ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hello fellow Beoworlders!
I am looking for a way to integrate my iPod into my Beosystem 5000, allowing it to not only play, but also be controlled through the the system, utilising the Datalink format to control the play/pause, next/previous functions of the ipod.
Multiple searches of the forums have suggested that most have tried to implement in IR sensor to respond to commands from the remote control.
I have however found one thread by Beoworld Member Johan from Sweden, who has used an Arduino microcontroler to intrerpret messages sent from a Beomaster via Datalink, and convert them into suitable serial commands to control his Mac vis USB.
I would like to implement a very similar solution, with the only difference being controling an iPod, and not a Mac. I have already stared prototyping with the arduino and protoboard sheild, and have rigged up a circuit that should feed Datalink cammands into the Arduino's micro controller, and send them out as ipod commands to a 30pin iPod dock connector.
The problem I am facing is with the programming side. Arduino-iPod communicatin has been documented on other websites, so I don't think I will have much difficulty with that side.
I do not understand much about the datalink format, what the baud rate is, how to interpret messages.
I have tried to contact Johan directly, but unfortunately, it appears that he has not been active on the forum for a number of years :(.
Does anyone have any extensive knowledge of the datalink format, or arduino programming?
Any help provided will be greatly appreciated and will go a long way.
Thank you.
I can't help you on the technical side, but there is another guy from sweden called ridax, his real name is Mikael, if I remember correctly.
He modified apples ipod docks, so you can control your ipod via a Beocenter, Beomaster, Beosound, whatever has a 7 pin DIN socket for audio source.
Just search ridax in the archived forum. I was in contact with him for some time, and I also have one of his modified ipod docks - if this helps....
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
Thank you for your help.
I have searched through the threads of the archived forum, some of which suggest that Ridax had a more active profile in the pre-historic incarnations of Beoworld Mark 1 and Mark 2. Are any of these threads still available through the archives, or are they long lost and forgotten?
I would be very interested to see the construction of his modified iPod dock, and be interested to see the method that was taken to achieve what I am also trying to achieve.
I don't know whether the old threads are still available somewhere, maybe Keith (Saunders) or Lee (Mariott) does.
But I know that iit was quite difficult to contact Mikael even years ago...
There is a similiar product made by oneremote http://shop.oneremote.dk/content/2601u4uk.pdf
Can be controle via IR (455 khz) and via Datalibk through 7 pin DIN plug.
And Bosscom also has some ipod, iphone, ipad docks - these are controled via IR.
I don't know whether you are interested in building your own control dock, or you just want an ipod dock for your BS.
I use mine ( Ridax version) with my old BC9500 connected to A.TAPE2 socket and controled in N.MUSIC mode via Beo4 or in A.TAPE2 mode with Beolink 7000.
works great even in linkrooms. The connection is the 'old' big apple plug like on iphone 4.
Ridax old homepage is still active
https://web.archive.org/web/20140729085008/http://home.swipnet.se/ridax/beopc.htm
Here you can find some information on the Ridax iPod and B&O integration. Ridax solution was based on a PIC.
About the format of the data link it self try to look in the arcive here
http://archivedarchivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/30181.aspx
Hope this will help you and please keep us updated on your Progress.
/steffen