I assume it is indeed a simple pass-through, so functionality in DOS will depend on the sound device on the laptop itself. You would need whatever driver is needed (if any) to get the sound card working, but you should not require a special driver to use the port on the port replicator.

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no drivers are needed for it.
.
This is because most (all?) of the interfacing chips are already built in the laptop itself, and the station is just a set of headers for them. Just ensure that the yamaha setupsa.exe program or another suitable driver is loaded for the sound hardware and you're good to go.
.
When you boot the laptop, you will get a POST/BIOS message stating that the port replicator is attached.
.
I've tried it on my 460cdt satellite pro, and it works great with the gravis dog bone pad, quickshot starfighter, quickshot python, wild-things premier pad and interact propad 4.
The only problem I've found so far with it is the MS sidewinder 3D pro joystick, which gives erratic readings on the analogue in either mode. And I've not found this elsewhere.

Vic Zarratt wrote on 2024-08-27, 19:44:

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no d […]
Show full quote

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no drivers are needed for it.
.
This is because most (all?) of the interfacing chips are already built in the laptop itself, and the station is just a set of headers for them. Just ensure that the yamaha setupsa.exe program or another suitable driver is loaded for the sound hardware and you're good to go.
.
When you boot the laptop, you will get a POST/BIOS message stating that the port replicator is attached.
.
I've tried it on my 460cdt satellite pro, and it works great with the gravis dog bone pad, quickshot starfighter, quickshot python, wild-things premier pad and interact propad 4.
The only problem I've found so far with it is the MS sidewinder 3D pro joystick, which gives erratic readings on the analogue in either mode. And I've not found this elsewhere.

Hi! I just had a idea to find the pinout of the gameport on the port replicator connector or on the motherboard directly to build a gameport adapter to connect a gravis gamepad on my Toshiba 400CDT ? do you know if it should be possible ? do you have any idea of the pinout ? i looked in maintenance manual. For the replicator port i just see joyr;000 and joyw;000. i dont know what to do with that. maybe we can find a gameport pinout directly on a chip on the motherboard ? Thanks for help.

renejr902 wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:47:

Vic Zarratt wrote on 2024-08-27, 19:44:

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no d […]
Show full quote

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no drivers are needed for it.
.
This is because most (all?) of the interfacing chips are already built in the laptop itself, and the station is just a set of headers for them. Just ensure that the yamaha setupsa.exe program or another suitable driver is loaded for the sound hardware and you're good to go.
.
When you boot the laptop, you will get a POST/BIOS message stating that the port replicator is attached.
.
I've tried it on my 460cdt satellite pro, and it works great with the gravis dog bone pad, quickshot starfighter, quickshot python, wild-things premier pad and interact propad 4.
The only problem I've found so far with it is the MS sidewinder 3D pro joystick, which gives erratic readings on the analogue in either mode. And I've not found this elsewhere.

Hi! I just had a idea to find the pinout of the gameport on the port replicator connector or on the motherboard directly to build a gameport adapter to connect a gravis gamepad on my Toshiba 400CDT ? do you know if it should be possible ? do you have any idea of the pinout ? i looked in maintenance manual. For the replicator port i just see joyr;000 and joyw;000. i dont know what to do with that. maybe we can find a gameport pinout directly on a chip on the motherboard ? Thanks for help.

This is something I've researched and I have the PA2711U port replicator anyway so I've checked it out internally - first of all the JOYR and JOYW are signals used by the ESS ES688 sound chip, which implements gameport functionality through two extra chips, the NE558 and a 74LS244. As I understand it those are chip select lines to input / output to the game port and there are also 8 data bits which are probably ISA.
If you check out the schematic for this it covers what those do: https://github.com/hkzlab/ES688_ISA8/blob/mas … r/ISA_ES688.pdf (not mine, good reference info)
Also note the MSI and MSO signals, for Midi Signal In/Out:

This functionality (not pinout) is the same on three of the Toshiba laptops that have a port replicator:

• Toshiba Satellite Pro 400 to 430 series
• Toshiba Satellite T2100 series - gameport only usable on T2150CDT
• Toshiba Satellite T2400 / T2450 series - gameport only usable with the stupidly rare optional soundcard module

The Satellite T2400 & T2150CDT replicators are pretty simple, they have ports replicated and the gameport circuitry in there - though I've never seen the internals, they don't do much compared to the Satellite 400 series.
The Satellite 400 to 430 replicators do PCMCIA as well as the gameport functionality so there's a big gate array controlling everything and managing those data bits to avoid a conflict. I never hooked up a logic analyser so I'm not sure how that works or if it's possible to copy that behaviour without the big gate array.

