Anybody recommend a good Lightning port to iPod 30-way adapter? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: paul8f
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2020, 02:14:00 pm
content: Have an Apple iPod Classic that uses the old-style 30 pin connector.Trouble is, the Sony Dream Machine docking station I bought has an 8 pin Lightning port.An adapter I bought on eBay fits, but doesn't work.Can't seem to find anything on Amazon.Can anybody recommend an adapter that will allow both charging and music playing?

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2020, 02:28:14 pm
content: Find or make a cable to split it to USB and analog audio.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2020, 02:29:43 pm
content: Quote from: paul8f on September 05, 2020, 02:14:00 pmNo such adapter exists officially. The official Lighting-to-30pin-dock adapters are to allow you to use newer devices on older docks, not vice versa. The crap on eBay is just a "dumb" adapter that passes through the power and USB. The ebay listings say "Supports charging (with a wall adapter) and data sync (with a computer) but will not be recognized by any other device" so I'm not sure why you expected it to work.Since Lightning is digital only (unlike the old Dock connector that was digital and analog), and it's likely using a proprietary Apple protocol to receive said digital audio, there's no practical way to feed in audio to it.Go back on eBay, but instead, buy a speaker dock with the 30-pin Dock connector. Since they're obsolete now, and millions were sold, they should be pretty cheap. Similarly, you could find one at a thrift store.

author: paul8f
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2020, 09:13:02 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on September 06, 2020, 02:29:43 pmI'm thinking the very same now. (Although I have read stories of some folks having success with these adapters on Bose docking stations). Do you know if there are any official Apple products that would do the conversion? -- Not that I'd buy it or anything, coz knowing Apple you'd pay a hefty fee to get it.A thrift store is exactly the place I picked up the used docking station. It doubles as an a clock-radio alarm unit, so it's not a complete loss!...Plus I can still feed the headphone jack of the iPod into the rear Audio In (AUX) port of the docking station, and listen to my tunes that way. Just a pity I can't use the full interface.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2020, 12:44:36 am
content: Does it have a USB port? You should be able to plug in the iPod over USB and then use the interface on the unit to navigate files. Of course, then you might as well just plug in a USB drive.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2020, 05:34:09 am
content: Quote from: paul8f on September 08, 2020, 09:13:02 pmNo, Apple never made such a thing. I said so in my first reply: “No such adapter exists officially”. (Nor would it have made sense: people replaced their iPods much more frequently than they replaced their docks.)

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2020, 05:58:36 am
content: You're going to need to capture audio from the 30-pin plug with an ADC. There are a few lightning audio capture devices available, but I doubt if they will work with a dock.

author: paul8f
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2020, 09:25:19 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on September 09, 2020, 12:44:36 amI take it you 're asking if the docking-station has a USB port...? -- No, it just the lightning port to dock a modern rev iPod, and a rear Line-in 3.5mm jack.

author: paul8f
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2020, 09:31:04 pm
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on September 09, 2020, 05:58:36 amThat sounds like a project and a half right there! A project, I unfortunately don't have time for.I might get on eBay, and get myself a Christmas present of the 30-way version! (Better do it before Brexit kicks in, and throws a whole heap of customs charges on it...

author: bw2341
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2020, 09:27:04 pm
content: Quote from: paul8f on September 08, 2020, 09:13:02 pmDoes your Sony alarm clock have Bluetooth support? Does your iPod have Bluetooth support? Bose products are pricey so they most likely have Bluetooth support for non-Apple phones. If the cheap passive Lightning dock to 30-pin iPod adapters work for USB charging only, they could be still be used on Bose docking stations along with Bluetooth to support music playback.https://oliver.st/blog/counterfeit-lightning-headphone-adapter/It looks like counterfeiters have broken the authentication for Lightning audio devices. However, it is still unlikely that someone will make the adapter you need.Even criminals need to earn a profit. It is more lucrative to counterfeit a Lightning to headphone adapter than to design and make a Lightning dock to 30-pin adapter that only works with iPods from before 2014.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 11:47:11 am
content: Quote from: bw2341 on September 11, 2020, 09:27:04 pmOther than a few iPod touch models, no iPod with the 30-pin Dock connector ever had built-in Bluetooth. (The final iPod nano was the only non-iOS iPod with Bluetooth, but it also used the Lightning connector.)(With that said, Apple's Bluetooth has always supported bog-standard Bluetooth audio. Only proprietary device communication requires Apple's certification. Hence why, for example, bluetooth multimeters need Apple's blessing. But speakers, headphones, etc. do not.)