Although a Dock Connector can refer to many things, Apple Computer has established the small, rectangular, 30 terminal connector used to connect a full sized iPod to a personal computer or power adapter as "the Dock Connector". Apple Computer, Inc. ... A white Fifth Generation iPod (a. ...
Connects to ground via 1M ohm 1% resistor in Belkin Amp/Charger. Looks to be that when this pin is grounded it closes a switch so that on loss of power the iPod shuts off. Dock has the same Resister. Some sources suggests to connect this pin to pin 11 by 500 KOhm resister to enable serial communications.