figured it out. i had to restore the ipod and put it into airplane mode before connecting the adapter. the adapter will tell the system to look for firmware updates and then it will install one that isn’t compatible with iOS 6.

“God had no hand in the creation of this abhorrence. The fact that this is the only way I can get it to work proves that God is either impotent to alter His universe or ignorant to the horrors taking place in his kingdom.”