Thinkpads Forum

As the UltraBase for Thinkpad X200 supports DP output, you'd expect the signals go trough the UltraBase connector. Would there be any way to find out the pins and make a 'Ultrabase connector to DP port adapter'? What about the pins on the motherboard? - Would there be any way to solder a DVI connector somewhere?

solder a DVI connection: forget it. it may be possible to find out the right signal traces, but then you'll have find a way to solder a wire connection to these traces, without getting trouble with signal integrity. digital video interfaces are very vulnerable. and even if you find a way to do this, where are you going to put the DVI connector?
a docking connector to DVI adapter should be possible, however, I'm afraid lenovo isn't going to give you a pinout of this connector. you coul;d try to reverse-engineer an ultrabase, and find the pinout. then it would, in theory, be possible to make such an adapter. however, it still isn't going to be easy...

Daniel Bakker wrote:solder a DVI connection: forget it. it may be possible to find out the right signal traces, but then you'll have find a way to solder a wire connection to these traces, without getting trouble with signal integrity. digital video interfaces are very vulnerable. and even if you find a way to do this, where are you going to put the DVI connector?
a docking connector to DVI adapter should be possible, however, I'm afraid lenovo isn't going to give you a pinout of this connector. you coul;d try to reverse-engineer an ultrabase, and find the pinout. then it would, in theory, be possible to make such an adapter. however, it still isn't going to be easy...

A HDMI or DP would fit in the Expresscard slot, a dvi would fit where the hard drive is. Then would just need to get an intel PCI-E mini SSD.

Ok, maybe the connector isn't such a problem
still, do you have soldering experience? have you seen the solder connections of the dock connector? how 'dumb' is the ultrabase, does the docking connector actually contain the displayport signals, or is there some electronics in the base?

Daniel Bakker wrote:Ok, maybe the connector isn't such a problem
still, do you have soldering experience? have you seen the solder connections of the dock connector? how 'dumb' is the ultrabase, does the docking connector actually contain the displayport signals, or is there some electronics in the base?

If I only had a Ultrabase... Someone could do a favor and disassemble one!

With the right soldering skills, knowledge of the pinout, and a lot of patience, this should be completely possible.

schematics will help you to locate display port pinout in ultrabase connector.

X200 (codename Mocha-1) schematics
http://depositfiles.com/files/sdioqdyca

please post if you will manage to finish your mod successfully.

timstr7 wrote:schematics will help you to locate display port pinout in ultrabase connector.

X200 (codename Mocha-1) schematics
http://depositfiles.com/files/sdioqdyca

please post if you will manage to finish your mod successfully.

Thank you very much for this! I was wondering what else I may be able to bring out via the X200 UltraBase.

Here is a picture of X200 UltraBase insides:
http://vminko.org/gallery/X200/Inside%20UltraBase

On the schematics the UltraBay (which is called "Media Slice" in there) connector is on sheet 34.

Most of the DisplayPort signals are there, marked with "DP_".
This includes all 4 lanes and the aux channel.

Looking at the pinout on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort

I don't see the following signals:
* Hot Plug (Hot Plug Detect)
* Return (Return for Power)
* DP_PWR (Power for connector, 3.3 V 500 mA)

Logic for that must be on the UltraBase board.
Would be great to have schematics for that as well.