User’s Guide For the DockPod Docking Station Model #: RPDOCKU2FA Windows & Mac Please retain this guide.
CONTENTS CONTACT INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 WELCOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 PACKAGE CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 PRODUCT REGISTRATION FOR WARRANTY COVERAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 ABOUT ROCKETPOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONNECTING DOCKPOD TO YOUR COMPUTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 HOW TO STACK&PLAY ROCKETPOD MODULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 STACKING ROCKETPOD MODULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 REMOVING STACKED-ON MODULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 TURNING OFF A ROCKETPOD STACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 CONNECTION OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 WELCOME PACKAGE CONTENTS Thank you and congratulations on your purchase of DockPod, the Docking Station for RocketPod Hi-Performance Peripherals from AcomData. The package should contain the following items: This guide contains instructions on how to connect your DockPod to your computer and stack on RocketPod modules using the patented Stack&Play™ system. For instructions pertaining to the usage of a specific RocketPod product, please see the User's Guide for that product.
6 7 PRODUCT REGISTRATION FOR WARRANTY COVERAGE Please take a few moments to register your AcomData product. Registration is required in the event that your product needs warranty service. Also, please retain your sales receipt from the purchase of this product; a copy of the sales receipt is also required to attain warranty service. Two ways to register: 1. Fill out and return the Warranty Registration Card included in the package; 2. Register your AcomData product online at www.acomdata.com.
8 9 • Do not expose the device to temperatures outside the range of 5° C to 40° C (41° F to 104° F). Doing so may damage the device or disfigure its casing. ABOUT ROCKETPOD™ • Do not use a third-party AC adapter or power cord. Doing so may damage the device. RocketPod is a revolutionary new line of hi-performance computer peripherals from AcomData––and they’re unlike anything you’ve seen before. • Do not bump, jar or drop the device as this may damage it or result in loss of data.
10 11 built into RocketPod devices safely and seamlessly relay power and data signals between stacked RocketPod modules. Modular Design Connect a DockPod Docking Station to your computer and then stack on the RocketPod modules that you need right now. Then, simply add more modules as you need them––and as new RocketPod products become available. You can stack any combination of up to five RocketPod modules onto your DockPod.
12 DOCKPOD Stack&Play™ Connector Relays electrical power and data signals to stacked-on RocketPod modules. Stack Light Lights up when a link between the DockPod and stacked-on RocketPod module(s) is established. Voltage Meter Measures the amount of power used by stacked-on RocketPod modules. Power Button Lights up blue when the DockPod is powered on and ready. AT A GLANCE 13 ON THE BACK PANEL FireWire (IEEE 1394a) port USB 2.
14 15 DOCKPOD IN-DEPTH STACK&PLAY™ CONNECTOR Your DockPod has two main functions: 1) to supply electrical power for up to five stacked-on RocketPod modules, and; 2) to relay data signals between those modules, your computer, and other devices connected to the same USB and/or FireWire data buses. The Stack&Play connector, located on the top-side of your DockPod, is the power and data link to your stacked-on RocketPod modules.
16 17 FireWire––also known as iLink and the High Performance Serial Bus––is a cross-platform serial input/output technology for transferring data between computers and peripherals. Developed by Apple Computer and Texas Instruments, FireWire was adopted as an official standard by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; the official name is IEEE 1394x.
18 19 Supports up to 127 devices Connecting more than one or two USB devices to a computer typically requires the use of one or more hubs; each hub can accommodate several USB devices. Master-slave architecture The computer (master) dictates data flow between attached devices (slaves). Cable length up to 5 m On-bus power up to 2.5 W Suitable for low-powered devices such as flash card readers. Plug & Play You do not need to assign unique ID numbers, or connect terminators.
20 21 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENT • Power Macintosh (G5, G4, Blue & White G3, iBook or iMac) • Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X • Available USB port and/or FireWire port FOR PC • Minimum 233MHz Pentium or equivalent processor • Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, or XP • Available USB port and/or FireWire port Windows 98 users: • Windows 98 First Edition does not support USB 2.0. If you connect DockPod to a PC running Windows 98 First Edition, any stacked-on USB 2.
22 23 CONNECTING DOCKPOD TO YOUR COMPUTER Important Notes: • FireWire cables can only be properly inserted one way. Be sure to insert the plugs properly or you may damage the DockPod. Your DockPod came with a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable. If you wish to connect your DockPod to a laptop/notebook computer, you may need to purchase a 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire cable. • Each end of the USB cable has different plugs, called 'A' and 'B'. The 'A' end plugs into your computer or USB hub.
