would have to support this, but the connector spec allows it in any case.

0942v8653 12y ago

Think about it. Eighty dollars just to get less than you had before (with the 11-inch Air). And you're already paying the Apple tax, plus that ugly adapter defeats the purpose of the whole making-it-pretty thing. All in the pursuit of a few millimeters.

lazyjones 12y ago
> Think about it. Eighty dollars just to get less than you had before (with the 11-inch Air) or: $70-odd additional margin for Apple that people will be happy to pay once they notice they need it regularly. Clever.
zanny 12y ago
I easily expect monitors to start supporting Type C input, where they feed the host machine power and do USB passthrough to a classic USB interface hub with maybe a daisychained type C port on there as well. Its temporary. In five years everything will have these ports and adapters will not be necessary. In the same way today you can get a DP to VGA adapter instead of having a bulky analog video output, even if it costs $15.
- igrekel 12y ago
  Yes and yet I am still lugging adaptors - DP to VGA - DP to HDMI - DP to DVI Because I never know what I'll have when I present and you know what, I nearly always have to revert back to VGA, its not like HDMI is new ! I have a nice integrated laptop but I have all these parts around in my bag that I sometimes lose or forget connected to a projector somewhere. What may have seem like a simpler solution really wasn't in the end.
  - zanny 12y ago
    It isn't meant to be a simpler solution, but staying on analog video was never an answer. The only reason VGA projectors are still in use because they still work because we have all these passthrough options. Without them businesses would have replaced them as soon as VGA was going out of style, aka, 2002.

nickysielicki 12y ago

I'm sorry but when you ship a machine with ONE PORT for the purposes of charging and peripherals, this absolutely needs to be in the box. Nickel and $80'ering me on a $1400 computer is ridiculous. I'll stick with my thinkpad.

pbreit 12y ago
With Bluetooth, the cloud and AirPlay, who even needs those ports? People are up in arms every time Apple changes/deletes ports and are almost always wrong. Go ahead and stick with your thinkpad.
- chronolitus 12y ago
  Most people I know, many times.
- robotresearcher 12y ago
  Show up to give a presentation anywhere in the world. Standard plug-in? VGA. Maybe HDMI. You can't count on an AirPlay connection being present and I wouldn't want to rely on wireless video for important presentations with 20 seconds set up time anyway.
  - integraton 12y ago
    That particular use case is apparently not expected by Apple to be a common use case for the target market of this particular device. Fortunately, other devices with different features focused on different usage patterns are available for purchase from Apple and other manufacturers. It's strange that this is at all controversial.
    - robotresearcher 12y ago
      On the contrary, it is totally expected. They sell a dongle with VGA out.
      - 12y ago

JBiserkov 12y ago

Indeed. Yet video output is limited at 1/4 4k a.k.a. FullHD/1080p which is ridiculous in this day and age.

mseebach 12y ago

But no Thunderbolt to USB-C. So those sexy $1000 displays you just got because Thunderbolt is the new black and integrated seamlessly with your MacBooks? GFYS, they're deprecated, no more Thunderbolt. Two years is a long time for a Retina 27" monitor anyway, time to upgrade.