I currently run Haiku on and off on a Thinkpad T480s. Hardware is generally well supported. Im blessed not to even need Vesa mode and am able to WiFi without a dongle.
I’ve been tempted to pickup the “Thinkpad Ultra Docking Station” so I can use it as a desktop system. However, im unsure how well that might work with Haiku? I seem to recall threads where folks have had issues using external monitors on thinkpads.
Would be curious to hear from any folks, if they have a similar configuration.
Hi! Not using one, and I am not sure they would be well supported.
On my side (intel graphic card), external monitor works on HDMI only if I have the laptop lid kept closed as soon as the computer is powered on so EFI only detect one active display (the external one).
Maybe the same kind of “trick” would work with a HW dock.
Personally I would refrain from buying a dock to specifically run it (unless you can accept the risk of it probably not working).
I use a Fujitsu dock. Don’t expect miracles with the video outputs: ycu will still get only one display at a time and maybe not all of them. In my case, I can use the displayport output with a dvi adapter, but not the dvi output of the dock.
Previously I had a thinkpad x200 and I never managed to get the video outputs working at all. On this one I have more success, so, maybe someday I can finally do some work on multi-display
Looking at various sources including the Lenovo website, it seems that some models have a DisplayLink chipset which is not supported by Haiku AFAICT.
I use a T480s with a usb-c docking station by Port Connect (it doesn’t seem to be in stock, though) and all the ports work:
I have not tried the VGA and the Mini DisplayPort.
You will not get the power button available in the Lenovo dock but it will not work anyway as it requires a dedicated driver on Windows.
You’d better get one on ebay…
I do not know about Thunderbolt / USB Docks under Haiku. the classic thinkpad docks work, but you ONLY get ONE display, and you have to choose it in the BIOS (First/Main Display Setting)
Well happy to report that external video on the “Thinkpad Ultra Docking Station” does work with Haiku when paired with the T480s, on displayport. As others have indicated you have to boot docked. I have not tried any other ports. The laptop doesn’t seem to support audio out via displayport, but that seems like a limitation of the laptop and not Haiku; as displayport isn’t picked up as an audio device in linux either.
Good news! What about other ports?
I was just testing via USB boot. Will reinstall it on a spare partition and do some more thorough testing later this weekend. Though I am a bit unprepared to test some of them. (No VGA monitor at the momment, and no adapter handy.)
That being said USB replication was clearly working as well. I had mouse/keyboard going.
The docking station is interesting because the keyboard on my T450s is getting worse and the trackpad was awful from the beginning, so it could be moving towards non-laptop future.
But … tell me more about this T480s, with the well supported hardware? Does that mean that trackpad isn’t erratic and oversensitive? I’m not sure what the problem is with mine, it doesn’t always happen, but I suppose it detects my hands through the air. Then the cursor flies off to somewhere. It’s bad enough that for a while I had cardboard or something taped over the trackpad. All I really need is a laptop I can type on and use the trackpad to move the cursor around when I want to.
Alright more testing. (Assuming one was docked at boot). For the record again, this is a T480s with an embedded intel GPU. (Not the NVidia GPU model). In conjunction with the “Thinkpad Ultra Docking Station”. Lenovo part number 40AJ0135US.
I mostly use the red track point nub. But Ive not noticed anything erratic with the trackpad on the device. It’s presented to Haiku as vanilla PS2 device and not a i2u device. There is however no palm rejection, so it is possible to accidentally move the mouse while typing. But I have never experienced anything as bad as you have described.
Ive honestly had worse experiences with other laptops on more mainstream operating systems. This trackpad performs as I would expect in Haiku.
I could be wrong about this, but swore I read that was just a known issue with WiFi right now? Am I wrong? Does auto connect work reliably with other chipsets?
Since I have a realtek USB wifi at hand, I tried booting with that in place, and no wifi action unless I turn it on - same as the idual in my T450s. If that’s what “auto connect” means. Also tested while I was at it - idual performance is at least 60% better (though about a tenth of what I get on the Mac.)
At first I was surprised because mine connects on boot, but of course that’s because I have a shell script that starts it up on boot. “wifi” command, called from a script in config/boot/launch/
#!/bin/sh
DEV=/dev/net/idualwifi7260/0
#DEV=/dev/net/realtekwifi/0
HOST="$2"
case $2 in
'') HOST=MEO ;;
# old modem '') HOST='CenturyLink4362' ;;
esac
case $HOST in
MEO)
HOST='MEO-55555'
PW='itisntreally'
;;
[cC]entury*)
HOST='CenturyLink4362'
PW='7dybxe3cv4rkvw'
;;
*)
HOST="$2"
PW="$3"
esac
case $1 in
scan) ifconfig $DEV scan ;;
join) ifconfig $DEV join "$HOST" "$PW" ;;
leave) ifconfig $DEV leave "$HOST" ;;
*) echo 'Usage scan|leave|join [network password]' >&2 ;;
esac
It‘s a know issue (with ticket) but it doesn‘t appear for everyone.
In order to expand the hardware database with new devices, can you give me more information about your docking station? Name of the device (more precisely).
It’s now packed in a box somewhere but brand and model can be read in the photo I’ve posted:
Brand: Port Connect
Model: Type C Docking Station - Travel 1x4K ++
It appears to be out of stock from the manufacturer’s web site, though.
Ahoy @lelldorin ,
This is a newer type of docking stations. It is really better fits among USB port replicators, I mean such devices, what port possibilities reduced must use such devices to be able to connect more devices.
The difference only the purpose - in this case this “docking stations” used to be connect all peripherials, input- and ourput devices, instead of the laptop … this way you can quickly “detach” the laptop itself :
→ stop the USB docking device itself on OS
→ unplug USB-C cable from the laptop.
The classical docking station works with a docking port on the bottom of the laptop. Such docking stations a full different category, as in that case the power adapter connects to the docking station, and the laptop lid can be closed, and you still even power up or down the laptop using the docking station’ power button. So for that you must create a total new category in HW database, as those are more than just port replicators, as wrote those have a unique connector : especially for docking. Some uses retention locks, some even have keys as well, so they can be locked by a Kensington lock and you cannot remove the laptop at all - without the key which unlock the retention mechanism.
Whar @Nexus-6 sent in, this is also “docking station” by new terminology, but in a way
lesser than a classical docking station - however for traveling :
it is really better fit for the probably small hotel room desks
and has a lesser ‘heavy weight’ 
,
which can be allso a good seller point as well, nowadays.
EDIT : fixed typos.
good argument, thanks
USB-C docking stations usually provide Power Delivery so they use only one cable to connect to the laptop.
Some dedicated models also have a power button but this is not standardised and it usually works only with the laptop series they were designed for.
With the latest iterations of USB-C and Thunderbolt there is less and less the need of a dedicated port for the docking station.
I don’t see why they should be categorised separately.