There are affordable external USB - 2.5GbE adapters using the Realtek RTL8156 bridge:
My understanding is the RTL8156 is a drop-in replacement for most Gigabit controllers and requires very few changes to an adapter design. And it doesn’t cost much more either.
2.1 x 5.5 barrel jack power input
Bonus if it can accept 12v at least for charging if not running.
A 90 degree barrel connector that swivels is 500x more robust and convenient everywhere except my desk where the dock connects by tb3.
RS-232
I know db9 is a problem to fit, I’m just answering the question “what would you want”.
high-fi / multi-track audio IN
not out, or not only out
gpio
Recessed usb-a or usb-c
To plug small adapters in and leave them.
2 usb 2.0 in one slot would be fine. I would use usb-c for all the fast stuff, and I would love to have just a single slot devoted to things like rs-232 adapters and microcontrollers etc.
I’m guessing this is because the PCB’s stick out a little too far that putting two side by side isn’t an option? what if you inverted one of the ports and layered that PCB “above” the other one. yeah. it would be a little infuriating to have differently oriented usb ports but if it allowed 2xUSB3.0A that would be a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
@Brian_White Is being worked on for router management with a 8P8C port but can easily be adapted for DB-9.
(I’m brand new here, and in the market for a new laptop)
When I consider what ports I want, I think about what things would really bug me if I had to swap out I/O modules or use a dongle. In other words, things that IMO should always be present:
–Power input of some sort
–USB A for a mouse dongle
–Second USB A for a flash drive
–Some sort of video output, likely HDMI
–SD card (micro SD is fine) reader
–USB-C so I can connect a dock at work (for all the other USB stuff, plus external monitor)
That’s six things, of which I can only fit four. So I would like to make the following nominations:
–Barrel plug for power input, plus a USB-A for my mouse dongle. Bonus points if the USB A is recessed.
–USB C plus micro SD card reader
If I could get the above-mentioned six ports, I’d be sending the request off to my boss today to buy it.
Its for reusing old chargers that would otherwise be binned.
we just really need more dual port cards where possible.
usb c + usb a
usb c + micro sd
usb c + usb c
I would gladly load up my framework with 2x usb c + usb a cards, an hdmi, and either a full size sd, or usb c + micro sd.
Incorrect. 2.1x5.5 is ridiculously standard, and there are several hard practical reasons to use it or something equivalengly simple for power.
It swivels instead of breaking. It doesn’t require a fancy chip inside the cable or charger negotiating a protocol just to deliver power. It’s far far more universal than usb-c. It’s far far robust than usb-c.
usb-c is good for the nice controlled office desk docking station where there is no dirt or motion, and it’s nice to have a single wire to a docking station. Nowhere else.
When people say they want something that you don’t happen to want, all you have any right to say is that you don’t want it. You have no right to say that they don’t know what they want or why they want it or that they are wrong or unrealistically niche (and so you can disregard them) etc.
Anywhere else except at my desk that has a docking station with 2 monitors and gigabit and hub and audio and charging power all in one, anywhere else but there, I would prefer a simple quite universal thank you very much 2.1x5.5 barrel jack.
You don’t get to say that is somehow misguided or invalid thing to want. It’s entirely explicable, defensible, and rational. Not just as a preferrence either but for plain functionality and performance reasons.
This is exactly what he is asking for, so its better for form factor to be in a expansion card instead of something poking out the side of the laptop.
What was the whole point of the argument (debate) then?
(hopefully I get the formatting right. please bear with me)
Part of the reason for USB-C PD charging is to eliminate device-specific chargers…which means universal chargers be it laptop, phones, thunderbolt monitor…etc. And so, you don’t even need to bring a chager with you…because your destination location likely already has this for something.
(In short, you just need to understand the intention and paradigm of the Thunderbolt future)
I’m fully aware of the advantages of USB-C, and have nothing against it. However, it does have one tremendous disadvantage in the context of the Framework laptop: its 9mm width means you can only fit one per I/O module, and a total of four I/O doesn’t meet my needs. A 5.5 x 2.1mm barrel plug, on the other hand, is 3.5mm narrower, which raises the possibility of squeezing both a power input and something else into a single I/O module (taking us to five I/O).
In fact, the smaller width of the 5.5x2.1mm jack may open up the possibility of power+USB-A or power+microSD
Ah, now the driver is clearer. It’s essentially to get more i/o per expansion card due to size. (and without wanting to carry a hub …but would carry a barrel plug charger)
For me, carrying a power adapter is assumed, regardless of whether that power enters via 5.5x2.1mm or USB-C. Carrying around a hub is definitely on my “avoid if I can” list.
People like to do things differently, so you shouldn’t criticize them.
@Ammon_Allgaier Regarding the number of ports available, would switching to a Bluetooth mouse be a viable option to reduce your needs? Asking earnestly, as there are certainly reasons why that may not be feasible (availability of your preferred mouse in Bluetooth chief among them).
I’m also on the fence regarding the power port. I happen to prefer the USB-C option over a barrel plug (personal preference, mostly for commonality). But regardless, it would be nice if there was perhaps one permanent one (or maybe one on each side), in addition to the four interchangeable modules. Tight squeeze though, and I’m not sure of the technical requirements for the additional ports.
would switching to a Bluetooth mouse be a viable option to reduce your needs?..
I happen to prefer the USB-C option over a barrel plug (personal preference, mostly for commonality).
My preferred mouse happens to be usb-only.
It’s only because a barrel plug is narrower, and could fit with a second port, that I’m advocating that option. If two USB-C ports could fit on a single module, a barrel plug would be moot, and I’d be rooting for a dual-USB-C module.
The older Alienware R13 (and perhaps other models) actually did have an HDMI in wired directly to the display that allowed using your $$$$$ laptop as a monitor (since you probably couldn’t afford a monitor after buying the laptop…)
That said, I think for someone wanting to do this they’d be better off with a TinyPilot or PiKVM on a Pi Zero in gadget mode using an HDMI to CSI adapter (will be larger than the module slot sadly) but they’ve gotten some crazy low latencies on the video, not sure how they are coming on audio support.
PoE++ aka 802.3bt is capable of up to 90w iirc. There is a company that makes an adapter that pulls off the PoE to USB-C, sadly it drops the ethernet from 1000 to 100 at the same time.
Dual SD/MicroSD UHS-II would be awesome if possible…
Regarding the 1/4" TRS socket, it could face the user, or away from them, leaving the entire volume of the module for a decent ADC? Someone wanting a specialised interface like that would probably accept some protruding that breaks the sleek lines haha
The same could be true for other connectors.
