UK hi-fi specialist Arcam has come up with an iPod dock that has a novel way of maximising the diminutive player's sound quality - it doesn't charge the battery unless it really has to.

'Madness,' I hear you cry. But there's method too. Arcam claimed its research showed a dip in sound quality while the iPod's battery is being charged. Essentially, noise from the mains leaks through and diminishes the audio experience.

Arcam's solution: its rDock doesn't charge the iPod's battery be default. The iPod runs on its batteries until it gets low on juice and the charge mode kicks in.

The rDock has s-video and composite-video outputs on the back so it can be hooked up to a TV. The dock's designed to operate with Arcam's Solo CD player-amplifier combo and can be controlled using the Solo remote control. However, it'll connect to any hi-fi thanks to a pair of buffered RCA jacks, preventing sound distortion when the iPod's off and your hi-fi's playing from another source.

The rDock retails for £130.