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iPod iPod shuffle USB trojan?

O

OnSafari

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 25, 2004
3
0
Southern Spain
Am I being really dim or are there an unusual ammount of connectors in the iPod shuffle's built in USB male connector?

Just pop the cap off and have a look...

Could this be a sign of features to come?

Most USB connectors have 4 pins Vbus (+5V), D-, D+ and Grnd. The shuffle appears to have 9! 4 in the usual places and another 5 thin gold strips in between. Tell me I'm missing something.
 
Nope, USB2.0 uses the same connection as normal USB. If I had to guess I would say it would be some kind of proprietary connection that apple will use to release accessories one day.
 
accessories

My guess, GUESS, is that yes this is for accessories, one of which we already have wind of, the battery pack. Hopefully some kind of data interface can be accessed through here. Although I personally do not want one, I can see Griffin or another iCompany releasing an add on screen and a plethora of other accessories for the shuffle. hooray for the iPod economy.
 
maya said:
Its for charging the Shuffle with the power adapter and via USB 1.1 without external power. :)


Canon uses the same method on its USB 1.1 cords for they scanners. ;) :)
Click to expand...

I don't get it, if a USB 1.1 source connector is not powered how will extra contacts help?

Does the power adapter have all these contacts in it? I haven't seen one yet but I assumed it just fed 5V over the normal USB Vbus and Gnd conductors with no data.

I'm going with the possible accesories explanation for now.

Thanks for the responses :)
 
I believe it has something to do with the way the shuffle receives power over the bus as opposed to the way it receives power from an outside source such as the battery pack or a wall adapter. I am not entirely sure though. Maya, you seem to be in the know on the subject, any thoughts as to why? by the way i have always wondered who your avatar is.. is that you, or your daughter, someone random? just curious.
 
RE the connectors:
I have a Canon LIDE 30 scanner, USB powered, via USB 1.1, no special cable required, USB standard provides 500mA of current per hub from the PC, on both 1.1 and 2.0, along with 2 data lines, the extra 5 connectors, i can post a pic if required are not part of any usb standard. RE charging needs... if the shuffle charges when plugged into comp, it will charge by simply applying +5v and ground to the appropriate pins (there is a simple mod to make a portable charger using a 9V battery, a 5V reg, and a usb connector), so these pins cannot be for charging. I am going to the college this week, and i am going to take an oscilloscope to them, i suspect there is a control interface/data interface that does not obey usb standards (hence the separate connectors) and that there is Audio L/R on 2 of the pins to support a dock style music player (and charger combo) like is common for the ipod and ipod mini. So I wholly support that these connectors are for upcoming accessories (which will cost an assload! :eek: ) I will post my findings when i have them.

Green
 
yea my guess is a possible connection to camera's and other digital bits n bobs. but everyone else is saying that so to make my post stand out;

BANANA'S!
 
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