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Sounds like that's the case! I actually found a thread on the Apple forums where people are discussing the Alpine IDA series HUs ... iOS 6 seems fine on 4/4S, iPhone 5 with the L>>USB cable does not (no surprise), and everyone is waiting on their L>>Dock adapters to arrive to test.

Apparently, Alpine can't confirm operation, but did say they would have their own cable (to replace their USB>30 pin pigtail).

I have an Alpine CDA-105 and the standard Lightning-USB connector works if you remove the short 30-pin to USB plug from the cable that goes to the back. BestBuy left this part exposed for me so swapping the dock connector part was a cinch. I have full control and display of text on my HU. Through a fluke in the iOS programming, I have onscreen iPhone control of Audible and Podcasts apps. I used to use this advantage to play those through my HU and control with the phone, that still works too.
 
In my country, students design their own data transport protocols, write software for FPGAs, controller chips and so on. We have a very high average education level.

Then assuming you fit into this category, go ahead and design one. Right now. Remember, it has to have only 9 pins, it has to be inactive when nothing's connected, it has to be double sided, and it has to work with every conceivable peripheral and standard, including ones that don't exist yet. I'll give you an hour :rolleyes:

But please do not tell us, Apples work is above the average, regarding a simple active cable. It is not the first active cable in the world, and therefore not revolutionary.

You know, usually I don't get overly excited about what Apple does. But this time, excitement is warranted. I guarantee it.

Oh, and I don't think "active cable" means what you think it does. ;)

A personal attack on some person is not an argument. You should know that.

That's probably the difference, and the reason why you are not able to understand, what i say. You are probably too young (not a student at a university).

...yeah.

Computer engineer here, btw. But way to assume :rolleyes:
 
No they are not. Look at the picture I drew (I'm Peter from DHC). Some of the pins are continuous top to bottom, others (like USB V-) are mapped so that when you flip the connector, they are still going into the same contact on the jack. Top pin 1 goes to bottom pin 8, etc.

Hey, man. I've given you some grief on various forums about jumping the gun on calling the chip you found an "authentication chip" and so forth, but this is clearly not a bog-standard USB cable here.

The contacts are laid down on a multi-layer PCB with vias running through it, but then you also have a bunch of silicon and some passives on there. You can't exactly put a meter on the contacts when it's not plugged into anything and get a complete picture of what's going on.

Take a look at the functional diagrams for Analogix's SlimPort devices. It would seem to line up pretty tidily with Lightning's 8 pins. The pin-out I proposed just based on looking at photos from iFixit's teardown was this:

Shield
1 C-Wire / Aux+
2 Aux-
3 VBUS
4 HPD
5 GND
6 Main Link Tx+
7 Main Link TX-
8 System Clock
Shield

I couldn't quite make out how the pins were connected to the traces originally, due to the fact that iFixit desoldered the jack and nearby passives from the ribbon cable before taking the picture. Judging by your findings, I'd say my alignment is off. Regardless, the two pairs of pins that connect straight through are likely to be the signaling pairs, and they are interchangeable as far as the system is concerned. Pins 4 and 8 (on the bottom of your drawing) swap over as expected, but 1 and 5 switch polarity on the way across, which is somewhat interesting.

Were you able to read the complete markings off any/all of the devices on the board after you got all the glue off? Was one of them an xtal by any chance?
 
I'm sure that tens of millions of people have been wondering how Apple did this. Or do you think they were thinking, great, I have to buy another adapter?
 
Engineering

Kudos to Bob and his team. Another outstanding engineering result. :apple:

----------

I'm sure that tens of millions of people have been wondering how Apple did this. Or do you think they were thinking, great, I have to buy another adapter?

Most likely, none care all that much. Hardware Geeks such as myself are impressed. The rest think it's another Cool Apple Technology. They will purchase it because they need it, and or want it.

In all honesty, eventually the prices comes down as more are adopted. One must admit the technology has the possibility of also being the "only" connector you will ever need in time.

I love the connector on my 5. IMO, the benefits are down the road. :apple:
 
I usually sync wirelessly... and in regards to everyone else's posts... I don't see how data transfer speeds make a huge deal... Even if my computer could transfer a million songs/videos in 10 seconds, I would still need to leave it plugged in much longer to charge it, if that's the selling point over wireless sync.

I understand faster is better, but I don't really think it's necessary... or at least a ground to make it a deal breaker or an issue.

