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The EasiDock 1000EV from Mobility Electronics is a non-proprietary docking station with an integrated video card. It can be used to set up a multi-monitor system using a laptop.
Installation
Installation went without problems. My test system was a Dell Latitude CPt S laptop, I installed the EasiDock on Windows XP, 2000 and Me.
Supported operating systems: Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000 and XP. Please note that not all laptops are supported.
The EasiDock connects to the laptop through a Type II 32-bit PCMCIA card.
EasiDock 1000EV with PCMCIA card
EasiDock 1000EV ports
Multiple monitors
The EasiDock includes an ATI RAGE XL PCI video card, with a VGA connector. The card has 8 MB video RAM, maximum resolution is 1600x1200, with a refresh rate of 85 Hz at 24-bit colordepth. The multi-monitor feature worked fine with all tested operating systems.
The video card has 3D acceleration and support for video overlays, which enables high-quality video and DVD playback. On Windows 2000 and XP, you get hardware-accelerated OpenGL on the card if it is the primary display, without disabling secondary monitors.
A note on Windows XP: unlike dualhead laptop video chipsets, you can set the external monitor as primary, useful if you want to use it for DVD playback or games.
If you have a laptop with a dualhead video chipset, you can also use the EasiDock video card for a third monitor. I also tested if it was possible to use both the EasiDock and a PCMCIA video card (Margi Display-to-Go) at the same time, but this didn't work on Windows 2000/XP (due to a driver conflict). Other PCMCIA cards should work fine, my ethernet card had no problems coexisting with the EasiDock.
Undocking: simply press the button on the right side of the EasiDock and you can remove the EasiDock PCMCIA card. You'll need driver version 3.02 or later to use this feature on Windows 2000/XP.
Power management features like Standby and Hibernation worked without problems.
Other features
In addition to the video card, the EasiDock has the following features: 2 USB ports, 10/100Base-T Ethernet, PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse, and one serial and one parallel port. You can use the EasiDock and laptop ports simultaneously.
Due to being a non-proprietary solution, you can use the EasiDock with different laptops, and don't need to get a new docking station if you buy a new laptop.
Conclusion
The EasiDock is an excellent solution for adding an additional monitor to your laptop. And if you travel a lot, the docking station makes it a lot easier to get the laptop ready for the road.
If you need more monitors, check out the EasiDock 5000: it has 2 PCI slots (one PCI slot used by the included RAGE XL card).
More information
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