CDC slot

CDC slot The Communications Daughter Card slot (CDC) in IBM literature or Modem Daughter Card slot (MDC) in Intel's standards, is the mobile version of the Audio/Modem Riser slot. There are two known implementations of this slot, featuring different connectors for different platforms. The Hirose DF12(5.0)-40DP-0.5V(86) connector is used on ThinkPads with an AC'97 audio codec, while the TE Connectivity 1-1775149-2 connector is used on ThinkPads with a HD Audio codec. Something worth to note is that all AC'97 ThinkPads with a CDC slot, do not adhere to Intel's MDC standard. This is due to how it uses a proprietary Hirose connector, instead of the specified TE Connectivity 3-179397-0 connector. FOOTNOTES [Δ] Wikipedia article on the CDC slot

Overview

Not all CDCs will work in CDC slot-equipped models, even if they are using the same connector. This is due to a different electrical pin-out, which varies among ThinkPads. Some might even reject a pin-compatible CDC by displaying an 'Error 1803: Invalid Daughter Card' message, which is caused by a whitelist that is built into the BIOS (capable of being bypassed via the no-1802 utility, doesn't work on the T43(p), X41(Tablet), R52). Only some models are known to employ a CDC whitelist however, which are likely to be models released after the A30, T30, X30, and the R32. For some reason, the R40e, G40, G41, S30, and the S31 do not employ a CDC whitelist.

HD Audio CDC slot-equipped models do not have a CDC whitelist, likely due to their limited selection of CDCs (two CDCs). This allows them to interchange CDCs freely.

Note that all AC'97 CDCs are approximately 45 x 27 mm, and all HD Audio CDCs are approximately 34 x 26 mm. The height varies from 3-7 mm, depending on the CDC itself.

Ethernet CDCs

• Ethernet Daughter Card (EDC)

Bluetooth CDCs

• Bluetooth Daughter Card (BDC)

Modem CDCs

• Modem Daughter Card (MDC)
• IBM Integrated 56K Modem (MDC-2)
• ThinkPad 56K Modem (MDC-1.5)
• ThinkPad Modem (MDC-3.0, 56kbps HDA)

Modem and Bluetooth Combination CDCs

• IBM Integrated Bluetooth II with 56K Modem (BMDC)
• IBM Integrated Bluetooth III with 56K Modem (BMDC-2)
• IBM Integrated Bluetooth IV with 56K Modem (BMDC-3)

Models featuring this technology

with an AC'97 CDC slot, supporting Ethernet controllers

• A30, A30p, A31, A31p
• T23
• X22

with an AC'97 CDC slot, supporting Ethernet and Bluetooth controllers

• X23, X24

with an AC'97 CDC slot, supporting SoftModem DSPs

• R30, R31, R32, R40e, R50e, R51e
• G40, G41
• S30, S31

with an AC'97 CDC slot, supporting SoftModem DSPs and Bluetooth controllers

• A30, A30p, A31, A31p
• T30, T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, T43, T43p
• X30, X31, X32, X40, X41, X41 Tablet
• R40, R50, R50p, R51, R52

with a HD Audio CDC slot

• W500
• T60, T60p, T61, T61p, T400, T410, T410i, T500
• X60, X60s, X60 Tablet, X61, X61s, X61 Tablet
• R60, R60i, R60e, R61, R61i, R400
• G50
• Z60m, Z60t, Z61e, Z61m, Z61p, Z61t