Second Docking Station for zBOOK 15 G2?

[Richard__]

I am currently using a docking station that attaches to the BASE of the laptop and have started using the additional ports now available for the zBOOK such as SATA drives and USB ports.

Is it possible to have a second Docking Station simultaneously with the installed unit?

If so - please indicate what expansion features would now become available as well as speed and limitations etc.

[Huffer]

You need to tell us the model of the dock you are using now. 

[Richard__]

Product No. A7E38AA#ABA HP Advanced Docking Station US

[Huffer]

That product is using the single dedicated dock port. The only way to add another "dock" is with a USB 3.0 port and that would technically not be a dock, but a port replicator. What connections would you wish to have that your existing dock does not provide?

[Richard__]

My laptop has a Thunderbolt 2  port

From some internet research

Input and Output Port 

The ZBook 15 sports one of the most comprehensive port arrays we’ve seen on a 15.6-inch notebook. Unlike most consumer
notebooks, it includes a SmartCard slot, ExpressCard/54, a Thunderbolt 2 port and an internal optical drive. If the included
ports aren’t enough or if you prefer the convenience of a desktop-like setup, the ZBook 15 features a dedicated docking
station connector on the bottom which is compatible with HP’s docking station solutions. The HP Advanced Docking Station
supports up to five independent displays.

AND

NOTE: NVIDIA Quadro mobile professional graphics support up to five independent displays
when using an HP Advanced Docking station (sold separately). AMD FirePro™ professional
graphics support up to five independent displays when using an HP Advanced Docking station
(sold separately).
Multi-Display Support
• Without Docking Station:
HP ZBook 15 without the use of a Docking Station supports up to a maximum of four independent
displays. These four displays are the internal panel plus three external displays connected to the
VGA, the DisplayPort (DP), and the Thunderbolt™ Port connectors. Need help? 
Feature Description
• With Docking Station*:
The Advanced Docking Station has VGA and four digital display output connectors (two DVI and
two DP). Of those four digital display connectors, only two may be used at a time (two DVI, two DP
or one DP and one DVI). When used together with the HP ZBook 15, a maximum of five
independent displays are supported. These five displays are the internal panel plus four external
displays connected to three display outputs connectors from the standard or Advanced Docking
Station*, and the Thunderbolt™ connector from the ZBook.
• DP 1.2 'daisy-chain' feature:
On HP ZBook 15, the maximum number of independent displays is increased to six with the use of
DP1.2 “daisy-chain” feature. This requires Hybrid Graphics to be enabled, one monitor connected
to the dock VGA, and at least one daisy chain connection on (A) System DP, (B) Docking Station DP
1, (C) Docking Station DP 2.
NOTE: *Advanced docking station sold separately.
Display
Internal
• 15.6" diagonal LED-backlit FHD SVA eDP anti-glare (1920 x 1080)
• 15.6" diagonal LED-backlit FHD UWVA IPS eDP anti-glare + Panel Self Refresh (PSR) (1920 x
1080)
• 15.6" diagonal LED-backlit QHD+ UWVA IPS eDP anti-glare (3200 x 1800)
External
• Up to 32-bit per pixel color depth
Thunderbolt™ 2*
Supported as part of the daisy chain connected with Intel approved thunderbolt cables. For
additional information, please visit https://thunderbolttechnology.net/ .
Thunderbolt Features
• Legacy : DP 1.1a, DVI-A/D, HDMI and VGA displays attached to the end of the thunderbolt daisy
chain via Intel certified dongles.
• DP 1.2 redrive: DisplayPort monitors capable of supporting DP 1.2 may be directly attached to the
Thunderbolt port to achieve HBR2 and MST functionality.
• DP display with miniDP connector may be attached directly to TB (Thunderbolt) port.
• DP display with standard DP connector and other legacy displays (HDMI, DVI, VGA) may be
attached to TB with the use of a dongle.
• DP1.2 MST feature ("daisy-chain" feature) is supported through TB port.
NOTE: * Thunderbolt™ 2 is new technology. Install all the latest drivers for your Thunderbolt
device before connecting the device to the Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt cable and
Thunderbolt device (sold separately) must be compatible with Windows. To determine
whether your device is Thunderbolt Certified for Windows, see
https://thunderbolttechnology.net/products .
DisplayPort w/MST (Multi-stream Transport)
Supports resolutions up to QFHD 3840 x 2160, 24/30-bit color depth at 60 Hz, and WUXGA (1920
x 1200) monitors, 24/30-bit color depth at 120 Hz.
DisplayPort Feature
• Multi-stream Transport (MST): Multi-stream Transport is a DP 1.2 feature that allows daisy
chaining of DP 1.2 monitors (requires built in support of DP 1.2 MST in monitor), or the use of DP
1.2 hubs with MST to achieve 4 active displays without a docking station.
VGA
Port supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 at 75 Hz, and lower resolutions at up to 100 Hz.
DVI-D (single link)
Video signal available through DVI port in optional HP Docking Station (sold separately), as well as
through DisplayPort to DVI-D; DisplayPort to DVI-D (dual link); and DisplayPort to HDMI adapters.
Supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 at both full and reduced blanking, and 1920 x 1200 at
reduced blanking.
NOTE: Resolutions are dependent upon monitor capability, and resolution and color depth
settings.

