In recent years, there has been a trend of Type-C dominating the world in notebook interfaces. Basically, they are equipped with 1 to 2 Type-C ports, and the number of interfaces is decreasing. For example, the entire MacBook system only has Type-C Thunderbolt. The interface is extremely lacking.
Faced with the problem of insufficient interfaces, the mainstream solution is to use a docking station to expand multiple USB-A, HDMI ports, TF/SD card slots, network ports, etc. through a Type-C port.
I believe that after reading this article, you will be able to solve these questions:
Q: What is a docking station?
A: The docking station is also called the expansion dock. It has an independent data processing chip inside, which can sub-package and forward the communication data, and can expand the full-featured Type-C to multiple different types of interfaces.
Q: What is the difference between a docking station and a hub?
A: A hub is also called a splitter. There is no processing chip inside. It is essentially a parallel connection between USB interfaces, that is, it can only expand the USB interface, and its performance and stability are much worse. The only advantage is that it is cheapDocking station form
Docking station form
The forms of docking stations currently on the market can be roughly divided into two types: in-line type and connection type.
The in-line docking station fits the notebook, and the overall appearance is more beautiful. However, since the pressure of the entire docking station is concentrated on the USB-C, it will cause certain damage to the notebook interface, and it is not easy to plug and unplug. And there is an obvious problem, that is, after using the in-line docking station, there is a high probability that the port on the same side of the notebook will be filed, so I don't recommend using this type of docking station.
Although the wired docking station is not as beautiful as the straight plug-in type, it is more convenient to plug and unplug, and it does not hurt the USB-C of the notebook, and it does not file to the same side interface. It is the form of most docking stations.
In addition, there is a pedestal docking station, that is, the docking station also serves as a cooling base for the notebook. This design is not only conducive to wiring, but also more beautiful.
Frequently Asked Questions about Docking Station
Why can the price of a docking station with the same function differ by a few hundred yuan? In addition to the high cost of the Raiden chip of the Raiden docking station, the main difference lies in the quality of workmanship and materials. Inferior docking stations will directly affect daily use and even damage the computer.
Signal interference problem
Since USB3.0 and Bluetooth, wifi, mouse 2.4G wireless, etc. are in the 2.4GHz frequency band, it is prone to signal interference problems, ranging from delay to disconnection.
The fundamental reason for the problem of signal interference in the docking station is that the signal isolation of the docking station is poor, or even not available.
A better quality docking station will work hard on signal isolation. The PCB board is completely wrapped with a metal shielding layer to achieve electromagnetic protection. For example, high-quality docking stations such as Apple and Shell Gold are quite good in this regard.
Heat Dissipation
Since the operation of the chip and the high-speed signal transmission must have a certain amount of power consumption, it is a very common phenomenon that the docking station heats up. The specific heating condition is related to the load condition of the docking station, circuit design, and heat dissipation scheme.
The heat dissipation effect of the docking station depends on the material and size of the shell of the docking station.
The temperature of the docking station is 40-50 degrees in daily use, as long as it does not exceed 60 degrees, it is not a problem.
Current sound problem
Current sound is also called electric whistle, and it is related to the entire circuit design of the docking station. Although it does not actually affect the functionality of the docking station, it makes people very uncomfortable. Generally, the electric current sound of the poor quality docking station will be more obvious.