24 25 Important Note: DockPod is not a desktop device, meaning DockPod itself will not appear in My Computer on PCs or on the Desktop on Macs. Only stacked-on RocketPod devices, such as DrivePod hard drives, may be recognized by your computer. HOW TO STACK&PLAY ROCKETPOD MODULES Stacking RocketPod Modules 1. With the DockPod powered on, carefully place a RocketPod module onto it, making sure the orientation is the same and the devices are aligned.
26 27 There is no need to press the power button of the stacked-on module. It will power on automatically if the DockPod is turned on. If the DockPod is not turned on, press the DockPod power button. After a few seconds, the stacked on module should power on automatically. After you add a RocketPod module to a stack and it powers on, it may take 10 – 30 seconds for your RocketPod computer to recognize it.
28 29 Removing Stacked-On Modules There are several reasons why you may need to remove a RocketPod module from a stack: • You need to quickly transfer very large amounts of data between two computers; • You need to regularly access files stored on a DrivePod whether you are at home, at work, or on the road; • You may have more than five RocketPod peripherals and you need to temporarily swap out one module for another; • You use a DrivePod for data back-up, and you secure the DrivePod off-site at the end o
30 31 CONNECTION OPTIONS To connect the DockPod to a USB hub, connect the USB cable to the USB 2.0 port on the back of the DockPod and to an appropriate USB port on the hub, as shown in the illustration on page 30. Follow the USB hub manufacturer’s instructions for proper set-up and use of the hub.
32 33 If your RocketPod stack is first in the chain (starting from the computer): As shown in the illustration at right, connect the FireWire DockPod to your comdevices puter; then connect the right-hand FireWire port of a stacked-on RocketPod module to the next FireWire device open in the chain. FireWire port If your RocketPod stack is NOT first in the chain: Connect the DockPod to the previous device in the chain.
34 35 RocketPod modules rather than five. However, you can stack on two FireWire RocketPod modules, for a total of five modules. Q: Do I need to turn my RocketPod modules on when I stack them? A: No. If your DockPod is turned on, stacked-on RocketPod modules will power on automatically. If the DockPod is turned off, any stackedon modules will power on when you turn on the DockPod. Q: Do I need to turn my RocketPod modules off before I remove them from a stack? A: No.
36 37 operate at USB 1.x speeds. You will need to follow any necessary set-up instructions for each RocketPod module, as described in their respective User’s Guides. Q: I stacked on a RocketPod module and it powered on but my computer did not recognize it. A: Make sure you properly followed the set-up instructions for that device. Each RocketPod peripheral has it’s own set-up requirements independent of the DockPod.
38 39 SOLVING TECHNICAL PROBLEMS GLOSSARY If you experience a problem with your AcomData product, you should take the following actions in the order specified: BIT - The smallest unit of digital data. In binary code, a bit is represented logically as a either a 1 or a 0. 1. Re-read this guide carefully to make sure that you followed all of the instructions properly. Buffer - RAM cache that temporarily stores data so it can be delivered to a device as it is needed. 2.
40 41 FireWire (IEEE 1394x) - A serial bus interface standard offering high-speed communications and real-time data services. Cable length is limited to 4.5 m, but up to 16 cables can be daisy-chained, yielding a total length of 72 m. It allows the connection of up to 63 peripherals in a tree-like structure. It allows peer-to-peer device communication to take place without using system memory or the CPU. It is designed to support plug-and-play and hot swapping. Mb (Megabit) - One million bits.
42 43 USB (Universal Serial Bus) - An interface technology for the serial transmission of digital data. The original standard (USB 1) could transmit data at speeds of up to 12 Mbps. USB 2.0 has a maximum throughput of 480 Mbps – up to 40 times faster than USB 1. USB is a host-based technology, meaning USB devices need to be connected to a computer––either directly or indirectly via a hub––in order to communicate with each other.
44 45 your rights and obligations with respect to the software. This warranty extends only to you, the original purchaser. It is not transferable to any one who subsequently purchases the Product from you. Proof of purchase in the form of a bill of sale (which is evidence that the Product is within the warranty period) must be presented to obtain warranty service.
46 47 THE EXTEND PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ON THIS PRODUCT IS LIMITED IN DURATION OF THIS WARRANTY. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, or allow limitations on how long on implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific rights; you may have other rights which vary from state to state.
48 CHANGES The material in this document is for information only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, AcomData assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein.
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