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ViDock Gfx PRO: Features and Specifications
Source: Tom's Hardware – Keywords: vidock, expresscard, graphics
Syndication:
ViDock Gfx PRO: Features and Specifications
In Village Tronic’s documentation, they claim that their goal with the ViDock is to “create an affordable, reliable device that would empower notebook users by allowing them to connect more and bigger displays to their computers, as if they were desktop systems.”
The ViDock is much more than this simple goal would suggest. While Village Tronic focuses on the ViDock’s multiple display functionality, its hardware might be considered a little overkill for this task. While it does offer support for a lot of displays, the ViDock offers a great deal of 3D graphics acceleration for laptops with slower integrated chipsets, allowing for much faster performance in professional 3D applications, games, and HD 1080p video playback. In addition, the ViDock includes a USB port in addition to its display outputs, which makes it a very attractive docking station for users on the go who want to use a better display, keyboard, and mouse when they get home: with the ViDock, all of that can be quickly attached with a single ExpressCard cable.
Since driving multiple displays is Village Tronic’s core focus for the ViDock, let’s look at that functionality first. Village Tronic claims that the ViDock supports the highest resolutions available to an external graphics card solution, with the ability to drive two analog or two digital displays at 2560x1600 each. Here is a breakdown of some competing external display solutions and their specifications compared to the ViDock Gfx:
As you can see from the chart, the ViDock does seem to offer the most feature-rich display solution available. I would note that Village Tronic’s chart would suggest that all versions of the ViDock Gfx will accelerate HD Video playback, but as far as I know, the base model ViDock ‘Business Edition’ models—sporting Radeon X1550 or GeForce 7200 GS graphics—probably won’t sufficiently accelerate high-definition1080p video from a Blu-ray source in a satisfactory manner. Without this version of the ViDock to test, though, we can’t say for sure.
Speaking of the different versions of the ViDock, let’s consider the different models, the hardware each model sports, and the suggested retail prices:
| MSRP: $329 |
| ATI Version: GPU X1550, 128MB DDR2 |
| NVidia Version: GPU GF7200GS, 128MB DDR2 |
| MSRP: $429 |
| ATI Version: GPU HD2600Pro, 512MB DDR2 |
| NVidia Version: GPU GF8600GT, 512MB DDR2 |
| MSRP: $499 |
| GPU: GPU X1550, 128MB DDR2 |
As you can see, the $100 price spread between the Business and Pro versions of the ViDock will upgrade the user from a low-end 128MB DirectX 9 graphics chipset to a more respectable 512MB DirectX 10 graphics chipset. However, we should point out that the street price difference between, say, a, X1550 and a 2600 PRO 512MB is only in the neighborhood of $40. And it’s also notable that the Mac version is considerably more expensive than the PC version of the ViDock.
Village Tronic anticipates the ViDock’s retail availability by the end of the second quarter of 2008. This means that we were given an early pre-release version of the ViDock Gfx Pro for testing, so bear in mind that the company has some time to iron out any problems we might encounter.
Now that we know what to expect, let’s dig in to the hardware!
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"If your integrated video chipset doesn’t support DHCP, or doesn’t accelerate decoding, it’s not going to play Blu-ray movies."
Amazing how far DHCP has come over the last few years... Looks like it's already replacing HDCP 
Did they beat ASUS to the punch? When is this product available?
Call of Duty 4 is so much easier on hardware, I prefer to concentrate on stuff that will really challenge it like Crysis and SupCom so we have a worst-case scenario.
