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Homemade iPod Hi-Fi mini

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the creative-reuse dept.

Simon Clement writes "Decided to add to the Apple product line with the iPod Hi-Fi mini. Here's the web page detailing its features, and there's also a link to a Flickr set showing how to build your own."

11 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. DRM by roger6106 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Just what the doctor ordered
    Worried about Digital Rights Management? So are we. With the iPod Hi-Fi mini we've gone the extra mile. Although the 400k floppy disk drive has been removed we were left with the nagging feeling that someone would figure out how to slip a disk through the slot and copy at least part of a song. Have no fear. Introducing Dr Mesh(TM) a high tensile grill that neatly fits the floppy drive slot preventing even imaginary piracy, yet allowing sound through unimpeded. What about those times when you realize that the song being played may not have been legally acquired? That's why the paper-clip hole remains in place. Once you'd use it to eject a recalcitrant disk, now we've carefully angled the hole so that, with a simple lunge, you can pierce the speaker cone, stopping piracy in it's tracks.
    Digital Rights Management. It's in your hands.
  2. Is it only me... by vidarlo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...or was the article lacking any significant text? It gave me no clue of what he have done, expcet for hollowing out a old MAC, adding an amplifier and such. What amplifier? How did he interface to the iPod? Does the thing control the iPod, or just output the sound?

    I guess the latter, that it is just a fancy set of speakers with a 3.5mm jack to connect it to any portable equipment with a headset output. It's not really innovative even. What would have been innovative was if he'd made a interface to control the iPod. As far as I know, that is not so straight forward, and you'll need a bit of electronics skills, and you'll probably have to write a program for a microcontroller to do the communication...

    But as he have done it? Worthless. And TFA gives little or no information on it.

    --
    Assembling etherkillers for fun an profit
    1. Re:Is it only me... by JazzCrazed · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's on the right side of the page...he used a Sonic Impact digital amplifier, which uses a Tripath TA2024 chip (you can buy the chip in a DIY kit, as well).

    2. Re:Is it only me... by qw0ntum · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Yep... it looks like all he did was stick a speaker and an amp into an old Mac case. In this picture you can even see the 3.5" cable attached to the iPod.


      Oh well. It is a cool looking case, but I wonder how many slashdotters would actually rip apart vintage Apple gear just to make a speaker.

      --
      'Every story, if continued long enough, ends in death.' --Ernest Hemingway
  3. Some would call it vanity by FlynnMP3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Speakers tend to sound better the more emotional attachment we have to them. The more reviews read finding out from somebody else how we shoudl think, our brain tells us that these speakers sound great. Well, that and pumped up bass. One of the many aspects of the psychoacoustic effect. And stereo equipment reviews know it. /offtopic

    These homemade jobbies look cool as heck. More than functional for background music. Which is all the iPod is for anyway. Def: background music. Music that is listened to while paying attention to another task, eg exercising, talking, or cleaning the house. These are obviously not suitable for critical listening, but then nearly all stereo equipement made these days are not suitable for this task. Although my brain tends to enjoy Martin Logans. :)

    -FlynnMP3

    1. Re:Some would call it vanity by tddoog · · Score: 3, Funny
      Although my brain tends to enjoy Martin Logans

      How does your wallet feel about them? Mine cries out in anger.

  4. Hi-Fi? by TPJ-Basin · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm not 'in the know' on the quality of his speakers, but the Sonic Impact amp alone makes this a hi-fi rig. If you haven't tried one yet, you're really missing out. I have one attached to a pair of Ascend Acoustics HTM 200s. Others in the audio world have used that $20 amp to drive speakers in the $10,000 range with surperior results.

    --
    TPJ - Founder, The Amazon Basin
  5. Why the haters? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is a damn neat hack. Yes, it's probably not as high-quality audio as a set of pro-grade speakers costing hundreds of dollars, but you're listening to an iPod full of compressed, lossy songs, so stop whining. This is a fun way to recycle old hardware cases (unless you have some other pressing need for a Macplus case, perhaps?) into a piece of high geek-factor functional art. It's right up there with the people fitting miniITX boxes into old NES cases and so on.

    In other words, quit hating. This took imagination and engineering, and that deserves a bit of respect in my book.

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  6. Re:Who decided to add to the product line? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    This post needs a grammar check.

    Sigh... Frankly, I couldn't care fewer.
  7. iPod Speaker Reviews by Mynister · · Score: 4, Informative

    I have been setting up a new site reviewing all of the different iPod Speaker Systems. We have been looking at iPod Alarm clocks, iPod Boom boxes, and portable iPod Speaker systems. All reviews and input are welcome!

    It is possible that this comment will get moded down but I am only letting people know about the site so that we can increase awareness and reach that critical mass so that the site becomes a useful resource for people. All useful and big sites started out as small sites. All comments are welcome and if you have used any of the speaker system please post your experiences and thoughts.

    http://ipodspeakerreviews.com/

    --
    Dr. Retarded Check out what they have done now.
  8. Meh by Zerth · · Score: 3, Informative

    You want a real speaker system for your iPod?

    Build this portable ipod speaker

    Not including MDF for the enclosure and some of the misc electronics(who doesn't have a pile of spare LEDs), it cost about $200 to build.

    It's only a bit heavier than a boombox, lasts ~4 hours on full volume(deafening) with the specced battery, over 8 hours at a normal volume, and can charge your ipod(or anything else with a cigarette lighter charger). Unsuprisingly, it also uses a Sonic Impact t-amp, they kick ass for their size/cost.