Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Thunderbolt Technology
At the fall 2009 Intel Developer Forum Intel demonstrated a prototype data connection technology
that was codenamed “Light Peak.” The term came from the fact that the technology would be
available over both optical (light) and electrical (copper) cable connections. During the
demonstration Intel indicated that this technology would transfer data initially at 10Gbps, with the
potential ability to achieve 100Gbps over the next decade. Finally, in February 2011, Intel officially
introduced Light Peak under the name Thunderbolt Technology. Starting in 2012, PC motherboards
began including Thunderbolt ports as an option.
Thunderbolt is described by Intel as “the fastest way to get information in and out of your PC and
peripheral devices” and at the initial 10Gbps data rate it can transfer a full-length HD movie in less
than 30 seconds, or a full year of MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes. Thunderbolt is a
multifunction interface that combines high-speed data transfer as well as digital audio/video signals
on a single cable.
Thunderbolt is currently implemented via a Thunderbolt controller chip at each end of the connection,
one in the PC and one in the attached device. On the PC side, the controller may also be integrated
directly into the motherboard chipset. The Thunderbolt controller combines PCI Express and
DisplayPort audio/video signals at one end and splits them back apart at the other (see Figure 14.21 ).
This allows fewer connectors to do more work, which will be especially useful in laptops or smaller
systems where connector space is tight.
Figure 14.21. Thunderbolt Technology connection combining PCIe and DisplayPort on a single
cable.
The initial electrical implementation of Thunderbolt uses the Mini DisplayPort connector that was
introduced as part of the DisplayPort 1.2 specification in December 2009. You can tell a
Thunderbolt-enabled Mini DisplayPort connector from a standard Mini DisplayPort connector by a
Thunderbolt logo or icon next to the connector (see Figure 14.22 ) .
 
 
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