USB port on docking station

Hello. I just got Panasonic CF-WEB273 vehicle docking station. It was for CF-28 series TBs. My intention is to use it with CF-29 Mk2. USB on the dock is USB1, as all 28s are USB1. Question is, will the USB port on the station become USB2 when CF-29 is docked? Regards, Voytek.

 

That's a great question! Please let us know!

<Falls over laughing>

But seriously folks.... I would think that it would be. I would think it is a straight wire from the dock connector on the back of the CF-29 to the USB connector.

 

I don't know for sure Voytek
I know that I see listings on the newer docks that say USB2

Alex

 

The dock should assume the same properties of the laptop. The USB port on the dock is just an extention of the one in the unit, kinda like an extention, so it should not change the properties of the port (either up or down). Since the CF-29 was the first in the series with the 2.0, the ports on the dock should be also.

 

Trooper. You'r absolutly right. I had a consultation this afternoon with the best. Teo and I, (sipping the best Canadian rye whiskey-Crown Royal) did came to the same conclusion. It's a straight by-pass and whatever is plugged in at one end, becomes the same at the other. I will be able to do a phisical test next week. I will let you know if there is some restriction or other dock circuitry to prevent it. If anybody will have the bottom plate from the dock, I need it badly. The kit from CyberTools for the WiFi by-pass fits right in without any mods. Regards, Voytek.

 

Heh!

Don't be SURE! If the connector on the TB really is just a bypass, sure, you're right. But many manufacturers actually design their docks as just an external riser on the PCI bus; particularly ones with external video ( MANY fewer circuit connections that way). I've seen many times where you can get USB 2.0 on an old Dell C-series just by dropping it on a newer dock; and same is true of HP, IBM/Lenovo & Sony - and these are just ones I KNOW about.

I'd look at the schema for the dock connector; you may be surprised.

mnem
*Toddling off to oddle*

 

The usb port on the CF-WEB273 is NOT usb2. The USB2 compatible docking station would be the CF-WEB2732. I want to say this is because the orignal electronics board in the WEB273 was not intended for USB2 at the time because the CF-27 or CF-28 did not have USB2, but panasonic upgraded it for USB2 with the CF-WEB2732 or you can get the docking station for the CF-29 which if memory serves correct is like CF-WEB2912.

I have tried USB2 devices on a CF-WEB273 with a CF-29 docked into it and the little icon on Windows XP pops up saying I plugged in a HI-Speed USB device in a non HI-Speed port.

 

Excellent post! I think you are right... It makes sense..

 

Im curious what is wired differently between USB and USB 2.0 in the actual plug or in this case the dock that makes it one or the other. I was initially in agreement with everyone else that it should just be an extension like a cable and assume whatever is plugged into it?

 

Its not that its wired differently because a USB port is not what makes it a USB or USB2, its that it does not have the correct hardware built in. The electronics board that it connects to in the dock does not have the USB2 chipset. Granted yes it should be a pass thru but it is not because the connector goes into the electronics board from there goes to the individual components. You also have to remember that the docking station also has the plugs for custom made connectors so I would think the docking station basically has a USB hub in the electronics board to cover the abilty to have additional USB ports added on with the connector. The USB port on the dock itself should also be recieving its power from the powerport built in to the docking station and not the laptop, I could be wrong on that part on the power.

If you look at the specs for the CF-WEB273 and CF-WEB273 it does state that the CF-WEB2732 has the USB2 capabilities, but the CF-WEB273 does not.

 

Wow. Now I'm confused. Next week I will do a phisical test on like brand new dock CF-WEB273. I just got it and not had time to play with. So far I'm doing a mechanical MOD, to put it on a stand. This will let the user to put the dock on the car's tranny tunnel (have El Camino), or on boat's dashboard. I will let you know, how this is working out.
I will use the dock with the USB, GPS receiver. My charting software recognise if it is plugged into USB1, or USB2. If I have USB1 showing with CF-29 in the dock, I will ask TEO to possibly look at the dock schematic and do the MOD for USB2? Anybody intersted in the old dock MOD? New ones are expensive. Regards, Voytek.

 

The only reason that I prefer usb2 is for transfering large files on usb storage
For items like gps /printers/small files usb works for me and will work fine

Alex

 

Hey, Alex. Your Universal Coordinated Time, from the great State Colorado will be 14 microsecunds slower on USB1 verses USB2. Can you live with it?

 

Let us know how it works out. I have brand new CF-WEB273 docks that I just installed in some undercover vehicles that show as USB when a CF-29 is docked and not USB2. Windows XP informs me that the USB2 device is on a non HI-Speed port.

 

^^ bingo.

If the dock specifies a USB version then it is not simply an extension of the laptop's hardware. The dock in question is, and will always be, USB 1.0.

 

Correct.You would have to change circuts on the electronics board in the dock itself to get it to change, but you run the risk of damaging something else.

 

So it's final. If you plug USB 2 into USB 1 dock CF-WEB273 it's USB1. Phisical testing was performed. After consulting the schematics and taking the dock apart it was determined, that MOD could be done, but it's difficult. Recently the Ebay and other sources have many docks for CF-29 with USB2 ports, original Panasonic and other brands. Unless you need to mod the dock for more com-ports, by-passes etc. it's not worthed to bother. Regards, Voytek.

 

Ummm... yeah. I think I covered this in post #6... many manufacturers design the docking port on their laptops as a riser on the PCI bus. This means that EVERY DEVICE on the dock thinks like a PCI expansion card, even though it's hardwired. They handle the hotswapping & IRQ reassignment via software.

mnem
Of course, this means tourniquet...