Thunderbolt 2

Intel has given more details about its next-generation Thunderbolt 2, announcing new features that are sure to keep the AV industry happy.

Thunderbolt 2 was first announced last April during NAB as a controller with the name “Falcon Ridge” operating at 20Gbps, doubling the bandwidth of the original Thunderbolt. The big new feature of this generation is that it allows 4K video transfer and display simultaneously.

This is made possible by combining the two previously independent 10Gbps channels into a single bidirectional 20Gbps channel that supports data transmission and/or display.

DisplayPort 1.2 support has also been incorporated, enabling video streaming to a 4K monitor or two QHD monitors.

Another good thing about Thunderbolt 2 is that it is backwards compatible, which means that current cables and connectors will still work without any problems with the new interface.

These added features create a new way of thinking about 4K workflows, allowing you to create, edit and view live 4K signals, and even greatly reduce backup time.

Although Thunderbolt was originally released in conjunction with Apple, and is now a standard on Mac computers, Intel has provided data showing the increasing introduction of this technology on PCs, in addition to the release of many other enabled peripherals, including storage disks, expansion ports and displays.

Thunderbolt 2 is expected to begin shipping later this year, with other supported peripherals arriving throughout 2014.

Intel is also working on a low-power Thunderbolt version for tablets and smartphones. However, it is not known if this would succeed against WiGig, another specification backed by Intel (among others) that allows wireless data transfer reaching up to 7Gbps. It is not as fast as Thunderbolt but it is wireless and much faster than Wi-Fi.

Here you can read more information about Thunderbolt 2.