It used to be that if you had a set of speakers with Apple ’s 30 - rowlock wharfage connexion , that arrangement would work with any i - gimmick . unhappily , that ’s no longer the typesetter’s case , as many owners of sometime speaker system of rules have get a line .
I ’m not utter about speakers with dock cradles that do n’t fit the latest iPods and iPhones . Most late docking speaker use Apple’sUniversal Dock design , which imply you may usually make your verbalizer organization “ current ” by simply using the dock insert that came with your iPhone or iPod , or bybuying the appropriate cut-in from Apple .
Rather , I ’m tattle about expectant compatibility issues . Perhaps the most significant is that a few years back , Apple settle to alter the dock - connective port . Whereas former iPods agitate via the dock connector ’s FireWire circuitry — commemorate , early iPods were FireWire - only — new iPods , as well as the iPhone and iPad , charge and sync only over USB . Which means that if you adhere your iPhone in an older iPod dock , there ’s a practiced chance the wharf wo n’t charge the iPhone — even if it has no trouble playing audio from the phone .
CableJive’s DockStubz
At the same time , most current and older tying up speakers are n’t compatible with the iPad because an iPod / iPhone - sized dock rocker ca n’t adapt the iPad ’s large size .
As a result , many people have felt forced to buy a unexampled speaker unit scheme specifically made for an iPhone , iPad , or late iPod . But before you rush out and bribe newfangled speakers , regard using an add-on designed to countenance you use new players with honest-to-goodness audio systems . You may terminate up extend the life of your current speakers while saving quite a moment of money .
CableJive ’s DockStubz
Scosche’s iPod & iPhone Charging Adapter for Home Docks
Dock-connector charging converters
When it comes to charging , the master problem for older dock - connector accessary is simply that Apple change which of the connector ’s 30 pins carries office — the connecter ’s audio features have been for the most part untasted . Thus , if an cheap accessary could reroute power from the Old power fall to the pins your iPhone or late iPod uses for power , you ’d be able-bodied to get around this charging challenge .
A few seller product just such accessories . For example , CableJive ’s $ 23DockStubzis a petite dongle that sits between your dock - cradle speakers and your iPod or iPhone , converting the charging circuitry while passing all other functionality through untouched . And if , for whatever ground , the talker organization ’s docking facility is n’t providingenoughpower , a mini - USB interface on the side of the DockStubz get you connect a USB cablegram to provide additional power .
Scosche ’s iPod & iPhone Charging Adapter for Home Docks
RadTech’s Dock Extender Cable
Scosche render a similar dongle , sans mini - USB larboard , in the $ 25Charging Adapter for iPod & iPhone , but the company ’s more appealing offer — at least when it comes to speaker sorrel — is the $ 40iPod & iPhone Charging Adapter for Home Docks(available in white orblack ) . This “ Universal Dock converter , ” if you will , snaps into any Universal - Dock - design cradle and provides its own Universal Dock cradle on top , converting the charging circuitry along the way of life .
Dock-connector extenders
As mentioned above , the heavy challenge for using an iPad with most docking loudspeaker is that the iPad is simply too big to fit in the sour grass provenance . ( Some systems that eschew the Universal Dock in favor of a bare dock - connector plug may let you dock an iPad , but the iPad ’s body will in all probability block the organisation ’s speaker drivers . ) What you take is a way to stretch out the dockage - connector so you could plug in the iPad without hold to fit the tablet in the speaker system system of rules itself .
CableJive also has you covered here . The company ’s $ 26DockXtenderis a cable that , as its name mean , extends your speaker ’s dock - connector plug — by either two or six understructure , depend on the cable you buy — so you could use the speaker unit with any iPad , iPhone , or iPod , even if the speaker system ’s build - in dock does n’t fit the player . You just link up one end of the cable to your dock and plug the other end into the bottom of your participant — the cable television service passes through all supported dock - connective functionality . ( The DockXtender is also useful if your iPhone or iPod is in a guinea pig that ’s too bulky to allow you place the player in your utterer ’s dock birthplace . ) .
RadTech ’s Dock Extender Cable
RadTech propose a similar , but less - expensive , product , theDock Extender Cable(19 - in , $ 15 ; 47 - inch , $ 20 ) . RadTech ’s offering uses slimmer and more - flexible cabling , but does n’t pass through all dock - connector functionality . Specifically , RadTech says it does not endorse audio input ( for recording audio on your iPod , iPhone , or iPad ) or S - video output .
What you can’t avoid
regrettably , there are some dock - connective issues with older talker you wo n’t be able to ward off . First , speakers design for iPods and iPhones will charge an iPad very tardily thanks to the mellow index requirements of Apple ’s pill . ( This is one reason why , unless you ’re trying to squeeze some superfluous lifespan out of a really expensive older speaker system system , it ’s in all probability not worth buying a charging converteranda wharf - extending transmission line and link them together to utilise your iPad with that system . )
secondly , if your older speaker system was n’t project with peregrine earphone in mind , it may produce atmospherics or buzzing when used with an iPhone or iPad , due to wireless interference . ( Many of these systems will produce a warning message on your player ’s screen . ) The only way to forestall this interference is to put your iPhone or iPad in AirPlane mode — or , on the iPad , to disable 3G.
Finally , Apple has also made variety to the dock - connection embrasure ’s TV circuitry over the years . Newer iPods , as well as the iPhone and iPad , will output video through the dock - connector larboard only if the accessory to which they ’re connected contain a extra authentication microprocessor chip . If your previous telecasting - capable speaker system of rules does n’t include that chip , no adapter or cable will let you snaffle telecasting from your musician ’s dock - connector larboard — you’ll have to do without video or , alas , store for some new speakers .
