Custom DIY Dock for phones with cases or extended batteries

[jonagpa]

I updated the guide and added something for those of you that were hesitant about doing this because of the lack of good looks. let me know what you guys think.

 

[Protonus]

I updated the guide and added something for those of you that were hesitant about doing this because of the lack of good looks. let me know what you guys think.

A much better choice for the finish would be auto motive body filler aka bondo. It comes in multiple grades/thicknesses much like drywall repair filler or plaster. Moisture doesn't affect it and it's much harder to chip or crack etc. the lighter fluffier stuff is called glaze, and it's not meant to be a big gap filler or be ultra tough and flexible like normal bondo, but rather a quick skim or top coat. It sands very easily and quickly. Sand with 400 grit to about perfect, than spray sandable primer on it and wet sand with 800. From there you could spray a few coats of automotive enamel, and a few coats of clear, wet sand to 2500 grit and finish with compound, than wax, for a true mirror finish like the best auto motive paint jobs

 

[Protonus]

Update: It seems like I can't set my oven to a temp lower that 170* so I cant actually test this my self, maybe someone else can.

Toaster oven should do the trick.

 

[FlanFlinger]

With regard to whether it switches to dock mode automatically, have you seen this thread on the Galaxy S forum ?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=820275&highlight=fun+resistors

 

[jonagpa]

With regard to whether it switches to dock mode automatically, have you seen this thread on the Galaxy S forum ?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=820275&highlight=fun+resistors

I am currently trying to get the 1k resistor to activate the home dock app but I was unable, the thread says it should be pin 4 and 5 witch i tried (i cut a micro usb i had laying around, pin 4 should be the one with no insulation and pin 5 should be color black) it might have something to do with me running super clean DL09 rooted, I will try to go back to sock and see what happens, also the guide was for the galaxy s not the fascinate so it might be different enough. I will continue trying.

 

[jonagpa]

A much better choice for the finish would be auto motive body filler aka bondo. It comes in multiple grades/thicknesses much like drywall repair filler or plaster. Moisture doesn't affect it and it's much harder to chip or crack etc. the lighter fluffier stuff is called glaze, and it's not meant to be a big gap filler or be ultra tough and flexible like normal bondo, but rather a quick skim or top coat. It sands very easily and quickly. Sand with 400 grit to about perfect, than spray sandable primer on it and wet sand with 800. From there you could spray a few coats of automotive enamel, and a few coats of clear, wet sand to 2500 grit and finish with compound, than wax, for a true mirror finish like the best auto motive paint jobs

i think I will use this on my second dock, I will post my result and update the thread, thanks for the great idea!

 

[Fallon]

So does it go into the dock app automatically?

I got car dock mode working... The only part I could find that would let you mess with the right pins was about $4, none of my cables would allow access to pin 4. I haven't tried home dock, but just changing to a 1k ohm (I think) resistor instead of 619k should do the trick.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11825980&postcount=41

Now that I have the electronics mostly sorted out I'm planning on using the techniques from this thread to build my own custom cradle for my car dock. I already have a generic one, probably going to take the generic cradle off the arm, trim off most of the plastic, then just attach the custom bit to the mounting bracket so I can mount it to the arm with the suction cup.

 

[jonagpa]

I got car dock mode working... The only part I could find that would let you mess with the right pins was about $4, none of my cables would allow access to pin 4. I haven't tried home dock, but just changing to a 1k ohm (I think) resistor instead of 619k should do the trick.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11825980&postcount=41

Now that I have the electronics mostly sorted out I'm planning on using the techniques from this thread to build my own custom cradle for my car dock. I already have a generic one, probably going to take the generic cradle off the arm, trim off most of the plastic, then just attach the custom bit to the mounting bracket so I can mount it to the arm with the suction cup.

that's awesome, where did you buy that part at? I wonder why a regular micro usb cable doesn't work?

 

[Fallon]

that's awesome, where did you buy that part at? I wonder why a regular micro usb cable doesn't work?

The regular cable wouldn't work because I couldn't get to the ID pin, at least in the cables & connectors I dissected. Other cables may have a way to get to the ID pin in the micro USB connector.

As I linked in my post, you can get the breakout connector at http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10031

Made a few more posts updating my experiences. Used bondo for the first pass at finishing the surface to look pretty & smooth. The bondo is pretty darn stiff & a little brittle. Stiff & brittle are less of a problem for a desk dock, but the little bit of flexibility is nice to clamp onto the phone for a car dock where I fully wrap the phone.

Still need to do another finishing layer of bondo, sand it smooth, then paint it.

 

[Fallon]

WARNING!!!

Do not use Friendly Plastic for a car mount.

Today it didn't even make it up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit here in Colorado Springs, and my mount started melting up around the camera hole while attached to my dash in the parking lot at work.

Granted I painted mine black, which will heat it up a little more than a light color, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be that much better off & would end up melting soon enough.

Back to the drawing board to figure out what material to try next. May make this one into a desk dock now (will be annoying to have the car resistor in it, may just reverse the 2 resistors & use desk resistors for the car).

 

[Musicmaster]

Cool idea, although I'd probably make mine out of wood.