Sonnet's Echo™ Express and Echo Express Pro Now Shipping
14 Jun 2012Expansion Chassis Enable Users to Connect High-Performance PCIe® Cards to Thunderbolt™-Enabled Computers Without Expansion Slots
Sonnet today announced that its Echo™ Express and Echo Express Pro Thunderbolt™ Expansion Chassis for PCI Express® (PCIe) cards are now shipping and available for purchase. The two devices enable the use of high-performance PCIe adapter cards with any computer equipped with a Thunderbolt port.
"Today's ultralight notebooks, minis, and all-in-one desktop computers now have tremendous processing power, but lack expansion slots for installing specialty PCIe cards to connect video and audio inputs, process data, and access high-speed storage and networks," said Greg LaPorte, vice president of sales and marketing at Sonnet. "With our Echo Express and Echo Express Pro chassis, our customers can take advantage of the groundbreaking performance of Thunderbolt technology to connect high-performance expansion cards to their computers without expansion slots."
The standard Echo Express supports one half-length (up to 7.75 inches long), full-height, double-width, x16 (x4 mode) PCIe 2.0 card, while the Pro model supports two standard-width, full-length cards, or one double-width, full-length card. Both models support an I/O bracket. The standard model includes a built-in 100W universal power supply, and the Echo Express Pro includes an integrated 150W universal power supply. Both systems enable the use of compatible full-size professional video capture, audio interface, SAS and SATA HBA, 8Gb Fibre Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and RAID controller cards with iMac®, Mac® mini, MacBook® Air, or MacBook Pro computers. Both systems are backed by Sonnet's Pro Series five-year warranty.
Echo Express and Echo Express Pro require the use of Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe expansion cards. Compatible cards fall into numerous categories including pro audio, Ethernet, Fibre Channel, SAS/SATA RAID controllers, and video capture and editing. The list, which is available on Sonnet's website, is continually expanding as more cards are tested and certified.
Echo Express (part number ECHO-EXP1H) and Echo Express Pro (part number ECHO-EXP2F) are available for USD $599 and $799, respectively. More information on the products and compatible PCIe expansion cards is available at www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresschassis.html.
More information on Sonnet and its other products is available at www.sonnettech.com.