ViDock 2 - My experiences so far

Well from what I remember an ViDock-2 Box which does not come with any graphics card cost $199 which to me seems to be a good price, considering it already has a case, power supply, etc. and building one will cost pretty close to that figure. If the ViDock-4 can be the same price or close when it comes out I would consider purchasing it too. God Bless

 

If driving the internal screen of the laptop is not on the top priority list of things to do, not only are they shooting themselves in the foot but they can count on not getting a sale from me and many others.

With the potential increase in performance of mobile GPU's, other new tech, mobile i7, GDDR5 and mobile SLI, not driving the internal screen early on will be a huge mistake.

The Fujitsu graphic booster managed to do this with a driver update so I don't know why they can't sort something out.

 

The Fujitsu graphics booster is on a PCIe 2.0 x8 connection which is equivalent to a PCIe1.1 x16 lane, way more bandwidth, I mean way way more bandwidth the expresscard that can handle the data rates necessary to transfer back to the display. They also have the advantage of the AMD chipset direct connect.

 

I finally upgraded my XPS 16 to Windows 7.

The Vidock2 (I have box version + 1gb desktop 4670 installed) worked as soon as I plugged it. However, after about 15 minutes I got the BSOD and upon reboot no external monitor via Vidock.

The error being reported is Code 12 inadequate resources. ( Same as this guy.)

Has anyone else experienced this and/or have any ideas?

 

solution to your problem here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5324240

 

Just found this post, I love the idea for my t400. But I dont just game at home sadly and the lack of internal LCD support is pretty bad for me.

 

Is there any way to use both express card and usb to increase bandwidth?

 

No, I am sorry but while that is a good idea, the ViDock2 does not offer any USB connectivity to your laptop to increase bandwidth.

There is a USB port on the ViDock2 for USB devices though.

 

I was thinking, if someone was to buy a ViDock minus the graphics card, it looks like a Radeon 5750 could fit, only deal would be figuring out how to power it through the pci-e connector. Would be nice though, Eyefinity on a laptop! Although i'm sure the interface would bottleneck it it would be nice to be able to use.

 

i'm starting to think we were lied to about the release of the ViDock 4
2009 is almost over and there hasn't been a single bit of solid information about it

 

My 5750 is 7.3" x 1.6" x 4.3" L x W x H without measuring the faceplate and you'll need an inch or more for the pci-e connector with wires

 

Hello, everyone!

I've been reading up on this ViDock 2 thing quite extensively, as it looks like a much nicer solution than buying a completely new laptop.

I did have a couple of questions, though.

First, I have an ASUS m50vm computer, which is not listed on the Compatibility chart at all, positively or negatively. Can anyone confirm if this laptop would work with the ViDock 2?

Secondly, would it be worth it, considering my laptop's specs: 2.53 GHz processor, 9600 GS 1GB NVIDIA card, and 4 gigs of DDR2 RAM?

Finally, if I get the empty ViDock 2, would it be possible to put a 'modified' (and cheaper) 4670 in it, such as this popular one from Newegg.com: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ..._re=ati_radeon_hd_4670-_-14-161-287-_-Product

Thanks in advance!

 

As long as you are running Windows 7 the ViDock will work fine in your ASUS.

The modified video card you link to may work as long as the card alone does not require more than 72 Watts power. The total wattage recommended there at Newegg (400-550 Watts) is for a desktop and includes the total requirement, not just for the video card. You would have to contact the manufacturer of that card directly to determine what the card's power requirement is.

 

Thank you for the prompt reply!

A friend of mine that knows far more about graphics cards than I do advised me to ask the following question:

'You should see if the vidock has a 6-pin, 8-pin, and/or 6+2-pin connection inside. If it has any or all of these, then your options vastly improve and you can even step into the 5770 line.'

... well, that's the statement from him, anyway, so the question would be 'does it have these things he describes'?

 

Also, are programs such as Photoshop CS4 able to use the ViDock's graphics card for their hardware acceleration? I do a lot of heavy 3D work on my laptop, which taxes the hell out of the poor thing, so would the 4670 be able to come to the rescue?

