2. pc-audio
  3. 1135741892

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
jax2 OP
3,031 posts
 
Nnyc - This has me baffled...how the heck is Monitor Audio able get a bitstream from the docking port of an iPod. I thought there was no S/PDIF output within the iPod. This seems so blatantly obvious and marketable, why hasn't anyone else bothered to do this?!?! I wrote to Vinnie over at Red Wine Audio, and he pointed out that it was interesting that Monitor Audio does not list this as a feature of this unit on their own website. They do mention that it can be used with a computer via a USB connection, and I wonder if that is where the interface is coming into play. Using my computer I can pull the content from my iPod via USB or Firewire through iTunes, have the computer spit out a signal to my converter (a Waveterminal U24) and feed the digital stream from the Waveterminal to an external DAC via S/PDIF or Toslink. I wonder if AudioAdvisor and the reviewer are muddying up the description by leaving out the need for a computer in between in order to feed that digital stream to the DAC? If not, how are they getting an S/PDIF feed from an iPod? Vinnie went on to speculate that they may be using the USB port and a custom converter board (like my external Waveterminal, or an internal sound card for a computer), but added that some software would be necessary to govern that interface. Anyone have any idea how Monitor Audio is doing this?

Marco
nnyc
28 posts
 
I suppose it is possible that the i-deck reads data directly off the ipod disk as data files, treating it as just a USB hard disk, and uses it's own software to play and decode the files. The only strange thing about that is that you can control whats being played with the interface on the ipod... I haven't seen any definitive explanation yet.
bbaggin5
1 posts
 
There is a program called Anapod Explorer that allows you to treat the iPod as an attached drive so you can copy files to and from as strictly digital data so there must be a way to get the digital data back out. See http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod/
david_ad
1 posts
 
I haven't read this whole thread, but I found this thing

http://www.nyko.com/nyko/products/?i=44
which I had to buy - it cost about $20. The sound is OK. I'm not sure how it's doing what it's doing. seems to answer your question though
jax2 OP
3,031 posts
 
I haven't read this whole thread, but I found this thing

www.nyko.com/nyko/products/?i=...

Nope, that's just a line output. The digital output would have to be in the form of a single S/PDIF (RCA type connection), or a Toslink connection. Anything that goes directly into an amplification source is using the Ipod as a DAC. With a digital output you would need to go firt to an external DAC.

Thanks for posting, regardless.

Marco
More to discover