iPod & Headset?

[Jens Krueger]

Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)

Cheers,
jens

PS: I've checked out those cellphone adapters, but they are just too
expensive...

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[David Herman]

PS Engineering sells a little gizmo called "the muse" which should work just
fine - a little in-line box you plug in your headset and your external music
source into.


--
David Herman
N6170T 1965 Cessna 150E
Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visit the Pacific Northwest Flying Forum:
http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com/

"Jens Krueger" > wrote in message
...
>
> Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
> Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> jens
>
> PS: I've checked out those cellphone adapters, but they are just too
> expensive...
>
> --
> I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[RobsSanta]

$200 !!!!! I think I will just have to sing to myself !!!

Rob



"David Herman" > wrote in message
news:1100141036.272998@yasure...
> PS Engineering sells a little gizmo called "the muse" which should work
just
> fine - a little in-line box you plug in your headset and your external
music
> source into.
>
>
> --
> David Herman
> N6170T 1965 Cessna 150E
> Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Visit the Pacific Northwest Flying Forum:
> http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com/
>
> "Jens Krueger" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
> > Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
> >
> > Cheers,
> > jens
> >
> > PS: I've checked out those cellphone adapters, but they are just too
> > expensive...
> >
> > --
> > I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.
>
>

[Thomas Borchert]

Jens,

well, one solution might be to buy a headset that has a music interface
- and the ANR you always wanted. You'll need a stereo headset with
decent sound quality anyway. Strikes me as more cost efficient than the
200-$-add-on-boxes as they come from PSE. Lightspeeds would be my first
recommendation.

Another solution would be to wire the music input of the panel-mount
intercom or get a portable intercom with a music input. This needs to
be stereo, of course.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Sam]

(Jens Krueger) wrote in message >...
> Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
> Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> jens
>
> PS: I've checked out those cellphone adapters, but they are just too
> expensive...


I'd also recommend a Lightspeed ANR headset. I just bought a 20 3G
and am stunned by how well it works. Comes ready to go for cell
phones, MP3 player, etc. Has a nice feature to cut off the music
whenever ATC calls (this can be disabled as well).

Sam

[PaulH]

My Lightspeed 30G ANR headset has an input plug in the battery box for
an audio device. It automatically mutes the music when a radio
transmission (in or out) occurs, and the stereo sound is fabulous.

[John Galban]

Thomas Borchert > wrote in message >...
>
> Another solution would be to wire the music input of the panel-mount
> intercom or get a portable intercom with a music input. This needs to
> be stereo, of course.

I haven't had great luck with this method. The portable players
(iPod, Walkman) designed to drive a set of earbuds don't seem to have
enough output power to provide a strong signal to the intercom. When
I plug one of these into the input jack of the intercomm, I have to
crank the volume on the player up to maximum and it's barely audible
over the background noise in flight.

When I'm flying by myself, I use the small earbuds under the
headset.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[Jens Krueger]

David Herman > wrote:

> PS Engineering sells a little gizmo called "the muse" which should work just
> fine - a little in-line box you plug in your headset and your external music
> source into.

Thanks for that recommendation but $200 is a little over my budget...

Plus I don't really need any automatic muting, music sensing or other
fancy stuff. Just a simple box to plug the iPod in... Is that really
that difficult (read expensive) to fabricate?

Cheers,
Jens

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[Jens Krueger]

Thomas Borchert > wrote:

> Jens,
>
> well, one solution might be to buy a headset that has a music interface
> - and the ANR you always wanted.

I'm very happy with my Bose X, so on that end I'm covered. Best Headset
ever, and I've tried a lot (IMO of course).

> You'll need a stereo headset with
> decent sound quality anyway. Strikes me as more cost efficient than the
> 200-$-add-on-boxes as they come from PSE. Lightspeeds would be my first
> recommendation.

Personally I don't like the Lightspeeds, and I've tried them almost all,
via former students and friends. My Bose have now "logged" over 2000 hrs
and are quite scratched and all but still work flawlessly. In my
experience they are on par qualitywise with the DCs I had before.

Even with the Koss In-Ear buds I'm using right now, the sound quality
coming from the iPod is excellent. It has very thin wires so the Bose
seals very well, I almost don't hear the engines over the music and the
volume isn't set very high.

It's just that I want to get rid of the extra cables. I don't need
auto-muting or intercom, since I'm listening to music only if I'm not
talking to ATC anyways. And since I'm flying single-pilot I don't need
(or even have) an Intercom in the plane.

There must be something plane jane out there.... :-\

Cheers,
Jens

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[Thomas Borchert]

John,

> When
> I plug one of these into the input jack of the intercomm, I have to
> crank the volume on the player up to maximum and it's barely audible
> over the background noise in flight.
>

Are we talking about the Garmin 340 audio panel? That's a known problem
- and there's a work-around and a fic by Garmin. If you're interested
in the details, I'll provide them.

