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February 7, 2007
iPod Dock Extender
Update: You can buy one of these Dock Extender Cables for iPod or iPhone at CableJive
The most frequent request I get from folks reading about building a SoundDock Aux Input cable is if I might build an extension cable that would allow them to connect their iPod to a dock without having to put the iPod directly on the docking cradle. You see, if you've put any kind of case on your iPod there's a good chance that it no longer fits on the dock. This is true for my iPod and the iSkin it is in. The idea for the extension cable is to have a female iPod connector on one end and a male iPod connector on the other...a flexible extension of the dock cradle.
I've been tossing around the idea of making one of these cables for awhile, poking at the connector docs for a few weeks now. Tonight I got around to doing it. It's a bit more tedious soldering than the aux input cable, but doesn't require any special circuitry so didn't take quite as long to figure out.
The supplies...a male and female iPod connector, available from Ridax or Sparkfun. You'll also need a multi-conductor cable, depending on what features you want to have available through the cable. For my cable I want everything that the iPod has when docked on the Bose SoundDock. This is audio, charging, and some minimal control (pause, next/previous track).
I also can't emphasize enough having a decent soldering iron. There's no way I could have pulled this off with my $5.99 iron from Radio Shack.
The connections are pretty well explained at pinout.ru. Ground on pin 1 & 2 and audio comes from the iPod on pins 3 (right) and 4 (left). From previous experience with SoundDock hacks I know that it charges the iPod using 12V Firewire powerp on 19 & 20 and that the SoundDock powers on when it senses 3.3V coming from the iPod on pin 18. The last question was how control signals are sent from the SoundDock to the iPod. Turns out this is all done on the serial interface on pins 11,12, & 13. So I needed an 8-conductor wire. I used some Apple serial cable I had handy, which is shielded 9-conductor that fit the bill prefectly (except the one extra conductor).
I started with the female SMD and attached the cable to pins 1/2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 18, & 20.
Soldering to the male connector is much easier as the pins are significantly wider and are staggered in two rows to provide a little more space between the pins.
Once I had everything soldered I did some testing to make sure that there were no crossed wires or touching connectors. When I knew everything was right and that the functions were all working I put a quick shot of glue on each end to hold the conductors and pins in position. The only thing left to do at this point is stick each end of the cable into a shell and enjoy.
And it works beautifully. I have my iPod in the iSkin while it is connected to the SoundDock, playing music, charging, and changing tracks as I use the remote control.
Beautiful.
I might consider making up a few more of these if anyone is interested. Drop me an email.
Posted by mike at February 7, 2007 12:14 AM
Comments
pinout.ru is gone, is there any other place to find this info?
Posted by: talktosocks at February 7, 2007 7:50 AM
I had the wrong link:
http://pinouts.ru/Devices/ipod_pinout.shtml
If that doesn't work there's also the wikiPodLinux document:
http://www.ipodlinux.org/Dock_Connector
Posted by: Mike at February 7, 2007 9:13 AM
Mike: I just read your article on making your own iPod dock extender. I've been looking for one of these for months and have had no luck. Apparently, no manufacturer makes it. I would be very interested if you intend to make more. Thanks.
Steve
Posted by: Steve Wheeler at February 7, 2007 3:56 PM
hi mike...i'd be very interested in purchasing one of these cables from you if you'd be willing to make another one. thanks.
Chris B.
Posted by: chris at February 7, 2007 5:38 PM
I'm very interested. Just tell me where I have to sign !!
Rafael
Posted by: rafael ruiz at February 7, 2007 8:21 PM
I would definantly be interested in one of these. How much would you charge for one of these.
Thanks
Robert
Posted by: Robert R at February 7, 2007 10:34 PM
Hi Mike - Timing is everything. I'd love one of these cables too. Do you take paypal?
Posted by: Peter G at February 8, 2007 12:50 AM
Mike - I'd certainly pay for one!
Posted by: Mike L at February 8, 2007 8:38 AM
Okay, add me to your growing list of desperate ipod users willing to pay you for one of these cables! I can't believe no one else has stepped up to fill this need.