 

Regarding the question of 6, 8 or 6+2 pin. None of the above. ViDock2 receives its power from a power adaptor that connects directly to ViDock2 through a round 4 pin (2 over 2) connector. Not the typical Molex power connector that you would see in a desktop. The video card receives power from the PCIe slot. Therefore you do not need the pin connector suggested by your friend.


2nd your question regarding Photoshop. Yes, ViDock2 would help with Photoshop and take the stress off of your notebook.

 

ViDock 2 says the PCIe slot can provide up to 72W of power. That restricts you to using a HD4670 and *maybe* a HD5650/HD5670 if it fits in the chassis.

Is there a revised ETA on ViDock 4 with the beefier PSU to allow use of the larger, more powerful graphics cards?

 

The ViDock4 has not been released yet.

 

Hmm, alright, thank you.

I know that there's compatibility chart regarding which computers the ViDock would work with up on the site; do you think there's any chance of such a chart clearly delineating the cards that it works with other than the 4670, so we don't have to go on a hunt? I'm sure it would be helpful to potential buyers such as myself, who have the know-how to plug a few things in but wouldn't necessarily consider themselves video card experts.

Edit: Ah, I see in a previous post on this forum you did say the ViDock was designed for the 4670 and 'subsequent cards of its class', so I suppose the chart would really be anything released before or after the 4670 in the same family, without any hacking around.

On the subject of hacking around, one of the previous posts intimated that if I were to get a blank box and a separate card, I would have to remove that card's fan since the ViDock has its own fan? Or is that only the case with the ViDock version that comes bundled with a 4670?

 

If your video card already has a really good fan you could, but don't necessarily have to, remove the ViDock2-Blank fan.

You will have to asses which fan you want to use, and whether you would want to remove one or the other of them once you get them.

 

Gotcha. Thanks again for the prompt replies. I shall wait for the 5670 to be released, then, and see if that is compatible with the ViDock. When it is released, would the ViDock with the bundled card upgrade to it, out of curiosity?

 

Yes, the ViDock will always be available in either Blank or video card installed versions.

 

unfortunately, the thread this comment was left in was closed:

does this comment mean that I could replace my 9600M GT?

thanks, guys!

 

WOAH! NO!

It means, you could possibly upgrade the GPU in the Vidock2, but it might not be that big a boost for you. Was not referring to your 9600M GT at all, but to the GPU in the Vidock2.

 

needs a laptop w/ expresscard 2.0 to have a significant improvement over anything above a 9500GS, eh?

 

The ViDock2 is not so much about beating current discrete video cards, rather it is about giving those people with integrated video, or older video cards, the ability to have a good gaming rig without having to buy a new laptop.

However with 3DMark06 it gets 6349, which is significantly better than a 9600M GT (gets about 5,200), and about equal to a 9700M GT (gets about 6,200).

 

Because of Vidock 2's physicial dimensions and no pci-e power connector, you're limited to 4670/whatever nvidia equivalent and can't put in a better card, so you do need expresscard 2.0.

 

It will not work with nVIDIA cards until nVIDIA gets it together. At this time ATi has them beat in this department.

 

Hello, just found out about this device and was wondering if it is compatible with my HP Pavilion dv7-1260us Entertainment Notebook PC. I could not find my model of PC on the compatibility page and I am not too computer literate when it comes to this sort of device.

link to specs for my PC http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01634481&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=uk&product=3860646&lang=en

I am running Windows 7 now also.

 

With Windows 7 your H*P should support it just fine.

 

Hey everyone,

I had a few questions about the Vidock 2. Sorry if they've already been asked, but here they are:

1. Can the graphics card in the Vidock be combined with the gpu in my laptop? The reason being is that my laptop has a gt 130m, which is good for playing most games, including Crysis, but at lower fps (like in the 20s).

