usb c to thunderbolt 1/2

Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
Morning everyone

I recently exported all my creative media data and my iTunes library from my iMac's hard drive onto 2 Samsung portable SSD's as it was getting really full. I also want to future proof things for the day my iMac dies. The SSD's came with a usb c to usb cable, which I've plugged into the back of my iMac.

My question is whether there is a cable available that will enable me to plug the SSD's directly into my iMac's thunderbolt ports instead? I don't want to go down the adapter route if I can avoid it.

It's a late 2012 imac so has (I believe) Thunderbolt 1 or 2 technology.

I've seen these, but I'm not sure whether they'll do the job or not: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073W6QWY5/

Thanks, Nick
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
If the SSDs have USB-C connections I'm pretty sure that will work. Others may be able to confirm.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Slydude is correct, that cable will work as the TB port is compatible with MiniDisplayPort.
 
OP
nickyr
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
thanks both - order placed :)
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
Mind if I ask exactly what drives/enclosures you're using? I'm seriously considering using a similar setup. I'll also be inyrtrdyrf in your comments about how such a setup performs.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
OK, but I was just about to mention that a good place to shop for good cables etc. at a reasonable price is:
https://www.monoprice.com

Do they ship to the UK? Nick does not live in the US or Canada.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Do they ship to the UK? Nick does not live in the US or Canada.


Yup. And a lot more.

Monoprice ships to the following international locations currently:

United Kingdom, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uruguay and Venezuela.

To determine the shipping cost please add the items into the shopping cart and select the "Click to Estimate" link located in the blue box on the right hand side. Select your country from the drop down menu. Enter in the shipping postal code and click on the "Get Estimate" tab to view the shipping methods available.

Depending on the order, I always found their shipping costs quite reasonable but I haven't used them for quite a while.

They often had Mac compatible cables etc. that no-one had.





- Patrick
======
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
Good find Patrick. was just on the site looking at shipping and missed that entirely.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Good find Patrick. was just on the site looking at shipping and missed that entirely.



Gheese, I just noticed that Canada isn't even on that list!!!

But never the less, I know they do, and almost treat us as if we were part of the US. And no comment on that from this guy here!!! Gads no!!! :Blushing:




- Patrick
======
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Nick has already placed his order for the cable as he noted in the reply above. I would think he could get that cable from Amazon.uk for less than what it would cost from Monoprice with the added international shipping and maybe VAT charges.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Nick has already placed his order for the cable as he noted in the reply above. I would think he could get that cable from Amazon.uk for less than what it would cost from Monoprice with the added international shipping and maybe VAT charges.


Could be, and probably even faster shipping as Amazon seems to be going all out on that aspect lately.

Anyway, the monoprice.com source is there if one wants to check them out when they next need stuff, and their speciality used to be cables, but they have sure diversified over the years. :Smirk:


EDIT:
I'd say nickyr got a good deal for where he lives as being curious I thought I'd just check on the price w/ shipping from monoprice:
USB 3.1 Type-C to Mini DisplayPort Active Cable 4K@60Hz, 3ft $17.99 (6 ft = $18.99)
Receive this order by Monday, 4/2/2018 if you order in the next 1 day 4 hours and 57 minutes :
UPS Worldwide Expedited - $44.07 to the UK.

Ouch!!!

Now he can go to the local pub for a few pints with the boys and spend some of the money he saved!!! ;D





- Patrick
======
 
Last edited:

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Could be, and probably even faster shipping as Amazon seems to be going all out on that aspect lately.

For most items that are locally available at one of the Amazon warehouses, they use their own delivary service and not UPS or FedEx. We have a local Amazon distribution center here in Fort Worth that usually can get your order to you in less than 5 days, usually 3.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
For most items that are locally available at one of the Amazon warehouses, they use their own delivary service and not UPS or FedEx.


The last few amazon orders I've done is usually through amazon.ca and they have been shipped via Canada Post. Pretty fast too, even though I cancelled my amazon automatic Prime payments and I aim and choose the free shipping if and when available. It usually is and may add one or two extra days at most to their "expedited" delivery that can cost a crazy amount.

Besides, who is in such a hurry when one is retired and relying on a pension eh??? ;D




- Patrick
======
 
OP
nickyr
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
One of Amazon's mahoosive local depots is around 2 miles from my house! I usually get next day delivery as a Prime customer anyway, but I find their deliveries on the whole to be super fast :)

As for the pub with the boys - alas those days are gone. Since my diagnosis I have lived the life of a tea-total monk!! Not that I was able to drink much anyway. I think the term "lightweight" was invented for me! Three pints and I was anyone's!!!
 
OP
nickyr
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
To reply to Slydude's post:


I'm using 2 Samsung T5 SSD's - one 250GB for my iTunes, and one 500GB for my "Creative Media" (video and photo files).

I've basically removed all media from my iMac.

At the moment, I've found no issues with slow downs at all. Image and video files seem to open at the same speed.

Speed wasn't the major concern for me though (I want these thunderbolt cables to free up USB slots). I really wanted to future-proof things for the day when my iMac inevitably dies. Rather morbidly, I want to ensure things are as simple as possible for my wife to operate should something happen to me!!

Back up wise, TM works across everything, but I do clone the discs as well, including a bootable iMac clone. I just find everything much "neater and tidier" now than it used to be. I just have my SSD's for my media, each one individually backed up to an EHD. And I can add more SSD memory when needed :)
There's probably something I've done that I shouldn't or missed something, but everything seems to be working fine one week in.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
One of Amazon's mahoosive local depots is around 2 miles from my house! I usually get next day delivery as a Prime customer anyway, but I find their deliveries on the whole to be super fast :)


Wow!! You sure can't get much closer than that and I'm surprised you have to pay anything for delivery being so close.

And that sure is a massive complex!!!:
https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2008/nov/15/consumer-affairs-amazon
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...warehouse-Britain--size-football-pitches.html


PS: I'm sorry I forgot about your diagnosis and I trust and hope you're doing and keeping well.




- Patrick
======
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
thanks for the update. I have my current media on a USB drive with a backup on a separate usb drive. For me budget constraints will mean a gradual move to SSDs due to cost of the drives and TB enclosures.
 
OP
nickyr
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
Thanks Patrick

I'm doing OK for now. Nearly 3 years post stem cell transplant but still no full remission - I guess that'll never come. I see my consultant in 2 weeks time for my 3 monthly check up (always a stressful time and they come around so fast).

I used to cycle past the Amazon warehouse on my way home from work while they were building it. It IS huuuuge!!

Sly - I use Samsung portable SSD's. They're not crazy expensive and I can always take them with me when I go away somewhere which is a bonus.
 
OP
nickyr
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
80
Points
48
Location
Swansea - South Wales
Your Mac's Specs
21 M1 Pro 14" MBP, 23 M2 Pro Mac Mini (MacOS 14), iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 17), iPad 6 (iPadOS 17)
further update:

these cables do not work unfortunately
I've tried them on my iMac and MacBook Pro in case there was an issue with the TB ports on my iMac
seems these are for AV signals only and not for data transfer

Back to the drawing board :-(
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top