How to Turn an iPod into a Remote Control

Users of the Apple iPod could not get enough of the music experience. These are some of the features of the Apple iPod that makes it so attractive to music lovers and techies:

1. The Apple iPod have so much space available of up to forty gigabytes that it can store up to about five thousand songs.
2. The Apple iPod also comes with the ergonomically designed Click Wheel wherein you can do fast forward, play, reverse, pause and access the menu with ease.
4. The Apple iPod can be used up to 12 hours non-stop due to its long life battery.
5. The Apple iPod was also designed in such a way that you would have the ability to set up your own play list and it also has a shuffle function to introduce randomness during playing.

iPod Hacks

Through the years, however, the Apple iPod has been modified by techies by using iPod hacks, bent on providing more power to the user in terms of customization and personalization of their Apple iPod.

Strictly speaking, iPod hacks are anything that gives changes to your iPod in terms of appearance, either in terms of software or hardware. Various firmwares that provides iPod hacks, are available on the Internet websites like the iPodWizard that is capable of changing the graphic and text of the Apple iPod.

Some users of the Apple iPod are already content with their iPod simply for playing music, however, some people use iPod hacks because they want more.

Turning an iPod into a Universal Remote

Latest technology capabilities have provided a user power to modify his Apple iPod. These iPod hacks can even transform a normal Apple iPod into a universal remote.

The Apple ipod can be used to control any home electronic equipment in your house. It can control your television, DVD player, Media Center, even a robot. This is the power of iPod hacks.

Simply put, you can use a Pocket PC to possibly record the waves an infrared remote produces. Transfer these waves to your iPod and start changing your TV channels. You now have a new universal remote control.

The following are required before starting this example project of iPod hacks:

1. An Apple iPod
2. A Mac or Personal Computer with a sound recording software installed.
3. A Pocket PC, could be a Pocket PC 2002 or 2003.
4. A total remote software and IR device

The following procedure guides you through changing your iPod into a remote control using iPod hacks:

1. The most important element in this iPod hacks project is the sound or wave to infrared converter.

First, install the total remote software on the MAC or PC. This software is meant to extend the range of the Pocket PC to include consumer IR capabilities.

2. Record the infrared signal by using a sound-editing program that can modify sounds and remove channels. An example of such sound-editing program is SoundForge.

Input the infrared signals from your remotes to the PC by using the software. Input all infrared signals of the home electronic equipment that you want to control.

You can observe if you have recorded the sound effectively if you'll hear weird beeps or pulses. This is basically what an infrared signal would sound like. Using the SoundForge, you can actually view the pulses and signals on a graphic representation of the wave.

Do not forget to increase the right channel. Then mute it. The process through the IR device would not function properly if you missed this important step.

3. Convert the signals into sound files (actually saved as WAV files).

4. On the Apple iPod, make a new playlist and add the WAV files to the playlist.

5. Now, you can test the new universal remote. Use the Apple iPod to play the sounds through the converter for remote controlling any home electronic equipment.

This basic example of iPod hacks is obviously very easy to understand. Softwares are already available that users can use to modify their Apple iPods.

iPod hacks are still, however, very risky with regards to its effects on your iPod device. Unless handled by a professional technician, the Apple iPod could malfunction if the modification is not right.