There are several interesting points here. The fact that card compatability is dependant on chipset type is interesting but not really shocking. It's (sort of) similar to the hybrid SLI and Crossfire capability of the 780 series chipsets and the way the chipsets support specific GPU series. It sounds as though another header or bus type is needed to fully support the concept. The expresscard/USB bus was the holdup a year ago and it appears to still be the main bottleneck. I'm curious to see if AMD's PUMA platform or Intel's version (forgot the name) will show us something in this area. Am also wondering if one of the laptop OEM's might offer the external card setup for specific models of their computers. Will be interesting to see what others are doing. Haven't heard anything at all from ASUS since early last year.
would it be possible to run crossfire/sli with two of these things? (largely out of curiosity, twould be insane to actuall sensibly do it...) That way wouldn't you have 2 seperate pcie 1x bandwidths to play with/
aww, i wish the express card slot had enough bandwidth to suport a geforce 9800 card
I see two things here that really limit the power of this device. First is the bandwidth. Chipset manufacturers will need to introduce some sort of "mobile express" port option with significantly more juice - something that I just don't see happening, especially considering this device is intended for existing/older notebooks. Second, in order to get the extra graphics horsepower you need an external display, something that will set you back at least another $300 for wuxga. Now we're at $729.
If you've already got a laptop with upgradeable mxm graphics, you can upgrade to a better card for much less than that, and still use the laptop's display. Even better, if you've got an SLI laptop, that money could buy you a 2nd 8800M GTX.
In my opinion $729 is a waste of money when $2149 will already buy you a nice Toshiba X205-SLI6 model notebook with dual 8600M GT graphics cards. Better value, better performance and much better looks.
^ I'm agreeing with you in that it can't be backwards compatable. It's just not going to work well that way. We need a new interface. Let's just hope it doesn't take as long as the "n" standard. Good grief - I bought into pre-n routers and cards 2 years ago and until a few months ago, there were people wringing their hands and saying that the world might end if you did that. It was the same thing going to s939. Naysayers were saying that it the upgrade from sempron was sooooo foolish and that only noobs would waste their money on such a thing. And then along came C2D and the magnetic poles of the planet changed places!!!
The technology is evolving and it's evolving in multiple dimensions. I'm a little disapointed in Toms'. They just seem to be reporting instead of actually doing something. How about actually getting out a soldering iron and creating electron paths? What do you think guys - actually develop hardware .. what a concept!
The real solution for people who want to play games on a laptop is to get a laptop with a DECENT graphics card at the get-go, meaning splurge on a $2000+ machine from HP or Alienware if you are going to want to play high-power games.
Just buy a new Dell with the dedicated 8600m gt video card... they are going for less than a grand now, and actually do run games pretty well.
I think I am better off spending $2,000 on a laptop with 17" screen & 8800gt built in, than on a $1,500 laptop w/15" screen + $429 ViDock Pro + $400 video card.
sorry, no 8800gt in laptops. There are GTS models and GTX models though. I've seen setups from Toshiba and Gateway go for under $1400 with an 8800m gts. Gaming on laptops is A LOT cheaper than it used to be.
for that 429$ price why don't you just build a cheap gaming pc with an 8500gt or so? it actually works with most operating systems. I feel that very few people are going to buy this but the one's who are really need it.
Nice to see you got the review up.
Was getting worried there for a while. >B~/
Nice to see the HD acceleration, I'm wondering if the 100% spikes aren't something to do with something else going on in the background. I see those every one in a while when testing and it's always some other app getting twitchy because Vista's doing something.
Still seems very niche, like for the ultra-light portables where there is no option possible for something even GF8600M/MHD2600 level to be added something like a MacBook Air or Toshiba 500. But for the general public, best to just sell your old laptop and buy a cheap mid-level one.
Nice review as usual, next stop LASSO and an HD4870X2! >B~)
I don't want to assume that this entire discussion is gaming only. There is another device out there that has been OEM tested and works great in adding additional monitors to a laptop-even a ThinkPad(just disable Presentation Director)
usb2dvi video adapter allows you to add an additional monitor per adapter up to 6 additional screens in addition to the 2 normally supported by the laptop. Either DVI and/or VGA through a USB hub and/or direct connection.
It is 2D only.
http://www.colorgraphic.net/produc [...] vices.html
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thats a nice work around for 3d graphics on laptops. but at the 429 price tag plus the price of a 8600gt or a 3870.. thats getting pricy.
its a valid option, but one that a normal user should think twice about.
nice write up