Home > Consumer Reviews > Toshiba PA3542U-2PRP Dynadock USB Laptop Docking Station with DVI Port

I know this product well so let me try to clear up some of the issues.



1) Toshiba does sell 2 versions of this dock 1 that supports 1280x1024 monitors or 19inch monitors and below and another the other that supports 1680x1050 and 1600x1200 or monitors up to 22 inch and beyond.

2) Vista support for both devices for extended mode operation will be available soon because the technology provider www.displaylink.com already announced full Vista support so Toshiba just needs to test the software then post an update, like every other hardware vendor trying to support Vista.

3) Not sure about the eject issue, but I can say that Vista is loaded with USB issues.



I have a DVI dock on my desk and it works flawlessly with XP and Vista in mirror mode. I highly recommend this product because I only need 1 cable to get my monitor, Ethernet, Audio, and USB devices to work. Nice and clean!

My boss ordered one of these despite my protests, I had a feeling routing all of your PC's peripherals through a single USB 2.0 port wasn't going to work out too well. The networking is a bit flaky, sometimes connecting right away and sometimes requiring a reset of the network adapter. The display doesn't really look right, the coloring is off and there is substantial lag (especially apparent with mouse and when playing videos). A good overall concept for those who don't have a docking station port on their laptop, but in practice it doesn't come out so good.

We purchased this for someone in our office. The idea was that, rather than buying expensive docking stations that would have to be replaced when they get a new portable, we can use this device that is less expensive and can be re-used.

It performs well for what we purchased it for. We can connect multiple components to it (including external monitor, keyboard, mouse and CD-ROM drive) and it handles all of them well.

The only complaints:
* It's a bit obtrusive on the desktop
* I'm not sure if it can support all of the screen resolutions that we may want to have (though we have not run into that problem yet)
* It seems a bit expensive for a "port replicator" - but with a single connection to link to the monitor too, we think it's a good buy

We will probably be buying additional units like this so everyone can use their laptop at home or at the office by connecting a single cable to this.

Commenting on some of the earlier reviews, as of Jan. 2009, the Dynadock U version (the latest version) works fine with my Toshiba laptop Windows Vista 64-bit system, with full Vista home premium operations (aero, etc.) and full video capability on an external monitor (my test: running a full avi movie from my laptop, through the Dynadock to an attached 17" external montior); video playback was fine, with minimal, if that, picture degradation and no video choppiness (note--I had no other CPU-intensive operations running at the same time, apart from a few IE windows open). I have not been able to find other external docks like this that handle Vista 64-bit.

I think that an issue still may remain in the setting of separate resolutions for the laptop monitor and the external monitor, so that each looks good/its best, seemingly especially in mirror mode of the display. But perhaps I just have not figured this out. This seems to be a general matter with external monitors, where the size is different from the laptop monitor, again largely in mirror mode.

In the end, it appears that the Dynadock U is the best option out there for its purposes. If only its manufacturer's recommended sales price wasn't as high as it is (but some deals can sometimes be found).

Note that the earlier Dynadocks, VGA and DVI models, have issues with Windows 64-bit. A 64-bit Vista display driver was issued out earlier this month but the Dynadock software itself was not yet updated the last time I checked; meaning that while the external monitor may function fine with the new display driver, the dock's ethernet and serial ports seemingly won't work with Vista 64-bit. It is unclear if Toshiba will update the software, given the introduction of the Dynadock U (new) version. (And earlier Toshiba information indicated that the VGA and DVI versions were not compatible with Vista 64-bit.)

I needed to replace the old, slow CPU tower that drove my desktop system. A family member asked me if I really needed two computers. I concluded that the answer was a definite "No" and, rather than spend $600-800 on a complete new setup, I bought the Toshiba Dynadock for less than $100, including shipping. Now, my newer, faster and more powerful Toshiba laptop is my only computer, and I continue to use my existing monitor and a separate wireless keyboard and mouse. Undocking is easy when I need to take the laptop with me away from home or just away from my desk. When undocked, my system works perfectly to permit remote connection via LAN. The Dynadock is a great device and has significantly improved my system performance at a very economical price. A very good solution for me!