laptop to pci adapter

[monoman314]

Does anyone know if it's possible to make an adapter that will enable me to connect a pci slot to a laptop via the cardbus, usb, firewire or whatever connection. There's only a couple of manufacturers that make these but they cost about $1000 for 1 slot!

cheers

 

[zetter]

You can buy a docking station for most decent brand laptops.

A lot of the docking stations can have a PCI card installed in them.

Might be an easier and cheaper option if you can use it.

 

[monoman314]

Originally posted by: zetter
You can buy a docking station for most decent brand laptops.

A lot of the docking stations can have a PCI card installed in them.

Might be an easier and cheaper option if you can use it.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, i need a new p4 laptop (i do music) and i've spent an unproductive 3 days searching the net looking for one that comes with a docking station with a pci slot - i can't find one. I know they used to but they don't appear to anymore

cheers

 

[AbsolutDealage]

just curious... what are you trying to connect? some sort of proprietary device? a board that only comes in PCI?

 

[foxkm]

There is such a DEVICE that exist to plug into a 32bit Cardbus slot. I don't remember who makes it and I do remember that the damn thing cost like 600 bucks, but gave you 2 PCI slots and an IDE chanel (only enough space for 1 drive though).

Good luck finding it though

foxkm

 

[Shalmanese]

The IBM docking stations can fit a half height PCI card.

 

[monoman314]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
just curious... what are you trying to connect? some sort of proprietary device? a board that only comes in PCI?

I'm trying to connect a yamaha sw1000xg soundcard. It's expensive, only comes as a pci card and i've already done a load of tunes using it so i need to keep it.

 

[monoman314]

Originally posted by: foxkm
There is such a DEVICE that exist to plug into a 32bit Cardbus slot. I don't remember who makes it and I do remember that the damn thing cost like 600 bucks, but gave you 2 PCI slots and an IDE chanel (only enough space for 1 drive though).

Good luck finding it though

foxkm

Yes, it's made by magma - www.magma.com but it's actually $895 for a 2 card slot. It's just ridiculous, surely i can buy the bits somewhere and make one my self.

 

[monoman314]

Originally posted by: Shalmanese
The IBM docking stations can fit a half height PCI card.

Cheers, i've looked into that and have it on the back burner. The trouble with ibm is how much it costs to get a fast laptop. I would then need to add another £400 for the docking station!

I'm now looking at a concept called "book size pc". These come as mini cubes or flat desktops - like the old desktops but alot smaller. These have the advantage of pci slot(s), 7200rpm hard drive and non mobile processor but i'd have to lump around an lcd screen and keyboard - if only you could buy them with these bits bolted on!

 

[MWink]

If you would consider a Dell Laptop you might be able to use the Latitude C/Dock II docking station which has 2 PCI slots. I have an Inspiron 8200 and I got it working with the C/Dock II (though the docking station required some very slight modifications). The really nice part is that you can generally get a C/Dock II on Ebay VERY cheap. I got mine for under $30 shipped. That's a pretty good deal for something that gives you 2 PCI slots, ethernet, SCSI, extra drive bay, etc. BTW, I bought it so that I could use my Santa Cruz with my laptop.

 

[monoman314]

Originally posted by: MWink
I have an Inspiron 8200 and I got it working with the C/Dock II (though the docking station required some very slight modifications).

I've had a look at the Dell C/Dock II but was disapointed that it is only for use with the PIII latitude series. How did you get it to work with an inspiron?

cheers

 

[MWink]

Originally posted by: monoman314

Originally posted by: MWink
I have an Inspiron 8200 and I got it working with the C/Dock II (though the docking station required some very slight modifications).

I've had a look at the Dell C/Dock II but was disapointed that it is only for use with the PIII latitude series. How did you get it to work with an inspiron?

cheers

From what I've read it should be possible to use the C/Dock II with most of the Latitude's and Inspiron's. Dell made it so that an Inspiron would not fit in the C/Dock II due to the latch on the docking station. You can make an Inspiron fit by removing the latch. This does require taking the C/Dock II apart but if you've worked in computers it shouldn't be a problem. The other thing you have to do is flash you laptop with the equivalent Latitude BIOS. For me, now my laptop identifies itself as a Dell Latitude C840. There is a walk through on how to do the whole thing somewhere on the net (it also tells you what Latitude BIOS to use with which Inspiron). I'll try to find the link if I can.

 

[monoman314]

Thanks, you've been a great help. I had a search on the net for that link and found it........................

Modifying your Inspiron to work in a Latitude C/Port or C/Dock.

I've had a look on ebay & as you say there's loads of cheap c/dock II's on there

cheers