Compact Drive Reader USB-3

Runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Works with CODEX Device Manager and HDE on macOS.
USB-C powered.
8 Gb/s connection speed when using USB-C (3A).
Engineered and optimised to the highest performance standards.

What operating systems is the Compact Drive Reader USB-3 compatible with?
Can be used on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

What OS versions are required for Compact Drive Reader USB-3?
The minimum required OS versions to use the Compact Drive Reader are:

- macOS 10.14.4
- Windows 10
- CentOS 7


Is a driver or licence required for the Compact Drive Reader USB-3?
No, there is no driver or licence required. It can be used as a “plug and play” device.

Can I use the Compact Drive and Reader USB-3 with Device Manager and HDE?
Yes they can be used with Device Manager and HDE on macOS. (Device Manager and HDE is not available on Windows)

What is the connection speed of the Compact Drive Reader USB-3?
The connection speed depends on the type of USB connection and on the power that is delivered by the host.

We recommend to connect the Reader directly to a USB-C port that is capable of providing the maximum current allowed by USB-C (3A). The Reader USB-3 will then provide a connection speed of 8 Gb/s. A USB-A port can only provide 0.9A and the connection speed will be limited to around 180 Mb/s. The connection speed is indicated by the status light on the front of the Compact Drive.

- Blue: 3A from host, for performance ~1GB/s.
- Green: 1.5A from host, for performance ~550MB/s.
- Amber: 0.9A from host, for performance ~180MB/s. (In this case it is likely that the Compact Drive Reader USB-3 is connected to a USB-A port.)

USB 2.0 ports should not be used as they provide only 0.5A, which will result in poor and unreliable performance.

What is the correct procedure to connect the Compact Drive Reader USB-3?
When using a Mac:

- Connect the Reader to the Mac host with the USB-C cable before booting the Mac, or
- If the Mac is already booted, connect the USB-C cable to the Reader first and then to the Mac host.

Connecting on Mac with either of the above methods will result in the Reader receiving 3A for best performance*.

If the cable is connected to the Mac host first, and then to the Reader second, it may only get 1.5A and have reduced performance.

*3A may not be available to the Reader if other bus powered devices are already attached to the Mac.

Which cables are suitable for use with the Compact Drive Reader USB-C?
The following cable types have been tested and are known to work:

- 0.5m USB-C cable
- 1m USB-C cable
- 0.5m Thunderbolt 3 cable (passive type)
- 1m Thunderbolt 3 cable (passive type)

NOTE: The quality of different USB-C cables can vary depending on the manufacturer. If you experience reliability issues then try another cable, or a cable from another supplier.

The following cables are known to not work correctly with the Compact Drive Reader USB-C:

- 2m Thunderbolt 3 cable (active type)

Can I use the Compact Drive Reader USB-3 via a USB hub?
We do not recommend to use the Reader via a USB hub, as the power to the device is not guaranteed and this may result in reduced performance.

Can I use the Compact Drive Reader USB-3 via a Thunderbolt 2 > Thunderbolt 3 adapter?
No, because Thunderbolt 2 > Thunderbolt 3 adapters do not pass USB signals and power in the required way. The Reader should be connected to either a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port.

Can I use the Compact Drive Reader USB-3 with a Mac Pro 2013 model?
It can be used with a Mac Pro 2013 model* in the following setups:

- Connected to a Sonnet Allegro USB-C PCIe card, which is installed in a Thunderbolt expansion chassis such as the Sonnect Echo Express SE I. In this case the performance will be around 800 MB/s.
- Connected to a CalDigit TS3 Plus, via the 10 Gbps or 5 Gbps USB-C ports. When connected to the 10 Gbps USB-C port the performance will be around 550 MB/s. When connected to the 5 Gbps USB-C port the performance will be around 375 MB/s.
- Connected to a USB-A host port on the Mac Pro, using a USB-C to USB-A cable. In this case the performance will be limited to 180 MB/s.

The Compact Drive can also be loaded into an Adapter to work in the Capture Drive Dock which connects to the Mac Pro via TB2. This is the highest performance option for offloading data from the Compact Drive to the Mac Pro with a maximum rate of 1400 MB/s.

The Compact Drive Reader USB-3 cannot be used with a Mac Pro 2013 model in the following setups:

- Connected directly to an official Apple TB3 to TB2 adapter, which is then connected to a TB2 port on the Mac Pro. In this case the Compact Drive will not load at all.
- Connected to the loop through port of a TB3 peripheral or expansion device. In this case the Compact Drive will not stay loaded reliably and result in errors during the copy process. This includes connection to the TB3 downstream port of the CalDigit TS3 Plus.

* Or any Mac that has Thunderbolt 2 ports.