Need more Thunderbolt ports on your new Mac mini? Then this new elegant solution from OWC might help and also provide storage expansion.
Maybe 'fits perfectly under a Mac Mini' would be a good headline, but this unit is also the the world's first Thunderbolt 4 certified storage and hub expansion solution.
OWC has just announced the miniStack STX, a unit that not only can split a Thunderbolt connection into three, but also can house a variety of storage options.
The new M1 powered Mac mini is an awesome machine for its form factor, this new unit from OWC makes a perfect companion, but it will also work with other Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks and Android tablets.
We can see Mac mini editors using it to connect peripherals such as card readers, I/O boxes and large hard drives whilst keeping the ability to have multiple displays.
"We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to our customers, and OWC is constantly developing revolutionary products to complement Apple's innovations," said Larry O'Connor, CEO and Founder of OWC." While great for the Apple Mac mini, the OWC miniStack STX packs a lot of capabilities in a small footprint that expands the functionality of any Mac or PC notebook or desktop computer."
You can specify the unit with up to a 14TB HDD + NVMe M.2 SSD up to 4TB. Or you can order just the enclosure and add your own drives.
miniStack STX prices start at $299
- Massive capacity: add over 200x greater data storage to your Mac mini1
- Mega Thunderbolt™: use more accessories and devices with three Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB-C) ports
- Maximum compatibility: use with Thunderbolt™ or USB equipped Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android tablets virtually anything that supports external storage2, 3
- More Connectivity: add a mix of up to five Thunderbolt™ devices, three USB devices, and two displays2, 5
- Power while working: 60W of notebook charging power via Thunderbolt™ or USB-C
- Pro-grade performance: save/access/backup data and edit 4K video with up to 770MB/s real-world tested performance
- Easy backups: Apple Time Machine and Windows File History ready
- Data Security: RAID 1 support
- Plug and play: includes Thunderbolt™ cable
- Whisper-quiet: aluminum housing with internal heat sink and high-efficiency cooling fan provides cool, nearly silent operation
I am the Editor-in-Chief of FCP.co and have run the website since its inception ten years ago.
I have also worked as a broadcast and corporate editor for over 30 years, starting on one inch tape, working through many formats, right up to today's NLEs.
Under the name Idustrial Revolution, I have written and sold plugins for Final Cut Pro for 13 years.
I was made a Freeman of Lichfield through The Worshipful Company of Smiths (established 1601). Though I haven't yet tried to herd a flock of sheep through the city centre!
Current Editing
2020 has been busy, the beginning of the year was finishing off a new property series (cut on FCP) for Channel 4 called The Great House Giveaway. I also designed and built the majority of the graphics as Motion templates. It has been a great success and the shows grabbed more viewers in the 4pm weekday slot than any previous strand. It has been recommissioned by C4 for 60 episodes, including prime-time versions and five themed programmes. The shows have also been nominated for a 2021 BAFTA.
Although both were postponed to later in the year, I worked again on ITV's coverage of the Tour de France and La Vuelta. 2020 was my 25th year of editing the TdF and my 20th year as lead editor. The Tour was the first broadcast show to adopt FCPX working for multiple editors on shared storage.
BBC's Snooker has played a big part in my life, I've been editing tournament coverage since 1997. I'm proud to be part of a very creative team that has pioneered many new ideas and workflows that are now industry standard in sports' production. This is currently an Adobe Premiere edit.
Covid cancelled some of the regular corporate events that I edit such as trade shows & events. I was lucky however to edit, from home, on projects for Amazon Kindle, Amazon Black Friday, Mastercard and very proud to have helped local charitable trust Kendall & Wall secure lottery funding.
As for software, my weapon of choice is Final Cut Pro and Motion, but I also have a good knowledge and broadcast credits with Adobe Premiere Pro, MOGRT design and Photoshop.
Plugin Design & Development
I'm the creative force behind Idustrial Revolution, one of the oldest Final Cut Pro plugin developers. It hosts a range of commercial and free plugins on the site. One free plugin was downloaded over a thousand times within 24 hours of release.
I also take on custom work, whether it is adapting an existing plugin for a special use or designing new plugins for clients from scratch. Having a good knowledge of editing allows me to build-in flexibility and more importantly, usability.
FCP.co
Now in its 10th year and 4th redesign, running FCP.co has given me knowledge on how to run a large CMS- you are currently reading my bio from the database! Although it sounds corny, I am pretty well up on social media trends & techniques, especially in the video sector. The recent Covid restrictions has enabled live FCP.co shows online. This involves managing a Zoom Webinar through Restream.io to YouTube and Facebook.
The Future
I'm always open to new ideas and opportunities, so please get in touch at editor (at) fcp.co. I've judged film competitions, presented workflow techniques to international audiences and come up with ideas for TV shows and software programs!
