Docking Station without Using Sled?

I am looking into my options with making a home docking station for my Empeg. All of the home docks I've seen use a hacked car sled for making the various connections, which to me, has some limitations I would rather not deal with.

I was thinking that, with some careful positioning and securing of the power, RCA, and Ethernet jacks, I might be able to build a docking station where I can slide the empeg in and have those jacks snap in normally. Obviously the ethernet cable would have to have the little plastic lock ripped off, and such a design might have to be tweaked a lot, but couldn't this work?

I just don't want to hack up my only remaining sled, nor do I want to deal with the task of wiring up all the connections on the wiring loom when there's already jacks for home audio and home power wiring on the unit.

So has anyone out there built a home dock without using a sled? If so, can I see some project pictures? I want to get an idea of if this is feasible, and then maybe start working on it. If my only option is to hack a sled, I might not bother.

I was thinking about this, too. But I doubt I could offer any insight or ideas. I actually want to get some metal and make a new sled with only the connectors I want. I know someone that loves to build things and would be willing to help - especially if he knew it would actually get some use.

When I built my docking station, the only change I made to the actual sled was to bend the tabs that hold it in. With judicious use of the screw thread, perhaps even that could be avoided.

Power plug (unconnected, but needed to switch the player to AC mode) and ethernet are held in a block of wood carved to hold them. This block is tight in my cage, but it could be secured with a bolt to the existing mounting nut if necessary.

All wiring uses the connectors on the harness - ISO connector, audio jacks, D-connector, etc. It meant spending money on extra connectors just to extend them to the case, but I thought that was worth it.

So I didn't cut any wires or drill any holes making mine. I'm pretty confident I could take the cage out in an almost-new state (with just the bent tabs and some slide marks to show it's been used).

Sorry I have no photos. If I ever get myself a digital camera, I'll see what I can do.

Aren't the home RCA jacks quite fragile? You definately don't want to break the tracks leading to the RCA plugs

I've tried to make a home sled with a docking connector I took off my spare sled but I never got around to getting the alignment right for the ethernet plug so it's still on my Todo pile.

- Trevor

Hmm. I don't think breaking the sled beyond repair is my concern, I just want to do without the sled completely. I would prefer to use the jacks on the Empeg itself rather than having to wire things up to the harness. I was looking for someone with a completely "sledless" docking station... But I guess if there are none, I do have an extra sled, and could use it. I just don't want to.

I dunno, RCA jacks always seemed pretty solid to me. If everything were carefully measured and positioned in the right spot, I don't see why they couldn't just slide in.

I just don't want to hack up my only remaining sled, nor do I want to deal with the task of wiring up all the connections on the wiring loom

Having done this myself, I have to say that if you've already got a docking sled, then use it. You do not have to "hack it up". All of the things I did are reversible. The serial and audio connectors use removable plugs. The docked ethernet and home power are on a separate board which screws into the hole in the back center of the sled. Look at my pics on the Riocar site closely and you can see.

The only thing I did to make the sled less-than-pristine was bend the tabs on the edge, but those can be bent back if need be.

See, the only reason that the docked ethernet and home-power work so well is that the sled fits the player so perfectly. It's carefully machined so that the player slides in exactly the same way every time. A home-made solution for this probably wouldn't dock perfectly every time. So your home-made connectors wouldn't necessarily dock each time, you'd have the player getting "stuck" on the way into the sled occasionally.

Mmm.. sounds easy enough to do. Heck, you could even just biscuit one up from MDF in an hour or so.

The RCA jacks on the unit are the tricky bit, as one can break the player if the mating plugs don't have sufficient wiggle room.

I recently got a couple of mating connectors for the docking connector specificially for such a purpose: so I can build a dock or two without needing a sled (or two). I hope to use the docking connector to supply audio out (instead of the more fragile RCA jacks).

But.. summer calls..

Cheers

I recently got a couple of mating connectors for the docking connector specificially for such a purpose: so I can build a dock or two without needing a sled (or two). I hope to use the docking connector to supply audio out (instead of the more fragile RCA jacks).

Where'd you get them?

There were a couple of big threads about group orders (try the Search engine) for these back about a month. One of the participants in that sent me a couple of them.

Cheers

Somehow I completely zoned on this thread. I was traveling more or less throughout, but I know I read several times during the duration.

I suck.

I've been pondering a docking station minus sled, as well. I haven't started to build anything yet, but the best solution I've been able to think of for the connections is to drill holes into a block of wood that are just slightly larger in diameter than the rca plugs. The plugs can sit in the hole, and, since it's a slightly loose fit, have a bit of wiggle room.

The other thing I was thinking of doing was getting some sort of smooth laminate to line the inside of the docking surface so that it's not sliding in on wood.

A

The other thing I was thinking of doing was getting some sort of smooth laminate to line the inside of the docking surface so that it's not sliding in on wood.

Yeah, I was gonna use pre-laminated wood. Maybe even some of the "ready-shelf" stuff they have at Home Depot. I really like your idea for the RCA jacks with some wiggle room. Simple, and seems like it'll work. Maybe I'll embark on this project sooner than I thought.... (considers leaving work early to visit Home Depot...)

Hmm one thought that just occurred to me... The drive screws on either side would probably require a little routing into said material in order to get a tight fit... Then again, they could also help you guide the player into place if a couple tracks were, in fact, routed into the sides. Since one is higher than the other, it looks like two carefully-routed grooves on the side rails of the box could be pretty nifty.

Hmmm. Thinking...

Hmm... thanks for pointing those out. I handn't noticed them before.

I think getting something that small to line up in two tracks might get to be a PITA. I'd be tempted to use a single track, possibly lined with the sort of tracking used in drawers (so you don't ding up the track).

Yeah, 2 grooves would be a PITA to line up. You'd be better off making the 'box' itself a snug fit, and putting in a wider groove that doesn't interfere with the screws at all. A snug fit will also help with plug alignment at the back.

Good points, guys. I think a sledless box is within reach. Just gotta find the time...

I want use the sled but the wire cannot help me to do what I want.

I made a docking station, with the sled nut I'd like to remove some connectors that I dont use, (Tuner, car ISO) and connect my own wires to the harness that I could put to my docking station.

Can someone tell me how to do my own harness in fact ?

There's a small movie in the FAQ on how to remove the contacts from the connector... Some wires have pulled out of my docking connector!

I'd imagine the technique to be identical for the contacts in the connector on the empeg itself.
For extra contacts, check out the threads on group buy of connectors. They're also available from Digi-Key (don't know if they ship internationally...)

/Michael

Thanks ...

*bump*

Just wondering if you'd found the time, yet. I started work on one last week. It's certainly more fiddly than using a sled, but since I eventually want more docking stations than I have sleds...

I haven't gotten to the connectors yet, but I have gotten far enough along to have discoverd that vinyl scratch-resistant floor tiles (the kind where you peel off the backing paper and stick it down) makes a nice smooth surface for entry, and can be bevelled a bit, as well.

Either way, building the station was a good excuse to go out and buy a dremel. Woohoo -- new power tool!