[FOUND] UltraBay Slim Parallel/Serial Adapter

[Kasm279]

I am looking for the parallel/serial adapter for my T60p. This is the kind that slides into the UltraBay and has one of each port, FRU PN: 40Y8124. Perhaps $5 or so would do it? (Plus shipping to 83442)

[RealBlackStuff]

Keep dreaming, $100.- is more likely!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Lenova-Thin ... 0851755881

[Kasm279]

Yeah, I was hoping to get something lower than that from someone had had a spare laying around.

[LASTGUY2GETPS2]

If you don't want to spend that much, perhaps purchasing the T60 Advanced mini dock is more economical? If memory serves correctly it has both Parallel and Serial ports.

[Kasm279]

I have the dock, and it does have those plugs. However, the dock isn't very portable.

[LASTGUY2GETPS2]

I have the dock, and it does have those plugs. However, the dock isn't very portable.

A valid point. The other option I would suggest is a USB to Parallel and/or USB to Serial converter. I've never used either so don't know how well they work.

[RealBlackStuff]

I have certain programs that require a Serial and/or Parallel port.
Rather than mess about with adapters or docks, I am using a small 12" X31, which has both ports.
This machine is extremely portable!
I have another X31 (2885-PWU), complete with original AC adapter, 2 batteries and its original box and manuals!
PM me if interested.

[Kasm279]

Nah, I think I'll stick with my T60p. I just wanted to see if someone might have one of these that they didn't want as that would have been a bit more convenient than using a USB to serial adapter.

[tporter]

I have one, unusable for me - now i don't have T6x
Look in your PM.

[twistero]

Someone need to combine one of these with an HDD caddy. There must be enough space for both a hard drive and the serial & parallel ports, right?

[Thinkpad Lover]

Someone need to combine one of these with an HDD caddy. There must be enough space for both a hard drive and the serial & parallel ports, right?

A great idea, Charles Would sure make it more useful. Why don't you work on that? Chisel out the mid-section and get a hard drive connector in there somehow. I think that's right up your alley

Any why in the world is this thing so expensive? $100? Supply and demand I guess. Shop around. I bet you can find it cheaper. Personally I would never pay so much for something like that.

Daniel.

[Kasm279]

Yeah, that's why I posted here. I figured someone would have one laying around that wasn't worth much to them.

[Radioguy]

I've always wanted one myself, and have seen them offered for less on eBay a year or so ago, but not often.

For those who have one, and especially have opened one, is there much conversion hardware inside? If not, I wonder why there hasn't been knockoffs like with the HDD adapters.

[TuuS]

I believe you can buy a usb to parallel/serial adapter for less then $5, it may not be as pretty, but would work and wouldn't make you lose your ultrabay slot.

[Radioguy]

Well, you don't "lose" it if you just have a travel bezel taking up the same slot, you know. Plus, the more than can be accommodated internally frees up USB ports!

I'm a slot half full guy.

[Kasm279]

For those who have one, and especially have opened one, is there much conversion hardware inside? If not, I wonder why there hasn't been knockoffs like with the HDD adapters.

As far as I know there is no logic whatsoever within these, it's just a simple mechanical adapter between the middle plug inside the ultrabay on the T60 and the two ports on the outside.

I believe you can buy a usb to parallel/serial adapter for less then $5, it may not be as pretty, but would work and wouldn't make you lose your ultrabay slot.

I wouldn't really "loose" my ultrabay as the only thing I have for it currently is a dead DVD drive (with a new one on the way,) plus I don't have a bay battery (yet) so it's not like I need the bay. I would rather have the nice hardware driven ports that the module provides over a CD drive or a USB device that hangs off of the laptop.

[TuuS]

Since most accessories that attach whenever a unit is stationary can be run off a dock, the only reason I'd want such a device is for use when I travel, which a usb cable can do well enough, but it was just a suggestion.

With the ssd technology becoming fast and reliable, most of us are using the ultrabay for a second harddrive so we can run a small ssd. For example, you can get a 32gb ssd and a 750gb hdd both for the same cost of a 160gb ssd alone and get the same performance. I don't use optical discs often, but when I do need to, it's a simple matter to pop one in.

By the way, if you need a dvdrom, cdrw/dvd or dvd multi burner I have them ranging from $10-25. I also have some "like new" multi burners for $35 if interested, since you mention needing a dvd drive.

[Kasm279]

Nah, I bought one Friday from Ebay for $25, if I need another I'll keep you in mind though.

[Kasm279]

Bump

[Kasm279]

Bump again, could really use one of these with my GPS that doesn't like my USB-Serial adapters.

[twistero]

As far as I know there is no logic whatsoever within these, it's just a simple mechanical adapter between the middle plug inside the ultrabay on the T60 and the two ports on the outside.

Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case. I ran across some schematics for T60, and the connector in the UltraBay for this adapter is on a shared data bus with a lot of things - the TPM, Firmware Hub (whatever that is), and others. This means there's actually a controller inside the adapter that directly controls the serial and parallel ports. It's definitely not a simple pass-through device.

[Kasm279]

Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case. I ran across some schematics for T60, and the connector in the UltraBay for this adapter is on a shared data bus with a lot of things - the TPM, Firmware Hub (whatever that is), and others. This means there's actually a controller inside the adapter that directly controls the serial and parallel ports. It's definitely not a simple pass-through device.

Hrm, the dock must have logic in it as well.

[twistero]

Hrm, the dock must have logic in it as well.

Looks like it. The same data bus is routed to the dock connector as well.

[Radioguy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110953351999

I hope you were one of the three.

[Kasm279]

Augh, I completely missed that.

[twistero]

Augh, I completely missed that.

That's what ebay saved searches are for

[cadillacmike68]

Augh, I completely missed that.

You've been looking for one since June and you don't have a saved search??? I have about 70 saved searches, and maybe a dozen or so set to email me.

Got my waist level adapter for my CanonFlex R2000, the first week i was in Afghan back in 2009 thanks to a saved search email. Like new with the case and get this; it dates to 1959.

[Kasm279]

You've been looking for one since June and you don't have a saved search??? I have about 70 saved searches, and maybe a dozen or so set to email me.

I've never messed with saved searches, I'll have to use them from now on...

[cadillacmike68]

You've been looking for one since June and you don't have a saved search??? I have about 70 saved searches, and maybe a dozen or so set to email me.

I've never messed with saved searches, I'll have to use them from now on...

They are easy to set up.

Go into advanced search, set the parameters including # of items per page (I like 200), location of item, sort order (I like ending soonest on top, that way if something I've been looking for has 10 min left, i can see it first), your key words (don't forget you can exclude words too), etc. and click the search buttons.

Adjust the key words and exclusions ( a - sign before a word on the search line) and once you get it the way you like, save it. Give it a meaningful name, and select f you want items new items emailed to you. If you do, your first email (the following day) will have all items currently existing. thereafter, it will only show new items listed.

[Kasm279]

I finally found one of these from a friend. I snagged it plus a GPS module for the Hangspring Visor for $15 shipped. Thanks for all your replies. I'll start a thread over in the T6x board for this, but the ultrabay module contains only three ICs. One is a DC-DC converter, another is a SuperIO chip, and the last is an RS232 transciever. Another oddity, you can't hotswap the module in. You have to sleep/hibernate/shut down the system before installing it, which is understandable.