Various versions of the Apple Universal Dock were offered as iPod devices were updated and new iPod models were released. Apple described an earlier version of the Dock in the iPod User’s Guide:
“The iPod Dock holds iPod upright as it charges or transfers music. Connect the Dock to your computer using the same cable you use with iPod… Using the iPod Dock, you can play music from iPod over external powered speakers or a home stereo. You need an audio cable with a standard 3.5 millimeter stereo miniplug…”
This version of the Universal Dock (A1153) used the 30-pin connector and provided two outputs—Line Out and S-Video Out. This allowed a docked iPod to be charging while connected to a stereo/speaker system and/or an external video source (i.e., TV) with an S-Video input.
Apple created the Universal Dock with an opening large enough to accommodate the largest iPod offered and shipped the dock with a set of adapters to ensure a perfect fit if you owned an iPod with a different design.
This set of adapters was made for:
- iPod mini (4GB, 6GB)
- iPod (20GB) and U2 Special Edition
- iPod (40GB)
- iPod with color display (20GB, 30GB) and U2 Special Edition
- iPod with color display (40GB, 60GB)
Source: Apple