DIY: iPod Shuffle Cable

I own 4 different iPods. An iPod Video, a 1st gen Nano, an iPod Touch, and my beloved 2nd gen shuffle. Why you ask? They all serve different purposes. I use my Touch for Video, my Video for my entire collection, my nano for my wife, and my shuffle for my driving or running. You can imagine the plethora of cables one has to carry to satisfy this obsession.

That’s why sometime ago I decided to slim down what I needed. Now, my Touch, Video, and Nano can all use the same cable, but my shuffle required something different. So I built this super tiny USB dongle that would do just that, replace the bulky shuffle dock. Video after the break.

Here’s what you will need ..

• USB Type A connector
• 4 Pole 3.5mm Connector
• Wire
• Soldering Iron
• Patience

Connect the shortest length possible of wire between the points listed in the above diagram.

These contact points can be small and quite tricky so take your time with doing so.

Once you have soldered up the contacts use a multimeter to make sure that there are no shorts between the contacts. You want to make sure that no solder has spilled between the contacts, this would be bad and could cause a short and kill your ipod.

Use some heat shrink tubing to clean the whole thing up and make it look professional.