Mini-PCI 4-port USB 2.0 Module

In my search for dual mini pci adapter i had landed to this product that can be a solution in modification of toughbook notebook like cf-28 and cf-m34.This product require only one available mini pci slot of a pc.This product could be a good start. The link is listed below for your reference:


http://www.ieci.com.au/products/Prod...roduct_ID=3530

 

That link doesn't work, try this one:

http://www.ieci.com.au/products/Product_Page2.asp?Product_ID=3530

very interesting! I wonder what the price is. This company seems to be targeting the industrial and medical fields, so I fear it might be quite high!

 

A little web searching found this website. Take a look at the wide assortment of mini PCI cards!

http://www.aaeon.com/PL_Products_List_DCCAA0A1DF3344B7BB_928F5E62D5B04DB08D_TW_utf-8.html#

 

THATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!
Gravitar, I'm the guy who came by your house & had a lengthy discussion of all things cf28 at your kids table! DO IT!!! You know what I'm talkin' about!

 

yup I know man, I know! gotta finish up some outside work first before it gets cold though.. this ain't texas you know

you know you just gotta love these toughbooks. i just got back from a 2 week trip to a ford plant in missouri. there were probably 50 of us running around with laptops doing various things. But THEY all had sissy plastic notebooks (lenovo, dell, etc.) and I had the ONLY toughbook. Well just as predicted, somebody put their cute little dell somewhere they shouldn't have and in the blink of an eye, CRASH, down to the floor, see-ya, bye-bye, no more dell. And just to make it all the more amusing (I must be pretty sick for being amused by this) it was the ONLY one that had this particular welding software on it that they HAD to have to finish working on this particular job. They lost a shift and a half of work, waiting to get ahold of someone from the manufacturer to email them a copy of the software. Never woulda happened with a toughbook. I showed the guy's boss my 28 the next day.. I think they're going to be in the market for some new notebooks!

 

I've been looking for a multi-port USB 2.0 mini-PCI card togive my older model laptop internal USB 2.0. The more USB ports the better. I found the AAEON PER-C20U and came across this thread by way of Google.

I've been looking around and it seems that while there are a lot of sites advertising this model, but I've only found a few that seem to sell it. This one is the cheapest, charging $55US for it, but I have a problem. Being in Australia, they want $40US just for shipping alone. US mainland gets free shipping.


I might be interested in getting one if someone else is planning on doing so. The more you get the cheaper they are, plus free shipping to US then cheapest shipping to Australia has to be better than $40. I'd much prefer something closer to $20, but that doesn't seem very likely.


...I also found this one Keytecx/Damozal MCPI-1100. Seems to be similar. Claims it has 5 ports, but I think they're counting the external power port as one of those. Can't find anyone selling it though.

 

...A bit off topic, but shows the AAEON card as having a spare port 'CN3'. Think its for a 5th USB port, and if so think it could be attached and used?

 

I wonder if it would be cheaper to buy from AAeon direct. Their website doesn't give pricing though, I think you'd have to email them to find out.

I mailed a few small packages to Australia last night, it cost $2.70! Don't let 'em get you with asinine shipping charges. If you decide you want one I could buy it for you and send it to you. the volume discount on the neutron site seems too low to really get excited about.

 

Most company sites want you to buy in bulk before they'll even give a price. And as for those websites which want to give you a quote (such as the link in the first post), I wouldn't touch those even if you paid me.

Looking at the Aaeon site, it seems they have an Australian distributor. I went to their site and their info on the card seems to be a direct duplicate of Aaeons'. Don't know if that means they're a subsidiary or just some local company who couldn't be bothered changing it. Maybe I should email them and see if they'd be cheaper, but I doubt it. They'd probably have to order one in direct, unless they've had a large enough demand to warrant ordering some in.


I did find another site selling the Aaeon card, but the price was almost identical as was the insane shipping charge.


Pity this card isn't ~$20 like other Mini-PCI ones usually are, but I guess there isn't as much demand for internal USB in a laptop as there is Wi-Fi.


...Also, I found this on the Aaeon site:
Ordering Information
* TF-PER-C20U-A10
Mini PCI Four USB 2.0 Ports Module with NEC D720101
* PER-C20U-A10
Mini PCI Four USB 2.0 Ports Module with NEC D720101

Any idea what the difference between the two models is?

 

That card looks nice but those headers might stick up to high for the hard drive to sit properly. Maybe someone with good soldering skills can remove the headers and wire directly to the pads.

 

thats a good point, i think the only way to pull that off is with right-angle connectors

 

The Damozal model has right angle connectors, but as I said noone seems to sell it.

Unless the AAEON model has the sockets soldered both sides, you should be able to use a soldering iron on them. If so, you could still use a heatgun or something to remove them.

 

Ok I just found this page using Google. I'm trying to do the same project, which is to add a few USB 2.0 ports to my pitiful 3xUSB 1.1 ports. I'm thinking about getting one of these mini-pci to usb modules and then connecting (the guts of) a usb hub to one of the usb ports on the module. The guts will then by put into my floppy drive (which is never used anymore) and will point out towards the opening of the floppy disk drive as extra usb ports. lol. seems like a long shot but I'm doing some research to see if it's feasible.

 

Welcome! Are you doing this on a Toughbook (if so, what model) or on another brand?

 

He mentioned 3 USB 1.0 connectors... Did/Do Toughbooks have 3?

 

i guess i need to read the whole message next time!

 

I suspect he may be including the internal/unused ones we've found in the schematics...

mnem
up your USB!