What new Expansion Card types do you want to see released?

That wouldn’t work for signal integrity and it would be really dangerous, like imagine putting your power supply into the C port and then any device you put into the A port gets 20 volts it doesn’t expect.

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There is no internal hub in the Framework. The ports are directly connected to the CPU, which contains two thunderbolt controllers for two ports each, and each TB controller contains two USB root ports, on for each port (duplicated for USB2/3, but ignore that for simplicity).

IIUC, connecting together multiple pins in side the USB-C connector (to allow rotating the connector, which is done for the USB2 pins to support rotation) was not possible for USB3, because the short stubs inside the USB-C connector would create problematic reflections, so anything that routes all the way to another USB-A connector is probably going to be more problematic.

Note that this is for the USB3 pins, if you just make USB2 available on the USB-A port, then signal integrity is probably not an issue (not sure though, 480Mbps is already a lot).

However, as @Jonathan_Haas suggested, overvolting the USB-A port is problematic, as is accidentally plugging in both ports, and I also think someone looked at this and concluded USB-C + USB-A is a tight if not impossible fit (even two USB-C were tricky IIRC), but I’m not sure if that’s just the connectors, or the problem was primarily room for the required circuitry.

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Nice. (as in, there is nothing extraneous and can fail)
Since that, I might grab a USB hub, I guess.

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Considering that there are tiny DAC/headphone amp dongles that have 110 dB SINAD, I’d love to see what a fully fleshed-out audiophile module could look like. Limiting ourselves to staying under -100 dB THD+N, it should definitely be doable to throw >250 mWrms/channel into 16 ohms and >40 mWrms/channel into 300 ohms using rails derived from USB’s 5 V power supply and off-the-shelf parts.

I know this can be done. The E1DA 9038S referenced above is able to outdo those numbers, and fits in a volumetric space about equivalent to the expansion card size. There are still others, albeit larger, which can perform even better. Using a 10 volt rail instead of a 5 volt rail is all it would take to achieve 1 Wrms/channel, and that can be achieved with either an IC charge pump or PD shennanigans.

Since Framework’s USB implementation has all the bells and whistles of PD, perhaps we can make use of higher voltage rails for increased power output. I’ll gladly pay $200+ for a module that can do a full watt rms per channel into 16 ohms with ~100 dB SINAD. It would not only integrate into the laptop seamlessly, it’d be entering legendary-tier performance and the module would probably sell like hot cakes even to people outside the Framework ecosystem.

Hmu if you’re willing to work on this! I’m drafting a design for a module that can do all of that but could use some help and would love to collaborate.

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Hello guys! One of the coolest features of the Framework laptop is the fact that you can choose your own ports! I’m curious what expansion cards you guys are using and what you would like to see in the future!

I may be wrong, But i guess the intel wireless pci-e card offered by framework already supports monitor mode under linux

to check Supported interface modes run iw list

if it’s not supported, u can replace existing card with ath10k mini pci-e card which will save an expansion slot

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As a content creator, a full-sized high-speed SD Card reader will be a nice thing to have as a module.

Like this?

Slightly niche but CANBUS would be cool for robotics work: CANable: USB to CAN Adapter – Openlight Labs

I thought framework is making a microcontroller board with a few of these stuff broke out (I2C, for example. SPI too)

However, as I mentioned earlier, it’s probably more useful to make them to be available to other devices as well (not just framework).

Like the CSR Bluetooth thing
image

I’ve actually completed a prototype, only issue that it works at low speed and can only provide 100mA. I should be able to solve the speed issue by modifying the pull up/down resistors.

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Ok Give me a clue, what is it :slight_smile:

Read the post above.

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I think it would be awesome to see DIY stylus option in the framework, and such expansions that actually the old Amiga had as option. Eg. processor card with memory slot, or external GPU option via USB C but as docking option - being attachable on the bottom part of the laptop, cellular support via your own phone using as a module (eg. phone screen can be your touchpad/numpad extension and more). If you guys are doing smart way, you have to only design once the framework laptop, and the extensions/DIY kits will do the rest for you.

I might have some input on the possible Hi-Fi Audio expansion card, through my own experience with audiophile equipment. Ideas on DAC chips and OP-AMPS.

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Any update on the Ethernet Expansion card?

Framework released one, it’s big so hangs out of the side of the laptop, but it does 2.5GbE as well as Gigabit.

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I was asking about updates to that one. When will it be in stock?

The link is the above two posts provide an option to be notified, users here will not have any better info.