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.

    cf-h2 mods and info

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by kschewe, Mar 28, 2020.

  1. kschewe

    kschewe Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    62
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Been playing with this neat device. Linux works well. Will see if some of the added features like the bar code reader work
    Curious to know if anyone knows the pinout that gets docked in the cradle. Hoping i could pinout for usb. The machine has only 1 usb and I would like to tap internal to add a custom gps module. I could mod the existing port to either do a mini internal hub but prefer to leave that one

    A bit of searching... better to use the pci gps module. ublox pci seems to be popular. Didnt see any on ebay though. Wonder if there are similar ones available though..
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2020
    kschewe, Mar 28, 2020
    #1
  2. tomcatsniper

    tomcatsniper Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    15
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    26
    If you want to use GPS just replace the WWAN card with one which has GPS port. I use in my CF-H2 a Sierra MC7304 and installed additional ceramic patch antenna and connected it to the GPS port. There are some AT commands that you run on the WWAN module to switch the antenna from normal port to dedicated one and also it will power the antenna with 3.3V. It's not the best solution but it works fine.
     
    tomcatsniper, Apr 28, 2020
    #2
    Shawn likes this.
  3. Shellback

    Shellback Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    79
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    42
    Trophy Points:
    26
    CF-H2_GPS.jpg If you can't get what you want, the factory GPS isn't too bad
     
    Shellback, Apr 28, 2020
    #3
  4. kschewe

    kschewe Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    62
    Trophy Points:
    41
    thanks for the update. I will update this asap.
    What i did is order a couple of the mini pcie to usb. they have 2 connectors that can hook up 2 usb devices. I would never use the wwan card anyway. It had a sim card also inside. I used the globalsat IV and put it where the fingerprint reader would of been. Works very well. Its one of the better gps out. Just have to finish up some a few things but it looks like it is factory.
    I will post a pic. Its hard to describe. I might use one of the switches in the handle to power it on or off maybe in the future. i have 2 switches. One is for a bar-code reader which i have but there is no smart card reader which i can use.
    I am using it only with linux mint also.
     
    kschewe, Apr 28, 2020
    #4
  5. kschewe

    kschewe Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    62
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Just a bit of an update. I ordered and used the card in the pic. Works with no drivers windows and linux mint.
    The gps is behind the fingerprint reader. It never had it anyway. The gps light lines up with the hole and the antenna with the reader.
    Just going to add a on off switch in place of the rfid swich. Just waiting for parts.
     

    Attached Files:

    kschewe, May 25, 2020
    #5
    Shellback likes this.