Anyone got a generic USB laptop docking station?

[CollinR]

I have been looking for a USB+VGA over Cat5 setup for a while with no luck...

Well the other day I got to thinking about USB laptop docking stations, they typically have VGA, USB, RS232 and often a bunch of other stuff on them.

So I got to thinking about USB 2.0 over Cat5 to a docking station to provision a touchscreen.

Something like:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/11/toshiba...ocking-station/


Interesting parts:

Once you've hooked up to the upright dock via USB, you'll automagically be flush with 6 more USB ports, S/PDIF audio, Ethernet, Serial, microphone in, headphone or speakers out, plus the bestest of them all: VGA and DVI-I ports. That way you can have your jumbo LCD, 7.1 sound system and full-speed internets all primed to go with the insertion of a single cable into your laptop, which sounds like an alright deal to us.

Most noted!

6 port USB hub
S/PDIF audio!!!
Serial
Mic in
Headphone or speakers out
VGA OR DVI-I ports < Article I fear was inaccurate, Toshiba direct notes it as an OR, I doubt many care.

Thats USB or RS232 for your touch, VGA for video and SPDIF for audio.

Also have I hadn't though of it until typing this, with the mic and speakers add a webcam you could make a decent video conferencing rig.

Thats just a hardware example, I can assure you cheaper docking stations exist (~$50 with VGA video).

 

[damage]

cool idea. add in an 802.11 usb hub and you'll have "wireless" touchscreens (or wireless desktops?)

 

[CollinR]

Well I don't know about that but since the display and the dock require power I'm thinking wireless is more then I wanna mess with.

I didn't even know they had wifi to USB, I knew about ethernet/wifi to RS232 and RS485. I would be somewhat concerned with the speed of that. As it is I am conerned about the speed of this. I just don't know about VGA over USB thats really a Cat5 cable 50' long, might work but might not work at all too.

 

[MikeB]

Well I don't know about that but since the display and the dock require power I'm thinking wireless is more then I wanna mess with.

I didn't even know they had wifi to USB, I knew about ethernet/wifi to RS232 and RS485. I would be somewhat concerned with the speed of that. As it is I am conerned about the speed of this. I just don't know about VGA over USB thats really a Cat5 cable 50' long, might work but might not work at all too.

I have a client who uses an standard LCD as a secondary monitor with his laptop. He uses a Lenovo USB port replicator to run it.

There's definitely a performance drop moving around windows and what not, but I was actually surprised it performed as well as it did.

Not sure how well it would work as a touch screen.

 

[CollinR]

There's definitely a performance drop moving around windows and what not, but I was actually surprised it performed as well as it did.

Not sure how well it would work as a touch screen.

Video work?

I am guessing the delays would be more tolerated from a touchscreen as compared to a mouse, people are someone used to that already.

 

[mustangcoupe]

cool idea. add in an 802.11 usb hub and you'll have "wireless" touchscreens (or wireless desktops?)

I actually looked at some of these 802.11 to usb hubs and wanted to use one for a scanner. I was told that they wouldnt work because they didn't support 2 way data ?? Well then what are they good for?

 

[damage]

cool idea. add in an 802.11 usb hub and you'll have "wireless" touchscreens (or wireless desktops?)

I actually looked at some of these 802.11 to usb hubs and wanted to use one for a scanner. I was told that they wouldnt work because they didn't support 2 way data ?? Well then what are they good for?

you can put usb drives on them (at least with this belkin one)...

http://review.zdnet.com/networking-and-wi-...6-32467513.html
"We connected a flash thumbdrive, a hard drive, and an inkjet printer to our test hub and were able to use all three devices without problems. We played music off the hard drive, transferred files between our laptop and the flash drive, and printed several documents--all wirelessly and from the living room, while the devices all sat next to our hub, installed in the back bedroom."

it may not work with all devices (like a usb docking station) though