T60 and Advanced Mini-dock pics

[serpico]

This mini-dock is compatible with the T60 and Z60.

Without further ado, the pics (and many thanks to pundit for hosting the pics!):

1. Still has the IBM logo.
http://emphaticallystatic.org/blogimage ... 20view.jpg

2. Power, status LEDs, eject button, lock.
http://emphaticallystatic.org/blogimage ... button.jpg

3. Various connections. From left to right (on pic): 4 USB ports (3 already in use <sigh>), PS/2 port, RJ11, RJ45, VGA, DVI-D, mic-in, headphone, serial, parallel, power (dock comes with its own 90w power supply).
http://emphaticallystatic.org/blogimage ... 0panel.jpg

4. Digital audio, cable lock slot
http://emphaticallystatic.org/blogimage ... 20side.jpg

5. The desk - T60 in dock, external monitor, USB drive, cable modem, wireless router. The monitor is connected via DVI-D. I am running extended desktop with 1400x1050 on the laptop screen and 1280x1024 on the monitor.
http://emphaticallystatic.org/blogimage ... 0setup.jpg

If anyone has suggestions on taming the cabling coming up from behind the desk and into the dock, I'm all ears! Maybe I'll use some of the PET wrap I used with my audio/video system cabling - but removing and adding cables would be a PITA.

Also, I'm debating whether to keep this dock or get the (considerably larger) advanced dock. I don't need room for another video card yet, and when I do, it seems there will be other solutions available like a USB-based external video card. I already have an external USB hard drive, and can get an external dvd drive if necessary in the future (I don't think the advanced dock can fit both a hard drive and a dvd drive).

The downside to the advanced dock is the increased size. I don't consider the increased cost to be a downside because I imagine setting up a mini-dock with lots of external devices (esp. video) will be more costly than the advanced dock with ability to add internal devices. Plus fewer wall warts. Any thoughts on this?

[jagged]

Great pics serpico!

I've been searching the Lenovo site for detailed pictures of the Advance mini dock to no avail. Wish they can improve on their website just like how HP markets their notebook accessories.

I notice that youre using an external harddisk. Is it a 2.5" notebook HD or a desktop sized HD? What's your recommendation for backup?

Did you also install external speakers on your mini dock?

[serpico]

Great pics serpico!

I've been searching the Lenovo site for detailed pictures of the Advance mini dock to no avail. Wish they can improve on their website just like how HP markets their notebook accessories.

I notice that youre using an external harddisk. Is it a 2.5" notebook HD or a desktop sized HD? What's your recommendation for backup?

Did you also install external speakers on your mini dock?

Using a 3.5" hd - considerably cheaper per GB than 2.5" hd. When the latter get much cheaper, I'll get one, which would be nice because (1) no separate power supply, and (2) much more portable.

Haven't set up a real backup scheme yet (just copied all my data to the external drive), but will look into using Norton Ghost or similar.

Actually, I'm getting rid of my desktop speakers (huge Yamaha set with left, right speakers and large subwoofer). With my old desktop pc, I needed a set of speakers (don't have any built into my monitor). Now, I'm using the laptop speakers for most things. For music and movies, I'm running a cable from the dock's headphone port to my receiver. I may replace that with a digital coax cable connected to the dock's digital audio port, if I can find a sufficiently long cable (though I'm not sure it will improve sound quality since most of the source materials are mp3s).

[Hamid]

Serpico, USB Graphic Card is very unlikely to come. USB devices get CPU interrupts, the GCs are going to be more powerfull everyday. The main idea behind integrating a GPU/VPU into the GC is offloading the rendering from the CPU.

[christopher_wolf]

Indeed; I find it very difficult to visualize a USB video card. Certain games, like HL2 use the CPU more than they used to along with pretty much all of the GPU...You would have too many problems to make it worth it.

[lithium726]

USB video devices exist... only for having another VGA out though, theyre not for graphics accelleration.

[RonS]

Here's one:

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?c ... &sku=30534

and another:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6815118301

[wingrider]

Can the advance mini doc be fastened by screws or bolts to table top? I would assume if so, then using the key lock would at least keep the honest people from walking away with the laptop.

Thanks!

John

[pundit]

Can the advance mini doc be fastened by screws or bolts to table top? I would assume if so, then using the key lock would at least keep the honest people from walking away with the laptop.

Yeah, honest people, or dishonest people without a handy screw driver!

[serpico]

Can the advance mini doc be fastened by screws or bolts to table top? I would assume if so, then using the key lock would at least keep the honest people from walking away with the laptop.

What sort of "honest people" would walk away with your laptop?

No, there's no tabs to screw down the mini-dock, but it does have a cable lock slot, so you can secure the dock to table, etc., and then just use the key to secure laptop to dock.

[christopher_wolf]

Can the advance mini doc be fastened by screws or bolts to table top? I would assume if so, then using the key lock would at least keep the honest people from walking away with the laptop.

What sort of "honest people" would walk away with your laptop?

No, there's no tabs to screw down the mini-dock, but it does have a cable lock slot, so you can secure the dock to table, etc., and then just use the key to secure laptop to dock.

Reminds me of when I was reading my HP29C Calculator Manual; the case and cable were to prevent "Unauthorized Borrowing."