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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
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
edsherlingmdd5cb
1 posts
 
The iPod uses a cruddy, standard Wolffson Microelectronics low-power DAC; headphone amplification is handled by the same chip. It is built into the ipod, rather than the dock, unfortunately.

You might as well use your computer or one of the newer digital media servers as a lossless source, and then rout this into a good upsampling DAC. Some of the newer upsampling CD players (eg. Cambridge Audio, Quad) will allow for digital inputs, as well.
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