Also, yes, this can be a problem.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Thomas Borchert]

Jens,

> Best Headset
> ever, and I've tried a lot
>

Well, be that as it may, but they just seem to be lacking a music
input, don't they? Which the Lightspeeds happen to have, for way less
money, don't they?

<gd&r>

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[tscottme]

"Jens Krueger" > wrote in message
...
>
> Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
> Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> jens

The easiest thing to do is put on your Ipod earbuds and then put your
headset on over the earbuds. The headset blocks out the ambient noise and
the earbuds provide the tunes. Cost, zero.

--

Scott

There already is a UN approved two-state solution in Palestine, it's called
Israel and Jordan.

[John Galban]

Thomas Borchert > wrote in message >...
>
> Are we talking about the Garmin 340 audio panel? That's a known problem
> - and there's a work-around and a fic by Garmin. If you're interested
> in the details, I'll provide them.

No. I've tried this on Softcomm and Flightcom portable intercoms
and a Flightcom 2 place panel mount. I've also tried using several
audio sources. The only luck I've had is with older devices that were
originally designed to drive a real speaker. It's really looking like
a power (output wattage) issue.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[Maule Driver]

I've got a Garmin 340 and plug my iPod in. Works like a charm. Better than
I would have expected. Listening thru a set of Peltor ANRs (which I would
not recommend - does ANR slowly wear off?!!!)

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> John,
>
> > When
> > I plug one of these into the input jack of the intercomm, I have to
> > crank the volume on the player up to maximum and it's barely audible
> > over the background noise in flight.
> >
>
> Are we talking about the Garmin 340 audio panel? That's a known problem
> - and there's a work-around and a fic by Garmin. If you're interested
> in the details, I'll provide them.
>
> Also, yes, this can be a problem.
>
> --
> Thomas Borchert (EDDH)
>

[Blueskies]

"John Galban" > wrote in message om...
> Thomas Borchert > wrote in message >...
>>
>> Are we talking about the Garmin 340 audio panel? That's a known problem
>> - and there's a work-around and a fic by Garmin. If you're interested
>> in the details, I'll provide them.
>
> No. I've tried this on Softcomm and Flightcom portable intercoms
> and a Flightcom 2 place panel mount. I've also tried using several
> audio sources. The only luck I've had is with older devices that were
> originally designed to drive a real speaker. It's really looking like
> a power (output wattage) issue.
>
> John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

I think it is an impedance match issue...

[Morgans]

"John Galban" > wrote in message
om...
> Thomas Borchert > wrote in message
>...
> >
> > Are we talking about the Garmin 340 audio panel? That's a known problem
> > - and there's a work-around and a fic by Garmin. If you're interested
> > in the details, I'll provide them.
>
> No. I've tried this on Softcomm and Flightcom portable intercoms
> and a Flightcom 2 place panel mount. I've also tried using several
> audio sources. The only luck I've had is with older devices that were
> originally designed to drive a real speaker. It's really looking like
> a power (output wattage) issue.
>
> John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

How about cannibalizing one of those stand alone powered speakers that are
supposed to hook onto the earphone jack of a walkman? Toss the speakers,
put on an output jack, get a small experiment enclosure from rat shack, and
let the inside goodies drive the intercom. Should be do-able for about 25
or 30 bucks.
--
Jim in NC


---
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[Thomas Borchert]

John,

ok. It is an impedance mismatch. Here's what Dave Katz posted two years
ago. I did this using a photo film box, and it works real well.

If you have any
soldering skills, pick up a couple of 8/1000 ohm matching transformers
and a male/male mini-plug cable from Radio Shack. It's a minor
impedance mismatch problem. I put one together for my Cirrus and it
boosts volume by more than enough, and it's completely passive so
there's no batteries or other stuff. One of my fellow Cirrus brethren
came up with a great packaging hack--a small prescription pill bottle
is big enough to hold everything. Drill a hole in the bottom and in
the lid, tie knots for strain relief, and it's all quite tidy, if a
mite funny looking.

One transformer for each side if you want stereo. The low impedance
side
(red/white) goes to the audio device, and the high impedance side
(green/blue) goes to the intercom. You can snip off the black center
tap on the high side. I hooked the white and green leads to the
common (sleeve) connections on each side, but I don't suppose that
it matters so long as you're consistent (so you don't phase-reverse
one side.)

They were the only transformers for sale at the Radio Shack at which I
got mine. They may just be called "audio transformers" or somesuch,
but
it'll say 8 ohm/1000 ohm on the packaging.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Royce Brown]

(jens krueger) writes:
>Thanks for that recommendation but $200 is a little over my budget...
>
>Plus I don't really need any automatic muting, music sensing or other
>fancy stuff. Just a simple box to plug the iPod in... Is that really
>that difficult (read expensive) to fabricate?


