SendStation PocketDock Line Out Mini USB
October 27, 2009 by Bill
SendStation PocketDock Line Out Mini USB
Reviewed by: Bill Henderson
SendStation – Products – PocketDock Line Mini Out USB
Price: $29.95
The Sendstation PocketDock Line Out Mini USB is a newer version of the original PocketDock which – in the old days – made the iPod compatible with all sorts of cables. Flash forward and what the PocketDock becomes is nothing short of really neat. This little, (and I mean little) device allows you to connect your iPod/iPhone to an audio device via RCA or miniplug cables (included). So you can play your iPod on your Stereo. Apple sells cables for that, but compared to this, they are outrageously expensive.
So, yeah it’s a neat little product. So what? That’s not unique. That’s right, but plug this into your iPod and then use the miniplug jack on the PocketDock instead of the one that is on your iPod/iPhone, and prepare yourself.
See, it’s a dirty little secret that the audio jack on any iPod or iPhone does not have nearly the volume or power that the minidock connection has. That’s why audio devices which have a dock connector sound so much better than ones that have a line-in jack. That’s what the PocketDock basically is; a portable dock.
I plugged this into my iPhone and then connected it to my car stereo using the miniplug cable. I had my volume on the iPhone and car unit turned way up because it was necessary if you were just using the miniplug port on the iPhone directly. I should have turned it down. I just about had a heart attack when the sound came blasting from my speakers. It was night and day. This little thing is like an amplifier for your audio. The difference is that dramatic. And now that I’ve gotten used to it, I can’t do without it.
It also has a mini USB port so you can charge your iPhone while using the PocketDock. However, that cable does not come with the PocketDock. It’s a separate purchase if you don’t already own a mini USB cable..
One issue I have is that the volume control on the iPod/iPhone does not work when the PocketDock is plugged in. The volume of your music is completely controlled by the device you’re iPhone/iPod is connected to. If you want to plug your earphones into the PocketDock instead of the iPod directly, you will have no volume control and what you do hear is dangerously loud. I got around this by using an earphone wire extension with a volume control button/wheel. It worked like a charm. However, you usually can get plenty of volume just using your earphones without the PocketDock.
If you want to hear your iPod/iPhone through your car audio or boombox without a dock, the PocketDock Line Out Mini USB will do the trick.
Score:
7/10
Tags: app, Apple, earphones, Flash, iPhone, News, review
Related posts:
- PocketDock: Sync Your iPhone or iPod To Your Stereo, TV
- Monster iSplitter 200 Mini Headphone Y-Adapter for iPhone Review
- iPort FS-21: iPhone/iPod Accessory Review
SendStation PocketDock Line Out Mini USB
Article by Bill
Bill Henderson is iPhone World's senior reviews editor. He's a big fan of the iPhone and has been using it for over 3 years now. He works in graphics design and enjoys watching Corner Gas.
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