Pinephone USB-C Docking Bar (Amazing !!)

[fooxl]

I first had to flash the correct firmware onto the device:

https://xnux.eu/devices/feature/anx7688.html

Go to "Using the driver"

[mouffa]

The only way to be sure if something is working is to test it on Manjaro Phosh, for example on Plasma I still haven't configured the mobile data to work, the dock would show the ethernet card through lsusb but it wouldn't be configured automatically as a network interface, the dock works very well except if it is Dead On Arrival

[dlarson]

I first had to flash the correct firmware onto the device:

https://xnux.eu/devices/feature/anx7688.html

Go to "Using the driver"

I have had the PP a couple days.  The Dock works for charging and ethernet but I am not getting anything on the HDMI port.   Was this the same issue you had? 

Before I start changing things, I want to ask complete questions.

[dlarson]

I have made progress. Connected the power to the wall outlet instead of from a USB port. I now have video to the HDMI port. The Pine Phone screen itself is now buggy. I have video on half the screen and black on the other half.

More investigation is required.

[dlarson]

I have made progress.  Connected the power to the wall outlet instead of from a USB port.  I now have video to the HDMI port.  The Pine Phone screen itself is now buggy.  I have video on half the screen and black on the other half.

More investigation is required.

More issues.  Upon returning for the day, I no longer have video out the HDMI port.   Mouse, KB and network are fine.   I am suspicious of the USB connection as it is not very tight.  Ordering a cradle and USB C extension cable so I can position the PP solidly and not move it around the desk.

[henrythemouse]

Take a good look at both charging cable and dock, you'll notice that the charging cable has a longer plug. If you are having trouble connecting the dock, try doing so with the backplate removed. If you find that it now works perfectly, you may need a port extender like this: https://www.amazon.com/Extender-Cellular...B07MBWH7QG

Wonderful. When the backplate is on dmesg keeps repeating "power disabled" "cable inserted" over and over. Take the backplate off and dmesg shows "USB hub found" "4 Ports detected". In addition to this issue, my HDMI port was not centered in the hub cutout. I had to trim it to get a cable to go in.

I'm still not getting the screen to go to the tv, so maybe the HDMI is messed up inside the case. It's sitting at a bit of an angle inside the  hub. Thanks for the pointer, now I know why I wasn't getting anything at all.

Code:

[  865.869237] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 5 using ehci-platform
[  866.029861] usb 1-1: New USB device found, idVendor=1a40, idProduct=0101, bcdDevice= 1.00
[  866.038165] usb 1-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[  866.045431] usb 1-1: Product: USB2.0 HUB
[  866.053520] hub 1-1:1.0: USB hub found
[  866.057796] hub 1-1:1.0: 4 ports detected
[  866.461190] usb 1-1.1: new full-speed USB device number 6 using ehci-platform
[  866.679730] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0639, idProduct=7210, bcdDevice=68.4d
[  866.691541] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=4, SerialNumber=2
[  866.702367] usb 1-1.1: Product: Billboard
[  866.706423] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Chrontel
[  866.714138] usb 1-1.1: SerialNumber: CH7210
[  867.049225] usb 1-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 7 using ehci-platform
[  867.269988] usb 1-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0fe6, idProduct=9900, bcdDevice=20.00
[  867.281820] usb 1-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[  867.292626] usb 1-1.2: Product: 10/100M LAN
[  867.296865] usb 1-1.2: Manufacturer: CoreChips
[  867.304428] usb 1-1.2: SerialNumber: 000000000AEA
[  867.339984] cdc_ether 1-1.2:2.0 eth0: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-1c1a000.usb-1.2, CDC Ethernet Device, 00:00:00:00:0a:ea
[  867.444525] cdc_ether 1-1.2:2.0 enx000000000aea: renamed from eth0

[dsimic]

Please, keep in mind that the AltDP-to-HDMI bridge IC inside the official PinePhone dock is pretty much invisible to the software side of the PinePhone.  The ANX7688 IC inside the phone converts the A64's HDMI output to AltDP, which goes through the Type-C port and out of the phone, and the AltDP-to-HDMI bridge chip inside the official dock converts AltDP back to HDMI.  This entire path is pretty much invisible to the A64 SoC or the software running on the PinePhone.

Also, the official PinePhone dock should be fully functional even with no charger connected to the dock.  It would take quite a lot of power from the phone if you use the dock's HDMI port, so connecting a charger to the dock is highly recommended.

[henrythemouse]

Please, keep in mind that the AltDP-to-HDMI bridge IC inside the official PinePhone dock is pretty much invisible to the software side of the PinePhone.  The ANX7688 IC inside the phone converts the A64's HDMI output to AltDP, which goes through the Type-C port and out of the phone, and the AltDP-to-HDMI bridge chip inside the official dock converts AltDP back to HDMI.  This entire path is pretty much invisible to the A64 SoC or the software running on the PinePhone.

Also, the official PinePhone dock should be fully functional even with no charger connected to the dock.  It would take quite a lot of power from the phone if you use the dock's HDMI port, so connecting a charger to the dock is highly recommended.

Any chance that the PP/bridge would require HDMI2?

My TV screen is HDMI1. When I connect the PP to it, it displays a message: " Searching for signal ..." and then about 5 sec later "No signal found." I can easily connect my laptop to it via HDMI (also running bullseye). I realize there are likely many hardware and software differences between the two devices. For example, I'm using the PP bridge with the PP, but the laptop has a built-in HDMI output.

[county93]

My apps are halfway into the monitor and halfway into the phone screen or sometimes 100% in the phone screen. My mouse and keyboard work fine. I use my mouse to drag the apps into the monitor. Some apps will not drag into the monitor, though. Is there a way to "center" all apps automatically onto the external monitor?

[nelstomlinson]

I'm having apps pop up on the phone screen, sometimes maximized there, sometimes not, sometimes half on the big screen. The behavior may be per program: Kings Cross showed up not maximized, half on the big screen; Firefox showed up maximized on the phone screen, had to use the meta key and mouse click to move it.