<commit_before>---
category: lapdock
layout: post
modified: 2012-08-04
redirect_from: /index.php/Lapdock_500_Teardown
title: Lapdock 500 Teardown
---

After searching around for a few months and not finding a teardown, I've decided to take apart my Lapdock 500. Since I
use the Atrix Lapdock instead, and this thing was just collecting dust, I took it apart without worrying about breaking
it, since I never use it anyway.

I don't know anything about electronics, so I couldn't fulfill my goal of getting around Motorola's "DRM" on this
Lapdock. Whereas the Atrix Lapdock allows anything to be plugged into the Miro HDMI plug, The Lapdock 500 does some
kind of test and I couldn't get anything other than a current model Motorola Android phone to work on it. I'm hoping
there's something I can short out on the controller board to skip this check.

# First Set of Screws to Remove

[![First Set of Screws to Remove](http://i.imgur.com/on1EGm.jpg)](http://imgur.com/on1EG)
{: .pull-right}
To start the teardown, remove most of the rubber grommets/feet on the underside of the Lapdock to access the screws.
There are 15 screws total (not counting the two used for the pull-out tray).<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

# Removing the Keyboard

[![Removing the Keyboard](http://i.imgur.com/4zK6Vm.jpg)](http://imgur.com/4zK6V)
{: .pull-right}
The second step is to remove the keyboard. There are five tabs that need to be pushed in (I used a small flathead
screwdriver) near the Esc, F3, F7, F11, and Del keys. Don't push too hard. The keyboard should be able to lift right
off once all the tabs are pushed in. With the keyboard out, lightly tug on its ribbon cable to disconnect it from the
Lapdock's controller board. Do the same with the touchpad's cable while you're at it.

# Removing the Plastic Cover

[![Removing the Plastic Cover](http://i.imgur.com/nH3Vwm.jpg)](http://imgur.com/nH3Vw)
{: .pull-right}
Gently tug up on the black plastic panel covering the IO ports. I pulled out the phone drawer and started pulling up
from there.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

# Removing the Palm Rest

[![Removing the Palm Rest](http://i.imgur.com/qVXHCm.jpg)](http://imgur.com/qVXHC)
{: .pull-right}
The palm rest is held down both by screws (the bottom set which you've already removed, and the set underneath the
keyboard) and plastic clips around the perimeter. I started things off by pushing up from underneath on the screw holes
(using a Phillips) and using a flathead to pry the bottom part of the Lapdock (which curves up) from the palm rest. Be
very gentle, the clips are fragile and I broke one during this step.

# Removing the Monitor

[![Removing the Monitor](http://i.imgur.com/VxcB7m.jpg)](http://imgur.com/VxcB7)
{: .pull-right}
With the palm rest removed you can see the Lapdock's controller board. There are two cables coming from the monitor. To
remove the bigger cable you gently tug on the cord. The cable should disconnect from the connector. To remove the
smaller cable, I used my thumb nails (both) to pry the plastic connector from the controller.

# Lapdock 500 With No Monitor

[![Lapdock 500 With No Monitor](http://i.imgur.com/bcGIkm.jpg)](http://imgur.com/bcGIk)
{: .pull-right}
After removing five screws on the hinge bases (attached to the Lapdock's base; three screws on the left, two on the
right) the monitor should lift right off.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

# Lapdock 500 Controller Board

Here are a bunch of close-ups of the Lapdock's controller board.

<figure class="third">
    <a href="http://imgur.com/GnLRF"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/GnLRFm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/UOARn"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/UOARnm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/9AxyU"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/9AxyUm.jpg"></a>
    <figcaption></figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="third">
    <a href="http://imgur.com/knTzK"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/knTzKm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/mx9AW"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/mx9AWm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/S6zx9"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/S6zx9m.jpg"></a>
    <figcaption></figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="third">
    <a href="http://imgur.com/2PbFf"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/2PbFfm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/WNuEX"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/WNuEXm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/HD108"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/HD108m.jpg"></a>
    <figcaption></figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="third">
    <a href="http://imgur.com/R5mq1"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/R5mq1m.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/pphBk"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/pphBkm.jpg"></a>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/uW0oK"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/uW0oKm.jpg"></a>
    <figcaption></figcaption>
</figure>

