mini pci-express to usb adapter

does anyone knowns an mini pci-express to usb adapter? I've some stuff to connect which I don't want to connect externaly. I've 2 mini pci-e slots and I want to connect a GPS, a wifi card and tv tunner. I known that with some mods this is possible but where can I find hardware to make it work?
I found this: http://mydellmini.com/forum/integrated-gps-on-my-mini-9-t167.html
and this: http://cgi.ebay.com/mini-PCI-e-PCI-...s?hash=item4145842185&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
will it work?

 

What model and brand of laptop do you have? Most laptop have left over usb traces on the motherboard that you can just solder usb devices to .
E.g. acer aspire one, there's 1 unused usb port (CN11) on the backside of the motherboard.

 

alienware M17... it's not like a small netbook lol but it will not make it easier... :\
I was avoiding not to brake the warrantie. maybe I can just solder to the mini pci-e to sata usb card.

 

That would be a much better solution and make your life easier. The one that you linked is probably a SATA card with lines running to the PCI express usb connection.

 

One of the concerns is the mini-pcie pinout says it has 3.3v rather than 5v but I don't know if it will work properly.

I want to do that with my HP DV2700 and lost the link. I wonder if theres any way we can test to see if the SATA/USB will be active.

 

I've found an old topic http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=178364&page=2 but it's all about mini pci not mini pci-e
this: http://www.aaeon.com/PD_Products_De...62D5B04DB08D_61FB70F30078430581_TW_UTF-8.html is exactly what I want but just in mini pci-e flavour (half mini pci-e would be awesome)

 

I believe minipcie port already have a usb port built in. It's just a matter of connecting them to a usb device.

 

I can't believe I didn't realise that... :| minipcie has a usb port... :| I was like searching for extreme hardware mods and suck with lot's of soldering and so... lol... :| it has already an usb port... all I've to do is to hack a cheap small usb hub.. lol
thank you so much

but how do I connect an usb device to the mini pci-e bracket? the pins are inside. maybe if I dismantle an usb port...

 

I suggested that you solder to extra usb ports on the motherboard earlier, but since you don't want to void the warranty, that's not an option.

What you can do is get the following:
1) usb hub suitable for the "mod"
e.g. this one http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2192
2) get a broken mini PCI express card

mini pcie ping out can be found here:
http://www.interfacebus.com/Mini_PCI_Express_Bus.html
pin 38 - Data +
pin 36 - data -

You'll need to tab power from somewhere else to power the usb hub. That requires you to do things which will void the warranty. Thefore you'll have to make your own 3.3v -> 5v booster circuit to power the usb hub and devices connected to it.

Here's a perfect guide for audio amp, but it works perfectly.
http://www.edn.com/article/CA240909.html
Each one of these supplies converts 3.3v to 5v 500mAh, perfect for usb port. Use this as the power source by connecting these in paralell if you need more current to the dc jack on the usb hub.

Mount everything on the broken minipcie card to integrate everything into 1 piece. Hot glue them so the circuits doesn't short circuit.

 

The thing he had linked in original post would save on the broken PCI-E and save on the counting of pins which I get very paranoid about but finding a source of 5v would be hard. There are some devices that would run on 3.3v like the USB flash drives, but the three things you wanted would draw a lot more power than the 3.3 can provide, and I have a feeling the step up voltage won't be so good on it either because 3.3v > 5v means it will draw more in amps to get the higher voltage and I don't know what the limit is before you blow a mini-fuse.

Might consider following the one for the hard drive... if you tap it off another USB port you might overload the 500ma limit fairly quickly.

 

the backlit keyboard on your M17 runs on the USB interface. You can always bridge from there.

As jackluo mentioned there are usually internal USB ports in laptops. My E1505 has two of them, as does my D900K. My T61 only has 1 internal

They are usually used for webcams, lights etc.

Its usually easy to spot them because its 4 traces in a row on the PCB. Sometimes the manufacturer even puts a white plastic boot and the pins on it.

If you really wanted to, you could always go off of one of the full sized usb ports. It is easier to solder to.

EDIT:
One of the mini PCIe cards at the bottom of this link may help you. It provides traces for you to solder to, if you were to pursue the methods jackluo is mentioning.
http://www.diffusion-informatique.com/produits/riser/pci_express_bus_riser_rallonge.htm

K-TRON

 

Thank you so much for your help guys. I really love this forum. I don't use webcam and I don't like the backlight, but that's too easy, I'm gonna try to hack an usb hub and try to make it work. I found lot's of info in some netbook foruns. http://beta.ivancover.com/wiki/index.php/Eee_PC_Internal_Upgrades
I don't known why people usually don't mod notebooks.

 

If you try to mod the usb header for webcam and the keyboard, you'll probably void your warranty.
If you're willing to take the risk of voiding your warranty, there's at least 10 other ways to get 5v power to your usb devices.

One of the reason why people mod the netbooks are because it's cheap. Mentally, they're more inclined to mod netbooks instead of notebooks.

Asus and Acer Aspire one as probably the easiest 2netbooks to mod. Almost all of the mod parts are compatible. They also have lots of room inside to place mod devices and all of the mods are very easy to do as well.

Currently, people (including me) in aspireoneuser.com/forum are doing harder hardware mod such as removing the onboard ram with heat guns and replacing with highier capacity ones.