Comments on: Hybrid audio/power cable for iPod?

Question: Hybrid audio/power cable for iPod?

skwm — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:25:10 -0800

iPod connectors: I recently added an AudioVox FM modulator to my cars stereo so I can play my iPod over the radio more reliably than with an iTrip. It works great, but now I have a new annoyance to deal with - two cables coming out of the iPod. One for charging via the cigarette lighter, from the bottom, and one from the top for the audio connection to the Audiovox. I'd like to combine the functionality of these two cables and use a single cable from the bottom of the iPod. How?

Presumable, the iPod charger cable connects to the +12VDC Firewire power pins and provides +11VDC to the iPod. I'm guessing that there isn't some sort of DC-DC converter inside the small adapter. How can I get the audio signal out of the bottom of the iPod? Is there some sort of hybrid cable, or easily hackable existing cable? What's the best way to go about this?

By: crewshell

crewshell — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:29:49 -0800

Belken offers a product that connects to the bottom of the Ipod for charging and also provides a line out jack, with amp control.

Problem solved. Here is the link to the product on amazon.

By: joeblough

joeblough — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:37:45 -0800

yep. i have one of those and it works, except that when its plugged in to my prius there's a lot of electrical noise coupled into the audio jack. i dont think i had that problem in the volvo (98 v70) though.

By: imjosh

imjosh — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:08:55 -0800

I have the Belkin one mentioned above, It works wonderfully. I payed ~30 at Bestbuy 2 -3 years ago for it.

By: Davidicus

Davidicus — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 05:04:34 -0800

joeblough: "yep. i have one of those and it works, except that when its plugged in to my prius there's a lot of electrical noise coupled into the audio jack. i dont think i had that problem in the volvo (98 v70) though."

A $18 ground loop isolator will fix the electrical noise. I use the same Belkin adapter, and without the isolator, it was unlistenable on my Mazda 3, through the built-in aux input. With the GLI, I only get a very small amount of noise when the volume is all the way up, and I'm not playing anything.

By: joeblough

joeblough — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:27:51 -0800

thanks for that link. i think for now i'll just keep using the iPod on batteries; its cheaper :)