live input/output to/from application

[lemoneasy]

It is possible to have an ipod controlled bot, yes, but ipodlinux is buggy, especially the end user c program compiling. So yes, its possible, but:

Inefficient, much faster chips to control the robot that are cheaper.
2 gigs + storage? Complete overkill.
Price, you could legally do it with a 1 gig nano or an older version, but as I said, ipod chips are not that fast in music only models. The video would work nicely, but price is too high.

It would be one of the coolest looking co-processors ever though, if you pulled it off.

Edit: If your really committed to this though, try buying an ipod connector, tear it apart so you can wire it up to a volt meter and run a program that changes one of the pins on the serial port to HIGH (1) and if you get a voltage change, then this is possible. I doubt though that ipodlinux would properly support writing to a serial port.

[Ben Englert]

I was not aware that the iPod had a serial port - is that how it interfaces with the accessories?

I thought it used a USB host controller over the dock connector.

[Rickertsen2]

After having been down the coprocessor route, i have concluded that they are unnecessary unless you are doing something *super* special. The RC is more powerful than most think. I think coprocs are cool but do not add alot of functionality you did not already have. With a coproc however, you have more stuff to go wrong and more things that you will have to futz with and waste your time.

Originally Posted by Ben Englert

I was not aware that the iPod had a serial port - is that how it interfaces with the accessories?

I thought it used a USB host controller over the dock connector.

Modern ipods have a serial port, a usb port(not a host port), and a firewire port on the dock connector.

There is also serial data through the headphone jack.