CF-18 unusual docking connector

Hello,
As I'm wondering back and forth about the method to hook up wwan to my CF-18, I've come across an interesting issue.
My model number is CF-18KEH01VE (european I presume) and I have the schematics for CF-18BDKZXMM.
My concern is the docking/port replicator connector found at the bottom.
Normally it would look like this:

Picture by user Strontium from this thread.

Instead it has 15 wide strips parallell. I'll post a picture later on.


Is this "other" docking connector known to someone? and in case it is, is there a USB available?
Always-on is not an issue.

 

For added information:
The pinouts are detachable, and there is a 100 pin B2B-connector beneath marked CN850.
The board has a text saying "CF-18mk1 car mount-I/F" which seems a tad odd.. Furthermore, the configurator would issue this to have dual passthrough, there is although only one coax-connector, and no coax-cables are "readily" visible.

 

That's an odd one. Are you saying that the other side of that PCB is a female socket? I've seen a lot of different Toughbooks and that is the first which had something other than a male plug with an alignment pin on each side for a docking connector.
CAP

 

I've guess that is a modified docking connector for an special equiptment. Like an stationary/fix testing equiptment and or monitoring equiptment.


ohlip

 

I have the same, it is also the one with the weird bios that do the start up on plugging to ac.

It is an all black unit.

 

Interesting huh! Can we exchange? I have a regular one here.


ohlip

 

We definitely need more info on this... Teo... You have your homework assignment!

 

No, no, i love mine
I have set another bios version on it (thanks to a member here)

I am very glad its a black version as i work in a theater as technician, i use it on stage to control my mix board (Yamaha M7CL) on distance
Its a digitizer, so it can do very precise tweaking's of pot and sliders

I bought it on Ebay http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/PANASONIC-T...urs_Ordinateurs_Portables&hash=item255f0a8f14

It is in perfect state, even the screen has no scratches


Derick

 

Sorry, wont exchange, this machine is destined to help us fight fires

I contacted our local Panasonic dealer about a stylus and tether, and asked them about this connector. It was new for them too.. We agreed I'd take the machine with me when I get the stylus for them to take a quick peek

 

I've had a few of those 18's here from the same company. They are ex military units. maybe thats why the strange dock connector. The ones I had came with a custom BIOS that did not allow any software updates or changes. I just did a BIOS update and moved them on the way to the new owners.

Sounds like you got a nice one from the pile as the ones I had here were trashed. They are now riding on
farm equipment so it didn't matter how they looked. Even a new toughbook would have been covered in in
a few days.

 

This is a CF-18mk4 (which is different to a CF-18B/mk1 schematics). On a side note, the "E" at the end means English(UK) - not European (there is no such thing as a standard European model! ).

Shuttlez - the configurator won't apply to this model as it only lists North American units I'm led to believe. In Europe you can get docks with no coax connectors, or with one, or with two. The unit is configured for the pass through the customer needs at Panasonic.

The other thing is that CF-18K is a mk4 unit, so I'm a bit perplexed as to why a docking daughter board would be labelled as "CF-18mk1"? Perhaps someone else has modded it. Where did you get it from? The 01 in the model number means it would of been destined for one of the big companies in the UK originally.

 

What is the "T" as the last digit smart guy?

 

Italian

 

ummm..... Then why do these unit's have a "CANADA" sticker on the bottom of them? lol

 

That I can't answer....I'm not sure what the identifier is for Canada, but T is definitly Italy, guaranteed - well it denotes an Italian keyboard to be completely accurate. I would think the unit could (for instance) be sold in Canada, but with an Italian keyboard the end letter would be T.

If there are any Canadians on...do you guys use the US-English keyboard or is there a seperate Canadian-English keyboard? If Canada uses the US-English keyboard, there might not be an end letter to denote Canada as the manual, AC cord, Windows & keyboard would be identical to the US. No idea how Quebec would be dealt with though.... I'm no expert on US/Canada!

EDIT - just a thought, if there is a Canadian company that operates globally and procures all it's stock in Canada, that would explain it - maybe it bought units for it's Italian office in Canada, and the units were returned to Canada when they went end of life.

 

Sorry, Guys for the confussion. What I mean is the docking connector only. Not the whole machine. I just wanna know what pin it might be, maybe I can use it to ne of my project.

Thanks,

ohlip

 

I did some tracing. I'm sure of the first four, as I tested the USB. It works right away. I did not however check if it's always on. Bummer.
The last ten should be more or less correct, but use at your own risk!
pin CN851
1 .. 1&2 VB5USB
2 .. 3 USB-
3 .. 4 USB+
4 .. GND

Unsure of these:
5 .. 15 HPOUTL
6 .. 16 HPGND
7 .. 17 HPOUTR
8 .. 18 SP-ON
9 .. 20 DSMICPWR
10 .. 71 SIDE_BRK
11 .. 81 PR15
12 .. 81 PR15
13 .. 90 PR15
14 .. 35 PR_DCIN&BATT
15 .. 35

 

My guess would be ckt 15, 16, 17 are Headphone out, with 18 being used to toggle internal speaker. (Probably by shorting to GND) Ckt 20 sounds like power out to a condenser mic; without knowing what the rest of the pins go to, it's a hard guess whether they're carrying signal along with that B+ (Most likely, given the internal wiring of the built-in mic) or if it's coming in on one of the remaining ckts.

mnem<~~~The AVguesser~~~<<<

 

Looking at this question from a different angle could it be that the expected connector is just missing or has been removed from your computer?
In the picture below, I have circled what might be missing..

Bob