iPods and Flying

[Lasiorhinus]

When flying around in the great expanses it can quite often be nice to have some music on in the background.
While tuning the ADF to an AM music station is OK in a pinch, I'm contemplating the purchase of an iPod or similar portable music player. While I will indeed be using it in other aspects of my life, such as in the car, and on long train/plane rides, the idea of using it in the cockpit is the area thats going to provide the most constraints.

So..

What sort of mp3 player is best?

I'm looking for something obviously that works well, can synchronise with iTunes etc, has a decent battery life, and of course has a standard 3.5mm socket for plugging headphones in. (This will patch into my headphones via a mobile phone adapter)

The considerations I'm now looking at are, size and weight - not wanting to increase the weight of stuff I lug with me in the aircraft by more than I need to, wanting to put it on my belt (along with torch, leatherman and camera), and ease of operation of the unit without having to actually LOOK at the thing. (iPods seem to be good at this).

To the peanut gallery: which mp3 player is best for me?

[gasax]

I've used both a pocket Pc and iPod. both connect into the intercom, so the music automutes when receiving or transmitting. would n't do a long flight without them.

[Lizzie]

Sad muppets!

[DBo]

If you're planning to go much over 10 000 ft avoid any hard drive players. Hard drives fail unrecoverably if used at altitude (and the smaller the drive size the worse it seems to be). Ipods seem to fail at around 10 - 12 000 ft.

Dave

[Lizzie]

Hard drives fail at altitude..??

Airbus drivers beware..!!:)

[IO540]

I have had a certain hard drive fail around 13000-14000ft. This one was rated at 10000ft. There are "ruggedised" laptops with drives rated to 15000ft. There are also laptops with drives in a sealed (non-vented) case which presumably go higher.

It's a fun Q to ask whether some or all hard drives in airliner avionics need to work with the cockpit fully depressurised :)

Nowadays, there is no point in a HD audio player. One can get thousands of songs on a flash one.

[PompeyPaul]

Is what I use. Although it won't allow you to use the iTunes service, there are alternatives. The Pro's are

1. Web browser (millions of unsecured networks about the place so free inet when you need it)
2. MP3 Player
3. MP4 Movie Player
4. LocationFree TV Player (watch your home TV anywhere in the world)
5. Game player (PSP Games)
6. Solid state (so works fine at altitude)
7. 2Gb memory sticks are cheap and they'll hold 4 full length feature movies or days and days of continuous music

[vancouv]

So if you take an iPod to La Paz (approx 3600 metres) it's likely to ruin it??? Is that really true?

[englishal]

Roll on XM Satellite radio in Europe :) There is nothing better than to start your takeoff roll with "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay in the earphones....:}

Actually this recent trip to the USA was the first time I flew with music on. It was very relaxing and not at all disturbing as I expected, especially because it automutes when people transmit on the VHF.......

[FullyFlapped]

Lizzie : Hard drives fail at altitude..??

Airbus drivers beware..!!

Hard drives certainly can and do fail at altitude : I've had it happen, too, on a tablet PC at about 12,000.

Flash drives would presumably sort the problem, but they're v. expensive because there's not too many of them around.

Ditto flash Airbus drivers , of course ... ;)

FF :ok:

[Zulu Alpha]

I think the reason that hard drives fail is because the magnetic storage is a spinning disk like a record. The pickup head moves across as it rotates. There is a small gap which is caused by the pickup head 'floating' (not the correct word really) on air just above the disc surface. Lower pressure equals lower 'lift' for the pickup head and if it touches the surface it damages it(which is what can happen if you drop a hard disk).
Solid state memory such as MP3 players and the Apple Nano have no moving parts and are better.

[spitfire]

Lasiorhinus

Ipod nano is what I would buy - meets all your requirements. Tiny, 3.5mm socket, no hard drive, synchs with ITunes, easy to operate, decent memory size.

[IO540]

I don't wish to turn this forum into one of those "you aren't supposed to do this" kind of places, but how do people here using ipods etc handle radio comms?

I have a PS7000 (?) intercom with a "music" input socket. I have never used this feature but I gather than the music (or whatever) is interrupted by any received radio activity, and also naturally by any transmitted radio.

In the absence of such a feature, I presume that anybody listening to music is flying non-radio? (as they are entitled to, in general, in UK Class G)

[S-Works]

I use my iPod in my aircraft all the time through the garmin 340 audio panel. when the radio receives the music is auto muted, the same when the intercom is operated (this is also over ridable by a switch). My iPod also works fine to 18,000ft. Not had it higher yet....

[Mariner9]

Mrs M9 got me a set of the new DC X11's for Xmas, complete with an auto-muting MP3/Mobile phone/whatever input (yes I know its not Xmas yet and I shouldn't have my pressies yet but I stopped believing in Santa some time ago :* )

1st time I'd listened to music in my a/c, and I have to say its bl**dy annoying when interrupted by some poor stude (presumably) stammering over his RT and ATC repeatedly asking what service he reqd (felt like interjecting he wants a FIS FFS!). (PS this is not a dig at either the stude nor ATC BTW)

Anyway, to cut a long story short, found the frequent interruptions completely spoiled the music, haven't bothered since.

[RAC/OPS]

Won't it interfere with the electrics and topple your gyros though?

[Humaround]

The new iPod Nano comes with 4Gb (£129) or even 8Gb, though at £169, that's nearly as expensive as the 30gig iPod with video (which does have a HD).

4Gb stores about 750 songs at 160kb/s (sounds better than the standard 128kb/s).

Very happy with mine, re-discovering my CD collection...