Posted by: Louis Block at February 8, 2007 8:58 AM
Mike: Please add me to your list of hopeful cable users. Thanks!
Posted by: Gerald S at February 8, 2007 9:42 AM
I was wondering if I could connect my XM radio to the Bose Sounddock. What would be the pin outs for the XM radio. I think I can figure out the audio but the power or charging the xm radio could be difficult. any ideas?
Posted by: George Montserrat at February 8, 2007 10:36 AM
I'd love one of these too! I have a Belkin TuneTalk Stereo which picks up way too much HD noise on my 5g. Moving it to the end of a cable would be a great way to fix it [saves using an external mic].
Posted by: richard at February 8, 2007 3:43 PM
Count me in if you end up making this sort of cable.
Posted by: Ralph at February 10, 2007 5:15 PM
PLEASE MAKE ME A CABLE TOO!!! I have a Griffin TuneCenter and I want the whole tunecenter to stay behind the dash of my car and have the cable come out to my center console. This way I can nice interface for my iPod on my navigation screen. So please tell me your cable supports what ever video pinouts iPods have. Thanks!
Posted by: Dru at February 10, 2007 6:22 PM
I'm planning to build an adapter cable for my car and iPod Video, but I want to do a quick check to make sure I understand the pinouts correctly.
1 GND
2 GND
3 Right Line Out - R (+) (Audio output, right channel)
4 Left Line Out - L(+) (Audio output, left channel)
19,20 +12V Power 12 VDC (+)
I believe these are all the pins I'll need to connect in order to both charge and use line out. Can I get some opinions on whether this is correct?
I'm getting +12VDC from the factory head unit. Thanks for any help.
Posted by: Jim at February 10, 2007 11:06 PM
Me Too!
I'll purchase one from you
All I need is a 2 foot one.
I have been looking for one of these for a long time!!!
Posted by: david schatz at February 10, 2007 11:16 PM
I definitely want one so let me know if you have any available. Side note: I can't believe that Apple, Griffin, etc., hasn't figured this one out. It seems that you have a product that will sell big time, at least until the big boys jump on board. In the short term, perhaps there is a great income source for you, and, even give you a leg up so that you can get to the point where you can sell your own cases, accessories, etc.
Posted by: Lillian at February 10, 2007 11:31 PM
I'd be interested in one of these cables too. If you do make more, please let me know.
Posted by: Kevin at February 11, 2007 12:22 AM
Add me to the impressive list of people who would be interested in one of these! Also, I'm looking for a way to play my shuffle (one of the new ones that only has a headphone jack) on my Sound Dock. Do you know of any adapters out there that will enable this? Thanks!
Posted by: Julie at February 11, 2007 1:17 PM
yes, please, i'd love to buy one of these cables
Posted by: andrew at February 11, 2007 3:02 PM
Mike,
This looks awesome. I would love to purchase one from you. Please let me know.
Posted by: Sam at February 12, 2007 11:37 AM
Would surely purchase if price was low enough (<20)
Posted by: Jordan at February 12, 2007 5:03 PM
Hey Mike,
Add me to the list. I hope you make a bundle of cash on this.
Posted by: Jack at February 12, 2007 8:54 PM
I would be willing to pay $20 including shipping for one. the length really doesn't matter though, just an extension. I also have a PayPal account :D
Posted by: William at February 12, 2007 9:26 PM
Great Idea. I Need One.
Posted by: Job at February 12, 2007 11:08 PM
Wow, great job. Looks like you already have a bunch of people lining up for a cable so I'll settle for a bit of advise. How the hell did you solder the female connector? With a magnifying glass. I can't believe how small the pins are. Any suggestions? Did you remove all but the pins you needed to solder?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by: ubergamer2005 at February 13, 2007 7:36 PM
Sign me up! No one, I repeat no one has offered one of these to date. I want to use a home dock through my car's video screen, but wnat to put the dock in a less than accessible spot. Need the connector for the ipod menus to be displayed properly.
