[AtomBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosterw Ahh ok I see. But the VAT has come extra then. Then I still wonder what the purchasing price of such a connector is? Rgds Hans.

Mouser has a connector that looks like it should work, but doesn't:
http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&han...d&N=0&crc=true
I've read that this connector doesn't have the exactly correct keyways to work with the iPod. Just evil.

Its $7.46 ea for one and $6.34 ea if you buy 100. So, Ridax's prices look very reasonable indeed.

As for charging, I guess the next thing I'll try is 12V to the Firewire pins. Thanks for your help, Ridax!

I'm still curious about the Apple USB Power Adapter. I wonder if its got the brains for a USB hub in there?

 

[hoosterw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomBoy Mouser has a connector that looks like it should work, but doesn't: http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&han...d&N=0&crc=true I've read that this connector doesn't have the exactly correct keyways to work with the iPod. Just evil. Its $7.46 ea for one and $6.34 ea if you buy 100. So, Ridax's prices look very reasonable indeed. As for charging, I guess the next thing I'll try is 12V to the Firewire pins. Thanks for your help, Ridax! I'm still curious about the Apple USB Power Adapter. I wonder if its got the brains for a USB hub in there?

Well I have heard about frying iPods so I would personally take care about +12V on the firewire

and for the price ....

forget I ever said anything.

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomBoy I've tried the 500K resistor- no love. Mine's between pin 21 and 11, but it should be functionally equivalent to Turbo's diagram. 11 and 30 are both ground. The Apple cable that works only has four pins going to the USB connections- pins 16, 23, 25, and 27. <snip>

Yeah, I ohmed out one of our cables and as you noted, those are the only 4 pins used. 27 and 25 are USB data, so doubtful that those are really even needed for charging. Should be 23 (USB Power +5V) and 16 (USB Gnd). Looking at the USB connector end (is that a USB Type A? not up on this USB crap

), the connections are:

Dock/iPod connector pin USB pin
27 -----> 3
25 -----> 2
23 -----> 1
16 -----> 4

I numbered the USB pins as on the iPod connector, USB logo up, plug facing away from me, numbering from L to R. Also verified that no pins are connected together. Not sure if this helps.

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[ridax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by labrat The "Apple USB Power Adapter" has 5 Volt out, period. There is no other connector on the adapter, so there is no "brain" in there, and no possibility to use it as a hub. Sorry.

I have measured a original Apple USB charger and it gives around +5V for USB power, +2.7V for Data- och 2.0V for Data+. All these voltages relative to ground. So the Data pins are connected and not free in space and I think the information I got before, that putting 2.5V on Data- might do the trick (but no guarantee on this). To put 2.5V on Data- you can use two similar resistors in series between GND and +5V (like 2 1kOhm resistors) and you will get 2.5V between the two resistors (if any of you are not familiar with electronics).

About Firewire, there is no problem at all putting +12V on Firewire power and it will charge all iPods (except Shuffle of course). Here is my "charger" adapter for the iPod (it just connects to an ordinary +12V (or whatever) power adapter).

 

[JamesBond]

Hi Guys,

I am quite happy that other people have similar problems charging the ipod via USB and the suggest explanation seems very reasonable:

Just to summarize:

Risax -> You have measued 5V on the Power pin (no surprise here), +2.7V on Data- and 2.0V on Data+. I guess you have used a standard voltmeter (one with a big lcd display, for instance). This would allow for the possibility that there are not a reallt 2V (or 2.7V) but rather a quickly alternating logic signal (between 0V and 5V). The Voltmeter is avering over this signal and shows some value inbetween 0V and 5V.

Now it would be very helpful, in order to check what is going by
EITHER to use an osilloscope and have a look at the data lines of the apple wall charger
OR to open the wall charger and check what is connected to the data lines.

It would be really cool if someone with a wall charger could check that out for us !!!


Thanks
James

 

[ridax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesBond Ridax -> You have measued 5V on the Power pin (no surprise here), +2.7V on Data- and 2.0V on Data+. I guess you have used a standard voltmeter (one with a big lcd display, for instance). This would allow for the possibility that there are not a reallt 2V (or 2.7V) but rather a quickly alternating logic signal (between 0V and 5V). The Voltmeter is avering over this signal and shows some value inbetween 0V and 5V.

No, I scoped it with a DSO (storage scope) and the voltages I specified are as flat as Netherlands.... Nothing there, just those voltages.