[Mariner9]

Won't it interfere with the electrics and topple your gyros though?

Only on take off and landing apparently :p

[jai6638]

How do I go about connecting the IPoD video to listen over the com? Are there any guides for this which talk about the wires,ports and connections needed?


Thanks much

[scooter boy]

I love background music - especially on long trips when the frequency is quiet - who would dream of buying a car in this day and age without a sound system? Clearly we don't have to communicate much when we are driving (except on the hands-free mobile) and we do when we fly so the sound must be unobtrusive and non distracting. It is only ever on during the cruise but stowed the second the weather gets poor or on approach.

My audio panel also has an input jack for background music which cuts the musical sounds the minute a transmission is made. Right next to it is a cigar lighter socket and when I am not lighting cigars :E this can power the aforementioned gizmo.

My IPOD failed yesterday at FL180 when I was feeling partial to a short celebratory blast of muzak and I thought that the pressure might have something to do with it - it was pretty cold in the cockpit even with the heater and blower on full blast with an OAT of -22C. I tried reviving it with oxygen (after I had put my cigar out :E ) but it just kept making a sad face at me. Back at ground level it has made a full recovery!

SB :ok:

(In reality an avid Non-smoker)

[vancouv]

If the music is cut when a transmission is received, isn't that really annoying if you're on a busy frequency?

[S-Works]

Yep! but then if the frequency is busy you would be better off listening to the traffic and not music. If you don't need any info then don't listen to the freq. I listen to music when on along run and all is quiet.

[VORTIME]

Does the Garmin G1000 support audio-in? Any ideas how to plug it in?

Oh, the Coca-Cola ad just started on TV, it's Christmas!

VT

[Keef]

How do I go about connecting the IPoD video to listen over the com? Are there any guides for this which talk about the wires,ports and connections needed?
Thanks much

If you have an audio panel with the appropriate connection, it's dead easy. There's a 3.5mm jack socket on the panel somewhere (usually marked Music) - a lead from that to the iPod and you're all set.

If you have a headset with the interface, it's similar.

Otherwise, forget it - for the pilot, at least. You don't want to miss important comms because you're listening to music.

I built (for a friend) an "interface box" to connect an iPod to headsets and mix the comm audio with the music - but strictly for pax use only. (I don't have any immediate plans to build any more.)

[kiwi_hockey_guy]

Does the Garmin G1000 support audio-in? Any ideas how to plug it in?


VT

Yes, in the G1000 I fly (Cessna 172) the socket you'll want to look for is beside the 12v cigarette lighter (labeled aux audio in) , you will need a 3.5mm male stereo - 3.5mm male stereo cable, http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4588a7810244dbe0273fc0a87f330727/Product/View/C0589

as can be seen there....... just plug it in, and will work fine, will cut out whenever anybody speaks over the mic (even heavy breathing passengers)

[jai6638]

If you have an audio panel with the appropriate connection, it's dead easy. There's a 3.5mm jack socket on the panel somewhere (usually marked Music) - a lead from that to the iPod and you're all set.

If you have a headset with the interface, it's similar.

Otherwise, forget it - for the pilot, at least. You don't want to miss important comms because you're listening to music.

I built (for a friend) an "interface box" to connect an iPod to headsets and mix the comm audio with the music - but strictly for pax use only. (I don't have any immediate plans to build any more.)

it is an old 1986 Piper Warrior so not sure if it would have that port.. I have a Bose AVIATION X headset. Does that have the interface for music?

Thanks

[Lasiorhinus]

Thanks all!

Sounds like the Nano is a safer bet - avoid the moving parts.

It looks really light, too. Bonus!

[javelin]

Hard drives fail at altitude..??
Airbus drivers beware..!!:)


We didn't have too many problems the night before last.

FL390 over the Indian Ocean - Mumbai wouldn't answer any calls as usual so I was watching Casino Royale on my laptop while the FO was killing people on his PSP - passed a night pleasantly :ok:

Oh - that is definitely where the Airbus scores, the table for your laptop, beer and popcorn when watching a movie !

[Lasiorhinus]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that your Airbus was pressurised at the time you were watching your movies....

[High Wing Drifter]

Hard drives fail at altitude..??

Airbus drivers beware..!!:)
What on Earth does an Airbus do with a hard drive :confused:

[Keef]

it is an old 1986 Piper Warrior so not sure if it would have that port.. I have a Bose AVIATION X headset. Does that have the interface for music?
Thanks

The standard Piper audio panel (the one with the rotary switch for transmitter select and the row of little silver toggle switches for loudspeaker - off - headset) doesn't cater for music in.

If you upgrade - as many have - to the Garmin audio console, that does have the socket.

I don't think Bose-X headsets have a separate "music in" - I've not seen a set with one, anyway.

[IO540]

What on Earth does an Airbus do with a hard drive

I guess the poster was referring to the high degree of cockpit automation in an airbus, presumably including some hard drives. However, all modern jets are highly automated.

It's a good question whether all the stuff is supposed to work with the cockpit totally depressurised. I am sure the answer is yes, but it means they can't be using standard hard drives that are vented to the ambient.

[Tiger_ Moth]

You can get mp3 players which have non rechargeable batteries, ie: AAA or whatever which do not fail at altitude. My brother got one of these for that very reason when he want climbing in the Himalayas.

[huckleberry58]

You can try getting a Meizu miniplayer. It uses a flash drive and you can get up to 4GB. It has a nice big screen so you can watch videos (tv series etc). It has a FM tuner also as well as being able to record (radio and voice). Pretty neat gadget.