Thread: IBM R50 Docking Station Mod

Mine seems to handle the bumps quite well, I havent had an issue yet and the port replicator keeps the laptop attached really well.
I have actually tried to force a laptop off one of these port reps by hand, when the release button was broken, and it was almost impossible to get it off.

I'm planning to use the T41 & port replicator with a Lind Electronics Thinkpad adapter. (http://www.lindelectronics.com/cgi-b...detail_product) They're definately expensive but the build quality is excellent. You should be able to find some on eBay or at city auctions as they're frequently used on police vehicles.

I've used iGo Everywhere and Kensington 120w adapters, and I'd say the iGo is a larger brick but is more durable in a car environment where connectors get stressed by pulling, crushing, throwing onto the backseat of the car, etc. Sadly that broke and I got the Kensington adapter... great little thing, but I'm afraid that one day I'm going to bend one of the pins on their proprietary connector and ruin it. The Lind adapter (while it's only car/air) has locking barrel connectors that stay on.


Assault: how did you get the top off the port replicator? I've unscrewed the bottom screws but I still can't pop the top off?

The rear end of the top plate is clipped onto the back of the port rep (where all the connectors are) so you have to grab the small ledge that hangs over at the back and pry it out and up and it should pop off. The front edge of the top plate is hooked under the bottom plate so once the rear of the top plate is pryed loose it should come off. Oh also you need to move the laptop hooks in the middle so they release the top plate too, but you'll see once you pry the top off at the rear.

I just got a dock for my sony vaio but I don't think I can use it. The laptop doesn't lock in anywhere, it just sits on top. If I hit a big bump the thing looses connection and my laptop freezes.
The other issue is the usb ports don't seem to stay connected. Before when I resumed from standby the sound card would already be working. Now it takes like 10 seconds before it's connected again. So it seems like all the usb ports are being disconnected when the laptop goes in to standby.

Thanks for the tip, I'll be trying to open up the Thinkpad replicator when I get some spare time.

About the Sony Vaio: how about some velcro straps to hold it down? I plan to do that with the Thinkpad anyway to relieve some stress on the plastic bits.

I did have velcro under it but it was too think and the connector wouldn't connect. I ended up getting a velcro strap and wrapped it around the whole thing.

Great post on the doc mod!!

A couple quick questions. How did you know what size of momentary switch to use? Also, how did you wire the momentary switch to RCA plug on the back of the doc?

The size of the momentary switch is irrelevant as the current running through the original docking station switch is negligible so any momentary switch will do.

As for the RCA plug I just wired wired up my SPST momentary switch with 2 wires from the front of the car to the where the dock was and soldered them to each pin of an RCA plug and then plugged it into the RCA socket on the dock.

If you connect the 2 wires together momentarily it will start the laptop so with a momentary switch at the other end it does just that, connects the 2 wires together for as long as its held down.

The handy thing about that is, if your laptop locks up or feezes or something goes wrong you can always just hold down the momentary switch until it switches off.

Thanks Assault for the clarification. I saw in your pics the two connection on the female end of the plug (in the doc). I just was not sure if there were to connection on the male end.

I will post some pics of the my final rig (long overdue)....