Hmm, I kind of forgot about this project. I have all 3 of those series and the T2400 / T2150CDT replicators should be do-able as hacky PCB port replicators like this one for the Portege 610CT: Re: Help with obscure Toshiba docking station

Thermalwrong wrote on 2025-08-27, 18:52:

This is something I've researched and I have the PA2711U port replicator anyway so I've checked it out internally - first of all […]
Show full quote

renejr902 wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:47:

Vic Zarratt wrote on 2024-08-27, 19:44:

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no d […]
Show full quote

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no drivers are needed for it.
.
This is because most (all?) of the interfacing chips are already built in the laptop itself, and the station is just a set of headers for them. Just ensure that the yamaha setupsa.exe program or another suitable driver is loaded for the sound hardware and you're good to go.
.
When you boot the laptop, you will get a POST/BIOS message stating that the port replicator is attached.
.
I've tried it on my 460cdt satellite pro, and it works great with the gravis dog bone pad, quickshot starfighter, quickshot python, wild-things premier pad and interact propad 4.
The only problem I've found so far with it is the MS sidewinder 3D pro joystick, which gives erratic readings on the analogue in either mode. And I've not found this elsewhere.

Hi! I just had a idea to find the pinout of the gameport on the port replicator connector or on the motherboard directly to build a gameport adapter to connect a gravis gamepad on my Toshiba 400CDT ? do you know if it should be possible ? do you have any idea of the pinout ? i looked in maintenance manual. For the replicator port i just see joyr;000 and joyw;000. i dont know what to do with that. maybe we can find a gameport pinout directly on a chip on the motherboard ? Thanks for help.

This is something I've researched and I have the PA2711U port replicator anyway so I've checked it out internally - first of all the JOYR and JOYW are signals used by the ESS ES688 sound chip, which implements gameport functionality through two extra chips, the NE558 and a 74LS244. As I understand it those are chip select lines to input / output to the game port and there are also 8 data bits which are probably ISA.
If you check out the schematic for this it covers what those do: https://github.com/hkzlab/ES688_ISA8/blob/mas … r/ISA_ES688.pdf (not mine, good reference info)
Also note the MSI and MSO signals, for Midi Signal In/Out:

The attachment pa2711u-interesting-signals.png is no longer available

This functionality (not pinout) is the same on three of the Toshiba laptops that have a port replicator:

• Toshiba Satellite Pro 400 to 430 series
• Toshiba Satellite T2100 series - gameport only usable on T2150CDT
• Toshiba Satellite T2400 / T2450 series - gameport only usable with the stupidly rare optional soundcard module

The Satellite T2400 & T2150CDT replicators are pretty simple, they have ports replicated and the gameport circuitry in there - though I've never seen the internals, they don't do much compared to the Satellite 400 series.
The Satellite 400 to 430 replicators do PCMCIA as well as the gameport functionality so there's a big gate array controlling everything and managing those data bits to avoid a conflict. I never hooked up a logic analyser so I'm not sure how that works or if it's possible to copy that behaviour without the big gate array.

The attachment pa2711u-inside (Custom).jpg is no longer available

Hmm, I kind of forgot about this project. I have all 3 of those series and the T2400 / T2150CDT replicators should be do-able as hacky PCB port replicators like this one for the Portege 610CT: Re: Help with obscure Toshiba docking station

ok nice. i have the t2150cdt. i will look forward for this soon with my father. (by the way it seems the toshiba lcd 640x480 that end by 02 is brighther than 01 model, if you remembered what i talked about 😉 i bought a few ones on aliexpress.

If you have any other info about the t2150, let me know. i will check this for t2150cdt. thanks a lot

i look the schematic more, if he wants to do it, i let you know. i think the picture show what to do. not sure about, resetdrv.. i will check more. thanks

I have a 480t and docking station. I used my multimeter to check for connections from the game port to the solder points of the dock connector. I think all of the gameport pins were connected directly to the dock port. But, it was a rudimentary test, there may well be circuitry between. I was considering adding a game port internally to the laptop by soldering directly to the solder points of the dock port

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-08-27, 21:14:

I have a 480t and docking station. I used my multimeter to check for connections from the game port to the solder points of the dock connector. I think all of the gameport pins were connected directly to the dock port. But, it was a rudimentary test, there may well be circuitry between. I was considering adding a game port internally to the laptop by soldering directly to the solder points of the dock port

it looks a cool project, if you are right it seems not too much difficult

Thermalwrong wrote on 2025-08-27, 18:52:

