The head of Intel’s Optical I/O Program Office, Jason Ziller, showed how powerful the new invention could be by running two 1080p video streams, a Local Area Network connection, and storage devices over a 30-meter cable using modified USB connection ends.

In 2009, Intel showcased a new technological invention that the company hoped would cut down on the number of ports and connections needed to connect to commonly used peripherals and specialty hardware. Thunderbolt ports were co-developed by Apple and Intel. Thunderbolt 3 came in three varieties: Double Port, Singal Port, and Low Power. Not all Thunderbolt ports are created equal.Companies like CalDigit and Cable Matters are working on larger lengths with full support that are between 5 m and 50 m for release in the future. These cables come in three specific lengths: 0.2 m, 0.8 m, and 2 m. Thunderbolt 4 copper cables offer 40 Gbit/s speed and are supported by all versions of USB up to USB4.Intel originally presented the technology under the name ‘Light Peak’. Apple originally registered the trademark ‘Thunderbolt’, but the technology was co-developed by Intel and Apple.This means smaller devices can have even more powerful connections than their predecessors.

Thunderbolt 3 and 4 use the new USB-C shape connector which allows for the port to take less physical space on the device it is installed on.Many believed it to be a display connection. This has often led to confusion about what the Thunderbolt port is capable of. Thunderbolt 1 and 2 use the Mini DisplayPort connector.Thunderbolt ports allow for 10 Gbit/s per channel.

Thunderbolt to hdmi