ipod dock - will any mp3 player fit?

[ovumahead]

Loads of stereos seem to have ipod docks, and some even specify which ipods they are compatible with - does this mean that no other mp3 players would fit apart from those made by apple?

Most iPod docks plug into the charge socket of the iPod, which is quite unique, it's a longish rectangular hole. Some may have another audio connection, but the main dock (where the iPod sits) will probably only fit an iPod.

Yes, Skyrg is correct, as the Apple connection is 'integral' to the facility working on most of these docks.

Where an iPod has video output, some docks (plugged into AV Amps) can feed the video to your TV while the AV Amp boosts the audio level via the speakers.

A few units have a 3.5mm connection to fit into other players, but if you see 'iPod dock' it won't take kit from other firms (and as you have spotted, only some Apple gear will be ideally suited, too).

I don't have an Apple (portable wise) and sometimes wonder if the kit with an Apple dock has had its price pushed up as it is linked with the Apple name...

Actually, I'd say 'many' iPod docks have a 3.5 connection - we currently have 5 different ones in our family and they all have a socket to connect to the headphone socket of an mp3. It may not allow you to use the remote control, though, or to charge the player.

Agh... Bloody apple!

I just want a decent stereo to play from an mp3 player using a remote, one with decent speakers, not a sodding 'travel' thing. Annoying that all the ones I can find are either rubbish, or just for ipods.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Was thinking of getting a Zen Creative mp3 player, but can only find travel speakers...

Well it's the wanting of a remote that causes the problems and is, in part, a reason why Apple invented their own connection and why it's been such a success.

The remote means that the "dock" has to somehow tell the mp3 player to skip tracks.

Now if you just use a headphone lead then you can't do that, there's no standard way to tell a player through that lead to do things like fast forward or rewind.

With Apple's dock connection there is a way of sending commands like that, so the dock has a lot of control over the player, which is what you're after.

So if you want a remote you're probably going to need a dock specific to the player that you're going to get. And as the market for anything other than iPods is comparatively small that's going to be expensive.

Creative themselves don't appear to make a wireless remote control, so it would be pretty amazing if anyone else bothered. The market for docking accessories for non-Apple kit is infinitesimal, even if the equipment has a dock-type connector, which it often doesn't: the Creative wired remote appears to do that old trick of putting resistances across a spare connector on the headphone socket.

I was simply going on what I'd seen when looking for other features - not owning an iPod, I was looking at DAB radios, some happened to include an iPod dock, but was not looking for anything to do with iPods primarily, IYSWIM - so that might explain the difference in finding.

Will your DVD player handle MP3s on CD/ DVD/ USB stick ? Might be a realistic option - save a downloaded / sipped MP3 onto a USB stick and have remote control for the DVD player to select tracks / folders and play things that way through a home stereo.

Really dose depend on a lot of ifs and buts as to what the solution is, depending on the room, and whether you would want it for playing separate from another room where DVD / TV in use.

Just that you may already have options you had not considered.

Thanks Network - that sounds far too complicated! It's for the bedroom so it has to be easy to use. Sorry if TMI. We are TTC! Ha. Love mumsnet sometimes...

In the short term, if you have a few tracks from different artists, you could save them all in a folder on your MP3 player, and hopefully there's an option to play just the tracks from that folder (I have this on my MP3 player that cost a tenner!)

Then all you need is a remote control for the volume on the stereo. Must be possible to find a cheap stereo with r/c that can take input from a 3.5mm lead.

Alternatively, there's a new Yamaha mini stereo which has FM/ DAB/ CD/ 'input' (3.5mm) at about 240 quid. Choice of 10 colours, so hopefully you can find one to fit in with your decor!