2. Can the ATI card in the Vidock be replaced with a 9800gt, like this: http://www.amazon.com/BFG-BFGE98102...f=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1262114225&sr=1-18 or any Nvidia card for that matter?

3. What performance differences might I get going from a gt130m with 512 MB vram to a 9800gt with 1 GB vram or any decent desktop graphics card, given that the ExpressCard slot has a limited bandwidth?

Thanks to all in advance for your help!

 

1. The ViDock operates as an independent video card that supports external monitors only.

2. The ViDock2 will only work with an ATi 4670 and later ATi cards of the same size and 72 Watt power requirement. It does not support nVIDIA cards.

3. The desktop ATi 4670 will give you about the same performance as your GT 130M, but on one or two external monitors. If you only want to play your games on your laptop, there is no real benefit to getting the ViDock2. I would wait until the release of the ViDock4 which will take the largest and fastest ATi desktop card.

At this time we do not know when the ViDock4 will be released...but it will be reported here once it is released.

 

Thanks for the prompt response paladin. Is there any information regarding the release date of the Vidock 4?

 

At this time we do not know when the ViDock4 will be released...but it will be reported here once it is released.

 

so we were lied to when vidock said the vidock 4 was coming late 2009?

 

^--^

So, you are new to the electronics world I see. When new technology takes longer to release than originally expected that is called "normal" or "typical"...it is not called lying.

 

See Compatibility and Performance Matrix table to see examples of performance of current desktop video cards when used at expresscard 1.0 (x1 1.0) bandwidth. PM55's chipset with supposed expresscard 2.0 ability offers a massive performance improvement, beyond what current gaming notebooks with mobile gpus offer. Ie: a desktop HD5850 at x1 2.0 is faster than a GTX280M-SLI in an Alienware M17x.

 

well they haven't even given us an update saying "sorry about the delay - it will take us longer than we promised you"
just silence - nothing
i've been waiting and waiting and waiting for the vidock 4
i would love to give them my business
but i'm going to have to end up going with the DIY Vidock instead if this goes on much longer

 

Well, it may not have been worded as graciously as you have done, but please look at http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5381299&postcount=285 from October 7th where I said:

"It has been delayed past the original estimate of August, so until it is released I cannot predict the date. However you can rest assured it will be posted here in the Forum once it is finally released"

 

i've always appreciated the information you've brought us about the vidock products
and if they get their crap together on the vidock 4, i'll be buying mine from you
but you're not a vidock employee
they should be talking to their customers instead of just ignoring us
it is very frustrating to be promised a great product and then... nothing

there's a cheaper alternative available to buy right now
if they want any hope of customers holding out and waiting for their product
they should give us some information about whats up

 

May I know what is the cheaper alternative besides the DIY vidock? I am also looking for such a product but vidock4 is slow to release.

 

He was talking about the DIY vidock.

 

Oh ok. Thanks!

 

Well, the Radeon 5670 has been officially outed! Can anyone confirm or deny that it works with the ViDock 2?

 

Not yet, but soon.

We have a 5670 card on its way to us for testing. From the specs we believe it will work just fine, and if it does, we will let you know and begin offering it in the ViDock2.

 

There's also a Green HD5750 by Powercolor. No need for any additional pci-e power connector, just a 75W pci-e slot. A bit touch-and-go since the ViDock 2 is rated at 72W so would need testing.

 

Well a 5750 would be just dandy. Looking forward to those results!

 

Hello,

I have been researching the ViDock 2 and I was wondering if it would work in my Dell Inspiron 1545. The reason I ask is it has a 34mm ExpressCard Slot not a 54mm I cannot find anywhere that mentions what size the adaptor for the Vidock 2is for. I am very interested in buying this but I don't want to put the money down if it will not work from the get go.

 

It is a 34mm ExpressCard.

What OS are you using?

How much system memory do you have?

 

We've found you can make pretty much any notebook work using a expresscard/mPCIe attached desktop video card if apply PCI Reallocation. Prior to learning this, some systems would only work with 2.5GB of RAM or less.