Accessories/ultimate Docking Station Thread


.Gogeta§§J4BR. said:
how many of you who have a gp2x really use the docking station? <_<
Click to expand...

Plenty of people use the bob! Its the only thing to allow multiplayer gaming and has ports that can unbrick your gp2x(or at least i think you can). Anyways, it is a very nessesary part to the gp2x (at least if you like playing old classics one-on-one.................... <_<

-Spadoof
 
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An ideal (and not TOO complicated docking station) would include 4 more USB ports, ethernet, DVD/CD drive (for playing CD based games from the actual CD) and, of course, it would charge the Pandora.
 
I must admit, an optical drive in the docking station would be a nice feature if you're aiming at full conversion to a desktop machine. Particular bonuses would be:
- Playing DVDs without needing to rip them
- Playing PSX, MegaCD, NeoGeoCD, TG16 CD, and a few others (Saturn if an emu arrives) from the original, without the hassle of ripping them - good for the purist.
- If CD/DVD writing is possible, then burning downloaded media for those cases where shoving it on an SD is impractical.
- Possibly more convenient (and in particular, cheaper) when dealing with larger commercial games, if there are any such games. I'm thinking in particular of some of the ones Svartalf has mentioned wanting to bring over which, whilst they fit on a 4gb SDHC, would have their prices boosted (currently, at any rate) significantly by so doing (£7 vs £0.6 as SDHC/DVD price comparisson). Of course, you then have to work out a way of installing them so as not to need said DVD drive, but that's not insurmountable. I'd suggest implementing a Win/Linux/MacOS installer which dumps the data onto an SD and registers it to that SD based on a CD key as default install method, but also including a "direct on Pandora" installation mode to install via the hypothesized cradle or an external USB drive...

That said, there are very few cases where shoving it on an SD is, in fact impractical... the main bonuses would be for the purist gamer, I think.

Also, if such a drive were to be implemented, it would seriously boost the price - if only because they'd almost certainly have to use a laptop implementation to keep the thickness down, and laptop DVD drives are still (remotely) pricey. They might not be, though, in sure course...
 
Well, I wouldn't want it included. That would jack the price waaayy up. I would want it sold separately, so the option would be there, but it wouldn't be a requirement. That's why I like my idea since it doesn't include anything especially necessary or anything that couldn't be implemented through the USB ports. Not important, just a nice option to have. That's been a really important part of which UMPC I've decided to buy (the WiBrain for anyone interested). Nothing that adds a ridiculous amount of functionality, just convenience sold separately.
 
- Proper line out
- svideo
- dvi
- component
- usb ports
- SATA SLOT! woo!
- Dreamcast
 
May be, something to make pandora like laptop. It may be standard keyboard with special place for pandora. I insert pandora to that place, and it is like laptop: standard keyboard with pandora fixed in it.

30$ is price that I will pay for it without any doubt, if price will be higher - i will think more:)
 
If it were up to me what was in a dock this is what I would chose;

- HDMI, DVI or Component output {Maybe see if you can borrow some of the electronics the Beagleboard uses to do that)
- 6 USB ports (Mouse, Keyboard and 4 controllers for multiplayer...or potentially 6 controllers for multiplayer)
- Connector for a 3.5" hard drive, but no drive included (Keeps costs down and allows the consumers to pick their own drive size)
- Ethernet port (Combined with the hard drive this could make a handy network drive that your Pandora could easily connect to anywhere you have wifi access for extra storage and media streaming)
- Battery charger
- Expansion RAM slot, but no RAM included (Like the hard drive connector, comes empty to keep costs down)

The only one I'm not really sure about is the expansion RAM slot...the port used to connect to the dock might not have high enough bandwidth to really benefit from that.

It'd also be cool to have a tilt and rumble expansion, but I don't expect it'd sell too well--or even get all that much developer support.

One suggestion I think might be good to consider is to put little screw holes or clip holes on the corners of the Pandora for expansion devices to easily latch onto it and be relatively sturdy.
 
