I’m one of those people that prefers the laptop interface to the desktop interface. I like using my computer on a couch and that I can adjust my body and move my legs to move my screen to a more convenient position. But I don’t like that I have this hot, expensive object on my lap that I am wearing down and eventually breaking.
So, I was thinking it would be nice to have a gaming lapdock. Lapdocks are normally used on phones, but I want this one for my gaming laptop. That way, it can be off to the side, spitting out heat on not-me, and I don’t wear out the keyboard and reduce the wear on my computer by having it be stationary while functioning.
I’m also hard on my ports and keyboard on my computers, so I like the idea of having an easily repairable version, where I can just buy a new keyboard without replacing any of the other components. Plus, if my laptop is to the side and not on me and being moved around constantly, the ports will probably last longer.
It would also be very convenient to have such a device on hand, as I could easily plug it in to another computer that doesn’t have working components.
I like a big screen, so I was thinking of using the Framework 16 chassis for this, but I don’t have any components, so I don’t know if this is feasible.
Here are a list of potential problems that would need to be solved that I can think of:
Setting up the monitor so that it can run off of USB C, HDMI, or DisplayPort
Setting up the touchpad so that it can run off of USB as an external mouse.
Bonus points if I can easily turn on and off the mouse with a keyboard shortcut or a physical switch, but that’s probably more of a software level thing, not a feature of the lapdock
Setting up the keyboard so that it can be used as an external USB keyboard
Fitting in the USB C hub. This is probably trivial.
(lower priority) Setting up the webcam as an external USB camera. This could be hard because cameras don’t tend to play nice with hubs. It isn’t really necessary for me, though, because my laptop has a camera already and I can just use that when I need to.
(lower priority) Setting up the microphone to be an external USB microphone. My laptop can be close at hand, so this might not be necessary.
(EDIT, lowest priority) Speakers. I don’t usually use speakers, but they are convenient to have sometimes.
A single cable would be preferred, but is not a requirement.
I don’t really know how to do this, so any advise about what I need to do would be greatly appreciated. I’m especially concerned about the keyboard.
If you go for a FWL16, the keyboard would be easy. They are already usb.
Touchpad though, that might be a project regardless of which Framework you pick. They are i2c. Might be able to find an i2c HID to usb converter. Vaguely feel like I’ve heard those exist.
Webcam is usb. Though I think it’s 3.3v, so would need a regulator.
Fingerprint is usb. Power button itself is just a plain switch & wouldn’t work without a microcontroller to interface to. Same with button LEDs.
Microphone would likely be more work than it’s worth. They are i2c. A small usb mic would be the way to go instead.
Speakers, hmm. 2W but unknown how many ohms. Speakers sometimes have it printed on the metal body of the speaker element. Not sure if the Framework speaker plastic surround can be non-destructively opened. There are little bluetooth modules they sell which could maybe drive them. A speaker driver which can handle x watt 4ohm speakers, should also do 8ohm at half power.
Hmmmm, unexpected. I must have misremembered. I guess the touchpad isn’t really needed for me, as I would still have my built in trackpad on my laptop.
Ok, I’ll look in to that, but it isn’t really necessary I bet.
I don’t really need fingerprint or power button on the machine.
Are you referring to the keyboard backlight?
I suspected this would be the case. But it isn’t necessary, so I can skip it.
My thinking is that this parts sounds like more trouble than its worth. (haha, get it? Because it’s speakers?)
You shouldn’t need anything special for the FWL16. The midplate contains a usb hub chip to provide usb to each of the keyboard locations. FW’s github should have the pinout of the midplate to mainboard cable connector. As well as what kind of cable it takes. I think a common 0.5mm pitch ffc cable will fit well enough. And you can get ffc connector breakout boards that are easy to solder to.
I have used repurposed laptop webcams for 3d printers a few times and never had issues with them being on hubs.
Due to usb3 and usb2 being completely separate outside of power you can at least cover having display and mouse/kb relatively easily, usb3 hub + display may be quite a bit harder but also perfectly doable.
How so? Just hook up the matrix to a microcontroller running qmk/zmk, touchpad would be a bit harder but there may even be zmk/qmk drivers for it so potentially same stone.
I may be misremembering from a previous time I attempted to researched doing a similar project where I thought people told me that touchpads basically used USB and I would need a specialized controller for the keyboard. But that wasn’t talking about Framework hardware.
The ones integrated in laptops usually either use i2c or some form of ps2 emulation.
You would need a somewhat specialized controller for the keyboard if you want to use a 13, the one in the 16 is already usb so you would just have to wire it up.
My thinking is that I pretty much only want my computer to wake to the power button (which is a nightmare on Windows), which I plan to be accessible to me when using the computer. I have had my computer be on in my backpack far too many times to trust anything else.
I’d be targeting the FW16 chassis for this for the larger screen, so that’s good news.