The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    External Graphics Card with Express Card 34

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by hendra, Feb 15, 2010.

  1. hendra

    hendra Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    157
    Messages:
    2,020
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Is there any external graphics card for laptop that would work with Express Card Slot 34 and doesn't require an external monitor?
     
  2. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,127
    Messages:
    7,860
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    See AMD's XGP solution, need an AMD-based notebook for that. It uses a mobility HD5830.

    See Mini FAQ explanation in DIY ViDock Experiences thread what would be involved to pipe desktop video back to the LCD. Short answer is, with current systems architecture, it's cheaper and easier just to get an external LCD. A x1 2.0 link may have bandwidth to pass the image back to the internal gpu to then act as a frame grabber. Would require drivers from AMD/chipset manufacturer to do that.
     
  3. hendra

    hendra Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    157
    Messages:
    2,020
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Sounds like I am out of luck. I have Intel C2D and internal laptop monitor is a must. I don't have the space to put an external monitor. Is it possible for any manufacturer in the future to sell what I want?
     
  4. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,127
    Messages:
    7,860
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Quite possibly. DIY VIDock/VIDock means there's a market for it now. Current USB 2.0 framegrabbers do not have sufficient bandwidth for gaming applications. USB 3.0 would have the bandwith. Only problem is to retrofit USB 3.0 to a current system requires an expresscard slot. Not sure if there will be mPCIe frame grabbers. They would have bandwidth to do that. Still requires drivers and software for the capture/redisplay.
     
  5. key001

    key001 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    776
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    expresscard -> (diy)vidock -> videocard w/hdmi output -> hdmi grabber -> diyvidock-> mpci-e

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100049

    looks like this grabber only encodes and saves the input into a file, you'll need one that can display the image in real-time
    and you'll need a laptop that has both expresscard and mpcie

    that's gonna be a big mess so don't do what i just said :p