Arduino IPod Library Work Continues

[David Findlay] has been hard at work on his Arduino iPod remote library and is now showing off some Wii Nunchuck control in the video after the break. When we looked in on his work in September he was using a Staples Easy Button to control the iPod. Now he’s added all of the functionality for iPod simple remote mode, and most of the advanced mode.

Advanced mode works well with his iPod Photo but the iPhone just returns errors. We know that Apple uses some tricks to keep unauthorized accessories out, so we hope that [David] finds a way to sniff out the necessary accessory protocols from an approved model.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbXfDj4rXLs]

24 thoughts on “Arduino IPod Library Work Continues

  1. I remember the original post. Honestly I thought after that he’d quit. I have to say I’m impressed at how far it’s come, especially using a nunchuck (cool factor +1) for a control. Is it possible the iPhone expects the bytes in a different order or encrypted? Most likely it simply expects some kind of extra authentication signal at some point before or after sending commands that other models of apple products simply ignore. Good luck with the sniffing, I’m looking forward to seeing how much more progress can be achieved with this and how long full compatibility takes.

  2. Grow some balls and do it with something real like the Droid/Nexus or the N900. For all its hype, the iPod/iPhone is a terrible platform.

    Also, lose the ‘duino and make your own board with an ATMEL or PIC chip. Using a ‘duino is like shouting “I don’t know what I’m doing”.

  3. Love it or hate it, Apple made the right decision when they put a standard expansion connector in all of the iPods. That is what makes projects like this possible.

    Most other media players and phones (like the Nexus and Droid you mentioned) don’t even have expansion ports on them, just the single USB connector for charging and data.

  4. @ M4CGYV3R, if his method isn’t good enough for you why don’t YOU do it way better?

    He wants to control his iPhone, not a droid based unit, I’m going out on a limb here but I guess thats why its connected to an….. iphone.

    I hope he carries on and manages to get over the protocol restrictions he’s currently hit.

  5. @M4CGYV3R
    It seems you are on the wrong website…
    YouTube, however, welcomes trolls with open arms.
    Anyway, sarcasm aside, developing for the iPhone, without a blessing from apple, is more fun and requires “more balls.”
    IMHO, of course :)

  6. he has been helping me a lot with my project off and on. if it weren’t for this site and the easy button original project i would have never started messing with this stuff. thanks again hackaday and david.

  7. @John – it’s a Freeduino

    Want the bare pcb? http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-usb-throughhole-pcb.html

    Through hole IC version: http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-arduino-diecimila-compatible-board-complete-kit.html (ignore the thumbnail, the product has been updated to use a miniUSB connector as described in the second line of text)

    SMD IC version: http://www.nkcelectronics.com/seeeduino-fully-assembled–v212-atmega168–arduino-comp212168.html

  8. “developing for the iPhone, without a blessing from apple, is more fun and requires ‘more balls'”

    Developing without a blessing from apple is developing for yourself alone.

    @Reggie:
    Apple has their fingers in every aspect of the iPhone and if you think you could market something as ‘for the i____’ without apple taking a huge chunk of cash, you’re sorely mistaken.

    I DO way better – I got a Droid which I program for routinely in two languages which are both less asinine than Objective-C.

    @MS3FGX: Any communication is quite rapidly implemented over bluetooth and there’s no ‘hack’ required as there is no proprietary BS connector to mate with. This is why it’s not important that there be a dock connector of some kind. Failing bluetooth, wifi/3G over TCP/IP works just fine too, though with slightly more latency.

    Using the ‘duino instead of – oh, I don’t know…say the PIC board designed to be used with the iPhone/iPod connector? – is just bad form and actually costs more. I hate Arduino as it brings something that should require skill and fundamental understanding to a market that has none. Do you think more than 10% of ‘duino users could actually design and produce their crap without one? I really doubt it.

    The WiiMote + Chuck + Droid take less room than this contraption and work just as well. If I wrote a game or this was somehow groundbreaking, I might actually publish my unit tests, but as they are completely useless(again, redundant inferior accelerometers versus built-in, no compass, has to send data via serial), there’s no reason for me to submit my work for public scrutiny.

    “In at least 5 people I’ve asked’s humble opinion, of course”

  9. @M4CGYV3R
    “Developing without a blessing from apple is developing for yourself alone.”

    LOL

    Perhaps I’m blind, but I could have sworn this article was about a home-made iPhone accessory…Go figure…

    And what’s this? A Cydia installer on my iPhone? I wonder how that, and all the other free apps got there…I must be stupid.

    Step down from the high throne you perch yourself on; you are no better than anyone else because of what phone you have in your pocket.

    And that’s a fact. :D

  10. To be honest M4CGYV3R, you sound like you ‘hack’ for all the wrong reasons.

    Criticizing the Arduino for delivering microcontroller functionality to beginners? Arguing that this hack is worthless because it’s on an Apple product?

    It seems to me like you hack not just for the fun of it, but because it gives you a feeling of superiority over others. This is why you hate the Arduino so much, something that once made you more special and talented than everyone else doesn’t anymore.

    “I hate Arduino as it brings something that should require skill and fundamental understanding to a market that has none.”

    Really, you should be welcoming this technology for the more people it brings into this hobby. Don’t shun beginners just because they have no experience, I’m sure you were at that point once yourself, and you no doubt had some help yourself.

  11. @e_everett yep bla bla bla.
    No it dos not bring anything to beginners except dumbing them down. Just like Lego Mindstorm dos not make you robotic engineer no matter how much you want this to be true, it just a toy appropriate for children but looks stupid in adults hands

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