iPod

[slushie]

I had all these plans to make my iPod "panel-ready" and look what I found on apple's website:


Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Exsqueeze me? I bought this for flying. First they don't have UTC in the clocks, and now this?! sheesh!


:P

[Killtron2000]

It's solid state right?

[slushie]

Originally Posted by Killtron2000

It's solid state right?

the hard drive moves and that's it.

I still don't know WHY this limitation exists.

I was listening to it at 10,500 over some mountains near Santa Fe.

[SpiraMirabilis]

Probably CYA

[JEP]

Originally Posted by slushie

I had all these plans to make my iPod "panel-ready" and look what I found on apple's website:


Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Exsqueeze me? I bought this for flying. First they don't have UTC in the clocks, and now this?! sheesh!


:P

The specs for their laptops say the same thing. I don't get it. Everyone and their mother uses a laptop above 10k. But then again, that's in a pressurized a/c.

[launchpad]

actually, not many people use their laptops above 10,000 feet.....above that altitude, the air gets too thin to keep the floating heads in the hard drive floating. If they contact the surface of the hard drive, then say bye bye to your hard drive or ipod. There are very few hard drives made that can go above 10 or 15k because of this reason...they're expensive too........

[dakovich]

Originally Posted by JEP

The specs for their laptops say the same thing. I don't getit. Everyone adn their mother uses a laptop above 10k.

bunch of people cruising along in unpressurized aircraft above 10k playing on their laptops?? serious though, there must be some reason for the 10k limit.

[JEP]

Originally Posted by launchpad

actually, not many people use their laptops above 10,000 feet.....above that altitude, the air gets too thin to keep the floating heads in the hard drive floating. If they contact the surface of the hard drive, then say bye bye to your hard drive or ipod. There are very few hard drives made that can go above 10 or 15k because of this reason...they're expensive too........

Uhh....Negative Ghostrider....Many people do.

Seeing as how Slushie was referring to using his Ipod while flying, that's what I was referring to. Using the pc above 10k, but then again, that is in a pressurized aircraft. Guess I assumed everyone knew that.....

[Cruise]

Yes, that's true.....and not true. While they will probably still work above pressure altitude greater than 10K........I don't know many people who take their laptops on flights in the 172 (or any unpressurized A/C for that matter) above 10 and use 'em in-flight.

If you're referring to those who use their laptops on commercial flights while at FL350.....the cabin pressure altitude is most certainly below 10K. Probably hanging somewhere around 8K or so.

[Cruise]

While we're on the topic of Ipods......does anyone have a rig (or know of one) to hook their Ipod up the the A/C intercom system? Would be nice to have tunes in the flightdeck while working and still not interfere w/ radio comms.

[JaceTheAce]

For the iPod Nano I would imagine that nothing would happen.

Nano = no moving parts.

[ananoman]

The hard drive may not be the only reason. Air is an insulator, it will keep electricity from jumping between exposed internal parts. Laptops and iPods have lots of little parts, and if you look at a circuit board much of the 'wiring' is exposed with no insulation.

[Andrew_VT]

ananoman...i dont mean to be rude but are you actually saying that air is a better insulator than no air (vaccum) or less air (higher press alt)?

Launchpad answered the question although it seems noone noticed.

[SierraPilot123]

I have used my IPOD 3G (hardrive vesion) at 10.5K with no problems. Is this just a limitation on the new 4G Ipod Videos?

[CARL0S]

So, you can't use a hard drive at, let say La paz?? what do they do then?

[TaterSalad]

I'm on my 2nd iPod now, and it's doing the same thing the 1st one did, ie: freezing up at random times. I don't know if this is a common problem or not. The only thing I can think of, is altitude (and like was said above, the thinner air not providing the nice floating cushion between the head and platter). I use my iPod in the airplane all the time, both in the 172 when I was instructing, and now in the King Air and jet. Never above 10k' really, but it's the only common thing I can come up with, between both iPod failures.

[Timbuff10]

Not everyone has to fly to get that high...

Leadville, Colorado is the highest incorporated city in the US at 10,152 feet and there are plenty of people that live in huge fancy houses on the mountains around there that are well above that altitude. I have never heard any of them having problems with laptops.

Another reason to not use an ipod http://www.samsung.com/sg/products/a...er/yp_u2xb.asp

[slushie]

Originally Posted by Cruise

While we're on the topic of Ipods......does anyone have a rig (or know of one) to hook their Ipod up the the A/C intercom system? Would be nice to have tunes in the flightdeck while working and still not interfere w/ radio comms.

radio shack.

[uvscaviator]

Originally Posted by Cruise

While we're on the topic of Ipods......does anyone have a rig (or know of one) to hook their Ipod up the the A/C intercom system? Would be nice to have tunes in the flightdeck while working and still not interfere w/ radio comms.

I have a Lightspeed headset with a jack for MP3 input and it mutes when the radio receives or transmits.

[Rocketman99]

Originally Posted by Cruise

While we're on the topic of Ipods......does anyone have a rig (or know of one) to hook their Ipod up the the A/C intercom system? Would be nice to have tunes in the flightdeck while working and still not interfere w/ radio comms.

You can spend about $150 on those nifty professional cell phone/mp3 adapters they sell online at some aviation places or...

You can head to radio shack and buy:
1) audio 1/4" reverse y-splitter (female to 2 male)
2) 1/4" to 1/8" adapter to plug into your ipod/mp3player/walkman/8-track player
(optiona)l 3) 1/8" in-line volume contol to plug between your ipod and the y-adapter to prevent your headset sounding distorted when you make a radio-call/transmit (note: the distortion is actually only in your headset and not your transmission over the radio)

Total cost around $20 and you can rock out while filling out your paperwork or waiting for the IAD groundcrew to finally hook up to push you back from the gate or bring ya a GPU. Now if you want to play it over the PA that requires a few more difficult to find pieces, some soldering, and your finger. PM if you really need details.

[launchpad]

The 10,000 ft limitation is just a general rule. The 182 feet above 10000 that people in leadville are using these things at, or the 500ft above 10000 that people in a 172 are using them at may not be at the device's limit. The manufacturer needs to set a guideline so that they don't lose their ass on warranty claims. 10,000 ft is a really good number. Most hard drives have a 10000 ft. limitation...and for proof, i'll give you the link

the ipods use Toshiba hard drives...

Toshiba 30GB hard drive specs Go to page 23. ...you can also go to western digital's website, or maxtor's. Dig around for a while and you'll find that ALL of them have 10,000ft. limitations.

more good reading
Wiki is your friend (so is google)

[launchpad]

Oh ya, these limitations are talking about pressure altitudes (density altitude doesn't count). If you're in a pressurized airplane, your pressure altitude in the cabin is going to be somewhere less than 10,000ft. unless you're in a crappy airplane or having some problems. If you're in an unpressurized airplane more than 11,000ft. or so, it's only a matter of time before your hard drive crashes...

[slushie]

So when we go up to airshows in Tahoe or Big Bear I should power down :P
Oh, and regarding the hooking it into the panel thing: Mine was really weak(but still audible enough to deter monotony in the 150...I don't know if you can find some inline amplifier top give it the slightest boost. But when I go to the "real" electronics store for my solar stuff, I'm gunna look around to see what they have.

[ananoman]

Originally Posted by Andrew_VT

ananoman...i dont mean to be rude but are you actually saying that air is a better insulator than no air (vaccum) or less air (higher press alt)?

Yes, that is what I am saying.

[boeing 777-300]

Big Bear

not even 7000 AGL