1844 If you've invested in third-party peripheral video-out accessories and connectors for your fourth or fifth generation video iPod, be forewarned that they won't necessarily work with the new iPods released last week.

Reportedly, Apple has locked the TV-out feature on the latest models so that video output to a TV set will not work. This is apparently in aid of limiting video output to devices that contain Apple authentication chips, which are only available in Apple-branded peripheral products and those of a few Apple-licenced third-party developers.

According to iLounge's Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy Horwitz, Apple's Universal Dock and iPod Hi-Fi will both unlock the TV Out feature currently, and new Apple video cables are in the works that will work with the new iPods, but sell for a whopping $49, and Engadget's Paul Miller notes that "a select few products with the 'spensive Apple authentication chips built-in do allow you to turn on TV out, like Apple's Universal Dock, iPod Hi-Fi (which doesn't have video output anyways) and the $600 Zeppelin from Bowers and Wilkins, but if you've sprung for products such as the Memorex iFlip and Sonic Impact Video-55 in the past, you're out of luck for the time being."

Why would Apple do this? To appease the entertainment-biz suppliers of iTunes video and movie content?

Boo, Hiss.

Not a class act.

[Addendum: A friend in the software development community has brought to my attention that iPod microphone
attachments and FM transmitters apparently do work on the new nano and iPod "classics." They will not work on the new iPod touch or
iPhone (although this individual's FM transmitter/car charger WILL charge the iPhone)].

For more on this topic, visit:
http://ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-locks-tv-out-in-new-ipods-breaks-video-add-ons/
and
http://portableaudio.engadget.com/2007/09/07/apples-new-ipods-dont-play-nice-with-last-gen-video-accessorie/

Charles W. Moore

Tags: iPod ï iPod News ï

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