Sonnet Echo Express III-D User Manual

User’s Guide

For
Windows

for Echo™ Express III-D Desktop

™

Thunderbolt
Expansion Chassis

2-to-PCIe Card

Quick Start Guide Video

Available Online!

Visit

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/

echoexpress3d.html

Click the Video Tab to View

Installation Instructions

Contents

1 Introduction and System Requirements 1

2 Echo Express III-D Description 2

3 PCIe Card Installation and Chassis Setup Steps 4

4 Verify Connections Using OS X System Information 7

Verify Echo Express III-D is Recognized
Verify Installed Cards are Recognized

5 Tips, General Information, and Known Issues 8

Tips, General Information
Known Issues

6 Specifications, Precautions, FCC Compliance, and Support Information 9

Specifications
Safety Precautions
FCC Compliance
Contacting Customer Service
Visit Our Website

A BNC Connector Installation Steps A

This page left intentionally blank

Chapter 1 – Introduction and System Requirements

258.5

10.18

97.1

3.82

ECHO EXPRESS III-D

FRONT VIEW

405.1

15.95

ECHO EXPRESS III-D

REAR VIEW

ECHO EXPRESS III-D SIDE VIEW

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase! The Echo Express III-D is a
Thunderbolt 2-to-PCI Express card expansion system; through
its PCIe slots, you may connect three expansion cards to your

®

Mac

with Thunderbolt technology to expand its capabilities in
ways never before possible! With its Windows
Express III-D offers you a handy way to connect expansion cards
to your desktop or laptop PC with Thunderbolt technology.

®

support, the Echo

Mac Compatibility

• Mac computer with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port

®

10.8.5 or later

• OS X

Windows Compatibility

• Windows PC with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port*

• Windows 8, 7

System Requirements

While the Echo Express III-D chassis requires no drivers, the
expansion cards you install do; Thunderbolt-compatible drivers
to enable them to work properly through the Thunderbolt
interface are required. More information on which cards are
compatible with Echo Express III-D is available at:
http://sonnettech.com/support/charts/thunderbolt/index.html

* To support more than two PCIe controllers, Windows requires a

Thunderbolt 2 interface in both the computer and the expansion
chassis. Note that some PCIe cards have a bridge to multiple
controllers, so it is possible for a single dual-controller PCIe card to
reach the limit if not connected via Thunderbolt 2. Not all Mac­compatible PCIe cards are also compatible with Windows.

1

Chapter 2 – Echo Express III-D Description

1 – Power Indicator LED

This lights when the Echo Express III-D is powered, the
Thunderbolt cable between the chassis and your computer is
plugged in securely, and the computer powered on.

2 – BNC Connector Mounting Holes

These accommodate the installation of BNC connectors
like those used for HD/SDI output for the RED ROCKET-X
transcoding card, or for MADI and word clock input and
output from cards like RME’s HDSPe MADI FX.

3 – Power Input Socket

Connect the included AC power cable here.

4 – Thunderbolt Ports

Connect a Thunderbolt cable between either port and your
computer’s Thunderbolt port (or other Thunderbolt device in
the chain connected to the computer); the other may be used
to connect to another Thunderbolt device.

2