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Is iPod Digital Output Possible?

I've been scouring through all the ipod accessories and cannot find what I am looking for. Perhaps it does not exist. I was wondering if there is any cable or dock that will allow me to extract a digital output from my iPod video (or any iPod for that matter)? There's plenty of adapters to pull the analog out, but it seems like you always need a computer interface to get digital output. Why? Is it just a matter of software to sort out the library? More to the point; I want to connect my iPod directly to my DAC or even to my Waveterminal (requires the squareish delivery end of a USB cable) to my DAC...is this possible? Has this been discussed previously? If so, where the heck was I? No, don't answer that last part! The authorities may be listening in! Just tell me how to get a digital stream out of my iPod if it's possible.

Marco
jax2
falp
6 posts
 
Since a few days ago there are iPOD Docks with Digital SPDIF out, made possible by the use of the Apple Authentication Chip:

- Wadia iTransport

- DLO Homedock HD

- B&W Zeppelin (I think)
computeraudiophile
18 posts
 
The Zeppelin won't output digital like the Wadia.

I'm skeptical about the DLO dock since it just says pure digital out.

Chris

Founder
ComputerAudiophile.com
ejliu
109 posts
 
What's the price on the DLO? I can't find a release date or retail price.
wdrazek
100 posts
 
Apparently $250, available March or early spring.
gordguide
7 posts
 
There is no digital out available via the iPod's USB (or Firewire) ports on the 30-pin connector. There is an analog out at line level there, and it is much superior to the iPod's built-in headphone amplifier, so that is the output of choice for best sound quality on a bone-stock iPod.

However, you can go inside the iPod and take an I2S output from the Woflson DAC chip. This involves very good soldering skills and fine wire. You could then send the I2S out to a DAC's I2S input. Again, this probably would involve soldering skills. There is such a thing as DACs with I2S inputs, but for the most part they only use the I2S internally. Thus the mods.

If you understand USB it's fairly obvious why an iPod won't be able to connect to a DAC this way ... USB is a "dumb" interface that requires a controller chip and CPU cycles to manage the connection. The iPod and any DAC are just the "dumb" ports, so there is nothing there to do the controlling.

Firewire is somewhat different in that a Firewire controller is "smart" and does not need to be told what to do. Connect any two Firewire devices and they can talk to each other and self-manage the data stream. FW chips actually are mini-computers, with a CPU, memory, and data buses.

However the early iPods with FW I still don't believe will work, going back to the earlier point about no digital audio data available in the iPod. Whether USB or FW, the iPod is seen simply as a Hard Drive, not a Digital Audio Stream.
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