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The E-Machines EtherDock (originally marketed as DeskNet)[1] is a portable docking station that was developed by SuperMac Technology and released in Fall 1993 under its E-Machines brand for the PowerBook Duo line from Apple Computer.[2]

Features[]

Like Apple's own Duo MiniDock, the EtherDock interfaced with a PowerBook Duo notebook through a custom 152-pin docking connector. A lever was used to secure and release the devices. All the ports, drives, and expansion slots of the dock would become accessible by the PowerBook Duo as a NuBus device. It contained 512KB of video RAM that could support up to 8-bit color on a 832 x 624 external display, while the built-in LCD was operating simultaneously. During bootup, any attached external monitor would show the E-Machines logo. The distinctive feature of the EtherDock is that the pass-through RJ11 modem port was replaced with a RJ45 Ethernet port.[3][4]

Variants[]

The EtherDock was based on Apple Computer's Duo MiniDock, which SuperMac Technology manufactured on behalf of Apple.[3]

Issues[]

With repeated use of excessive force, the plastic ejection lever is known to be prone to breakage.[3] The EtherDock also does not support sleep, so the PowerBook Duo must be shut down completely before the dock is disengaged.[5]

Supported models[]

The EtherDock hardware is known to have gone through at least 4 revisions (A, B, C, and D). Though all revisions can physically fit with every released model of the PowerBook Duo line, revisions A, B, and C only support the 68030-based models:

Revision D can support the 68LC040-based models:

A Revision E was to have supported the PowerBook Duo 2300c, which was based around a 100 MHz PowerPC 601 processor. However, it is unknown whether this revision had ever shipped.[3]

References[]

  1. 拡張性/ドック類:何のためにドックは必要か? (Japanese) by Nao, Duo-Zone Kansai, FC2. 2005-05-23.
  2. New Products, Computerworld. p.39. 1993-10-04.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 E-Machines EtherDock for the PowerBook Duo series by Sean2300c, RetroMacCast. 2009-01-05.
  4. Apple Duo Dock pinout, Pinouts.ru. 2017-05-30.
  5. Dockのスリープ時の脱着 (Japanese) by まーくん, Linkclub. 1998.

External links[]

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PowerBook Duo series
PowerBook Duo 210 · 230 | 250 · 270c | 280 · 280c | 2300c
Duo Dock · Duo Dock II · Duo Dock Plus | Duo Floppy Adapter | Duo MiniDock | PenLite
Third parties : E-Machines EtherDock · PowerLink Presentor | Newer Technology MicroDock · UltraDock | RasterOps DuoMate
Discontinued in 1997 and superseded by the PowerBook 2400c
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