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30pin connector vs usb needing clarification

R

rans0m00

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 21, 2010
317
0
So read through a bunch of reply's to the post about the EU going to micro usb standard for all smartphones which most people are saying the 30 pin is so much better. My question is how so? I found this in the first couple posts which had me looking at the list of the uses for the 30pin. It just might be my limited experience but couldn't every one of those be routed through a usb connector assuming the device on the other side knows how to process the information? Things would just function more like a computer or my bluray player that I can plug in a usb stick and it will allow me to open the videos on it. All the current 30 pin looks like it does is allow accessories to be produced cheaper since they would not need a specific chip/board to interact with the connector, if it wants just audio it can get that without the extra. So am I wrong all these could be put through a USB connector with the proper hardware?

Originally Posted by Lukeyy19 View Post

a MicroUSB Connector is about 40% as wide as an Apple Dock Connector but only provides less than 16.67% of the functionality

Micro USB Connection List:

1. +5 V
2. USB Data −
3. USB Data +
4. Signal Ground
5. Signal Ground


Apple Dock Connection List:

1. Ground (-)
2. Audio and Video ground (-)
3. Line Out - R (+) (Audio output, right channel)
4. Line Out - L(+) (Audio output, left channel)
5. Line In - R (+)
6. Line In - L (+)
7. unknown
8. Composite video output
9. S-Video Chrominance output
10. S-Video Luminance output
11. Serial GND
12. ipod sending line, Serial TxD
13. ipod receiving line, Serial RxD
14. NC
15. Ground (-)
16. USB GND (-)
17. NC
18. 3.3V Power (+) Stepped up to provide +5V DC to USB on iPod Camera Connector.
19. +12V Firewire Power 12V DC
20. +12V Firewire Power 12V DC
21. Accessory Indicator/Serial enable
22. FireWire Data TPA (-)
23. USB Power 5 VDC (+)
24. FireWire Data TPA (+)
25. USB Data (-)
26. FireWire Data TPB (-)
27. USB Data (+)
28. FireWire Data TPB (+)
29. FireWire Ground
30. FireWire Ground
 
From what I understand the only thing you'd lose is analog audio and Firewire which was dropped going to USB anyway. Everything else is digital so it doesn't matter what connector it's using. As long as the power requirements for Micro-USB are adequate (it's the same as USB) it's just as good. In fact, it's exactly the same as USB and mini-USB.
 
QuarterSwede said:
From what I understand the only thing you'd lose is analog audio and Firewire which was dropped going to USB anyway. Everything else is digital so it doesn't matter what connector it's using. As long as the power requirements for Micro-USB are adequate (it's the same as USB) it's just as good. In fact, it's exactly the same as USB and mini-USB.
Click to expand...

Audio in, Audio out, Composite video are all analog. Also, the serial in and out are used to provide information to accessories (such as car audio devices that allow you to navigate through the tracks, etc on the iPod, pause playback, etc

Yes, all the non-analog functions could be provided through USB but that would mean the accessory would have to implement USB host functionality which would add extra cost and complexity to the accessory (as noted by the OP).

The question then becomes why would anyone want Apple to remove something that has huge 3rd party support when it wouldn't provide any real world benefit?
Does anyone remember the furore when Apple removed firewire support (thousands of complaints of 3rd party accessories no longer working fully): If Apple dropped the dock connector completely, there would be a huge, huge backlash from users and accessory makers (from which Apple make a nice royalty on every device sold) and that's why Apple won't drop it any time soon.
 
Phil A. said:
...If Apple dropped the dock connector completely, there would be a huge, huge backlash from users and accessory makers (from which Apple make a nice royalty on every device sold) and that's why Apple won't drop it any time soon.
Click to expand...

I think this practical comment makes a tremendous amount of sense. When you look at all of the accessories that are out there that use the dock connector, I just can't see Apple removing it for quite some time.
 
I agree about the issue with the accessories but eventually all things change and I know I would enjoy having a standard cable(micro usb, etc) that carried the same function as the current. Thank you for the responses.
 
It has been discussed that legally simply including an adapter gets around the law of requiring USB, no need to actually have it on the device. So no hardware changes then.
 
Yep saw that also which sounds like a pain for the EU people but I would still say it would be safe to say the days of the 30pin are numbered. I predict iPhone6(2012) it will be a different connector ;)
 
It's all about the 3rd party accessories.

The point is that building a wire that carries an analog signal from one place to another is pretty simple. By doing it over USB you're forced to do a digital-to-analog translation. This adds more parts and more cost.

But I dunno...are there accessories out there that cut down on costs by using the analog ports? I assume the cheaper ones do. Maybe I'm wrong and nothing would change, but my guess is that you'd see the cheapest iPod accessories (the kinds kids with allowances buy) disappear and we'd be left with only the nicer, more expensive ones.
 
I think there is also a green movement behind this, being able to use the same charger for many phones reduces e waste quite a bit. Also interchangeably is really good for the consumer. Would be really nice if the US would follow this.
 
Phil A. said:
If Apple dropped the dock connector completely, there would be a huge, huge backlash from users and accessory makers (from which Apple make a nice royalty on every device sold) and that's why Apple won't drop it any time soon.
Click to expand...
This is also why the shape of the iphone won't change so much that it doesn't fit in current docks.
 
rans0m00 said:
Yep saw that also which sounds like a pain for the EU people but I would still say it would be safe to say the days of the 30pin are numbered. I predict iPhone6(2012) it will be a different connector ;)
Click to expand...

I doubt it, if anything it will come with an adopter
 
There is also the licensing revenue Apple makes from devices using the dock.
 
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