dockingstation/ portreplicator for macbook

Finally my macbook arrived yesterday! Its so beautyfull and I can hardly wait to get going 8^)

Its meant to replace the xp-pc at my homeoffice and at my daytime-office.

At my homeoffice its going to be wifi-connected and I have bought the new wireles mightymouse + a wireless kbd. The only thing I have to connect is my 21# flatscreen via minidvi-to-dvi

At my daytime office im plugging a Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser set (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2162,CONTENTID=11420) via usb, LAN via RJ45, and to my 21# flatscreen via minidvi-to-dvi ...

That sounds pretty annoying, so my question goes: anyone knows of a docking-station/ portreplicator which I can use for this setup?

No, there are no such port replicators. On the other hand, it's 3 cables and the ports are all next to each other down the left hand side. How annoying could it be? You could just get one of those little cable clamps and have them all next to other just waiting for hte macbook to arrive.

I have a similar setup.

I just got two USB 2.0 hubs. 1 for home and 1 for the office.

for home I have kbrd, ext HDD, card reader, printer.

for work I have kbrd, mouse, scanner, printer.

This was the closest I could get to a docking station. Plus side is that I only plug in 1 USB cable each time.

cazabam said:

No, there are no such port replicators. On the other hand, it's 3 cables and the ports are all next to each other down the left hand side. How annoying could it be? You could just get one of those little cable clamps and have them all next to other just waiting for hte macbook to arrive.

Click to expand...

This is more or less exactly what I do. Just keep a spare mouse, power supply, keyboard, etc. right at my desk. It takes all of 3 seconds to plug in the USB connectors, then I am good to go.

i always hooked up my mac port by port, it was never too much of a pain in order to do the monitor mouse, lan, etc.

to the best of my knowlege, which may be wrong, but i dont think there ever was a docking station for any mac
-chris

coach_z said:

i always hooked up my mac port by port, it was never too much of a pain in order to do the monitor mouse, lan, etc.

to the best of my knowlege, which may be wrong, but i dont think there ever was a docking station for any mac
-chris

Click to expand...

Older PowerBooks did have docking stations available for them.
However, since the ports have moved from the back of the 'Books to the sides, the docking stations have since disappeared.

you could create your own, if you're handy with a jigsaw and don't mind sacrificing your products.

I have the Toshiba multimedia center from my last notebook PC. It has a 5.1 surround sound card built-in, 4 port USB hub, and RJ-45 LAN. Plugged into that is my 120 GB external hard drive, an additional 4 port USB hub, my printer, game controller, etc. Basically, I plug in two cables when I get back to my desk for all of that...a USB for the media center, and the power cable. Adding in a monitor would bring the total to 3, but then again I don't believe I read anywhere about you using a sound cable as well...that media center would take the sound cable out of the picture. It works pretty well for me, obviously no drivers needed.

Thank you all for your answers. I think I just settle for plug-plug-plug and-go. Could offcourse by a cheap wifi accesspoint and then be down to plug-plug.

I dont feel that my new blue mightymouse is as good as the logitech linked above. Are using/ have used it for a year on my pcs and its without doubt the best mouse on the market for all-day heavy precision mouse-users (photoshop, fireworks, dreamweaver etc.). At least for my hand and the way I use it - that is. But ill give it a longer try ...

Finally I can see on http://www.smalldog.com/mfg?MfrName=BookEndz that BookEndz is going to offer a dock for the MBP. At 269 usd ill stick with plug-plug(-plug) :bone:

</macadam>

I went with hubs and a laptop stand. Here's my setup:

Griffin iCurve laptop stand
A/C adapter (I use a spare for traveling)
Mini-DVI to DVI adapter
Ethernet
Firewire -> 6-port Firewire hub
USB 1 -> 5-port USB hub
USB 2 -> 7-port USB hub
Audio output -> Headphones

Takes like 30 seconds to plug everything in; I just drop the laptop on the stand, hook up the cables, and all of my devices (printer, iPod, mouse, keyboard, etc.) are ready to go via the hubs.