Niche expansion cards

Yes and no, I could do it so the power delivery pairs are not attached just VBUS and data, though for USB-C I also need CC pins meaning that it isn’t exactly possible

Did I overread it or did no one actually pick up on this idea?

1 Like

what about for usb-a?
The reason I ask is because I don’t want my framework to charge while connected to my docking station.

definitely FPGA

2 Likes

If not on here already, +1 for VGA! Maybe even a full size serial port :blush:

1 Like

Both being prototyped and developed, at the moment the serial port is very close to being able to be sold.

5 Likes

@Josh_Cook That’s cool! Are these like official framework products or is some third party making them?

I’d love a vga port! :blush:

1 Like

Developed by me.

4 Likes

@Xavier_Jiang
That is on point, GPU on right additional battery on the left, Since the ports are USB4 it should support eGPU and it could be something like and AMD or Nvidia card.

Another thing to consider is instead of having it tapper off as aggressively in you design here you could instead have hollowed out just enough to be able to put in a actual PCI card too.

having been fiddling around with stuff on my desk, I noticed that a mikrotik sfp+ module is a similar length to one of the expansion card boxes. I wonder if it would be possible to get an SFP+ cage into a module. I guess it depends on if the electronics can be fitted into half the width of a module and if the heat would be tolerable.

The height of the base can be increased. It is not going to be too difficult.
The idea of the “aggressive taper off” is because the base need to be as short as possible to limit the amount of torque (potentially, at least) applied to the ports when something inevitably wedges between the base and the laptop, so to keep the base “stout”.

The “incline” is to then ensure that the laptop’s rubber feet (or whatever) can still touch the surface when being docked to.

I need to do another production batch, so I have a couple of expansion cards that I can do. Note that the USB hub doesn’t exactly work the best as a data transfer hub but more for basic devices like a keyboard, mouse or phone. Do not ask me what this thing is, if you don’t know what it is you more than likely do not need it. I’m also going to be selling basic USB2.0 breakout boards that I already have stock of but just waiting for my reel of 5.1k ohm resistors.

  • USB-A 2.0 4 port hub
  • Optoisolated USB-A
  • Basic DB9 serial
  • RS422 to DB9 connector
  • RS485 to DB9
  • RJ45 serial for networking gear

0 voters

2 Likes

How about a M.2 slot so a PCIE to M.2 adapter could be easily plugged in to run an external GPU.

That’s a much less clean way of doing things when you can just use an egpu thunderbolt dock. Sure you get penalized in bandwidth a little but at least it looks nicer. Besides TB5 is coming out soon :tm: which will double the bandwidth.

1 Like

I actually like the look of a GPU sitting out in the open, and I don’t intend to upgrade my 12th Gen Framework for at least two years. Unless TB5 is a software upgrade It wouldn’t affect me until I can upgrade. The eGPU I would want sooner.
I was also wondering if a TB4 dock with a M.2 slot would also be viable option to run an eGPU through. It would be a bit less expensive than a eGPU TB4 dock. Running monitors directly from the GPU would free up some bandwidth over the TB4. I wouldn’t use a top tier GPU anyway, for my needs I would be satisfied with something like an Intel A580 (mostly for light 4K video editing)

@Eric_Crawford-Anton TB5 won’t be a software upgrade that’s for sure, it would need new controller chips.

Probably? The expense of the adapter and power supply and the TB4 dock wouldn’t be any cheaper than just buying an eGPU enclosure tho. That comes with the PSU and has other expansion options built in. You wouldn’t necessarily share bandwidth between the eGPU and the expansion if you buy the right enclosure. (I purchased the EG200).

Wouldn’t matter if you did, there isn’t enough bandwidth to let anything above a 6700xt/3070 perform better than those two cards. I’m going to be buying an Intel A770 LE myself.

Well I already have a power supply sitting here and an adapter costs like $50 so yeah cheaper than what you paid for your EG2,000,000.
I would want a dock anyways so the difference would be a lot.
And don’t take this the wrong way, but why mention TB5 if I wouldn’t be able to use it with current gear? People keep talking about “when TB5 comes out”, yeah of course, but it isn’t an option now. It would be like saying just get the Intel 13th gen chip for all it’s benefits over 12th gen. It isn’t available so the suggestion is moot.

1 Like

Would? Or Wouldn’t? Because if you were buying a Thunderbolt dock, the difference in price is minor at best. If buying a USB-C dock then yes the price difference is fairly large.

I’m also just very confused on how you were planning to do this. I mean yeah, if you already happen to have a PSU lying around and you are ok sacrificing the only storage slot on the mainboard, you can go the route you envision. But then you mentioned buying a TB4 dock which completely negates the frugality of going that route. So I thought it was to eliminate the TB overhead, which is why I mentioned TB5. I’m just very confused.

This makes it seem like you plan to run the adapter thru the dock…which is needlessly complicated. Again, I’m very confused.

I don’t know if you meant to come across this way but you don’t need to belittle me, I am only trying to help.

How about just a simple USB Type A, with a switch on it so you can disable it whenever you want.

Also, I third the FPGA idea <3 I plan to get Framework laptop in a few months, might as well try to do it myself.

2 Likes