I had my avionics guy install a small port in the dash of my 172 that I
can plug a cable from it to my iPod. It works great. When chatter comes
on the radio it automatically mutes the iPod. Sometimes though I just
stick one of the buds in my ear under one side of the headset and tune out
anything on the other side until I hear my call sign.

[Royce Brown]

(jens krueger) writes:
>Thanks for that recommendation but $200 is a little over my budget...
>
>Plus I don't really need any automatic muting, music sensing or other
>fancy stuff. Just a simple box to plug the iPod in... Is that really
>that difficult (read expensive) to fabricate?


I had my avionics guy install a small port in the dash of my 172 that I
can plug a cable from it to my iPod. It works great. I think he charged
me $50. When chatter comes on the radio it automatically mutes the iPod.
Sometimes though I just stick one of the buds in my ear under one side of
the headset and tune out anything on the other side until I hear my call
sign.

[Royce Brown]

"tscottme" > writes:
>
>The easiest thing to do is put on your Ipod earbuds and then put your
>headset on over the earbuds. The headset blocks out the ambient noise and
>the earbuds provide the tunes. Cost, zero.

I guess that would work if you never used flight following or knew no one
else would be calling you.

[Jens Krueger]

I've found this at mypilotstore.com:

<http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/1622>

It's a simple Y-Cable. Anybody got any experience with it? Looks like
this would be exactly what I was looking for, and for less than $40...

Cheers,
Jens

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[Jens Krueger]

tscottme > wrote:

> > Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
> > Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
>
> The easiest thing to do is put on your Ipod earbuds and then put your
> headset on over the earbuds. The headset blocks out the ambient noise and
> the earbuds provide the tunes. Cost, zero.

That's what I'm doing right now, and it works quite well. I'm using the
Koss in-ear and the sound is very good. But I want to get rid of the
extra set of cables dangling around.

Cheers,
Jens

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[John Galban]

Thomas Borchert > wrote in message >...
> John,
>
> ok. It is an impedance mismatch. Here's what Dave Katz posted two years
> ago. I did this using a photo film box, and it works real well.
>
<snip>

Thanks for the info. This is quite timely as my buddy and I were
wiring up the instrument panel for the RV-10 this weekend and the
question of a music input to the intercom came up. We'll have to
give this a try.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[G.R. Patterson III]

John Galban wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info. This is quite timely as my buddy and I were
> wiring up the instrument panel for the RV-10 this weekend and the
> question of a music input to the intercom came up. We'll have to
> give this a try.

If you have a music input for the intercom, it usually is the same impedance as the
"line-out" jack of a Walkman-style player.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

[Michelle P]

Jens,
Check out Jim Wier's website. rst-engr.com He has a 2 or 4 place
intercom kit for $96 and $121.
Michelle

Jens Krueger wrote:

>Anybody know of a "box", which I could you use to hook my iPod to my
>Headset? Earbuds plus Headset is too much cable hanging around... ;-)
>
>Cheers,
>jens
>
>PS: I've checked out those cellphone adapters, but they are just too
>expensive...
>
>
>

--

Michelle P ATP-ASEL, CP-AMEL, and AMT-A&P

"Elisabeth" a Maule M-7-235B (no two are alike)

Volunteer Pilot, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

Volunteer Builder, Habitat for Humanity

[Thomas Borchert]

G.R.,

> it usually is the same impedance as the
> "line-out" jack of a Walkman-style player.
>

Yep. Except most Walkman-style players don't have a line-out. Also, a
line-out is not really what you want, since it doesn't allow you to
change volume. What you want to use is the headset-out.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Malcolm Teas]

Thomas Borchert > wrote in message >...
> Jens,
>
> > Best Headset
> > ever, and I've tried a lot
> >
>
> Well, be that as it may, but they just seem to be lacking a music
> input, don't they? Which the Lightspeeds happen to have, for way less
> money, don't they?
>
> <gd&r>

I've got an older Lightspeed without the music input, but still a very
nice headset. My own taste - which is not something I'd force on
others - is not to have music. However, my wife likes the music, we
bought her an ANR headset from AvShop that's got a music input. It's
a good headset, a little cheaper than the Lightspeed one. Works fine,
although I prefer the Lightspeed ANR control box.

Sure, a Bose would be really nice to have. But, a Lightspeed is about
1/2 to up to 1/4 the $990 Bose cost right? And works well too.
Sounds like a worthwhile trade off to me, $500 is about 5.5 hours of
flying time after all.

Buy what you want, but don't be afraid of buying a Lightspeed or an
AvShop ANR headset. I do strongly prefer an ANR headset though.

-Malcolm Teas

[Thomas Borchert]

Malcolm,

> It's
> a good headset, a little cheaper than the Lightspeed one.
>

AFAIK, they are actually LightSPEED QFR CrossCountries, but branded for
AvShop. Those now also have cellphone capability - at least from
LightSpeed

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)