Summary of Control an iPod with the Arduino
This tutorial explains how to control an iPod remote using an Arduino by sending pulses through a TIL116 opto-isolator. The opto-isolator safely simulates button presses on the remote by closing and opening the circuit, enabling functions like play/pause or powering the iPod. Varying pulse lengths control different commands. The project provides simple Arduino code to automate this interaction, demonstrating an inexpensive way to integrate iPod audio control into Arduino projects.
Parts used in the iPod Remote Control Project:
- Arduino
- Unofficial iPod remote
- TIL116 opto-isolator
This tutorial will describe a way of controlling an iPod remote, and thus, an easy way of getting some music and sound out of your Arduino project. The remote we used was an unofficial remote I found on the worldwide auction site for around 10 USD, an opto-isolator can be found in your local electronics store.
We used a TIL116 opto-isolator between the Arduino and the remote to safely send signals in between the two. The remote works by you pushing a button which closes a circuit and that is interpreted in a certain way by the iPod. What you need to do is to send a pulse to the opto-isolator that makes it close the button-circuit, and then open it again. Depending on what you want the iPod to do, you need to send a longer or shorter pulse, i.e.. a long pulse sent to the play/pause button will shut the iPod off, a short pulse will play/pause the track.
Arduino code
/* Control an iPod remote
* ————-
*
*Program to control an iPod remote through an TIL116 opto-isolator.
*The iPod is controlled by sending short pulses to the remote to activate the
*play/pause button or whichever button you may need.
*
*
* (cleft)2006 Jonas Olson & Robert White for Simon Fraser University
* http://www.JonasOlson.se | Http://www.sfu.ca/~rwhite/
*
* @author: Jonas Olson & Robert White
* @date: Dec. 3rd 2006
*
*/
For more detail: Control an iPod with the Arduino
