[Mike] sent in this dell Axim hack. Sure, the Axim is just a handheld, but it’s capable of so much more. [afarre] built a sweet axim jacket. This is version 1, but it features VGA out, rs-232, power, a USB hub and an audio preamp. Version 2 looks pretty good.
17 thoughts on “Axim Super Dock/jacket”
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I am the first person to comment, life goal achieved.
if the hack helps me turn it into a musical instrument, I am in.
mother fsking n00b (@ jwoz)
How exactly do you think that this would help turn in ipaq into a musical instrument?
In any case, I plan to get a hx4700 in the somewhat near future, and something like this (although I am not going to add in the voltage regulator and probably not the hub)
the fact that it has proper audio outputs would put it to good use for noise.
In the industry, we don’t call that a jacket.
It’s called a backpack – as it is quite large in size.
this project has inspired me to hack my archos, add the PVR dock into the case, add a thick plastic layer over the screen, so without the case, its just an archos AV500, with it, its a tivo, lol. i got to look up costs and sedign the curcits, anyone interested in helping, email me at Bobarama7k@yahoo.com
My primary object was adding all possible complementary circuits in a box as small as possible and concentrating whole connectivity at back face.
I do not know how many uses it can have, I use it as carputer but it can also be used as desktop (PDA docking station).
It is moulded for Dell Axim X50 series, it must redesigned to accommodate other PDAs.
I added an audio preamp because I experienced an important volume mismatching when connecting any headset output (from my PDA, from any MP3 device, etc) to any audio amplifier input (home stereo set, car stereo, etc).
I do not know what exactly is it, people at Aximsite gave it the name: Aximizer (Axim + maximizer).
john, if you mean so you can connect USB devices to the axim, then no. i’d have an X51v if it could. the previous version had one port of the usb hub connected to the axim’s usb client, so you could plug the axim and other devices into a PC at once.
dell decided not to bring out the usb host of the pxa270 for some reason, most likely support issues, even though it requires very little extra circuitry.
if you want a PDA that can connect without a expensive CF card, look at toshiba’s line of pdas, as a great number of them have usb host and vga out.
well hello all you tech geeks all i can say about this project if you can call it that is load of shite next plz oh and merry xmass to you all
wait… steve is back?
nice hack, very compact, looks like a commercial product ;)
lets get some hacks wqith plenty of leds for steve to enjoy
It’s a portable version of IBM’s “Universal Business Adapter”!
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7228B38102592033
Hiya, afarre.
A couple notes, readers:
1. There is a USB hub built-into this thing.
2. USB host capabilities require the Ratoc USB host CF card.
3. It is built for functionality (RS232, VGA, USB, Audio all supported here) not for compactness, but considering what you get, it’s quite compact.
4. You could use a similar setup with a different PDA, other than the X50/X51 series, but work on the botom connector would have to be done by you.
ThanK you, Pocketbrain!
For those interested in Axim X50 series with USB host, take a look at this thread ‘Hacking PXA270 internal USB HOST’: http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=140071
i saw this aximizer on the axim site, you should see the video of it installed in his car, its really really well done, great hack :)
out of curiosity would it be possible to set up some composite(? the yellow red and white ones) to a axim x3? more to the point would it be uber hard?
Tom, I do not know what you meant.
Greetings, and congratulations on what looks like an incredible and capable device! Could anythinglike this be done for a palm T5? Is there anyway to add usb ports, and a vga out to a palm?
Thanks- Curtis