[Syzygies]

My experience has been mixed with getting iPod line out to my CMoy amp, and I want to do better when I build my PIMETA. The particular SendStation PocketDock Line Out I bought sounded dreadful, with serious distortion. Who'd think you could botch the sound in such a short distance? They sent me a free replacement, which works fine.

I haven't tried the Sik DIN but I've been corresponding with them; they will come out within a month or two with a gold-plated male version. Meanwhile, I've stuck an Apple Dock to the lid of my Altoids tin, my best current option.

The Apple Dock connector doesn't seem to be a generically available item. However, RadioShack's iGo universal power adapter system comes with connectors for everything under the sun, including a B01 connector to fit the iPod. I've used various of these for iPod battery packs, needed for long flights. Also, to my ears the iPod line out sounds better when the iPod is charging.

Here are pictures of the B01 dock connector, wired for power only. The audio pins go on the other side. I'd agree with this pinout, except I could have sworn pin 1 is also ground.

Is it obvious to anyone what I should use as "needles" to add audio to such a connector?

Then I can follow your best advice, amply documented in other threads, for making an audio cable from there.

For power only I've stopped opening these up, which is a minor pain. Much easier to solder to the pins they provide. By the same reasoning it would be easier to do surgery on the Sik Din. However, I don't want the FireWire signal pins, which have to be treated with care. Everyone who has fried an iPod building a battery pack has done so by accidentally shorting or powering one of these signal lines.

 

[Turing]

Well I can't help with what to use for the pins, but here is another diagram of the ipod dock pins.

http://www.ipoding.com/modules.php?s...view_photo.php

(the third image in the series shows which pins are for what)

keep us posted on what you use, I know I'd like to make a dock-to-mini cable myself.

 

[Syzygies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turing Well I can't help with what to use for the pins, but here is another diagram of the ipod dock pins.

Thanks. His pinout isn't 100% reliable, I know for sure that two adjacent pins are used for power +, leading me to trust my observations that two adjacent pins appear to be audio ground, though I'll test again. The pin just to the right of power + is used by the Belkin battery pack to signal the iPod not to charge; I snipped an internal white lead to disable this as I wanted charging.

 

[aeriyn]

Anyone have ideas of the actual dock connector pinout? I would be very interested in the information.

 

[Syzygies]

Head-Fi relayed this from our Linux brethren, the best information I've seen on this. This pinout agrees with the reverse engineering I've done myself, I can personally confirm pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, which are the pins that matter to me (e.g. snip the white wire to 21 to get the Belkin battery pack to actually charge the iPod):

iPod Dock Connector Pinout

JAE Connector

I've completely failed at finding these for sale on the web, but at least I now know I want 0.5mm "needles" to retrofit the B01 connector.

Edit: I've now tested my SendStation PocketDock Line Out on two iPods (Apple replaced mine after it stopped syncing). I get a hum/buzz.

Edit: SendStation sent me a replacement, which appears to work as well as my Apple Dock. I'd still like to be able to make my own cables here.

 

[staid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syzygies iPod Dock Connector Pinout I've completely failed at finding these for sale on the web

I ordered couple of those connectors from ridax here, and I now have some pics of my project to share with You. (I'm working with iPod mini to car cable)

Connectors looks like this.

These are quite much thicker than original Apple connectors, and may not fit with some cases.

Heres the original with bulk one.

This is my new car stereo connecting cable...

There is quite a big hole in connector case (for the cable), and no cable screen clamp, so I have to glue the cable to the case. And naturally I also glued my fingers together...

 

[jpr703]

Great find! How does it sound?

 

[staid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpr703 Great find! How does it sound?

Actually I don't know yet - cable are not finished, since connectors of the another end of the cable are still missing. (not seen in my picture)

I have to compare it with PocketDock when it works. Hope it sounds good.

"I want to believe".

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[Syzygies]

Awesome! I just inquired about getting some.

Do the unneeded pins pull easily?

 

[staid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syzygies Do the unneeded pins pull easily?

Haven't try that yet, but sounds like good idea. I'll try and let You know.

Thanks labrat, good ideas. I didn't put any shieldin for the first one, and now its too late cause I glued it.

Hope it still works in my car without problems.

 

[staid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by staid Haven't try that yet, but sounds like good idea. I'll try and let You know.

Yep, unneeded pins are easy to remove. Just pull those out.

 

[skyskraper]

mmm nice, me wanty