Ipod Port For Mame Machine

[Grimoz]

Ok so im building a MAME machine for a friend of mine and they have requested that I try and have a port to plug in an ipod and play music from that through the machine, any idea how I could do this?

[yotsuya]

Try integrating this into your build...

http://www.buy.com/prod/universal-apple-ipod-usb-hotsync-charging-dock-cradle/q/sellerid/16060654/loc/111/211404935.html

[mytymaus007]

Where do you want display the ipod  if you just want to hook it up intergrate this port


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=usb+panel+mount+connector&hl=en&client=pub-5942360976771789&oe=ISO-8859-1&prmd=ivns&resnum=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1024&bih=559&wrapid=tlif130905193832210&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3349958740379189069&sa=X&ei=PowGTqCBOZS40AHKsbTUCw&ved=0CHkQ8wIwAQ#

[Grimoz]

I basically want to be able to plug the ipod in and have it play music through the cabinet speakers.

[yotsuya]

OK, Try this- Use the mic jack on the item below as a line-in port, and plug that into the computer's front jack. Then get a double-ended male cord to go from the iPod to this:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10307&cs_id=1030702&p_id=6437&seq=1&format=2

[Grimoz]

Thanks for the suggestion yotsuya, i'll definatly keep that on my list of ideas.

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

I don't think there's enough info here. (Or maybe I'm misunderstanding the question.)

It sounds to me like you want the ability to have anybody with an iPod be able to walk up, plug their iPod in, and just play music from the cab's speakers. 

How is your audio set up? Are you just powering speakers from your motherboard's audio-out? Or do you have a separate amplifier of some kind that has the capability for multiple input sources?

Some motherboards will play audio straight through to the speakers from their audio line-in jack, others require software running to enable it.  Like I said, not enough info here.  That said, this would be the easiest thing to try first, just use a male-to-male 3.5mm cable and plug it in. If it works, you're done.

Regarding iPods: It's been a while since I had an iPod, but I'm pretty sure they don't just "play audio" over USB. (Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't even know how that'd be possible.)  Also, just "hooking up" over USB, I think you'd have to deal with iTunes, which I also believe still does not (at least, not EASILY) support multiple users/libraries.

Easiest thing to do, if you have a separate amp with multiple inputs, would be to get the appropriate cable (male 3.5mm to whatever your amp requires) and just line it in there. That way, any audio player that outputs to 3.5mm cable (which is almost everything in the portable realm) could be plugged in.  If you wanted to be fancy and limit it to iPods only via an iPod Dock Connector, you could use something like **this**.  That cable could easily be integrated into a customized dock.

[Thebeast]

My fix would be a 3.5mm (headphone jack) switch with 2 inputs (mame machine on one and iPod on the other) that you can just switch between the two. This eliminates the need for any USB solution. If you use USB you will have to deal with software but if you use the 3.5mm switch it becomes a hardware only solution. You will also be open to use any mp3 player or anything else with a headphone output on it.

[ark_ader]

Buy yourself a cheap dock and hack it.