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Hey,
I've seen other people talk about making a "base" for the Eee PC that had all of the external devices that most people want, but can't get with their eee without a lot of internal mods. Well, I think that it's possible, the only problem is what to use to make the base with (plastic, aluminum, etc.) and how to put things inside of it correctly so everything fits.
I have a rough idea of how to make a Eee PC base for the 70x series with only four devices: Bluetooth, ext CD/DVD drive, ext. HD, and a place for a wireless mouse or something else that's about the size of a small flash drive. All of these devices could be put onto a basic USB hub, which would be plugged into one USB port on the Eee.
The benefits:
You won't void your warranty with this, and you'll have a lot of accessories.
It's plug-and-play.
You can use four USB devices on one USB port.
The Downside: You'll see lower battery life time
It raises the height of your Eee, making it less portable.
You lose one USB port when the base is plugged in.
So I guess my question is, is this possible?
Last edited by >0p!3< (2009-06-09 10:02:16 pm)
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ofcourse it's possible... the question is WHY because you can fit almost all of those things inside the Eee now...
I guess you want to save the warantee and dont want to screw up the Eee... then just stick with plugging stuff into USB ports... since that's basically what you're doing with that "base".
how often do you need a CD drive? I know I hardly use mine on my laptop... I have PowerISO, so I really have no need for it.
A external harddrive I guess could be useful... but with flash memory capacity nowaday... not really needed.
the point of the Eee is to stay ultra portable... if you want all those components, you might as well get a 12 inch notebook.
But since this is the hack section, and if you want it done, then I'll tell you it is easy and possible.
I thought about it before too, but instead... I would add extra batteries into this "base" to add power to the Eee making it last LONGER, and ofcourse hold some memory and USB ports...
I planned on doing it by cutting up a Targus base for 15 inch laptop... the one I have have two fan in the middle, and a hub built into the base. So I could chop it up to fit the size of the Eee, fit some batteries and devices into it... relocate the hub... and add a power plug to the Eee.
My idea consist of using rechargable AA NIMH batteries... probably wont give me too much power...
That's why I neglected this plan and instead... plan on getting a 901 for that power boost
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The point is to add things to your eee without voiding your warranty, without adding too much bulk either. If you don't need the base, then you wouldn't take it with you! I guess this would be more of a desktop base thing, but being as it only adds an inch or two of height to your Eee, you could probably fit in any laptop bag easily without too much extra weight.
You could use flash memory, the ext HD was just an option... In my area, you can get 500 GB of memory for around $99 (US) in a ext HD, so why not just throw that in there? 
Yes, you could plug this all in seperately into just a usb hub without the base, but the base is a nice idea just to have it all underneath the Eee so if you don't have a lot of desk space, you can still use everything and have some room for your mouse or other things...
As for power... you could always buy that 10400 mAh battery, or like you said, have the base itself battery-powered (not sure how this would work, but it's a good idea).
I guess the whole "base" idea would just be nice in certain situations, and when you don't need it, go without it. This is just an idea, so any suggestions are helpful.
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Belkin an Targus both make USB Port replicators for things like this. It's basically a USB docking station that you can leave in one spot with all you USB devices hooked up.
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Is this similar to what you're talking about?
http://www.targus.com/us/product_detail … n=featured
What I have in mind isn't even close to that...
Or is this it: http://www.targus.com/us/product_detail … ku=AWE12US
That's a little closer, but it's just a fan with four-usb hooked up. My idea has everything inside of the hub.
Last edited by >0p!3< (2008-07-31 4:14:22 pm)
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i think the idea is nice and if made real slim and light weight ill see a use of it 
at ya desk for sure and at times to take with u if you go for it make sure to let us know and take pictures
good luck
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@ >0p!3< take a look at my test build here: http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=306574
i'm actually planning an alu version, but need money/time; nonetheless so far the stand is just great!
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That's kind of what I'm thinking about building, but without the fans (even though the fans are a very good idea) and with the USB hub inside, including other devices (DVD, ext HD, etc...). But that gives me a "real" view of how to start this idea. Thanks for sharing!
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im thinking about this one:
http://www.icintracom.com/global_catalo … asheet.pdf
i can have it for ~80 eur
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That's not even close to what my idea is, that's a totally different type of "hub"... I'm thinking more of getting all of your ext devices into one package, not a hub with a bunch of different ports for your projector and other stuff... Thanks for the suggestion, but that's not what I'm trying to build.
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Progress Update: I just got my Ext HD Enclosure Kit today off of eBay. I popped my HD in, an everything looked good- tell I looked out the DC adapter...
Not only was I sent the wrong adapter, but it wasn't USB. 
