Technical Question about Ipod Connection Pin

I don't know the answer to your question but are you asking out of pure curiosity or is there a reason you really need to know this? I'm just guessing but I would think that all of the pins are used and not just some...there would be no rhyme or reason behind just having some there just to fill space...maybe someone on here can answer this for you, but you may be able to google that question and get that kind of info.

I found this information at http://pinouts.ru/Devices/ipod_pinout.shtml

I hope this helps.


Pin Signal Description
1 GND Ground ➖, internaly connected with Pin 2 on iPod motherboard
2 GND Audio & Video ground ➖, internaly connected with Pin 2 on iPod motherboard
3 Right Line Out - R ➕ (Audio output, right channel)
4 Left Line Out - L(+) (Audio output, left channel)
5 Right In Line In - R ➕
6 Left In Line In - L ➕
8 Video Out Composite video output (only when slideshow active on iPod Photo)
9 S-Video Chrominance output for iPod Color, Photo only
10 S-Video Luminance output for iPod Color, Photo only
11 GND Serial GND
12 Tx ipod sending line, Serial TxD
13 Rx ipod receiving line, Serial RxD
15 GND Ground ➖, internaly connected with pin 16 on iPod motherboard
16 GND USB GND ➖, internaly connected with pin 15 on iPod motherboard
18 3.3V 3.3V Power ➕
Stepped up to provide +5 VDC to USB on iPod Camera Connector. If iPod is put to sleep while Camera Connector is present, +5 VDC at this pin slowly drains back to 0 VDC.
19,20 +12V Firewire Power 12 VDC ➕
21 Accessory Indicator/Serial enable Different resistances indicate accessory type:
1kOhm - iPod docking station, beeps when connected
10kOhm - Takes some iPods into photo import mode
500kOhm - related to serial communication / used to enable serial communications Used in Dension Ice Link Plus car interface
1MOhm - Belkin auto adaptor, iPod shuts down automatically when power disconnected Connecting pin 21 to ground with a 1MOhm resistor does stop the ipod when power (i.e. Firewire-12V) is cut. Looks to be that when this pin is grounded it closes a switch so that on loss of power the Ipod shuts off. Dock has the same Resister.
22 TPA ➖ FireWire Data TPA ➖
23 5 VDC ➕ USB Power 5 VDC ➕
24 TPA ➕ FireWire Data TPA ➕
25 Data ➖ USB Data ➖
26 TPB ➖ FireWire Data TPB ➖
27 Data ➕ USB Data ➕
Pins 25 and 27 may be used in different manner. To force the iPod 5G to charge in any case, when 'USB Power 5 VDC' (pin 23) is fed, 25 must be connected to 5V through a 10kOhm resistor, and 27 must be connected to the Ground (for example: pin 1) with a 10kOhm resistor.
28 TPB ➕ FireWire Data TPB ➕
29,30 GND FireWire Ground ➖

You are one of the rare people that work in retail and really care to be able to answer questions like that! Your customers are pretty lucky!

You saved my bacon on this one. My wife's Nano started giving a false "Firewire connection not supported error" whenever the connector was plugged in. It turned out that the three Firewire pins had been bent inside the receptacle on the Nano. I was able to straighten pins 29 and 30, but pin 28 broke off. Based on your intel, I know that pins 28-30 are related to Firewire only and not really needed for USB 2.0 connections. So, after testing the connection in Itunes, it appears all is well, even though one pin is broken.

I have suggested to my wife that she be more careful when inserting the connector. Unfortunately, much of the blame really lies with Apple. Their decision to move from the more robust receptacle on my 4G Ipod to the delicate unsupported pin receptacle means that sloppy insertion of the connector is most certainly going to bend pins.

Nano Windows XP

I am glad that I could help. Maybe Apple will learn to be more "Wife" proof.

New associated problem. My wife's Monster iCarPlay Plus apparently won't work properly with the missing pin. Unfortunately, I can't find a pin out. Any ideas?

What are the symptoms? You say it is not working "properly", what does "properly" mean?