Impact of pending Apple dock change on LODs

Only if for some off reason it doesn't bypass the iPhone's amp. They're not going to stop making docks so I imagine the effect of an LOD won't change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFNDeal 

Just wanted to get everyone's $0.02 on the impending 30-in to 9-pin dock connector change and its potential impact on the litany of LODs out there.  Would an adapter impact the benefit of using an LOD from an iPhone?  Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

It's in fact putting me off buying a LOD at the moment, or at least a top end one.

Any DIY guys have a thought if a 30-pin to 9-pin adapter will be possible?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelli 

Any DIY guys have a thought if a 30-pin to 9-pin adapter will be possible?

Well we don't know what the specs of the plug would be yet. Until then it is impossible to say. 

I like what this guy said "They're not going to stop making docks so I imagine the effect of an LOD won't change." but two things

1) Headphone jack is rumored to be on the bottom side, suggesting that docks will use that rather than the 9 pin connector.

2) Apple really wants to push airplay, all docks might end up using it completely getting rid of the need for iPhones to dock to the dock other than for charging.

So i'm sort of really doubting the new iPhone will have a direct line out that bypass the amp.  Bad news for audiophiles, but its not like a majority of apples consumer base are audiophiles that use LODs.  But im sure the iPods will still have the 30 pin so you guys might just have to go out and buy a dedicated iPod.

the only thing that may hold us up is if perhaps they lock the lineout by use of a logic level pull up or pull down resistor that enables it and lets the idevice know that its an approved cable/device, so that only apple 'made for ipod' program members $$$$$ are given this circuit to include in their products.

the new connector actually looks good to me, I like it. I think its actually likely to be an 16 pin connector, as the 8 positions are double sided. which makes sense for high speed usb or data connections. there is rumoured to be a dedicated accessory power connector too, which would be excellent. if the locking issues if any can be worked out, the connector looks good for low profile connections.

no sense wondering though, we can only wait

The jack being on the bottom is basically just copying the iPod. They didn't have the space before due to the size of the current 30-pin but the new smaller dock (and really, it's not rumoured - we've seen the phone in it's entirity bar it being on/operational) means they can shift it down to the bottom and free up space at the top of the phone for other hardware. I don't think anything will change as far as docks go - there's still a market for physical ones - just a new connection and I've already seen adapters:

http://iphoneheadlines.com/2012/08/28/scosche-already-designing-new-dock-connector-accessories/

Quote:

Originally Posted by John In Cali 

Well we don't know what the specs of the plug would be yet. Until then it is impossible to say. 

I like what this guy said "They're not going to stop making docks so I imagine the effect of an LOD won't change." but two things

1) Headphone jack is rumored to be on the bottom side, suggesting that docks will use that rather than the 9 pin connector.

2) Apple really wants to push airplay, all docks might end up using it completely getting rid of the need for iPhones to dock to the dock other than for charging.

So i'm sort of really doubting the new iPhone will have a direct line out that bypass the amp.  Bad news for audiophiles, but its not like a majority of apples consumer base are audiophiles that use LODs.  But im sure the iPods will still have the 30 pin so you guys might just have to go out and buy a dedicated iPod.

My guess is that one of the first accessories for the "new dock" will be a new dock to old dock adapter.  It will look like a female dock, perhaps less deep than this one:

But with the new dock plug poking out the front.  I don't doubt the new dock will be a lot simpler, just the essentials pin wise maybe?  Four pins for USB data and three pins for audio are required, I have no idea how they're going to do it though - there may be crazy authentication type stuff that only lets specific accessories work though.  In which case, iPhone5 will be an audiophile's worst nightmare.  

I mentioned rumored in relation to the additional power connector, as mentioned its pretty solid what the dock will look like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia 

My guess is that one of the first accessories for the "new dock" will be a new dock to old dock adapter.  It will look like a female dock, perhaps less deep than this one:

 

 

 

 

But with the new dock plug poking out the front.  I don't doubt the new dock will be a lot simpler, just the essentials pin wise maybe?  Four pins for USB data and three pins for audio are required, I have no idea how they're going to do it though - there may be crazy authentication type stuff that only lets specific accessories work though.  In which case, iPhone5 will be an audiophile's worst nightmare.  

 Scoot no they'll need more than that, to cover the whole line and match competition it will need to be able to handle HDMI or similar video codecs, some kind of basic serial data connection and a couple spares. its the authentication that worries me, look how long it took to figure out the iphone authentication reliably for DIY and I for one dont have the asking price to join the made for idevice program.

compact double sided will allow much better high speed differential signalling.

Using the headphone jack for a dock would be double amping and I've never seen a halfway decent dock that does that. They've always plugged in and sent Line Out to the dock. I'd be fine with the Headphone Jack having a Line Out option but I don't see that happening.

As for AirPlay...It'd be pretty foolish to require that considering the restrictions it puts on people. It'd be like a single player game you have to be online to play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John In Cali 

Well we don't know what the specs of the plug would be yet. Until then it is impossible to say. 

I like what this guy said "They're not going to stop making docks so I imagine the effect of an LOD won't change." but two things

1) Headphone jack is rumored to be on the bottom side, suggesting that docks will use that rather than the 9 pin connector.

2) Apple really wants to push airplay, all docks might end up using it completely getting rid of the need for iPhones to dock to the dock other than for charging.

So i'm sort of really doubting the new iPhone will have a direct line out that bypass the amp.  Bad news for audiophiles, but its not like a majority of apples consumer base are audiophiles that use LODs.  But im sure the iPods will still have the 30 pin so you guys might just have to go out and buy a dedicated iPod.

It won't be long before a company releases a small adapter that plugs in like the Sendstation dock type thing with a mini jack on it.  Then, you'll just buy it a mini to mini cable.  I don't doubt if chips and authentication crap are in there (who knows) then this dock adapter would be expensive.  It is very questionable whether the Chinese will be spitting out ready to DIY docks for this on week 1.  Hang onto your iPod touches folks.

So the infos out on it.  It's say all digital, so no direct LOD.  But there is a 30 pin adaptor, which probably contains a cheap DAC, which means, that it will be likely that Iphone compatible DACs from 3rd Party's are very possible.

http://cypherlabs.com/blog/post/apple-lighting-what-it-means-for-audiophiles

This might be of interest to you.

In short

if it was working with the Digital signal from the USB/HDMI side (cars, docks etc). It will work.

If it was pulling audio via LOD (Hyundai, or some Docks). It will not work anymore.

Your B&W, B&O and Bose docks will more than likely work as they pull digital.