So anyone have any idea how likely something like this would be? A dock with a CD/DVD drive would make it a 200% chance of me buying it. I'll might still buy it without it, but it would make it exponentially more attractive if I had the option of it. Obviously, it would be an add-on sold separately so it would keep costs down.

It doesn't seem like it would be too expensive to make and distribute with only basic features (couple USB ports, CD/DVD drive, ethernet, and TV-Out), so it seems like a wasted opportunity to not even try it. Also, it would (obviously) have to charge the battery. I'm sure there are plenty of other people out there like me who would lloooovvvee to use our original CDs for some games and use it as a mobile DVD player/entertainment center. A SATA/IDE connector would also make it much better for a mobile media center, but wouldn't really be a necessity, IMHO, with extra USB ports and a CD/DVD drive.

I've been thinking of designs, and I think I have a winner (in my eyes). It could be in the form of an external keyboard. It wouldn't be a full size keyboard (probably about 50%-70% probably a one hand typing solution) and it could have all the ports on the sides with the DVD drive on the front and the Pandora would sit at the top of the keyboard. I might Photoshop a concept image later, but I think a design like this would not only cater to all the requests, but could also be fairly compact as it could probably be foldable also (though that would require the action of the keys to be lower).

You can get DVD drives for under $50 and the other features would be pretty cheap. It could easily go for under $100 and you could also offer a version without the DVD drive for a decent amount cheaper. Just place a weight in the bay where the DVD drive would have been to keep everything balanced.
 
anyone else thing a an attachment like those ipod dvd players would be awesome, in which you docked the Pandora and it became a full size laptop like an EEE?
 
That's basically what this thread is about. A docking station for the Pandora that would add extra functionality that could not be included in the handheld device.
 
I'm posted to this thread before, but since it's been resurrected, and I've learned a lot since then, I'll post a new list.

For my docking station:
  • More USB ports
  • More RAM (if possible)
  • lots of storage (HD)
  • VGA out, S-video out, DVI out, RCA out
  • video in
  • multi-format card reader
Now, for portable expansion pack (aka the Embiggen Notebook-isizer).
  • a 10-inch touch screen
  • a full-sized keyboard
  • More USB ports
  • DVD±RW
  • More RAM (if possible)
  • An adapter slot for these
  • multi-format card reader
  • Some (4 - 16 GB) storage (SSD)
  • GPS
  • More battery power
*editted to embiggen the list.
 
peca said:
I have idea about expansion or dock station for Pandora with same groundplan as Pandora has, but it requires screw bases for attachment. So i think about additional box that can be attached to bottom of Pandora and at optionally screwed together. This bottom bag contains USB hub with some ports wired out to sides and some gor internal use, another battery (the same big one as in Pandora), BT, 1.8" or 2.5" HDD, 3D motion sensor, VGA out for external monitor with at least 1024 x 768 px. Internal devices will be attached to USB, even VGA out, so it can be easy done. Can be shipped without HDD, just with IDE connector. Price accordingly to implemented features and housing.

OR

If some expansoin slot can be used, so as above, but trough expansion slot for better performance.

I guess price about $150 - $200 without HDD drive (may be i wrong).
Click to expand...
Oh, and if tightly attached to bottom of Pandora, then I like 2 secondary shoulder buttons on the back and mediaplayer control buttons (play/pause, stop, fwd, rew and rec) on the front (flush mounted to avoid accidentally pushing). Internal BT will be let out, due to integration directly to Pandora.
 
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I think it would be nice to have a docking station with a standard SATA hardrive interface. This would allow for ease of upgrade to larger harddrive and transfer between sd cards and drive. USB ports and video audio out.
 
More than a docking station it would be nice to have an (almost) empty plastic "pack" that fits the bottom of the pandora, locks in place in some way and has an internal usb hub and room for a few usb dongles. Ideally it would also have a power connection, so that it could be used to create a battery pack.

It would be excellent to create DIY addons less the homemade electronics look.

I suppose they would be very cheap to produce, but I don't know how much the initial cost for the custom shape would be and how many could be sold.

At 20 EUR I would consider buying one, at 5 EUR or below I would buy a few.
 
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