Customer Reviews

SendStation PDLO-USB PocketDock Line Out and USB for all iPods

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you could care less about how the music sounds coming out of your ipod, just so long as it drowns out the noise of the subway, then disregard this post ;) But the reason for getting the PocketDock is as simple as this - the data stream that provided by the docking port of the ipod sounds better to my ears than what comes out of the headphone port. The data coming off the ipod drive goes pretty much directly, unadulterated, out the docking port. Alternatively, The path from the hard drive to the headphone port has many more "twist and turns" before it comes out, poorly amplified, from the headphone port. By using this simple and inexpensive gizmo, you can get unadulterated access to the music on the ipod hard drive. It just sounds better to my ears. The only caveat is that you have to have a line level control device, i.e portable amplifier or sound attenuator (see other posts.) Any "music" coming out of the ipod docking port bypasses the volume control and as such can not be lowered or raised by using the ipod wheel. I personally have a little amp the size of a tin of mints that makes the music sound fantastic in comparison. A good pair of headphones, or sound isolation earphones completes the deal.

The PocketDock is also a cheaper alternative to something like the Jena Labs Cryo Dock which runs 10 to 20 time more expensive. The Jena sports a hard wire cable from the dock, and high quality cable at that. Does not sound a whole lot different IMHO.....

This little thing is an uncommonly inexpensive step onto the slippery slope of audiophile/gadget madness, but it sure is fun being slippery!

With this accessory you can charge or sync your iPod using a regular USB cable -- robbed from a printer if need be! You do not have to have the special docking cable that came with your iPod -- any ole USB cable will do!

There is a line out for stereo, or plug your digital camera right in to the USB -- no full-sized docking station needed.

Oh! and it fits on your keychain! There is a clever cap that the PocketDock latches into.

If you have your keys -- you have a way to charge or access your iPod. An iPod is more than just an way to carry your tunes -- it is a USB storage device, plus supports and syncs with an Outlook contacts list and Calendar. (Someday soon we'll have an Apple Palm device.)

It gets all my votes: accessiblity, compatability, low price and it's cute to boot!

I purchased this over other cheaper options on various websites thinking it would be a versatile option to tap the line output of my iPod. If you're simply using this with headphones, it works fantastic and I don't believe you'll have the issues I'm having. On the other hand, if you use it with a cable much larger than the white earbuds there's one unfortunate oversight by whoever engineered this product that renders it useless and potentially hazardous to your iPod. First of all it's bulky and relatively heavy, and there's no locking mechanism, so it fits loosely in the iPod interface and it tends to fall out easily and frequently when picking up my iPod. My biggest concern is that it appears to be bending my iPod's interface while connected, which will in turn bend the PCB inside of the iPod and can drastically reduce the life of an iPod as it will eventually cause connections to come loose.

I bought this product directly from Sendstation to use with my 5G iPod Video when I connect it to my headphone amplifier or my car stereo auxiliary input. Using the line out audio jack on the PocketDock significantly improves the audio quality in both situations in comparison to using the headphone jack on the iPod directly, as it's best to use a clean unamplified signal when connecting to a better amplifier system. Another result is that I can run my stereo equipment at a lower volume level to get a very powerful and clean sound. I would imagine that since you're no longer using the iPod's internal amp circuitry that you are saving its battery life as well.

Although I didn't get this product for this purpose, the USB connection can come quite handy. I chose the USB version over the Firewire since iTunes no longer supports syncing the 5G iPod via Firewire.

I virtually have no complaints and in comparison to other reviews I have had no problems with the PockedDock becoming easily unlocked from the iPod. In addition, the line out of the PocketDock holds 3.5mm plugs very securely.

This device does the job of providing a line-level output from the dock on an iPod, but it doesn't stay fit inside the dock very well on iPod touches or iPhones. I got this specifically for my first gen iPod Touch and it basically doesn't work. The sound is either one-speaker only or out of phase unless I physically hold the adapter into the port. Otherwise it just comes loose almost instantly. There's something about the build of the adapter that doesn't quite work with certain models of iPod, because it fits like a glove in the dock ports of my older iPods and my iPad and I have other cables and devices that fit into my iPod Touch dock port with no issues. This thing, though...it feels like something is pushing it out. Like the plug is just the tiniest nanometer too long to the point where the dock input keeps sort of pushing it out. So, just a word of warning: the device does indeed work, but there seems to be serious issues with how this thing fits into some models. The workaround for this, so I've found with some experimentation, is to take a small piece of paper or cardstock and wedge it in such a way that it tightens the dock port just the tiniest bit, after which the adapter works fine and dandy, but of course this is really only a viable solution if your iPod is going to remain relatively stationary.

I wanted a "high-quality-audio" (line-out) option between my iPod Touch and the car stereo AUX input, not just a lame earphone-jack-to-radio connection ... this device does the trick. You can use a standard USB A-B cable to charge at the same time you're listening -- OR NOT, and just run off the iPod battery --

A second RCA-to-3.5 mini stereo cable in the package lets you plug into the back of an unused port on your home stereo, giving you a cheap high-quality alternate to a docking station.

Highly recommended.

I was unsure if this product would do what I wanted with an iPhone 3G and I'm happy to confirm that it works for me. I had been using a Cassette Adapter in the headphone jack and a 2 Port USB Car Cigarette Lighter Adapter which was a pain to plug in every time I get in/out my car. This lets me plug one device into my iPhone 3G to charge it and run audio though my car stereo.

When you plug the adapter into an iPhone or iPhone 3G the phone alerts you that the antennas in the phone may cause audio interference. I've experienced this interference but it also happened with the headphone jack.

This product could be a 5 star product by switching to a mini usb plug and if possible not trigger the interference alert on iPhones and provide physical buttons for previous track, play/pause track, and next track.

I'm rather technically challenged, as they say, so I was a bit taken aback when I went to connect the Pocketdock and discovered that my receiver doesn't have AUX inputs. I was pleasantly surprised to find it works just fine with the VIDEO inputs. I considered a more expensive docking station with the RF remote, but if you can't see the menus on the remote, what real advantage is it? I'm happy with this little gadget; it does its job and it's all I need to listen to my ipod through my home stereo.

I am sure this works great for ipods, but it does not work for the new iPhone 3GS. I hooked it up to my home stereo and no sound. After I jiggled the connection for a bit it worked, but who wants to do that each time. Also, the plug will not attach to the iPhone if you have a protective case because the plug it too fat. Of course your charger plug works fine because it is thinner. Now I need to find out if the mini will work.

I have had this for three years, and it works well with my iPod and iPhone. The only issue I have is that I have to remove the gel case from my Touch to get a good connection. The SendStation's width does not fit into the opening of the gel case.