laptop + Targus Mobile Docking Station with Video

John_Duh · 05-11-2007, 07:27 AM

Hello guys,

Anybody got experience with this mobile docking station thingy ?
I'm thinking about changing my system to a laptop based system, so that I can combine my laptop and carputer in one. (also I'm fed up with the carputer draining my battery ... even with the opus 150W current protection I had to jumpstart the car)

The rough plan is to get a high performance small laptop (core 2duo 7200 & 12" screen) with a docking station and have all my extension parts (2xHD, Wireless, B/T, GPS etc) running of USB.

Unfortunately the Laptop I'm now looking at doesn't support a real docking station, so I wonder if this USB docking station is a real alternative, or would this just give me major headaches ?

Thanks for the feedback

Shai-Hulud · 05-11-2007, 08:20 PM

Why not at a tank circuit ( I think thats what they call it )....another battery to your system from which your computer runs?

DarquePervert · 05-11-2007, 08:31 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by John_Duh

Unfortunately the Laptop I'm now looking at doesn't support a real docking station, so I wonder if this USB docking station is a real alternative, or would this just give me major headaches ?

Buy lots of Excedrin.

Those Targus units aren't docking stations at all. They are port replicators. They will offer you no ability to shut down the PC and are likely to have issues if you choose to use hibernation and/or standby.

I'm curious about why your Opus is draining tyour battery. If it's wired up properly, that shouldn't happen.
Are you using hibernation? Standby? Full shutdown?
Has the Opus been modded in anyway?
Is the Opus set to keep 5v power on via the jumpers? If it is, does it need to be set that way and why?

Quote: Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud

Why not at a tank circuit ( I think thats what they call it )....another battery to your system from which your computer runs?

Because that's an additional layer of complexity and expense that many people don't want to endure. Frankly, for most installs, it's not necessary.

John_Duh · 05-12-2007, 04:30 AM

@DarquePervert

Some clarification. The opus drained the battery when I was surfing the net in my car. I was happily browsing and all of a sudden my carputer did a shutdown. So I taught it must be the opus, so better crank the engine before I'm stuck. All I got was a click, so I had to do a rolling start (luckily I was on a hill)

So the Targus thingy is indeed what I taught, nothing more than a fancy USB hub :-)

@Shai-Hulud
I don't like the tank circuit idea for the simple reason you are adding mass to the car in addition to making the car more tailhappy. I'm a bit too much of a car-freak to do that.

Thanks for the input guys

Genesisfactor · 05-12-2007, 05:14 AM

The argus sucks. If you want, get yourself an EV1000. Its PCMCIA and has a full ATI 8MB vid card in it as well as all the connectors.

I was thinking about what you were doing, but the biggest problem i saw was that if i get in an accident, i kiss my sweet laptop goodbye. Get a broken screen or something. you don't need a crazy system like that in your car. Most people find a that a carputers with power as low as 400mhz (not a typo) is sufficient enough for them. You can get a good laptop based CPC system from my friend Rafster. Its got everything you really need.

John_Duh · 05-13-2007, 11:20 AM

mhhh .. you're right about the accident. But if i have an accident with this car I won't worry about my laptop, heck I won't even think about the laptop.

But based on all the input I got, the Targus idea has been dumped.

Now looking at a Thinkpad X60 .. well, rather dreaming about it :-/