Dock I vs. Dock II

[Sable_X31]

Okay, I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I can't think of a search query other than 'dock' (which gives 1000+ results). What are the relative merits of the original Dock I versus the Dock II? I just got a Dock I off of Ebay, specifically because it was one of the rarer kind that has the firewire port, but now it looks like that port doesn't even work (despite my X31 having a built-in firewire solution). Did I make a mistake? Should I turn around and sell it and get a Dock II?


P.S.-The search function breaks on a 'firewire' query, so I can't see if this was a common problem. Anyone else experience this?

[davidspalding]

The "breaks on firewire" search happens ot me, it's a server-side issue.

Code: Select all

SQL Error : 1030 Got error 134 from table handler

SELECT m.post_id FROM phpbb_search_wordlist w, phpbb_search_wordmatch m WHERE w.word_text LIKE 'firewire' AND m.word_id = w.word_id AND w.word_common <> 1

Line : 340
File : search.php

I only have a Dock II so I can't really speak to your question, other than noting my Dock/Dock II user guide makes NO mention of Firewire.

I wasn't even aware that Dock II supported the X30 line. Sure you're not talking about the Multibase or whatever it's called? You may find more help in the X20/X30 forum....

[tfflivemb2]

I wasn't even aware that Dock II supported the X30 line. Sure you're not talking about the Multibase or whatever it's called? You may find more help in the X20/X30 forum....

Do you mean the "ultrabase x3"?

[Sable_X31]

I have both an Ultrabase X3 for on the road, and a full Dock I for at home. If you look at IBM/Lenovo's matrix you'll see that it does support the X31. As for the firewire, as I mentioned it is a rarity, and the primary reason I chose the Dock I over the Dock II. I think IBM put them in early models, but later covered over the port with a plastic cover, then still later may have recast the plastic shell so the port wasn't there. Later models also apparently had a tray added for support, which mine doesn't. I'm thinking that IBM had issues just like this with these docks, and rather than solve them they just did away with the port. Which is a bummer.

To somewhat answer my own question, the only differences I can find so far are: The Dock II is a bit slimmer, has a different ejecting mechanism that for some reason requires power to eject or a pinhole emergency eject, and has 4 USB 2.0 ports as opposed to the Dock I's 2 USB 1.1 ports (fortunately it doesn't block my X31's side 2.0 port, and I don't anticipate having need for more than 1 hi-speed USB connection at a time).

[davidspalding]

Ah, I see, The X30 series has the same connection as the T30. Dock II's and MiniDocks support T30s. I have any old T30 port replicator, never realized it would support an X30.