PCIe 2.0 Expansion Chassis for Thunderbolt From Magma

Magma, trade name of Mission Technology Group, Inc. and developer of PCIe connectivity products, introduces ExpressBox 1T, an expansion chassis with one PCIe 2.0 slot and a fast connection up to 10 Gbps through Thunderbolt.

It enables professionals to use specialty PCIe cards with any Thunderbolt-equipped computer to achieve performance in any working environment. By adding a PCIe card to the ExpressBox 1T users can transform their computer into a workstation capable of HD video capture and editing, media transcoding, audio processing, data processing, or high-speed storage and networks.

ExpressBox 1T supports the next generation of ‘outside the box’ high-speed connectivity by providing an easy migration path to newer Apple computers while protecting customers’ investments in specialized PCIe peripherals.

ExpressBox 1T guarantees installation with no tools required. The chassis is opened with two thumbscrews, and the PCIe card can be installed straight into the card carriage. It was also designed with studios in mind, featuring quiet ventilated cooling and two user-controlled fans so users can adjust fan speed and noise level based on their working environment needs. The extruded aluminum shell provides a protective housing that removes heat from the cards inside, while also providing lightweight portability to take performance wherever work requires.

"Thunderbolt’ delivers unparalleled performance, flexibility and simplicity to personal computing," said Jason Ziller, Intel’s director of Thunderbolt marketing. "Products like the Magma ExpressBox 1T help highlight what Thunderbolt makes possible."

"Partners have touted ExpressBox 1T as the most user-friendly Thunderbolt expansion solutions on the market," says Randy Jones, CEO and president at Magma. "With superior features over competitors including optimal ease of access, user-controlled fan speeds and noise level, and a durable extruded aluminum chassis, the ExpressBox 1T is the highest quality Thunderbolt to PCIe expansion system for serious professionals. Magma’s expertise in developing "outside the box’ PCIe expansion solutions for over 25 years provides a reliable foundation for producing rock solid products that offer the highest performance in the most demanding configurations."  

ExpressBox 1T offers the largest card length slot (7.75") among all half-length 1-slot Thunderbolt chassis on the market, giving Thunderbolt-equipped computers the power to achieve performance with any compatible half-length PCIe card. Whether the mission involves professional video capture, audio interface, SAS and SATA HBA, 8Gb FC, 10GbE, or a RAID controller card, Magma’s family of Thunderbolt products provide the outside-the-box solution for any project.

ExpressBox 1T is a sleek extruded aluminum silver chassis with one PCIe 2.0 slot, two cooling fans with manual speed control, and a 65W external power supply. ExpressBox 1T and up to six Thunderbolt devices can be daisy-chained including Apple DisplayPort, mDP, DVI, HDMI, and VGA monitors.

Magma has worked with development partners such as Avid, AJA, Blackmagic, CalDigit, Red, ATTO, Universal Audio, Fusion-io and Promise Technology to validate application performance with the most popular broadcast video and pro audio configurations.

ExpressBox 1T is available for $479 online or from an authorized worldwide reseller.