iPhone 5 Line out?

[jseaber]

Quote:

 

 Apple don't like Chinese brand, even we will like to pay 100% licence fee. they trend to believe that every Chinese company will lie about the quantity they sold. 
 
without the licence , we can't purchase the secret chip from Apple that means we can't develop it.

 
The development incentives aren't promising even for US companies:
http://www.myidea.me/index.php/inventing-resources-guides-and-tips/engineering/14-apple-mfi-certification-program-help
 
Apple reserves the right to force developers into super long prototyping cycles, which easily deplete small project budgets. It's no wonder the Solo carries a $580 pricetag. If Apple can accomplish the same task at $29, it's a shame the barriers of entry are so high for eager developers.

 

[justin w.]

Quote:

 
The development incentives aren't promising even for US companies:
http://www.myidea.me/index.php/inventing-resources-guides-and-tips/engineering/14-apple-mfi-certification-program-help
 
Apple reserves the right to force developers into super long prototyping cycles, which easily deplete small project budgets. It's no wonder the Solo carries a $580 pricetag. If Apple can accomplish the same task at $29, it's a shame the barriers of entry are so high for eager developers.

 
actually, if the adapters on eBay are really the same hardware, they're doing it for $10

 

[glamrox]

I for one have been worried about this since I preordered my iPhone 5, but the only 30-pin accessories I have are the dock to my Yamaha Receiver and Logitech speakers I use occasionally. Not a deal breaker for me but I'm hoping Yamaha updates their dock soon.

 

[fuzzyash]

Quote:

 
actually, if the adapters on eBay are really the same hardware, they're doing it for $10

it would be interesting for someone to compare the adapter from apple and the generic ones online like this one:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Apple-Iphone5-Lightning-30-pin-Adapter-iPhone-5-Ipod-5-iPod-nano-7th-gen-/140852868050?pt=Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item20cb7c33d2#ht_1841wt_1271
maybe the apple one has a DAC and the generic one doesnt?

 

[glamrox]

I would think they would both have to have a DAC to serve the same function...

 

[redjazz]

A tear down of the lightning adapter:
 
http://gizmodo.com/5950947/first-look-at-whats-inside-apples-new-dock-adapter-its-basically-impossible-to-mod
 
Quote:

 
The chips look unfamiliar, but with the same metal finish and some have lasered text. They all appear to be custom and trying to figure out what does what is fruitless. I really took this apart for the DIY community to ascertain if the DAC in this thing is actually good, but it's quite unclear. It's probably some integrated audio circuitry in a larger processing chip, that's how these things tend to be done now. One of the chips reads Apple on it with a very long serial number. Another reads 8533 23AP CAB.

 
 
So, still a mystery on the DAC.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

A tear down of the lightning adapter:
 
http://gizmodo.com/5950947/first-look-at-whats-inside-apples-new-dock-adapter-its-basically-impossible-to-mod
 
 
 
So, still a mystery on the DAC.

For their intergrated DAC's made my Cirrus Logic post 2008, they all use serieals and models that are NOT found anywhere on the web or on Cirrus Logics web site in any case. You won't find it

 

[cooperpwc]

This thread is behind. The Lightning adapter has a Wolfson DAC WM8533. However this is a new chip model for Wolfson, probably exclusive to Apple, so there is no information available for it.
 
Source:  http://www.abiresearch.com/blogs/missing-adapter/

 

[PChoon]

maybe reputable audio manufacturers can have their own version of the DAC replaced in the lightning adapter?

 

[jseaber]

Quote:

This thread is behind. The Lightning adapter has a Wolfson DAC WM8533. However this is a new chip model for Wolfson, probably exclusive to Apple, so there is no information available for it.
 
Source:  http://www.abiresearch.com/blogs/missing-adapter/

 
The WM8533 datasheet is available from Wolfson, actually: http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/documents/uploads/data_sheets/en/WM8533.pdf
 
Document is currently dated July 2012, Rev. 4.0:
 
 

24-bit 192kHz Stereo DAC with 2Vrms Ground Referenced Line Output
 
 
FEATURES
 High performance stereo DAC with ground referenced line
driver
 Audio performance
 106dB SNR (‘A-weighted’)
 -89dB THD @ -1dBFS
 Digital volume control ranging from -100dB to +12dB
 120dB mute attenuation
 All common sample rates from 8kHz to 192kHz supported
 I2C/SPI compatible and hardware control modes
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Thanks, jseaber. My Google of the name oddly revealed nothing. I will look at that with interest.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Quote:

 
The WM8533 datasheet is available from Wolfson, actually: http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/documents/uploads/data_sheets/en/WM8533.pdf
 
Document is currently dated July 2012, Rev. 4.0:
 
 

Good find. added it to this thread.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/631228/apple-lightning-dock-adapter-abandon-all-hope-all-ye-who-enter#post_8784584

 

[Vanarian]

Quote:

My hunch was right: From MacWorld: 
 
 
Apple has confirmed to Macworld that these adapters support analog and USB audio-out, as well as syncing and charging. However, the adapters don’t support video-out or iPod mode, the latter a special mode that lets particular accessories, such as car stereos and some whole-home-audio systems, display your iPod’s menus on the accessory’s own screen. More cryptically, the online Apple Store’s product pages note that “some 30-pin accessories are not supported.”
 
Astute readers may have noticed that the Lightning connector does not support analog audio-out, but the 30-pin adapters do. That’s because hidden away inside each 30-pin adapter is a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that converts the Lightning connector’s digital audio signal to an analog version. (The inclusion of a DAC explains at least part of the price of the adapters.)

So, we can use analog-only amps with iPhone 5 right now (it seems) if we get one of the adapters.  To avoid stress on the lightning connector in the phone, I'd use the adapter with 20cm of cable.  

 
I wonder if it really will be the case, I've been playing music only from Deezer since I didn't put my music back in my iPhone 5 yet. Yet in Bluetooth mode, it does work perfectly in my car, will show you timer or title of the music, will let you change track from the wheel and dashboard (though not let you search across your playlist... but come on, we're talking about Deezer app -a great app if you ask me-, not the OEM one so why not).
 
I'm pretty convinced that it will work in USB mode too, and even let me search from dashboard if I run it with the OEM Ipod mode and not Deezer. 
 
I use it in a Suzuki Swift, I can give you feedback once I'll put music back in it?

 

[KT66]

As the Iphone 5 needs charging twice a day with normal use, its not going to suit of a lot of people here
as a DAP
 
The change of output type just stuffs companies like FIIO.
I really think Apple arrogance is making them lose the plot - just read the  Apple forums
 
I have a free, no limits, 5 with 32gig from work, I could use it as my only
phone, but my N8 is SO much better in so many ways, I will still be using it when the Iphone7 comes out!
 
Mind you the Calculator app on the Iphone is superb, as is the browsing:
as a music player, it doesn't even stand a chance

 

[Chrontius]

Been a few months.  Any progress on a line-level output for the iPhone 5?