Lightning USB Docking Cable

Two experiments regarding the CCK and docking cable were done before, finally I can start to build up my own USB Lightning docking cable.

Steps:

1. I bought a copycat Camera Connection Kit from a China shopping website, it only costs 10 bucks RMB (around US$1.5). Remove the female USB connector of the CCK. The Mini USB plug was bought in Hong Kong, cost 5 bucks HKD (around US$0.6).

2. Remove the skin of the CCK's wire. This copycat's wires were damn thin, and I need a nail clipper to do so.

3. Start the soldering process on Mini USB plug. Only solder pin 1, 2, 3, and 5 pins. Pin 4 was no connection and neglect it.

4. To weld the CCK to the Mini USB plug. Normally the wire will have 4 different colors, red (Vcc), white (D+), green (D-) and black (GND). But will this copycat CCK follow the standard? God knows. Please measure it by the multi-meter before you start.

5. Soldering process finish, I plugged the cable to my iPod Touch 5 and iBasso D-Zero. Once I connect the cable, the orange LED on. It means the D-Zero's USB decoder mode was on.

6. Use hotmelts and heat shrink tube to fix the cable on the right position.

7. The outlook was not too bad, quite match with the color of the iDevices.

8. Perfectly works with my iPod Touch 5 and D-Zero!

Two months before, my portable headphone amplifier was dead. At that moment I started to source a new portable hp amp and I found Astell & Kern AK-10. AK-10 has a special function, they come with a Lightning cable to connect your iDevice to AK-10 directly. Actually I was attracted by this function. Afterward I started my Lightning connector research, and the answer is: Camera Connection Kit.

Apple hasn't release many information on Lightning connector, so there's not many information I can found on internet. Also, Apple still holds something on their hands. For example, Lightning connector don't have line out theoretically, but Apple's new docking has a 3.5mm female connector for line out purpose. So my research on Lightning was not finished, I was unable completely understand this small stuffs. I hope I can have a chance to continue my research in future.

Finally have I bought AK-10? Don't kidding, Do I look like a rich guy?

(The caption is "I don't have money, damn it!")