[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manaox2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, that could work by matching id3 tags, but I agree that I don't see how it could take the iTunes DRM songs and send them straight through the DAC without breaking some copyright laws.

I think if you are just playing back for *personal* consumption from an iPod DRM issues probably dont occur, I think they only occur if you are trying to digitally copy files or break encryption on files which you dont own the rights to, I dont know if DRM comes into play when the song is in the analog domain since that is probably catered for by ye olde copyright protection such as taping concerts, photocopying books or otherwise using someone's intellectual property.

In any case I thought Apple had removed DRM from their songs ?

 

[Artemio]

The other option is that they are working just as the Alpine iDA-X001. I own that car head unit, and it uses the ipod in a different way via the USB interface. It uses its own internal DAC, it shows the album art and the ID3 tags, but just the information an ipod would on its own screen, no extra stuff. And it is always in the "OK to disconnect" mode, just like any line out dock like those form Yamaha or Onkyo but streaming the files from the iPod.

I'd love to see a dock station that did that, I have even thought about buying other head unit and using it in my home setup.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manaox2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The dock idea seems silly to me when you usually have a computer around. Sheesh, buy some speakers and a receiver/DAC if you really want quality. Just buy some computer speakers and build an alien DAC if you want it on the cheap.

Actually, it's not such a silly idea. iTunes has horrible sound quality (vs. Foobar) for whatever reason -- so even if you have your iPod hooked up to your computer and you play files straight from the iPod or you play files from the iTunes library (even with ALAC, WAV or AIFF), the sound quality is nothing special. There are probably so many layers of code that the PCM file travels through that it gets distorted. iTunes doesn't offer ASIO support, and therefore it isn't bit perfect. This new bookshelf system might output bitperfect audio to it's DAC, but it has no S/PDIF output so it doesn't do much good.

 

[manaox2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, it's not such a silly idea. iTunes has horrible sound quality (vs. Foobar) for whatever reason -- so even if you have your iPod hooked up to your computer and you play files straight from the iPod or you play files from the iTunes library (even with ALAC, WAV or AIFF), the sound quality is nothing special. There are probably so many layers of code that the PCM file travels through that it gets distorted. iTunes doesn't offer ASIO support, and therefore it isn't bit perfect. This new bookshelf system might output bitperfect audio to it's DAC, but it has no S/PDIF output so it doesn't do much good.

I have some kind of plugin that outputs the sound through foobar. I don't have any DRM tunes, so I don't know if it would work, but I don't know why it couldn't. My iMod seems like a different beast, I was and still am not interested in a serious iPod dock (other then the vCap). Thats what my laptop is for.

P.S. I only use Winamp and Foobar for my tunes on PC. I really hate itunes, hence Rockbox on my iMod and python script on my shuffle.

 

[Svperstar]

This doesn't seem too outrageous a claim, the station could just copy the music files off of it and convert them, presto.

Isn't this how the "Full Speed iPod control" car head units work already?

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manaox2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have some kind of plugin that outputs the sound through foobar. I don't have any DRM tunes, so I don't know if it would work, but I don't know why it couldn't. My iMod seems like a different beast, I was and still am not interested in a serious iPod dock (other then the vCap). Thats what my laptop is for. P.S. I only use Winamp and Foobar for my tunes on PC. I really hate itunes, hence Rockbox on my iMod and python script on my shuffle.

I have that plug-in too, just been playing around with it. Well now it seems to reveal how the bookshelf system works with it in Hard Drive mode. The sound quality by using it through Foobar is just as good as playing the audio off of your computer hard drive. You guys should all pick up a copy of the plug-in if you have an iPod.

 

[AKChastain]

I use my Ipod as an external drive and Kernel streamaing through an AV-710 optical to a DAC and amp in the office. With Apple Lossless files, I can say it sounds pretty darn good. Winamp is easier to use and now does ALAC. I would be surprised if a docking station could do all that though, I'll be very interested in any info we can get on this.

 

[videocrew]

The Alpine head unit has its own user-interface, because when the iPod is mounted as a disk, the iPod user-interface stops working. It's still working here... draw your own conclusions, but its pretty obvious to me.

 

[systemerror909]

Finally got an email back from the company explaining things:




Hi Ryan

Thanks for your question.

You are correct the i-deck does have it's own built in DAC.

The i-deck takes the analogue information converts to Digital,
up-samples, and re-converts back to analogue. The iPod does not actually
output digital data.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards





Dan Rogers
Production Engineer






So it looks like it isn't anything special. Out of curiosity, why would you even want and additional adc stage in your amp? DSP I guess? Any ideas?

 

[manaox2]

I dunno. Sounds like it would actually lower sound quality... I would much rather prefer the minimalistic approach.

 

[Lad27]

That extra ADC and DAC out of analog out surely won't help SQ no matter what trickery is employed in up-sampling and re-converting.

'garbage-in, garbage-out' statement applies here.

 

[Leo-]

this ideck isn´t definitely what we would be looking for...

I have found the iLink which supposedly does the job of providing optical, coaxial and balanced (balanced digital?? i don´t know this one) outputs:

iLink

What I really hope is that RWA would be able to do an iMod with digital out!

 

[IPodPJ]

We know about the iLink. It also costs $2,000 and requires your iPod to be opened up and converted. There are much less expensive solutions.

 

[Leo-]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif We know about the iLink. It also costs $2,000 and requires your iPod to be opened up and converted. There are much less expensive solutions.

yes, the price is completely out of range for the solution - to listen at home you could buy a computer + dac for that price, but so far i think it is the only true digital out for ipod, isn't it? (sorry if i didnt know this ilink, as i have said i'm new to this digital source stuff).

 

[IPodPJ]

Yup, it is the only true digital out for the iPod. But truthfully, it isn't TRULY a digital output for an IPOD, since you are no longer using an iPod -- you are using an MSB modified iPod.