Mark Lord's Docking Station #003

Just received my docking station in the mail today, and it's everything you'd expect from a guy who's such a perfectionist that he released a Hijack version just to correct the version number.

The wood is all put together very well, and all of the components on the back are very tight and in the exact right place you'd want them. The wood is qute sturdy, and the empeg slides into the dock very easily. It also stays in the dock very well, even before tweaking the two adjustable screws which help keep it in place. It's clear Mark spent a lot of time getting this thing right, and it's worth every penny I spent for it.

Overall I give it a 9.5 out of 10, the only thing that could make it better would be if it were already rack-mounted so I could put it *in* my stereo rack instead of *on top* of it.

I'll attach a few pics I snapped to some follow-up posts.

The "before picture." Cables strewn about, a big ol' mess.

The "after picture." Much better, no?

The fan holes are right where they should be.

And finally, the connections on the back. (Works model with serial.)

It looks great. I've got mine just sitting on the top of the sub at the moment with the cables dangling off the back. Only thing would be that I need to find a way of wiring in the extra wires necessary for the tuner as I've got one for home use as well. I don't mind it hanging off the back however.
Just one question, what's the big rack mounted mixer for?

- Trevor

Just one question, what's the big rack mounted mixer for?

I did some DJing back in college, but nowadays, I just use it so I can play my TV, PC, Empeg, and electronic drums through the same system without having to switch inputs.

Haha, I was getting ready to dispose of the box my docking station came in, and I decided to peruse the newspaper which was used for packing material, and I saw this:



That, along with the hockey news displayed prominently on the front page is enough to make me think Canada isn't so bad, after all!

LOL thats great, i might order one just for the newspaper.

At least one other person has asked about dangling a tuner from the rear -- he's sent me his tuner "extension cable" (included with factory tuners) to chop up for the purpose.

To do it yourself, you'll need some extra pins for the docking connector.

And eventually I'll have to add "tuner ID" detection into Hijack as a method for distinguishing between docked and car modes, since when a tuner is plugged in Hijack won't be able to use the "tuner loopback" test for detecting the dock.

Factory tuners have a small dial on the exterior to set the "tuner ID"; Patrick's new tuners have a pair of jumper pins on the logic board for the same purpose. The idea is to use one "Tuner ID" for the tuner in the car, and a different one for the docking station, and then tell Hijack (not implemented yet) which ID means "dock".

Cheers

What do the innards of the unit look like, could you take a piccie of the unit without the empeg docked?

http://rtr.ca/dock/info.html

Greetings!

I just received my dock today. Wow!!! I just want to congratulate Mark on his workmanship. Excellent! And, if anyone has the digital out boards installed, the connectors do not interfere with the docking at all. The first photos had me a little concerned, but there was no trouble at all.

Now the hard part - do I bring this one to work, where I constantly plug and unplug the empeg, or use it in the stereo cabinet, where the home unit sits, but just has lots of visible wiring... Decisions, decisions...

Do you think the box could be modded to take the output from the S/PDIF board ??? I could consider getting on of those boards then.

Cheers

Cris.

Decisions, decisions...

The answer, of course, is to buy a second dock. Though with the current queue, I think you might be waiting until *next* winter.

Do you think the box could be modded to take the output from the S/PDIF board ??? I could consider getting on of those boards then.

I am not certain if the regular outputs that S/PDIF uses would work. However, I remember Stu saying something about routing the signal out through the microphone in line, or another docking connector line. If that is the case, I would say that it could be modified.

The answer, of course, is to buy a second dock. Though with the current queue, I think you might be waiting until *next* winter.

What makes you think I haven't already? I ordered them all at the same time, but asked Mark to delay the additional ones until others had a shot at their first dock. The others are in queue, and will be sent when they are done.

Naw.. I gotta finish them all before rock-climbing season gets too intense..

Of course, with new orders being added daily, an me currently 2400 miles from my workshop, there will be a slight delay until production resumes..

Cheers

Looks like it's been sitting at my post office since the 18th, since I didn't notice they left a "we missed you" slip.

Sigh. Guess I have a new toy to play with in the office tomorrow.

Look on the bright side...you would have probably bust your back rushing to get all that snow shovelled had you known.

By the 18th things were "functional" and our sidewalk was clear on the 17th. The post office is 2.5 blocks from my house.

It's now on my desk, with my empeg docked in it. The question now is whether I come to my office often enough to leave it here (or need one here at all) or if I should take it home.

The question now is whether I come to my office often enough to leave it here (or need one here at all) or if I should take it home.

Best option is to have one dock in each place. That's what I do.

Yeah, I've been thinking I really need one at work now. Couldn't afford it at the time I had to place my first order, though. Wonder if I'd get mine done if I submitted another order..

I'm more of a slacker than that. I'm in my office now and have probably been here more today than in the last 2 weeks. Well, maybe not.

If you order the second one now, you *might* get in.. there's a current backlog of 71 docks, and I have parts for 72 of them.

-ml

In reply to:

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I am not certain if the regular outputs that S/PDIF uses would work. However, I remember Stu saying something about routing the signal out through the microphone in line, or another docking connector line. If that is the case, I would say that it could be modified.

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Please see here for info on that issue.

Stu

So Stu, do you currently sell the docking connectors with the Monster cable attached? As I understand it, if I were to purchase several of those from you for inclusion in my Mark Lord docking stations then that would allow digital output docking is that correct? Are you also willing for an extra fee to do the internal wiring mods on two players to connect to the mike wires at the time of installation of the digital out boards? I really want to get digital docking for my two players but am unable to do any soldering myself.

Well, that custom Monster Cable I made is really for car use or a free standing Empeg, because the female Monster Cable connector is not panel mount. I could however use the same digital Monster Cable wiring and terminate it with a panel mount RCA (not Monster Cable brand) and mount it to the back of a dock. And yes, I could do the internal wiring mods as well. Doing the above would indeed allow you to dock and undock a coaxial S/PDIF connection. PM me if interested.

Stu

I know im real late on this, but I keep missing when you do them, I was wondering if you plan on doing any more docks any time soon if ever. I desperatly want one. PLEASE!!!

Yes, I hope to do another run. The plan was to make them in August 2004, but I just got a work email that may change my life that month. So we'll see. In the meanwhile, keep a sharp eye on the ForSale forum, as docks sometimes show up there (very briefly).

Cheers

Any idea on another run, sometime in the future?

Can't believe I missed the boat on that one.

It may be possible, but I'd consider it unlikely. See here and here.

Occasionally one comes up for sale. Keep your eye on the for sale forum, or post a WTB.

There's one for sale on eBay UK right now (check the For Sale section for the URL).

Edit: Here's a link to the auction.