usb 2.0 for cf 28

i would like to add some usb 2.0 ports to my cf 28. i would like to mount them flush in the pc card slot so that i can leave them in there with the cover closed when not in use. i have seen adaptor cards that can do this but they all seem to be externally powered. i really need them to work off the battery power. does anyone know if such a card exists or has anyone modified an externally powered card to run from the cf 28 internal power?
thanks

 

baracuta,
This was found 2 threads below your post. It is a really good thing to do a little looking before posting a question. There is an entire sticky at the top of Page 1 here called CF-28 FAQ "please read before posting".
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=344449
Welcome to the forum, we love new members.
CAP

 

hi, i did read the faqs and the other thread but i couldn't find an answer to my question. in the other thread most of the links were out of date, but from what i read and the photos i saw it seemed like those cards had the jack between the usb ports for external power which is what i didn't want. are you saying that this is not the case? is the external power just optional for heaier loads and the ports will work fine without using that jack?

 

There are a number of different PCMCIA USB cards as you would have seen. I too wanted more USB ports on my CF28 as the one at the back is used for my USB 3G modem and I need to plug in other things like my digital camera, mouse, webcam, etc. from time to time.

The card I purchased (and I'm going to get another soon to bring the total number of USB ports to 5) is this one:



photo page

example ebay listing

It uses the NEC chipset which is automatically supported under Windows Xp. At least a handful of sellers on Ebay have them, probably a lot more stock them but don't put them on Ebay.

Works very well. Now that I have a 3com mini-PCI ethernet/modem combo card I don't need to keep the other slot free for a PCMCIA ethernet card.

Craig.

 

thanks for the info, but doesn't that card need an external power supply to work? i am looking for either a card that doesn't need external power, or a way to modify one of these so that it is supplied by the battery with the wiring inside the computer

 

No external power required. I use the card with my USB devices just fine. There is a +5 volt DC power connector between the two USB ports, but that's an output not an input and is there in case a device needs an external power source to get it's USB port functioning.

Craig.

 

thats what i wanted to know, although i read elsewhere that the jack was an input and you supplied it from your computers usb 1 port to boost the power if the devices you had plugged into the usb 2 ports needed it (portable hard drives in particular). anyhow i just bought one on ebay, so thanks for the info guys

 

Hi, I have two of these cards one in my 3rd slot, with a decent small Bluetooth dongle soldered in place of one socket, the other card is in the usual place

My Vodaphone 3G card sucks too much current for this card. My plan was to use the spare hidden socket USB 2 on a home made extension to the space under battery.

I have taken the dongle apart, and the RF module has a small, type unknown, external aerial patch.

I was looking for a RIM antenna (mine cf has a rubber bung), and hook it up to the dongle for internal 3G broadband. (900Mhz I think!?!)

I've had a post on the wanted page but no bite.

I think I could use power off CN18, and transistor switch it from the USB power, so I could power down with FN Tab.

That's my experience any how!

 

The center socket is for power in to the card from another usb socket. These cards are a good item for adding USB 2.0 to a CF-28 or other Toughbook which lacks USB 2.0, while allowing the pcmcia door to be closed with the card inserted. We originally bought a bunch because we couldn't get them any where but from the manfacturer. While we were importing them they showed up on eBay, starting at $25 and rapidly dropping to what they are now. The ones we imported came with the usb to center socket cable for additional power.
SiCo, read this:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=239785&highlight=usb+2+thang
Also look for mnementh's post on modding the factory RIM antenna.

CAP

 

Cuta... Hopefully... To clear things up....

To do it without modding anything... The additional cards CAN be used and work well... Depending on hat you want o use them for.. They may or may not require extra power. The center power plug on the card is used as needed. If you are using a flash/thumb drive... There is no need for one. If you are using an external hard drive that uses basically a laptop hard drive as its storage... You will more than likely need the power cord. The external drives use one USB cable to transmit data and the other for power for the drive.

If you want to modify the card... You COULD open the card and run a 5V lead to the internal part of the card that requires it. You could also probably make it so that your top PCMCIA slot is also usable. It should be an easy hack.

So to summarize... The cards transmit data... Not voltage... To transfer voltage they need a little help with the addition of the center plug that goes to an additional USB jack.

Hope this help...