Hardware: Mac or PC with Thunderbolt™ Port
Software : Mac — OS X 10.8.5 or later
                PC — Windows 7 or later

Yes, the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 is fully backwards compatible with Thunderbolt™ 1 computers and peripherals. However, connecting it to Thunderbolt™ 1 devices will reduce the performance to Thunderbolt™ 1 speeds (up to 10Gb/s).

Yes, the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 can deliver 1.5A to charge devices such as mobile phones and tablets via USB 3.0. The ports also provide enough power to operate devices such as external bus powered storage devices, SD card readers, keyboards, and external DVD-ROM drives. Please refer to the device's documentation for details. The front facing USB 3.0 port can also charge devices while the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 is not connected to a computer.

This is perfectly normal and is intended within the design concept. The enclosure acts as a heat sink by using thermal plates and pads to conduct heat away from electrical components. Extensive testing was performed to ensure that the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 operates within safe parameters without a noisy fan.

Yes, you can boot from drives connected to the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 via eSATA, USB 3.0, or Thunderbolt™ if you have a 2013 or later Mac (Haswell) or a Thunderbolt 2 equipped PC.
For more information about USB drive bootup, please visit our knowledge base: https://archive.caldigit.com/KB/index.asp?KBID=147&viewlocale=1

Yes, the TS2 is fully compatible with Apple’s FireWire adapter.

In certain circumstances, the way eSATA devices are connected and more specifically the order in which they are connected can affect whether an eSATA device is recognized. If you connected your Thunderbolt™ Station 2 to your computer before connecting the eSATA device, disconnect the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 and then re-connect it. Alternatively, connect the eSATA drive to the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 first before powering on the Thunderbolt™ Station 2.

Follow these steps to make sure your eSATA device is recognized:

1. Connect the eSATA device to the Thunderbolt™ Station 2.
2. Power on the eSATA device.
3. Plug in the power adapter to your Thunderbolt™ Station 2.
4. Connect the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 to your computer via the Thunderbolt™ cable.

If the eSATA device you are using or the eSATA port multiplier of that device is based on the Silicon Image 3726 or JMicron 575 chipset and not all of the slots are being used on the device, make sure to connect a drive to the first slot.

If a problem still persists, CalDigit recommends updating your OS to latest version, as well as updating to the latest version of the EFI firmware (https://support.apple.com/kb/ht1237)

Under most circumstances, updating and resetting your settings will restore the Mac back to its normal operating condition.
1. Update your Mac OS X to the latest version. To do this click on the Apple logo on the upper left hand corner -> About This Mac -> Software Update button.
2. Verify your Mac has the latest EFI and SMC firmware. (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518)
3. Reset NVRAM / SMC on your Mac 3 times in a row. (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063)

We recommend disconnecting the cable and reconnecting it. Alternatively, you can try using a different a Thunderbolt cable. In most cases changing a faulty Thunderbolt cable resolves this issue. Please note that in order for the TS2’s LED light to power on, the Thunderbolt cable must be connected to the TS2 as well as the AC Power adapter.

Please try the following steps:
1. Connect and power on the TS2 before turning on the Windows PC.
2. Try using a different Thunderbolt cable.
3. Install the Intel Thunderbolt software and driver.
4. Install the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station drivers including the USB, Network, and eSATA drivers.

For more detailed information please click the following links:
https://archive.caldigit.com/KB/index.asp?KBID=146
https://archive.caldigit.com/KB/index.asp?KBID=139

The TS2’s AC Adapter automatically switches to the required voltage for each country. The AC Adapter features a voltage range from 100v to 240v 50/60Hz. When you purchase a product from CalDigit the packaging will include the required power cable for your specific region. Please always use a suitable power cable for your country’s specific power outlet.

No. The mDP connector on your computer is not a Thunderbolt™ port. mDP uses the same connector type as Thunderbolt™ but it is a completely different interface connection. The TS2 needs to connect to the host computer with a Thunderbolt™ cable in order for the computer to recognize it.

The HDMI output of TS2 supports both RGB and YCbCr color codecs listed below. Actual performance depends on the specification supported by the graphics processing units, the drivers, the monitors, and the related peripheral devices being implemented. (results may vary)
- RGB at 6/8/10/12 bpc (bits-per-component) supported
- YCbCr 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2, 8/10/12 bpc supported

The TS2 uses a Texas Instruments PCM2912A audio DAC that supports stereo audio through the 3.5mm headphone port. The 3.5mm microphone port receives mono only.

Detailed 3.5mm Audio Output Specifications
– Analog Performance at VBUS = 5.0 V:
– THD+N: 0.01% (RL > 10 kΩ)
– THD+N: 0.02% (RL = 32 Ω)
– SNR: 92 dB
– Dynamic Range: 90 dB
– PO: 13 mW (RL = 32 Ω)
– PO: 25 mW (RL = 16 Ω)

Detailed 3.5mm Audio Input Specifications
– Analog Performance at VBUS = 5 V:
– THD+N: 0.01%
– SNR: 92 dB
– Dynamic Range: 90 dB

HDMI 1.4b can support up to the following resolutions
- 4096 x 2160 @ 24 Hz
- 3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz
- 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz

Your computer’s hardware must be able to support these resolutions as well. For more information, please visit Apple’s support page from the link below. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856

Yes, you can use display adapters with the Thunderbolt™ Station 2 such as HDMI to DVI and DVI to Mini DisplayPort. Keep in mind that if a Mini DisplayPort adapter is used, you will not be able to daisy chain any additional devices via Thunderbolt™.

The Thunderbolt™ Station 2 can only support dual monitor configurations if your computer’s hardware can support dual monitors via Thunderbolt™ and if:
- One of the displays is a Thunderbolt™ Display
       or
- The second display is connected to a second Thunderbolt™ Station 2 or another Thunderbolt™ 2 device
To check if your Mac can support dual monitors via Thunderbolt™, please refer to entry #18 on Apple’s support page. https://support.apple.com/kb/ht5219#dispnum