# The perfect Raspberry Pi Laptop

<figure>
    <a href="http://imgur.com/n3Yv0"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/n3Yv0l.jpg"></a>
    <figcaption>Only a dream for now.</figcaption>
</figure><commit_msg>Done with Lapdock 500.<commit_after>---
category: lapdock
layout: post
modified: 2012-08-04
redirect_from: /index.php/Lapdock_500_Teardown
title: Lapdock 500 Teardown
---

After searching around for a few months and not finding a teardown, I've decided to take apart my Lapdock 500. Since I
use the Atrix Lapdock instead, and this thing was just collecting dust, I took it apart without worrying about breaking
it, since I never use it anyway.

I don't know anything about electronics, so I couldn't fulfill my goal of getting around Motorola's "DRM" on this
Lapdock. Whereas the Atrix Lapdock allows anything to be plugged into the Miro HDMI plug, The Lapdock 500 does some
kind of test and I couldn't get anything other than a current model Motorola Android phone to work on it. I'm hoping
there's something I can short out on the controller board to skip this check.

# First Set of Screws to Remove

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        To start the teardown, remove most of the rubber grommets/feet on the underside of the Lapdock to access the
        screws. There are 15 screws total (not counting the two used for the pull-out tray).
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/on1EG" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/on1EGm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Removing the Keyboard

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        The second step is to remove the keyboard. There are five tabs that need to be pushed in (I used a small
        flathead screwdriver) near the Esc, F3, F7, F11, and Del keys. Don't push too hard. The keyboard should be able
        to lift right off once all the tabs are pushed in. With the keyboard out, lightly tug on its ribbon cable to
        disconnect it from the Lapdock's controller board. Do the same with the touchpad's cable while you're at it.
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/4zK6V" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/4zK6Vm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Removing the Plastic Cover

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        Gently tug up on the black plastic panel covering the IO ports. I pulled out the phone drawer and started
        pulling up from there.
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/nH3Vw" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/nH3Vwm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Removing the Palm Rest

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        The palm rest is held down both by screws (the bottom set which you've already removed, and the set underneath
        the keyboard) and plastic clips around the perimeter. I started things off by pushing up from underneath on the
        screw holes (using a Phillips) and using a flathead to pry the bottom part of the Lapdock (which curves up)
        from the palm rest. Be very gentle, the clips are fragile and I broke one during this step.
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/qVXHC" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/qVXHCm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Removing the Monitor

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        With the palm rest removed you can see the Lapdock's controller board. There are two cables coming from the
        monitor. To remove the bigger cable you gently tug on the cord. The cable should disconnect from the connector.
        To remove the smaller cable, I used my thumb nails (both) to pry the plastic connector from the controller.
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/VxcB7" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/VxcB7m.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Lapdock 500 With No Monitor

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-8">
        After removing five screws on the hinge bases (attached to the Lapdock's base; three screws on the left, two on
        the right) the monitor should lift right off.
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-4">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/bcGIk" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/bcGIkm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# Lapdock 500 Controller Board

Here are a bunch of close-ups of the Lapdock's controller board.

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/GnLRF" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/GnLRFm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/UOARn" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/UOARnm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/9AxyU" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/9AxyUm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/knTzK" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/knTzKm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/mx9AW" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/mx9AWm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/S6zx9" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/S6zx9m.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/2PbFf" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/2PbFfm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/WNuEX" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/WNuEXm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/HD108" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/HD108m.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/R5mq1" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/R5mq1m.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/pphBk" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/pphBkm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-lg-2">
        <a href="http://imgur.com/uW0oK" target="_blank">
            <img src="http://i.imgur.com/uW0oKm.jpg" class="img-responsive thumbnail">
        </a>
    </div>
</div>

# The perfect Raspberry Pi Laptop

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12">
        <div class="thumbnail">
            <a href="http://imgur.com/n3Yv0" target="_blank">
                <img src="http://i.imgur.com/n3Yv0h.jpg" class="img-responsive img-thumbnail">
            </a>
            <div class="caption">Only a dream for now.</div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
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