So does this Thunderbolt 2 port ONLY supports Displays - or can I say for instance "daisy chain" additional SATA drives USB3 flash sticks and other USB devices, any other "gadgets"?

If I can use SATA and USB3 etc - how to describe the products needed compatible so I can try to source from eBAY,  Amaon etc?

Of course - all of the above "assumes" that I can still permanently have the above mentioned HP product number Advanced Docking Station attached!

[Huffer]

I have the Zbook 15 G3 and had assumed the Thunderbolt was introduced with that model but further review of the G2 shows I missed the fact that it has a Thunderbolt 2 port as well. 

Manual 

Attaching the dock does not disable the Thunderbolt 2 port. You can use the DP 1.2 feature of the Thunderbolt 2 port to attach monitors or whatever devices it would otherwise support. The Advanced Dock connects using a different bus than the Thunderbolt 2 port. The Thunderbolt 2 port is actually a superior platform for docking; the Advanced Dock is a bit of a legacy product. So again, I ask what is your goal here? What do you want to connect with the Thunderbolt 2 port in addition to what is connected to the Advanced Dock? 

[Richard__]

My goal is to have option to connect MORE devices in particular USB "gadgets".

Currently almost ALL usb ports on (zBOOK G2  + Advanced Docking Station) are "permanently" being used  mainly by memory devices (USB flash drives, USB-SATA hybrid SSD memory, USB-PCIe hybrid memory, USB-SDHC hybrid memory), conventional mouse (in certain situations more suitable than Touch Pad), a USB spinning HHD, and a smart phone (in MTP mode), a few other "gadgets".

The Advanced Docking Station has been upgraded to have a "caddy" which allows me to have a SSD 2.5 inch (to complement the installed SSD in the laptop - which still has the optical DVD drive). The eSATA port of the advanced docking station is also being evaluated for suitability for another SSD.

I have a number of USB HHD which I will really want to connect simultaneously which now cannot "attach" (lack of free usb ports) - the intention is to file manage many Terabytes on the HDDs, what I really want, onto the new SSDs - this file management process many easily take me over a year (on and off) and would be easier for me to have more than one HDD at a time.

Currently I have two USB-2 hubs (very inexpensive models) - of which one has failed. Rather than investing in say USB-3 hubs - looking into options that MAY be a bit faster (thunderbolt 2 at 10GBytes/sec potential is interesting). Although thunderbolt 2 is more expensive than a usb-3 hub - on internet research there seems to be many "interesting" gadgets that use thunderbolt.

I found it confusing looking on eBAY (for instance) that there are different HP models of thunderbolt 2 docks - so far ALL of them connect to a dedicated USB-c port of the computer (if I understood correctly) . My zBOOK G2 15 thunderbolt 2 port does NOT allow a common USB-c cable to plug in - on eBay they all seem to connect via a dedicated USB-c.

Assuming I go thunderbolt 2 way - via "daisy chaining" to the HP thunderbolt 2 DOCK  port (old style connector ???)- maybe get thunderbolt 3+ "gadgets" (I do not know if these will work with version 2). So far, I cannot find any old-style thunderbolt 2 to usb-c thunderbolt 3 adapters which I think that I will need for future thunderbolt 3+ products. Of course, even if 3+ products will work, I would not get the higher speeds and power capability.

Your comments would be appreciated.

[Richard__]

Some further information from my internet searches:-

Is the HP 2SU51AV#ABA thunderbolt 2 docking station the item I am after (have not got HP full specifications on same).

Interestingly,  it appears (correct me if I am wrong please) that on my laptop the thunderbolt 2 port is :-

Mini Display Port type of connector (and Apple also had used same)

Apparently a 

Mini Display Port (MALE) to USB-c (MALE) cable (which is relatively cheap on eBAY  etc) WILL NOT SUPPORT BI-DIRECTIONAL DATA TRANSFER - a number of suppliers have mentioned that their cables are uni-directional only.

So I gather that buying just the above mentioned cable (with a F USB-c to USB-c F adapter) would not turn my thunderbolt2 port into a bi-directional USB-c port (from which I had hoped that a USB-c HUB would be a cheaper port replicator alternative to HP thunderbolt 2 Dock - using the now unused thunderbolt 2 port).  

On your HP zBOOK G3 - can a USB-C cable plug into the thunderbolt port - same cannot do so on zBOOK G2?

[Huffer]

Yes my Zbook 15 G3 has a USB-C style Thunderbolt 3 not Thunderbolt 2. I was perhaps more correct with the first answer. Yours is a mini-display port form factor. Theoretically, the Thunderbolt 2 port should allow connection of up to 6 peripheral devices like storage. It seems you want to have a massive number of storage drives attached and are running into a limited number of connections and probably limited bandwidth. I might suggest something like this. A multidrive external Thunderbolt 2 enclosure. It connects via the Thunderbolt 2 port and then includes a Thunderbolt 2 hub built in for additional Thunderbolt 2 devices. This is a "Mac" device but should work with any Thunderbolt 2 port and says it is Windows compatible. It's expensive but Mac stuff always is and its not terrible if you add your own drives. 

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/thunderbay-4-mini/thunderbolt-2