MK802 Notebook!

[EnvyThisStuff]

My experience was that there was no combination of cables that "just fit" (because I bought all the ones mentioned here and even more of them not mentioned) and that cutting/soldering or trimming was necessary in all cases (and in some cases neither would work, either because wrong pin'nage, or just wouldn't fit next to each other no matter how much trimming, etc). All the cables and adapters I got got intermixed in a pile so I currently don't know who I got what from, though the best match was from some not mentioned here. I will try to sort them out and when I do I'll sell the extra ones.

[TimW]

Here are the photos of my set-up I promised. The first is the way I use and required only the four items from Amazon I listed in my earlier post but did require trimming the connectors.

Connected with a little trimming

Connected1.jpg (190.89 KiB) Viewed 11213 times

Here is a close up of the trimming I did:

Trimmed Connectors

Trimming.jpg (124.16 KiB) Viewed 11213 times

This second set-up is closer to how I connect my Raspberry Pi but does yield a fully functional system with no modification whatsoever:

Trim-free connection

Connected2.jpg (191.29 KiB) Viewed 11213 times

The only thing I had to do for this last one is to use the Lapdock as if I was using a case on an Atrix. There is a snap-fit removable piece on the dock which makes it too snug for the phone to be fitted in it's case and is designed to be removable (it's just a snap-fit and can be put back later if required just by pushing it back in place).

This second set-up requires ordering the micro-hdmi connector from e-bay which takes several weeks to arrive but does make it possible to get everything working with no modification to either lapdock or connectors. If you were going to use this for your set-up, you should probably get a different cable from the micro hdmi adapter to the MK802 but, as I said earlier, I haven't found any hdmi adapters which don't work - it's the USB ones you need to be careful with (incidentally, the USB cable I used in the second is another startech one I got from Amazon which is too short for the first set-up - I'll put a link up to the Amazon page if anyone wants it, but the first USB cable will work in this configuration as well).

[trigger_]

My experience was that there was no combination of cables that "just fit" (because I bought all the ones mentioned here and even more of them not mentioned) and that cutting/soldering or trimming was necessary in all cases (and in some cases neither would work, either because wrong pin'nage, or just wouldn't fit next to each other no matter how much trimming, etc). All the cables and adapters I got got intermixed in a pile so I currently don't know who I got what from, though the best match was from some not mentioned here. I will try to sort them out and when I do I'll sell the extra ones.

I'm sorry but that is not correct. I have my MK802 Notebook setup (pics below) with a cable and adapter I bought off ebay and I didn't have to make any modifications, cutting, soldering etc. except for cutting a little bit of plastic from the female end of the usb cable so the MK802 fits more snug against the cable when both are attached.

And everything is working like a dream! Lubuntu is almost fully functional - apart from videos which are slow but I just use clive to download youtube videos first and then watch them later with gnome-player. And Android is working perfectly now with the rev2 firmware offered on this forum. So I boot into Android when I want to mess around with some gaming, watch movies etc; and I boot into Lubuntu when I need to do some more serious stuff usually in the command line. I use CLI where I can (mutt for reading email, newsbeuter for reading news, grive to synce my GDrive, ssh into my NAS), use Chromium as my browser, point to mobile sites where possible and all-in-all performance is pretty much like a normal laptop. Except it fits easily into my backpack and the battery lasts most of the day.

As I tend to travel alot, I am finding my MK802 Notebook almost perfect for traveling. Its liike a fully functional laptop and an Android tablet all-in-one... with the benefit of a keyboard and mouse!

[EnvyThisStuff]

Even if in your case any adjustments were minor, they still needed to be made, which covers my statement. That said, I think some lapdock's are snugger than others. Anyway, I'm finding myself bringing the lapdock around as well with the long battery life and less weight instead of a MacBook Pro which also avoid wear and tear on it, so it's a win no matter how you look at it.

[trigger_]

Fair enough I guess... Note though that cutting the plastic was very much optional in my case as I could have attached the adapter (with MK802) and usb cable straight-out-of-the-box and it still fits.

Hey, any idea what the situation with replacing the battery on the lapdock? I know for most of us, our lapdocks are still new, but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to replace the battery. And given that this is a discontinued line of product from Motorola, I'm not sure how available the support from them will be in the future once this battery starts to degrade to a point where it needs to be replaced.

The reason I'm asking is that I am seeing more uses for my lapdock in the future, as the minipc scene starts to develop even further and more powerful devices come out with hdmi ports.

[EnvyThisStuff]

I was wondering that too. I had looked on eBay and it gave zero hits. But I'd be curious of a battery source too realizing that at some point it may be(?) "old" (even if unused) batteries being provided, though it could be they used something fairly standard?

[NeoStormer]

This link helped me out a lot:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/itdojo/motorola-lapdock-teardown-tiny-motherboard-no-hdmi-output/2986

Take a look at the teardown gallery, you'll find that the batteries are bonded to the casing, practically no ideal way to remove them, so replacements a certainly out of the question.

[NOD]

This link helped me out a lot:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/itdojo/motorola-lapdock-teardown-tiny-motherboard-no-hdmi-output/2986

Take a look at the teardown gallery, you'll find that the batteries are bonded to the casing, practically no ideal way to remove them, so replacements a certainly out of the question.

Seems like people should keep a eye out for a alternative to the Lapdocks.
Perhaps even develop and manufacture one that's meant for tinkerers and curious souls.

[EnvyThisStuff]

Am I right that the lapdock is no longer being made and really now on the "secondary" marketplace for all intents and purposes? Sure seems like a good idea that's begging to be generalized.

[trigger_]

Sure seems like a good idea that's begging to be generalized.

The generalised idea you talk of is already out there!

http://clamcase.com/clambook-android-and-iphone-laptop-dock.html

Its not out yet though, and only works with MHL. But I guess by that time, when our lapdock batteries die, the minipcs by then, the MK802-XIII maybe (LOL!), would be MHL compatible.

Also no idea how much it will be.