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In panel Mp3 player ?

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Darren S

Well Known Member
Hi All,

I am in the panel planning stage of my -7 build. I will be using an Enigma EFIS, Garmin 496 as a backup, simple Xcom radio and transponder and likely a Trutrak controller for the A/P. That's all I have on the panel so far.

I would like to have the ability to have music in flight. I have tried to fly with my ipod plugged into my headset but the dang buttons are so small and with gloves on (I live in Canada) it's darn frustrating to navigate through the menus on the ipod.

I have panel space, is there an in panel MP3 player that has been used with success ? big enough buttons to see and use while trying to keep wings level.

Also, while I have your ear, is there a place to plug in a cell phone. I know in flight calls are :( but while I am planning I may as well plan properly.

Thanks for the help,

Darren
 
I know this isn't what you wanted but I use a Zune into either my panel input or into my Lightspeed Zulu if I have a passenger. I don't have a problem navigating the device, mostly because I set it on a playlist before departing. As for the cellphone, my Zulu also connects via bluetooth. A caveat here: not all phones play nicely with the Zulu. Judith had no luck with her Treo but her Blackberry connects just fine.
 
AirGizmos makes a docking station for iPods and I thought about putting one in my panel only to realize that I have had three iPods during my build and not one was the same.

Thus, if you try to make some kind of mount for your iPod or other MP3 player it will most likely only fit your current player. To solve this I simply put a stereo jack on the right corner of the panel where I knew nothing else would ever go. Then when I use my iPod, which is on most every long flight, I stick the iPod in my cup holder on the right side of the fuselage.
 
I bought a PMA 9000 audio panel. I haven't put any music into it yet but it is in the panel and powered up. Mine will hold 500 mb of music, the newer ones 1gb. I wanted to have music, and I liked the fact that it was integrated into the system, and will cut out during radio transmissions. It appears to be a very nice unit, albeit a little pricey.
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far fellas. Still researching and trying to find the right unit.

I have an Xcom 760. It has what looks like a headphone jack on the back and I think this is where music input's are to go. The instructions aren't too clear. I can play with it tomorrow.

The PMA 8000 seems like it would work but it's $2000, so too much for me. $500 for something relatively simple and if possible a cell phone input.

Thanks again for the ideas, I know something exists out there.

Darren
 
A while back I bought a friend of mine a automotive unit (for his 80's Goldwing) that has a built-in SD card and USB reader along with the usual CD player.

He has another unit on his BMW that is an MP3/CD player that has a small (maybe 1"X3") remote head. That would be great to save panel space.
 
Gizmo

I have an Ipod in a Gizmo mount installed on my plane and like it very much. Bill R. is right, the shape keeps changing, but the mount fits the so far unchanged shape of the big classic Ipod. I use the line level ouputs at the bottom of the pod, fed to the stereo inputs of my Sigtronics 200S intercom. The 200S handles the whole thing real well, and I enjoy a little music from time to time on a long flight. No phone though.....

Regards,
Chris
 
I have a Pioneer Car Stereo (AM/FM CD - MP3) player mounted in my panel. Much less expensive than any of the aviation options and not that expensive to replace when the next new thing comes out. The CD with MP3's on it will stop playing anytime that you pull more than 4 "G"s but starts playing again as soon as the load drops back below 4. Yes it is higher weight than an iPod and takes up more panel space.

Other than manuals and maps, I do not like items that are not mounted in my cockpit.
 
Good suggestions. For some reason I didn't think to look at Automotive players. If some of you are using then with success then I will give those a look.

As for the phone, I currently fly with a Lightspeed headset which has a cell phone input. It is just a small regular headphone looking jack and a small wire runs from the cell phone into this jack. It SUCKS !!!! It has so much feedback and screeching it's useless.

This is why I was looking for another option. What about this

http://www.marvgolden.com/headsets/pilot86aadapter.htm

The PA-86 A or B. I don't like having to use a 9 volt battery but maybe there is a way to hard wire it.

Anyone tried one of these ??

Thanks,

Darren
 
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