iPod Dock to RS232?

[TheTominator]

My Google-fu must be weak today.

Has anyone seen a device for sale to the consumer that lets you connect a RS232 cable to the dock port of an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad?

I realize that an iPhone app would be needed to perform the serial communications, but the first step is physical connectivity. If that is possible, I can devote the energy to writing or adapting an app.

Alternates could be Bluetooth connecting to a standalone Bluetooth gadget that has an RS232 port on it.

I'm looking into options for interfacing to existing data collection devices that require a PC with an RS232 serial port. Driver software for these odd devices is Windows only. I can probably wrangle from them or reverse engineer the communication specifics once I can read what's being sent from the devices.

Is what I'm looking for as simple as connecting an existing USB to Serial device (e.g. Keyspan's) to an adapted form of the USB docking cable that comes with the iPhone?

[TheTominator]

TheTominator wrote:
Is what I'm looking for as simple as connecting an existing USB to Serial device (e.g. Keyspan's) to an adapted form of the USB docking cable that comes with the iPhone?

Nope.

The iPhone dock has two pins that are used for serial connections. The USB docking cable doesn't connect to these. It connects to the USB pins instead.

I'm looking then for a ready-made cable of the type that is described in the DIY on page 425 of iPhone Hacks. (Thanks Google Books.)

[TheTominator]

Somebody makes them...

http://pmp-world.net/2010/02/11/redpark_...outed.html

But these are for OEM use only. Not yet consumer level which is understandable since they are useless without a context (software plus hardware to talk to).

[mrbigstuff]

this is the strangest thread... did zombies take over TheTominator?

[rjmacs]

mrbigstuff wrote:
this is the strangest thread... did zombies take over TheTominator?

:agree:

[pqrst]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/18/how-t...ck-part-1/ This was one of the ones I found about the ipod socket and interfacing it with rs232.

[TheTominator]

mrbigstuff wrote:
this is the strangest thread... did zombies take over TheTominator?

I'm just picking your brains.... braaaainssss.

[decay]

i'm saddened that engadget would let an article through with the word ALOT - such a common mistake!

[cbelt3]

Ooh ! Oooh ! I know !
You've been hired to hack into a corporate database using an iPod as a data storage device !

Worked for Harrison Ford, right ?