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Modify an iPod 5G Dock to get Video and IR Control of your iPad for about $20

D

Dogpilot

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 9, 2010
36
0
I was poking about with my new 3G iPad this morning looking for some stand ideas. I saw I guy hacked an old 2G dock to make a stand. I wanted to see if the 5G docks I had would work as well. They do, but also give S-Video, Composite Video, Stereo output and input control via the Apple IR controller!

I made a quickie web page on how to take it apart. I need a bit more time to make a nice hardwood enclosure to encase the guts, but it works and works well! Suggestions on the enclosure are welcome.
http://web.me.com/greystoke.eng/Cool_Projects_Site/Fun_with_iPod_Docks.html
 
aweman!

I wish I saw this earlier! I won't have bothered with the stupid Apple VGA adapter.
What this guy discovered is a damn cool! IR remote + S-Video, and(!) most importantly (to me anyways) dock connector to keep the pad charged!

What is also interesting is that Apple did not say that the iPad can support the IR receiver. If the developers (like Netflix) can access the IR receiver, then this would be a great AppleTV pseudo replacement: Just place the iPad on the doc and watch some video on the big tv, when done, pop it off and go to bed reading some webstuff.

Off to ebay to get one of these!

Thanks for the heads up!
 
Ir

Awesome discovery on IR. Do you happen to have Keynote app? If IR remote can advance slideshow, it will be perfect.

Thank you, going to ebay as well :)
 
This is how a guy modified his 2G to get the iPad in. I just don't think it will be stable without extending the rear a bit. This could be done with something attached to the dock's base with thin double back tape for a quick fix. I think I will be making mine out of hardwood, routing out a cavity for the dock and a slot to hold the pad, angled so the connector mates.

I don't have keynote, so I cannot say if it works with it. I frankly throw anybody out of my office that does powerpoint or keynote presentations. I have had to suffer through too many poorly done ones to tolerate any more.
500x_custom_1271463752151_dremel2.jpg

DIY-wooden-5-iPad-Dock-Stand.jpg
 
Dogpilot said:
This is how a guy modified his 2G to get the iPad in. I just don't think it will be stable without extending the rear a bit. This could be done with something attached to the dock's base with thin double back tape for a quick fix. I think I will be making mine out of hardwood, routing out a cavity for the dock and a slot to hold the pad, angled so the connector mates.
500x_custom_1271463752151_dremel2.jpg

DIY-wooden-5-iPad-Dock-Stand.jpg
Click to expand...

You build it and we will buy it :)
 
Been meaning to post this for a while. I modded a very old (no video/remote) iPod dock a couple days after getting my iPad. I did it primarily to be able to use line out - but have found that I don't really like using a dock with the iPad as much since I am constantly wanting to change from portrait to landscape & back. That may change once the "newness" of the iPad wears off. It looks crooked in the pics...but it's not.

I am curious how good the video quality is from the S-Video out. I like the idea of it - but don't have as much use for that aspect. The remote capability may make it worth modding a remote capable dock (only have one of those, so more hesitant).

Anyhow, I didn't get a chance to take any pictures of the insides, but I pulled the dock apart, cut then filed the plastic down. Then I removed the metal weight. Initially, I used it without the weight in there at all but I liked the added weight so I cut of the front pieces so it would fit in to the modified plastic piece. Then I used double-stick tape to attach a piece of flexible metal from an old iPod Mini stand. It works fine for my purposes but I am not really using it much. If I was going to continue to use it, I would attach the metal piece to the plastic with screws or something else. Oh, and as mentioned a above, extending the back. This could be done by simply gluing the dock to a piece of cardboard or posterboard - that's what I did to make the business card holder more stable in portrait (I am about to post updated pictures of that in a separate thread).
 

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Dock Extenders

I have had one of these docks since they were on clearance during the last days of CompUSA :p and it has been pretty much unused since. A couple months ago, I stumbled upon this Apple kb about video out support http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1454. I have gotten it to work flawlessly with the 3GS for video out and also the jailbroken ScreenSplitr app for screen mirroring. After I got my iPad, I was bummed when I found out it did not "offically support/work" with the iPad. Thank you OP for proving otherwise :) The $25 sendstation is the only dock extender that seems to support ALL 30-pins including s-video. If you notice on a lot of dock extenders (like the one listed above or $5 ones from dealextreme) there is a warning that it does not support s-video, audio or whatever else. Good luck to those who are trying to make a makeshift enclosure! Hopefully some retailer can release a cheap dock extender which supports all 30-pin out to make my life easier.
 
atomic50 said:
I have had one of these docks since they were on clearance during the last days of CompUSA :p and it has been pretty much unused since. A couple months ago, I stumbled upon this Apple kb about video out support http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1454. The $25 sendstation is the only dock extender that seems to support ALL 30-pins including s-video. If you notice on a lot of dock extenders (like the one listed above or $5 ones from dealextreme) there is a warning that it does not support s-video, audio or whatever else.
Click to expand...

There are some dock extenders on ebay shipping from hongkong($6, free shipping), which claims it supports audio/video. Since I don't have any dock(bidding one on ebay) to test audio/video, i am going to wait before purchasing similar item

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Dock-Extens...ccessories&hash=item3efc7d0a70#ht_3184wt_1084

1. Charge your iPhone
2. Sync your iPhone
3. Audio & video transfer function
4. Color: white

Edit : did buy one, i think it will take 10-18 days to arrive, I will post the results if it works.
 
Finally had some time to knock off the dock part to the mod. I made an enclosure to surround the iPad dock, but not permanently encase it. I did this so the electronics could be attached in the landscape mode, yet still use the dock support. I did a more complete explanation on the iweb page.

I also found a very cool, but free bag system and slip cover. Being a Geologist, I have had a variety of nav systems for the field. I had this promo leftover Trimble Navigation bag. I put the iPad in a Domke lens wrap (about $7 from B&H got a bunch in different sizes for my backpack) and slide the pad in the compartment originally for a Transpak nav system. Fits like a glove and has extra pockets for goodies and power supplies, notepads, pencils and things like the camera kit.
http://web.me.com/greystoke.eng/Cool_Projects_Site/Fun_with_iPod_Docks.html

web.jpg

web.jpg

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web.jpg
 
Dogpilot said:
Finally had some time to knock off the dock part to the mod. I made an enclosure to surround the iPad dock, but not permanently encase it.
Click to expand...

That looks very nice, I won a dock from ebay, i am going to mod it as well. Thanks for the writeup. I also bought the extender cable which supports all 30pins, i hope it works as well..
 
Mirroing

is the mirroring with the jailbreak app screensplitr on the ipad possible so that i can see the whole ipad screen?
 
jaykk said:
There are some dock extenders on ebay shipping from hongkong($6, free shipping), which claims it supports audio/video. Since I don't have any dock(bidding one on ebay) to test audio/video, i am going to wait before purchasing similar item

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Dock-Extens...ccessories&hash=item3efc7d0a70#ht_3184wt_1084

1. Charge your iPhone
2. Sync your iPhone
3. Audio & video transfer function
4. Color: white

Edit : did buy one, i think it will take 10-18 days to arrive, I will post the results if it works.
Click to expand...

I received the extender cable, it only transfer audio ( from iPhone and iPad), no video, so don't waster your money if you are looking for video out.
 
This is so cool. I'm now going to hunt down a 5g ipod dock. I custom fab my own parts for cars so building a dock with the innards of the 5g dock should be easy to accomplish. :D
 
iPad: $499,-
iPod 5G dock: $15,-
DIY stuff: $15,-

Looking like a cheapskate: Priceless.
 
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