Posted by: Tim at February 14, 2007 12:33 PM
Please sign me up for on of these!! Personnaly I don't care what the price is (within reason). Taking my iPod out of its case every time I want to dock it a real PAIN. While searching I saw a senior editor for playlist mag asked for this very item in Feb 2005, and still there are none out there.
Posted by: Ray at February 15, 2007 12:13 PM
I would love one of these. The demand is high, but you are one of the few to offer them. Thanks.
Posted by: Colin McInnis at February 16, 2007 1:07 AM
I would be very interested in a cable also. I started looking for one this week and cannot believe that no one is marketing this. The guy in the Apple Store looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him about it.
Posted by: John at February 16, 2007 1:43 PM
Mike, I would buy at least two of these, one because of the case, the other because the connection with my 5G ipod and my music link in my car is so bad. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make these cables.
Posted by: Ryan Bricklemyer at February 16, 2007 3:30 PM
Add me to the list too. I would love at least one of these. I hope you go into production with these units. Any idea if you will be making and selling these in the near future? Choice of white or black? Choice of cable lengths?
Posted by: Pat C at February 16, 2007 5:24 PM
I would be interested too. I have been in the market a long time.
Posted by: Will at February 18, 2007 8:43 PM
Me too please! Sendstation is coming out with a "dock extender" soon but I want one now (and hopefully for cheaper!)... I have been looking for one of these for AGES. I am not sure why companies aren't making this!
Posted by: Jer at February 19, 2007 10:38 AM
Mike,
I had been thinking of making one but I don't think my soldering skills are good enough.
What would you charge for one?
I am interested in one as well, PayPal ok?
Let me know if you plan to build any more.
Thanks,
Celia E.
Posted by: Celia at February 19, 2007 11:59 PM
Tim (and maybe some others): The extender cable that is described here is designed to work with the Bose Sounddock. It MIGHT work with some other equipment as well, but it is certainly no generic dock extender like the one Sendstation or Ridax (see my link) have or are going to have. The solution described here will certainly not work for video, it will not work with USB or Firewire devices and it there are plenty of accessories it won't work with.
There are 30 pins in the dock connector and Mike is taking care of 8 of them here. Not all of those 30 pins are used, but at least 26 of them are used, so it remains 18 pins that are not taken care of. If the accessory you want to use the extender with use one of these pins, the extension cable described here won't work.
Mike is doing a fine work here and it is a delicate job, soldering these 8 wires to the very fragile and small pins of the iPod connector. The time I am sure he is spending on making these cables are well worth the money he is asking for it, but just don't expect too much of this cable, if you want to use it for other purposes than the Bose Sounddock (or other applications that you know will work with this device).
The extensions I and Sendstation are making extends all of the used pins in the iPod connector and thus works with all accessories. As I have told a lot of ppl asking for this kind of cable, extending 30 pins by hand soldering wires on each pin is just too difficult/time consuming and I am sure Mike is agreeing with me on that. I think he is brave enough to do it with 8 wires.
Posted by: Ridax at February 22, 2007 4:12 PM
Hi Mike,
I'm interested in getting one too! Please email me about details.
Posted by: budman808 at February 27, 2007 9:24 PM
I agree with Ridax, it doesn't have all of the pins connected which means it will only work for certain functionality. To keep the cable size decent, and not a ribbon, this cable aims to connect a certain subset of the functionality of the iPod.
The cable being sold at cablejive.com does more than the cable I made here. That cable does everything except audio input (for mic recording), data sync, and video.
Posted by: Mike at February 28, 2007 6:11 PM
Make one please and email me please
Posted by: Matthew at March 10, 2007 9:06 PM
I'd sure like to get one of these cables. Sounds like you could be starting a little business here. What would you want for one?
Sherwin Berger
Posted by: Sherwin Berger at June 3, 2007 11:07 PM
Mike,
This is just what the dr ordered. I am looking for a m/f cable about 3 ft long.
This would help me tremendously.
I have to remove my ipod from its case every time I want to use my fm converter.
Please fit me in.
And let me know your fee.