But if you have to charge it anyway, why not do both at once?

Anyway, faster isn't a dealbreaker for me either. I'm fine with the current speed. It'd still be nice.
 
I'm sure that tens of millions of people have been wondering how Apple did this. Or do you think they were thinking, great, I have to buy another adapter?

It's a cost to the users for sure. The rest depends on Apple's and their partners' plans and execution to fully realize Lightning's benefits.
 
Apple's hardware division is leaps and bounds ahead of their software division as far as I can tell.
 
And the speed of the flash memory in iDevices is...?

Historically around 20-22 MB/s. I am not aware of any NAND benchmarks for the newly released devices being published yet. But you're right, Apple probably designed a new interface for their mobile devices based on the speed of the NAND in their past devices. I mean, it's not like it's gonna get any faster going forward...

Samsung is entering volume production of e•MMC packages that have sequential read/write speeds of 140/50 MB/s, and their ARM Cortex A-15 based Exynos SoC will come complete with a 200 MB/s e•MMC 4.5 interface and a USB 3.0 controller. So I'm guessing we'll see smartphones and tablets with USB 3.0 in the very near future.
 
... One must admit the technology has the possibility of also being the "only" connector you will ever need in time.

I think the only connector you will need for a phone. It is not fast enough for things like large video monitors and disk arrays. They have Thunderbolt for that

Acatually micro USB3 would have worked but I hate that connector because it has to be lined up perfectly. This looks easier to use.
 
Until they change it again in a few years.

This again? There aren't too many connectors that have been in use as long as the 30-pin. Apple has done very well to keep a standard connector this long. I have a crapload bucketfull of Samsung cables because every damn phone had a new proprietary connector. Apple's 30-pin connector was the first one I was able to buy multiple of and have several around.
 
I think the only connector you will need for a phone. It is not fast enough for things like large video monitors and disk arrays. They have Thunderbolt for that

Acatually micro USB3 would have worked but I hate that connector because it has to be lined up perfectly. This looks easier to use.

Besides USB3, there are also DisplayPort and other protocols to consider.

But yes, I don't think Lightning will replace Thunderbolt. How fast is Lightning's measured throughput now ?
 
Well, I guess that cheap Chinese versions on eBay and Amazon won't meet the specifications needed. :confused:
 
Moi?

iMac/Amarra > Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 > Woo WA22 (tube amp) > Sennheiser HD 700.

Don't get me started on my USB and XLR interconnect cables.

Is it still happening in Mountain Lion ? Apple always improve their software incrementally but steadily. They own the entire software and hardware stack, so they should be able to fix any issues like that given that the platform is popular with media professionals too.
 
Moi?

iMac/Amarra > Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 > Woo WA22 (tube amp) > Sennheiser HD 700.

Don't get me started on my USB and XLR interconnect cables.

I was going to say I figured most of the audiophiles would be using FLAC files, to external DACs and _tube_ amps, holy hell, I was right on the money :D :cool:

I think the reason the user asked about it, was the premise that the interface used to transfer music would cause issues in the files ... and I suppose the same would be for digital output via Lightening or USB or whatnot, as long as the source wasn't corrupted, and the encoding good, it shouldn't make a difference.
 
In my country, students design their own data transport protocols, write software for FPGAs, controller chips and so on. We have a very high average education level. That's probably the difference, and the reason why you are not able to understand, what i say. You are probably too young (not a student at a university). That's ok. But please do not tell us, Apples work is above the average, regarding a simple active cable. It is not the first active cable in the world, and therefore not revolutionary.

hope you have designed something and contributed for this world :rolleyes:
every decent country have those courses. true it is not revolutionary, but it underscores they make simple and convenient things in their own way that just works. and that is, by definition, qualifies as innovation and therefore, patentable. it is patent offices job to decide whether that piece of cable is patentable or not. i am assuming you are not one.
 
Ah yes, new connector...nice.

But how does it SOUND? Over on the digital audio sites (etc). There is quite a bit of complaining regarding the THUNDERBOLT killing sound quality.

The major complaint is that the smarter cables, connectors, what have you, screw up the music files (?) Please understand that this is the same group that will not upgrade to Lion for the same reason.

Will this new connector have any adverse quality issues when music files are transferred or when we use our new devices as a source for more critical listening?

The same sites where people rave about how bags of rocks and a dime store alarm clock make things sound better?

I'm sure those forum members have a supreme grasp of digital signaling issues.
 
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