Odd quirk using Minidock model 2504 with T60

[Muse]

I have used a T60 with audio recording software to schedule MP3 recordings of radio programs. Been doing this for quite some time. I use a U-Control UCA202 USB sound card to get the L/R channels from my A/V receiver via RCA cable and process the sound for USB input into the T60, to be recorded by Total Recorder Standard Edition software in my preferred MP3 recording parameters. Normally this works just fine.

A few days ago I received a Model 2504 mini dock via Amazon (used). I seated the T60 I was using to make these recordings into the docking station. Then, instead of using any of the T60's 3 USB inputs I used one of the mini dock's 4 USB inputs, expecting things to work fine. However, something very strange happened. Parts of the 1-3 hour recordings were nothing but super loud white noise (pinning the levels in the red!). The noise would come on suddenly, and without warning, and then disappear just as quickly and mysteriously (and seemingly randomly) again permitting the radio broadcast to be recorded. I'd estimate that on average, around 30-50% of each recording was white noise, and there were maybe 2-3 white noise segments on each 3 hour recording. Plugging the U-Control sound card instead into the Thinkpad stops this _intermitent_ problem. I figured I had a bad mini dock and figured I'd have to return it, but I have another model 2504 mini-dock, so tested using that instead (it was in use with a different T60). That mini dock produces the same behavior. So, I figure there's probably nothing "wrong" with my particular mini docks, that it's just a problem peculiar to them. Thoughts?

[twistero]

The 3 USB ports on the T60 are directly wired to the ICH7 southbridge, while the USB ports on a dock goes through a hub. USB audio devices can be quite fickle, and perhaps the particular one you have does not like hubs.

[Muse]

The 3 USB ports on the T60 are directly wired to the ICH7 southbridge, while the USB ports on a dock goes through a hub. USB audio devices can be quite fickle, and perhaps the particular one you have does not like hubs.

Well, I guess I can live with that. I don't like the cord going out the side, but it's not terrible. Thanks for the reply.

[Dinnesch]

Try uninstalling Thinkpad Power Manager. That solved some USB oddities(mouse only working half the time) I experienced with my 2504 dock.