This is something I've researched and I have the PA2711U port replicator anyway so I've checked it out internally - first of all […]
Show full quote

renejr902 wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:47:

Vic Zarratt wrote on 2024-08-27, 19:44:

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no d […]
Show full quote

As the owner and now regular user of a Toshiba PA2717U docking station, I can confirm it's a simple pass-through device, so no drivers are needed for it.
.
This is because most (all?) of the interfacing chips are already built in the laptop itself, and the station is just a set of headers for them. Just ensure that the yamaha setupsa.exe program or another suitable driver is loaded for the sound hardware and you're good to go.
.
When you boot the laptop, you will get a POST/BIOS message stating that the port replicator is attached.
.
I've tried it on my 460cdt satellite pro, and it works great with the gravis dog bone pad, quickshot starfighter, quickshot python, wild-things premier pad and interact propad 4.
The only problem I've found so far with it is the MS sidewinder 3D pro joystick, which gives erratic readings on the analogue in either mode. And I've not found this elsewhere.

Hi! I just had a idea to find the pinout of the gameport on the port replicator connector or on the motherboard directly to build a gameport adapter to connect a gravis gamepad on my Toshiba 400CDT ? do you know if it should be possible ? do you have any idea of the pinout ? i looked in maintenance manual. For the replicator port i just see joyr;000 and joyw;000. i dont know what to do with that. maybe we can find a gameport pinout directly on a chip on the motherboard ? Thanks for help.

This is something I've researched and I have the PA2711U port replicator anyway so I've checked it out internally - first of all the JOYR and JOYW are signals used by the ESS ES688 sound chip, which implements gameport functionality through two extra chips, the NE558 and a 74LS244. As I understand it those are chip select lines to input / output to the game port and there are also 8 data bits which are probably ISA.
If you check out the schematic for this it covers what those do: https://github.com/hkzlab/ES688_ISA8/blob/mas … r/ISA_ES688.pdf (not mine, good reference info)
Also note the MSI and MSO signals, for Midi Signal In/Out:

The attachment pa2711u-interesting-signals.png is no longer available

This functionality (not pinout) is the same on three of the Toshiba laptops that have a port replicator:

• Toshiba Satellite Pro 400 to 430 series
• Toshiba Satellite T2100 series - gameport only usable on T2150CDT
• Toshiba Satellite T2400 / T2450 series - gameport only usable with the stupidly rare optional soundcard module

The Satellite T2400 & T2150CDT replicators are pretty simple, they have ports replicated and the gameport circuitry in there - though I've never seen the internals, they don't do much compared to the Satellite 400 series.
The Satellite 400 to 430 replicators do PCMCIA as well as the gameport functionality so there's a big gate array controlling everything and managing those data bits to avoid a conflict. I never hooked up a logic analyser so I'm not sure how that works or if it's possible to copy that behaviour without the big gate array.

The attachment pa2711u-inside (Custom).jpg is no longer available

Hmm, I kind of forgot about this project. I have all 3 of those series and the T2400 / T2150CDT replicators should be do-able as hacky PCB port replicators like this one for the Portege 610CT: Re: Help with obscure Toshiba docking station

we want to try to do it for t2150cdt. ( or make a gameport pcmcia card, but it should be more trouble. )

About the A1 to A9 in the diagram, are they present on the port replicator 120 pins ? but where ? i posted a picture. and about the ressetdrv ?

I dont think the only out for the gameport on the 120pin replicator port are only
joyR and JoyW ? right ? Thanks for help.

( i made some research for make a pcmcia gameport card, but some things are missing i think. i look at pcmcia vs isa , check the picture too. thanks )

If Thernalwrong and you guys give me enough information my father and me could try to make a pcmcia gamecard, even if its bigger and go outside of the pcmcia slot, but it would be better than nothing. if we succeed to made one, we could make more for you, but please dont get your hope too high. yes i studied in computer for 2 years and my father is a great electronic technician, but this kind of stuff, create and make card is new to us.

If i buy this card, could it help us to at least get the docking port working with the help of the card below ? ( ebay link below ) at least for a first test. or can this gameport card be useful to get a pcmcia gameport card working ? even if its big for now, at least to get something working with tries and errors ?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/355967226665?_skw=gam … ABk9SR5aSwKunZg

( AEN dont seem to exist in pcmcia )

another ibm gameport port isa card diagram, the first 2 pictures below:

I hope someone can help us and answer some questions, so we can try. Thanks

answer there:

Re: My father and me want to try to make a PCMCIA gameport card and make a gameport output to toshiba t2150cdt.