Wanted: iPod external power specs

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Level 1

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Wanted: iPod external power specs

Can anyone answer the following questions for a 5G 30MB iPod:

1. What is the minimum voltage that can be applied to the iPod and have it charge the battery at a useful rate?

2. What is the maximum voltage that can be applied to the iPod without damaging it?

3. How much current does the iPod draw from the external power supply?

Please don't reply with the USB specs or the specs for the Apple Power Adapter, I already know those.

TIA,
Neil

Posted on Jul 19, 2006 1:27 PM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Jul 19, 2006 1:42 PM in response to rbneil

To get accurate info -> http://developer.apple.com/

Also, check out the Firewire standard and the USB 2.0 standard.
http://www.1394ta.org/Technology/Specifications/
www.usb.org

Please don't reply with the USB specs or the specs for the Apple Power Adapter, I already know those.
If it works with USB (and FireWire), it is supposed to meet those specs.

Since it can charge with both FireWire and USB, there are two different sets of numbers.
USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 are not identical.
USB 2.0 is 5.25VCD
Low power is 100mAmps. High power is 500mAmps.
Low power
FireWire is 12VDC-30VDC. Not sure of current.

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Answer 2

rbneil Author

Level 1

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Jul 19, 2006 1:55 PM in response to Chris CA

Please don't reply with the USB specs or the specs
for the Apple Power Adapter, I already know
those.
If it works with USB (and FireWire), it is supposed
to meet those specs.

Yes, but that's backwards. We know that the iPod will charge from a USB port. That's not what I'm looking for.

For example, we know the iPod will charge from 5.25 volts, because that's the USB spec. But will it charge from 4 volts? Will it be damaged by 6 volts?

We know the iPod draws less than 500 mA from the USB, because that's the maximum the USB will provide. But how much does it actually draw?

This isn't important to someone who is just plugging his iPod into a USB, but it is for someone planning to design an iPod power supply.

Thanks for trying.

Neil

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Jul 19, 2006 2:09 PM in response to rbneil

As I wrote, to get accurate info -> http://developer.apple.com/

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