iPod Breakout Dock

December 30, 2005

A short while ago, I discovered a project aiming to open up the Dock Connector interface on the iPod and make it possible for anyone to interact with it. The iPod Breakout Dock (found via MAKE, naturally) makes the Dock Connector signals easy to access, allowing for connections with microcontrollers and other devices. I’m in the process of building one myself, and I’m considering creating a custom board to remove the need for tedious soldering. The board would slide between the rows of pins on the JAE manufactured Dock Connector plug and provide a row of pins that would snap into a standard breadboard, ready for hacking. I have yet to choose a supplier, much less begun designing the relatively simple board, but I’m curious if anyone can recommend a low-run PCB manufacturing house. Also, I’d like to know if there’s any interest in such a board, as I’d certainly consider selling them at a reasonable price. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

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