 

[AndrewFischer]

Is there a real sound quality advantage to using the audio out from the dock connector over the jack on the top of the iPod?


Just wondering if I should make / buy a dock connector for use with my PPA. I always run on the iPod battery.


Forgive me if I missed this somewhere else.

 

[saab]

If you are really interested in finding out, I say pick one up. If you are not certain that you want one, I would not inverst the time that it takes to figure out how to put it together.

My advice would be to get the dock from say Turbo here on the forums. If you really like it, either keep it, or sell it and make one of your own. By making one, you could have it configured axactly how you want it.

By most all accounts, including my own, you should be impressed by the improvments using the line out can make.

My two cents, and of course, ymmv.

-John

 

[hoosterw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewFischer Is there a real sound quality advantage to using the audio out from the dock connector over the jack on the top of the iPod? Just wondering if I should make / buy a dock connector for use with my PPA. I always run on the iPod battery. Forgive me if I missed this somewhere else.

Well, there is to my humble opinion a VERY BIG difference between the top-jack output and the bottom-dock.

BUT experience yourself.

There are also alternatives to the 'turbo solution' .

I have the opinion that a mini-to-mini jack has the disadvantage of yet another connector to connector weakness.

That is why I went for a hardwired iPod dock to mini, making the female to male jack connection superfluous!
Here are some examples:









Rgds hans.

 

[saab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosterw There are also alternatives to the 'turbo solution' . I have the opinion that a mini-to-mini jack has the disadvantage of yet another connector to connector weakness. That is why I went for a hardwired iPod dock to mini, making the female to male jack connection superfluous!

I am in complete agreement. I also prefer to not include another jack into the equation.

I made this suggestion because the Turbo dock is cheap enough to try the dock line out. At this point Andrew doesn't even know if there is a difference from the head out to the line out. This way he can see if the difference would be worth his time/money to have a more permanent solution.

[edit] Yes, I do think that going from the dock line out is worth it. [/edit]

 

[hoosterw]

What is the price of a Turbo dock II? and subsequent a mini to mini cable?

And then??? What is the price of a hardwired iPod dock to mini?


Rgds Hans

 

[saab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosterw What is the price of a Turbo dock II?

I believe it is around $26, but I am not sure. I know it can be sold for very little loss if he decides to move on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosterw and subsequent a mini to mini cable?

I am assuming he already has one that he has been using from the headphone output.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosterw And then??? What is the price of a hardwired iPod dock to mini?

I am not sure of a hardwired version, but I can't imagine one would be cheaper than $26.
The other option he mentioned is to make one, and you must know as well as I do that this can vary greatly depending on materials used, tools needed to be purchased, and how valuable his time is.

To me, this still sounds like the best option for figuring it out himself, but you are more than welcome to disagree.

-John

 

[AndrewFischer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saab I believe it is around $26, but I am not sure. I know it can be sold for very little loss if he decides to move on. I am assuming he already has one that he has been using from the headphone output.

Actually mini to RCA as my PPA only has RCA inputs. There was a group buy for Vampire RCA jacks awhile back. I initially built the PPA to use with a DVD/CD player that had no headphone jack. I've since ditched the player for my iPod.


Quote:

The other option he mentioned is to make one

I have the tools.

Only thing I don't have is the connectors. Cost is about $26 + my time

Dock connector looks like a pain to work with.

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewFischer Actually mini to RCA as my PPA only has RCA inputs. There was a group buy for Vampire RCA jacks awhile back. I initially built the PPA to use with a DVD/CD player that had no headphone jack. I've since ditched the player for my iPod. I have the tools. Only thing I don't have is the connectors. Cost is about $26 + my time Dock connector looks like a pain to work with.

Cost of the connectors is $2.63 for the thin one, ~$2 for the snap-together one (plus shipping per order of ~$4). The thin one would be a problem to put a connector in the jack unless you pick the connector carefully (the normal Switchcraft minis will barely fit the larger dock connector... I had to cut the clear top off to get it back together). The pins are small, but pull all of them, then carefully note which ones go on which side (upper or lower). Use something like those helping hands things, and tin both the connector pin and the wire (small, like 28ga). Put the the wire in place and heat it up. It wasn't too bad at all. 1/16" heatshrink is too big (I used it, but don't think I would again as it made it hard to get the pins back in). Some kind of insulation would be good, but probably not required if you are careful. Then you just have the cost of the cable and the mini plug if you go that route.