Sonnet Enhanced xMac mini Server With PCIe 2.0 Expansion System

Sonnet Technologies Inc. introduced an upgrade of its xMac mini Server, a Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion system and 1U rackmount enclosure for a Mac mini with a Thunderbolt port.

The xMac mini Server accommodates one full-length, full-height PCIe card and one half-length, half-height (low-profile) card. The updated now supports a double-width PCIe card’s daughter card and includes BNC connector mounting holes on the enclosure’s rear panel. In addition, the length of the xMac mini Server is now just 15.8 inches, making it for deployment in a range of popular mobile racks, carts, and rack bags.

Some PCIe cards, such as RME’s HDSPe MADI FX card, Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink 4K Extreme, and the Lynx AES16e-50, include a daughter card that normally occupies the adjacent PCIe card space. The enhanced xMac mini Server is now able to accommodate a daughter card via a special mounting bracket included with the system, thereby saving the additional PCIe card space. Also, with the addition of two holes for mounting BNC connectors on the rear panel of the xMac mini Server, operators now have a convenient place to mount HD/SDI connectors for PCIe cards, such as the RED ROCKET, without having to use a bracket that blocks the use of a PCIe card slot. To support customers that require a very quiet work environment, a quiet fan module is available as an option.

"The enhanced design of the xMac mini Server came about after we spoke in the past year with working pros already using the systems in their workflows," said Greg LaPorte, VP sales and marketing for Sonnet. "By shortening the chassis, we addressed the need for the product to work in smaller spaces. With an included bracket, users can now install a daughter card securely within the chassis. Added mounting holes for BNC connectors enhance usability for our customers with Red Rocket cards."

Sonnet’s newest xMac mini Server and the previously announced xMac mini Server 2H transform a Mac mini computer into a full-fledged expandable rackmount server. This enables users to harness the power of PCIe cards such as full-size pro video capture and processing, digital audio interface, DSP accelerator, FireWire, RAID controller, 10GbE, eSATA, and other PCIe cards. Both Sonnet expansion systems mount the Mac mini inside a specially designed 1U rackmount enclosure containing a Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion system with two PCIe 2.0 slots that connect to the computer’s Thunderbolt port via an included Thunderbolt cable. This allows the Mac mini to use expansion cards normally usable only in the Mac Pro, making it a smaller, lighter, and quieter stand-in for the discontinued Xserve.

The xMac mini Server and xMac mini Server 2H include a 100W power supply and employ variable-speed fans to cool the cards and computer. An quiet fan module option for cool-operating cards is available. The Mac mini’s GbE, USB 3.0, and HDMI interfaces are extended to panel-mounted connectors on the back of the unit, and a USB 3.0 interface and power switch are mounted on the front. An xMac mini Server’s second Thunderbolt port enables the daisy-chain connection of additional Thunderbolt peripherals. These features make the xMac mini Server for use in many fixed and mobile applications, from video ingest and editing stations to pro audio recording rigs, and from metadata controllers to back-office RAID servers.

The xMac mini Server and xMac mini Server 2H, like Sonnet’s line of Echo Express PCIe-to-Thunderbolt expansion chassis, require the use of Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe expansion cards. Compatible cards fall into numerous categories including pro audio, Ethernet, FC, SAS/SATA RAID controllers, and video capture and editing. A list of compatible cards is available on Sonnet’s website, with the list continually expanding as more cards are tested and certified.
 
The enhanced xMac mini Server (part number XMAC-MS) is available at a suggested retail price of $1,295. The xMac mini Server 2H (part number XMAC-MS-2H) is also available at a suggested retail price of $1,295. The xMac mini Server Quiet Fan Module (part number XMFAN-Q) is available at a suggested retail price of $79.95.