X200 Ultrabase question

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ninjatool · #1 Post by **ninjatool** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:09 am

Hi

I am planning to buy a x200 and I know it does not come with an optical drive.

Therefore I am thinking to buy the ultrabase as this has an optical drive slot.
Does anyone know if the ultrabase includes an optical drive or do you need to buy this or do you need to buy this separately?
Do I also need to buy the power adapater separately as well?

If I need to buy ultrabase+optical drive just so I can use optical seems a bit expensive.

Perhaps I need to buy just a USB 2.0 External drive might be better, is it possible to boot up discs from the external drive? to install an operating system etc?

Thanks!

[Reworded thread as I was typing without thinking]

dr_st · #2 Post by **dr_st** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:59 am

If it is like with the past Ultrabases, then yeah - it ships without the power supply, and the optical drive is not included too.

awolfe63 · #3 Post by **awolfe63** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:41 pm

USB drives should work fine. I have had no trouble booting from USB on any recent Thinkpad. I also used a USB drive to burn the recovery disks for my X61s.

ninjatool · #4 Post by **ninjatool** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:39 am

awolfe63 wrote:USB drives should work fine. I have had no trouble booting from USB on any recent Thinkpad. I also used a USB drive to burn the recovery disks for my X61s.

hey thanks for the feedback. I guess I'll ditch the idea of buying the ultrabase and get an External USB 2.0 dvd burner.

Supermans · #5 Post by **Supermans** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:11 pm

Whatever you do people, don't waste money on an ultra-base.. Get a USB burner/ DVD player if you will and save yourself the money and potential Blue-screens...

awolfe63 · #6 Post by **awolfe63** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:26 pm

Supermans wrote:Whatever you do people, don't waste money on an ultra-base.. Get a USB burner/ DVD player if you will and save yourself the money and potential Blue-screens...

I disagree. I like using an Ultrabase as a dock and more importantly it is the only way to get DisplayPort (or any digital video) on the X200.

dr_st · #7 Post by **dr_st** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:34 am

Besides, the Ultrabase contributes to a more organized desk. I have never used one, but I use docks on my T42/T60 all the time, and never had any bluescreen issues.

Blackhold · #8 Post by **Blackhold** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:38 am

does x200 base have a firewire or ultraspeed port?

Supermans · #9 Post by **Supermans** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:00 am

awolfe63 wrote:
I disagree. I like using an Ultrabase as a dock and more importantly it is the only way to get DisplayPort (or any digital video) on the X200.

You can still get all digital video into the X200 without the base using USB 2.0 and if it is DisplayPort you need, there are adapters you can buy to get the job done. Don't get me wrong, the base is elegant and when working properly is a useful and fast way to get the laptop connected to your monitor and home speakers... However for the price, if what you mainly need is a DVD-rom or burner, then it is much cheaper to buy a burner separately along with any video adapters you want...

dr_st · #10 Post by **dr_st** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:06 am

Supermans wrote:You can still get all digital video into the X200 without the base using USB 2.0 and if it is DisplayPort you need, there are adapters you can buy to get the job done.

Digital video through USB 2.0, yeah right.

DVI single link requires 4Gbps. DisplayPort takes even more.

Supermans wrote:However for the price, if what you mainly need is a DVD-rom or burner, then it is much cheaper to buy a burner separately along with any video adapters you want...

I agree about the DVD burner, if that's all you need - a USB solution is much cheaper and probably better (crappy slow non-RPC1 Matshita burners, anyone?).

I disagree about the video adapters. If all you have on your laptop is VGA-out, there is no way you will get digital video without expensive adapters, and even then it will be equivalent to analog quality.

Blackhold · #11 Post by **Blackhold** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:06 am

maybe if you want to put something digital you must use xpress card... I'm thinking to adquire a firewire and sata one...

X200 Ultrabase question

X200 Ultrabase question

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