New Mod Dock to ad Hard Drive

[Vuche]

For everyone's information, some of the external 2.5" usb drives have the mini usb plug soldered right on the drive's motherboard. I have for instance a 750GB external Western Digital drive (it's a 12mm high one though...) that is built this way. So no sata to mini usb adapter needed, it might take less place in the length of the drive, The drive has also 12 pins sticking out on the left of the mini usb port, same way ide pins did, that might be sata connectors (or USB 3.0?). There are also 2 other pins on the right of the usb port.

I also have a 1TB Freecom 2.5" external drive that has a small sata to ide adapter board, but with the mini usb plug on the side of the enclosure instead of the front, which might be also handy for your mod. It's also a 12mm drive, so I will have to find a 9mm one to try it first.

Edit: after opening my standard dock, I see there is a small (about 5mm large) white "lif" connector on the right of the large brown flexible ribbon wire. I think it's the usb lif connector for the Felicat reader that's on the japaneese dock. I might take the time soon to check that as I also have that dock. It's a six pins connector, but sadly enough it's probably to small to solder the cable directly to it. I'm saying that 'cause the USB port you're using won't allow you to plug in any other device as long as the drive is connected to it.

[ceehoppy1st]

Forum member cimino did a super cool mod on a (non-felicia) dock for sportfisio. He found that he could "re-enable" the 4th usb port at the dock's usb hub controller chip & use that data line for the hdd mod. So all 3 external ports were useable. If you have the felicia reader, then I'd image that you do have an active usb line there (just don't know the pinout).

[Vuche]

Thank you, I just went through cimino's post, and I checked my japanese docking station. The little white plug is indeed the 4th usb port (and connected to the Felica reader). Too bad I can't see pictures of his mod (anymore?) though...

I will install a drive anytime soon and try using the 4th port, will let you know how it went.