iPod Serial play/pause on UNO

Using Arduino Sensors
#1

I posted this over in Programming as well, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s a hardware problem ( in which case I’m SOL because I know no hardware anything ever ).

The problem is this:

I’m trying to get an iPod to play/pause and restart tracks based on input from a Parallax Ping))) sensor. The sensor (as far as I know) works great, but I get no response from the iPod. I’m not getting any compiling errors, and I’m using a lot of borrowed (it works I think) code. I’m starting to think that something about the physical structure is causing the iPod not to respond. Here is a bit of code and then some images.

#include <iPodSerial.h>
#include <SimpleRemote.h>

SimpleRemote simpleRemote;

// initialize
int pingPin = 7          ; // Serial for Ping)))
int podPin = 0           ; // IPod TX, board RX
int podPout = 1          ; // IPod RX, board TX
int pingBaud = 9600      ; // Ping))) Baud rate
int podBaud = 19200      ; // IPod Baud rate
int threshOn = 20;
int threshOff = 40;
 
// set up
void setup() {
  //iPodSerial(); 
  //TODO: Why did I put this here?
  simpleRemote.setup();
}

void loop() {
  simpleRemote.loop();
  simpleRemote.sendiPodOn();
  delay(50);
  simpleRemote.sendPlay();
  simpleRemote.sendButtonReleased();
  delay(5000);
}

Please help meeeeeee.

#2

I should probably add this in as well.

The red thing is this: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8745 To step 5v(UNO serial) down to 3.3v(iPod serial)

And this is the breakout kit for the iPod dock connector: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8295

and the Ping sensor: http://www.parallax.com/tabid/768/ProductID/92/Default.aspx

Thanks!

#3