I sent the guy I bought it from a message about the wrong one, and he's sending me the right one on Monday. Also, I'm consider making it a USB adapter if I can find the right USB with the same connections as my DC adapter... Then I could solder the connections and have a fully USB ext Hd. Or, I could always buy one off eBay. (Lazy-ness.... It's what eBay's about! )
So what did the above text have to do with the base progress? Well now that I have my ext CD Drive, ext HD drive, and a hub, I can start designing more of a "real world" base for the Eee. I'm currently using a 3.5" HD (it was from my old Xbox, and yes it's huge, but it was my best + cheapest option currently), so I'm doubting it'll fit nicely under my Eee without having a pretty tall base... but that's another story. I'll update this with an updated Base design later. Thanks for your patience interested people...
->0p!3<
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I am looking at something like this which allows me to connect/disconnect the USB and power quickly
Any idea where to find such quick release/cradle interface connector?
http://www.hirose-connectors.com/products/EX60B_5.htm
Last edited by wai (2008-09-07 5:42:12 am)
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Having a docking station which only supplies power/USB seems a little pointless.
As does having one with built in batteries, unless it's the really small clip on variety rather than the deskbound lump as in the previous picture.
The only way I can see to make this mod worthwhile would be if you were to make a custom Flash/memory cover with a built in connector. And internally have that connector marry up with the spare miniPCI connector. You'd then have a docking station which has worthwhile functionality: USB ports, SATA/IDE/eSATA. You'd want to run power through also, most likely audio & VGA too.
This would all in all be a mammoth undertaking, and the time/skill involved to carry out all the above far outweighs any benefit such a mod would accomplish IMO.
Maybe if you manufactured such a device and sold them along with the custom flash door - miniPCI interface you could make it worthwhile, although I don't know how many takers you'd get.
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I think the best idea would be to have a docking station which effectively enlarges the case the battery is in. In the back of the case could simply be a USB hub which could be linked by a small USB cable to the main body of the Eee that way you would not need to open the Eee itself up.
In the extended battery pack you could put any amount of flash memory, card readers etc.
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actually i wanted to install the EEE PC in car, and i want a quick release so that I can just grab the EEE and go.
That's why i just need a docking station to supply power and USB only
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My "base" is all about taking all of the useful devices you occasionally need (Ext Cd/DVD, Ext HD, wireless mouse, bluetooth, etc.) and putting them all into one base while only using one USB port and not messing with internal mods. It's not just supplying USB and power, it's getting all of the useful things you might need into one spot, making it more portable... What you call useless, others find useful. (one man's junk is anothers treasure... sound familiar?) I think this would be useful for people who like the convience of the Eee's size, but they might want all of their ext. devices they occasionally need for the Eee in one spot.
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i think about this to, to make a box for eee Is was thinking this way: at home i would have LCD screen, mouse, regular keyboard DVDrom, HD drive,... is there a way to connect all this things with one large connector to my eee pc. i could do it by connecting vga cable, one USB for HD, one for DVD, one for USB HUB and from HUB to USB mouse and keyboard.
I kind of hate bts mouses and keyboards, i dont want to charge them every month
Is there maybe a way to connect all this stuff via wifi, so, i'll just came home, left my eee in bag and use computer on the table as if it was my eee
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Here's a "ghetto" sketch of what I have in mind. Keep in mind it's an artistic sketch more then a technical sketch. 
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The sketch looks great, but in my opinion i would rather have the DVD Drive on the Right side,
and the USB Ports, and Power switch on the left side.
I have an older toshiba laptop, from like 1999 that has the CD Drive on the front, and i dont like it compared to my Other laptop that has it on the right.
Maybe you could run a poll on your website, when you start designing, asking where things would be better located.
But i might have some bad news for you.
Some External Slim DVD Drives, and some external hdd, require 2 USB ports to power them.
And i know for a fact, that 3.5" HDD wouldn't be able to run from 1 single USB port, let alone having other usb devices plugged into that port too...
So as somebody suggested above, it might be nice to have a rechargable battery inside the base...to help power the DVD and HDD inside it...
Someone once told me, that a USB Hub, simply splits the data signals, it doesnt in anyway Multiply the power. The power you get from 1 port, is gonna be split
Im not trying to hurt your idea, but im just stating some things...
Last edited by Dominic (2009-04-24 9:34:58 pm)
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UPDATE: The devices that will go inside the Base have now been chosen. After some long deliberation, these are the devices that made the cut:
*The USB Hub: Targus ACH63US Super Mini USB 2.0 4-Port Hub- it's around the size of a small Post-It notepad.
*The Bluetooth Dongle: a super-mini one I bought via eBay (click me to see it.)
*The HDD: Western Digital MyPassport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive
(Approximate Unit Dimensions - 0.59 (H) x 4.96 (L) x 3.14 (W) Approximate Unit Weight - 0.23lb )
*The Ext. DVD/CD drive: also via-eBay from dodo-gogo
Dimensions: 13.5 cm (L) x 13.2 cm (W) x 1.6 cm (H) Weight: 282g (without cable)
I'm leaving the fourth USB port on the hub open for other devices- perhaps a fan or something else. Now, I have to re-make my sketches into technical sketches. I'll post updates here and on my website when I'm done.
Until then!
-OP13
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