{"id":1742,"date":"2015-05-25T11:41:55","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T10:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.untergeek.de\/?p=1742"},"modified":"2022-04-25T07:24:23","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T06:24:23","slug":"could-you-also-patch-an-alesis-io-dock-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.untergeek.de\/de\/2015\/05\/could-you-also-patch-an-alesis-io-dock-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Could you also patch an Alesis IO Dock II?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Is it possible to retrofit an Alesis IO Dock II with an internal USB hub, just like I did with my IO Dock 1<\/a>? TL;DR<\/strong>: Some have tried and failed – seems like Alesis deliberately switched the code for this hack off.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This photo was sent to me by Blek in the Czech Republic who asked that very same question. He has taken a look inside his IO Dock II and noted that it features an all-new PCB, so my original hack won’t work. And of course there is no guarantee that the prerequisite for the original hack is still implemented in the IO Dock II: the ability to function not only as a USB bus host for the iPad, but as a USB bus slave device, with the iPad working as the bus master.<\/p>\n

The good news is: It is simple to give it a go, as Alesis took extra care to label the locations of the USB bus signals:<\/p>\n

\"iodock2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So here is what you do to try it:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Get a male-female pair of plugs matching the connector in question. Possibly a 12-pin version of these connectors<\/a>, so as in the original hack, 2mm pin grid stripes could work. They are a bit hard to come by, but it is possible.<\/li>\n
  2. Solder connections from male to female for all lines but 6 and 7 – the D- and D+ USB data signals.<\/li>\n
  3. Get a suitable UBS2.0 hub – I used a Belkin F5U404; you might have to try a couple of hubs if that one does not work.<\/li>\n
  4. Take the cable that is meant to connect the hub to the computer – it should have a standard USB plug on one end and a USB mini connector on the other end – and cut it in half. This is the only non-reversible action you are taking, but as it is easy to buy a replacement cable, there is not much harm done if it does not work.<\/li>\n
  5. Take the cable half with the USB A-type plug,<\/strong> for connecting it with the computer. Solder the cable wires to the connector that goes into the IO Dock<\/strong> side as follows: Red (Vcc) -> pin 1, White (D-) -> pin 6, Green (D+) -> pin 7, Black (GND) -> pin 8.<\/li>\n
  6. Take the other cable half with the USB mini-B plug<\/strong> for connecting to the hub and solder it to the iPad side, <\/strong>i.e. to the connector that is leading to the iPad connection cable. Once again, solder red to 1, white to 6, green to 7, and black to 8.<\/li>\n
  7. Do some checking for connections and possible short-circuits. Believe me, it’s worth the effort.<\/li>\n
  8. Unplug the IO Dock board connector for the iPad. Insert your freshly-made adapter.<\/li>\n
  9. If it works, make a video of it. Become world famous. :)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"Wiring<\/a>

    Wiring the USB hub connector: Once again, the trick is having the iPad work as USB host rather than as a slave device, and the IO Dock as the slave rather than as the host. Use your hub’s connector cable, cut in half, and solder the color-coded wires to the connectors as shown.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Sorry for my rather artistic impression of the adapter, hope it gives you the right idea. Pin 1 is to the left, pin 12 to the right. IO Dock side is up, iPad connector side is down.<\/p>\n

    Just to be sure:<\/p>\n