I bought for my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 the Samsung Multimedia Dock. The idea was to connect my Note 2 via HDMI over the Smart Dock with my monitor on my desk. My hope was that the EDD-S20JWEGSTA Smart Dock is the first step to replace my notebook with the Note 2 respectively with a smartphone. The power of the Note 2 should be enough to display a full HD resolution desktop. I need a Full HD browser window or e-mail client like Google-Mail for the most purposes.
Samsung Multimedia Dockingstation – EDD-S20E
The Multimedia Smart Dock has the following connection options and features:
HDMI™ Out
- Work, play or view media on large monitors and HD TVs Standard USB Out (X3) Connect compatible keyboards, mice, external storage and other input devices.
3.5mm Stereo Out
- Stream stereo sound to your speakers or stereo components.
Versatility
- Functions whether or not a Flip Cover and most slim case options are installed.
Fully Functional
- Your phone is fully functional while charging in the Smart Dock. Watch your handset stream news, local weather, or just play with your apps… all while charging!
This is a picture of the back of the Samsung Smart Dock EDD-S20JWEGSTA. It is possible to connect three USB devices, to stream stereo sound via 3.5mm stereo out and to connect your TV via HDMI-Out.
It is also possible to configure the stereo out over the menu of the Note 2. It is possible to choose between two options. The first option is to stream the sound over the HDMI cable and the second options is to hear the sound over the 3.5mm stereo out.
Samsung Multimedia Dockingstation – EDD-S20E Anschlüsse
Samsung Smart Dock as a PC replacement
I thought to use the smart dock as a pc replacement of my notebook but I do not get the desktop of my Note 2 in a Full HD resolution displayed on my monitor . The screen comes up in a full screen mode if I start for example the browser or plug a keyboard and mouse into the dock. But everything I get displayed in the browser (Chrome and Firefox) is very large. The buttons, the pictures, fonts everything is large and is not displayed in a 1920 x 1080 resolution. I don’t want to see the fonts etc. so big on my monitor. That is crazy and not useable for me to work or to write e-mails etc.
The next picture shows the home screen of my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on my monitor with big black bars.
Samsung Multimedia Dockingstation Homescreen – EDD-S20E
If I start a Full HD video from e.g. YouTube the screen switches into a FULL HD landscape mode. The video is displayed in full screen mode. But the problem is if you stop the video and switch back to the YouTube menu everything is very big and not really useable.
Picture slide show
A big problem I had with the smart dock was to show pictures on my flat screen. The pictures where displayed very small and not full screen. I did a picture of my TV with the connected Smart Dock and a picture displayed on the TV to show up the problem. I also tried to display pictures on my TV I did with my Note 2 but they were also displayed very small.
I tried to zoom into the picture but the result was the same. The picture was displayed as small as you can see on the picture below.
Samsung Multimedia Dockingstation picture – EDD-S20E
Flare problem
I also had a problem with the smart dock that the picture on my TV had a flare round about all 20 seconds. I did a short video and uploaded the video to YouTube to show the flares my docking station had. You can watch the video in my channel below.
Update 08.12.2012
I think the cause for the flare was a loose connection. Now the picture on my TV is clear and stable. Sometimes the flare comes back and then I reconnect the HDMI cable until the pictures is stable.
I also tried my Samsung Galaxy S3 with the Samsung smart dock. But the S3 is not working in the smart dock. I tried everything but the S3 is not working in the Smart Dock. I did the same configurations like I did in my Note 2 but no picture shows up on my TV. Thats very boring because on the Samsung homepage I read that the Smart Dock supports also the SGS3.
Samsung Multimedia Dockingstation Galaxy S3 – EDD-S20E
Conclusion
I am very disappointed of the Samsung Smart Dock EDD-S20JWEGSTA. The main problem is the resolution. Only videos where displayed in Full HD mode. The browser, desktop or home screen was displayed in a full screen mode but the font, buttons and pictures are very big and I think the desktop mode do not support a Full HD resolution. Maybe a virtual desktop will solve the problem. The current solution is not working for me.
If you only want to display Full HD videos on your TV / monitor or to charge your smart phone the Smart Dock is very cool.
I think the Samsung Smart Dock is not worth the money
Woah! Thanks a lot for this user review dude. I was really looking forward to getting this dock but I’m gonna do some more researches on before I’d get one. Thanks again. Keep updating. And if you can, get a jelly bean 4.2 update for your note 2 and try again.