Posted by: Chuck Patterson at July 7, 2007 6:47 PM
i'm very interested in a ipod dock ext. cable - like the one u made. will u consider it? i'll pay 4 everything. Do u know if there is a male to female ipod connector that can be attached to the ipod and replaced when worn - instead of a costly ipod replacement?? Rafael
Posted by: RAFAEL at September 26, 2007 5:50 PM
Would pay for a dock extension cable 2-3 foot long.
Thanks,
Posted by: WWE at October 30, 2007 12:55 PM
Hi...
Wow that is just what i have been looking around for. I didnt realize so many people had the same need as myself and that this is not manufatured by a single company. I also think you could make a bundle on this. Are you making and reselling them? I am very interested in buying one from you. Add me to your long list of requests and let me know if it would be a posibilty.
Thanks and merry X-mas!!!
-mike
Posted by: Mike W at December 6, 2007 1:52 PM
I have been searching online for something like this for months. Are you still in business? If you are, how much do you want for a 3 foot extension? Thanks and take care. Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Chuck Brecher at December 18, 2007 5:59 PM
And another! I would love one of these things. My car has a dock in the glove compartment for my ipod. But now i have the iPhone this thing would make the whole setup perfect.
Any chances
Posted by: Tarek at December 25, 2007 5:45 AM
I would really like to get one of these. Anyway you can make me one?
Thanks.
FJ
Arlington, VA
Posted by: F J at December 31, 2007 11:56 AM
If you want me to make you one of these cables, go to CableJive, the site I've set up. There you can place an order for a cable.
http://cablejive.com/extendercable.html
- Mike Kruckenberg
Posted by: Mike at December 31, 2007 12:03 PM
I am interested in a cable as I want to use it with my bose pod dock. let me know how much you are charging
my email address is Jsalinas59@verizon.net
thank you
Juvencio
Posted by: J salinas at August 12, 2008 3:37 PM
What was the exact part #'s you used for this? Which place did you buy the parts from and where did you get the cable? Also some of the sites you listed have been suspended
Posted by: John C. at August 22, 2008 5:12 AM
Can you make the cable with a style 2 connector? It is a lot less bulky than the original cable? If you can make these I would buy the generation 2 model. Thanks!
Posted by: Moiz at September 10, 2008 10:15 AM
hello
do you have the pinout for the new 2g ipod touch
cant be too hard to modify your cable to support charging on the new 2g touch- supposedly firewire charging has been eliminated
is this simply a matter of jumping out usb voltage to the firewire pins- on adapter cable?
thanks
bob donchez
Posted by: bob donchez at September 16, 2008 7:28 PM
HI
I HAVE A PIONEER CAR STEREO WITH IPOD CABLE. I NEED A FEMALE ADADPTER SUCH THAT IT FITS WITH IPOD CABLE END ON ONE SIDE AND A USB DEVICE SUCH AS PENDRIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE...
THESE BUGGERS ARE NOT MAKING A USB ADAPTER WITHT THEIR SYSTEMS
Posted by: abhishek at December 29, 2008 9:16 PM
Hi did you ever get round to making these for less than they are selling at cablejive?
Posted by: dave at March 26, 2009 1:40 AM
Mike, im really in need for one of your extension ipod cables. I need one thats about 12 foot long, let me know on a price including shipping.
Thank you
Posted by: Eddie at April 29, 2009 11:02 PM
I am not making these any more, but you can get one at CableJive:
http://cablejive.com/custom-dock-extender-cable
Posted by: Mike 
at April 30, 2009 9:51 AM
Hi,
I have just bought Sounddock for my ipod photo, and I noticed that when the ipod is in the cradle the speakers are emitting the hiss/buzz/high frequency sound (quite loud when not playing or with low volume). I suspect it to be because of charging my ipod when connected.
So, I have a question as I have read you made extend cable and as well as aux input cable. Does using this cables solve the hiss/buzz sound problem?
Thanks,
Posted by: Marcin at June 6, 2009 3:36 PM
where can i but this?
i need it for my car. it has a dock inside the glove compartment... very uncomfortable.
Posted by: Ruti at July 28, 2009 5:17 AM
You can find Ipod extender cables on sparkfun.com
Posted by: Austin at October 28, 2009 11:14 AM