Docking or Port Rep Options?

I've got an M570U at home and a Dell M1710 at work. I'm spoiled by my Dell port replicator; it has everything, audio/S-PDIF/VGA/S-Video/USB/net/etc, and does not seem to add any latency or lag with two external 19" FP displays.

I'd like to find a similar solution for the Clevo at home. Actually, I'd like two, one for my office, and one for the living room.

I've read as much as I could find here and on the 'net regarding USB/Universal docking stations, and it seems as though the general consensus is that they do not perform, specifically regarding video. Anyone have a different opinion or words of wisdom?

 

They don't perform well at all for video. The bandwidth requirement is too high.

 

If you want to run multiple external monitors, you could try the Matrox DualHead2Go or TripleHead2Go. Here's the former:
http://shopmatrox.com/usa/products/datasheet.asp?ID=852

Here's an example of an ExpressCard docking station:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3261

 

Multiple displays aren't a concern as my wife is about to kill me for the cash I've spent on the machine alone.

The ExpressCard dock looks great, but my slot is taken for an eSATA RAID controller.

I think I'll just have to live with an octopus behind the lappy.

 

What about just getting a cheaper docking solution (since they all work through patch cables to accommodate every system they can) and just plug it in with everything BUT external monitor (put the monitor on the external video port) that would at least cut you down to two connectors.

 

I hear you - my laptop is the same. I have basically all ports used on all sides with the exception of the Firewire, Serial, and TV tuner ports. What I did to help the situation was buy a 4-port USB hub. You could plug all of your USB devices into that and then only have to put in one USB plug into your laptop instead of four.
You could also buy multiple power adapters.

 

I have no idea why I was limiting myself to an all-or-nothing scenario; this is great advice, and I don't know why I hadn't considered it before... It'll cut my octopus down to a squid. Thanks.