iPod's go bust at high altitudes?

Shiver me Timbers

Heard something interesting there a few days back - apparently iPod's go bust when taken over 3000m.

Just wondering if this vicious rumour is true - have any of you gone to Tibet, for instance, and found all your tunes and photos that you had carefully stored disappeared?

claurianta

Well, since it uses a hard drive, it is only certified to 10000 feet = ~3000 meters. This has to do with air pressure. If the ipod is off, no damage will happen. If you're running the ipod and it's flat on a sturdy surface, you're probably fine up to at least 4000 meters, but don't take my word for it. Walking around with it might produce some problems.
Basically, the technology is the same as a computer, so if a computer can work, it will most likely work. But remember, you don't have your computer bouncing around in your pocket (while on), so that may be a problem. But as it's certified to 3000 meters, you're probably fine even over that, as certification limits usually have a considerable leway.

Dr Funkenstein

I never knew computers had problems with altitude.

What does it do to them?

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Rob_The_Pom

I can just imagine it.... 4500m metres up the side of a pass....

Conor: Oh sh1t, I need to get down! Fast!
Guide: Why?
Conor: My Ipod has a cerebal odema!

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claurianta

As far as going over a high mountain pass... just keep you ipod off for the duration if you want to be on the safe side.

Oh, and as far as what high altitude does to your hard drive. Well, basically, the hard drive uses air pressure to keep the read/write head on the disk itself. When the air pressure is too low, the head isn't kept on the drive with enough force, so there is a possibility it starts skipping. And the effect of the read/write head bouncing on your data isn't exactly good for your data (imagine one of those old school record players with the needle part bouncing 1cm up in the air and then crashing down on your record). That's why having using it flat on a surface is safer than using it while walking around (at high altitudes that is - below 3000 it's definitely safe in your pocket). It's also why when it's off no damage will occur, though I have heard of issues at above 6000 meters for hard drives even when off, though I'm not sure where those come from.

BTW, for all of those freaking out about flying at 10000 meters, the cabin pressure is kept in the vicinity of 2500 meters, so your hard drives will be just fine.

cyberhippie

Conner tossing his expensive paperweight off a Himalayan mountain in disgust: "ya bollix, I knew I should have bought a CD/MP3 player!!!"

agni5454

Hello Conor,

The problem is that at high altitudes, the pressure lowers and since the HDD on Ipods are not "sealed off" to the natural environment, the airpressure (both internal and external) comes into an equilibria which would cause the HDD to crash. This phenomenon is called "Head Crash "

Now you may ask, "well i have used my laptop on an airplane" how come nothing happened. Well commercial aircrafts are pressurized hence the pressure inside is greater than pressure outside.

Hence unless you want to "seal off" the HDD compartment (take it to a local electrician) so that the pressure wont destroy your HDD and you should be ok.

I know a friend of mine knows someone in FL who does this. but since you are in ireland, ask around.

Also i am suspecting that an extreme drop in temp (say you want to go trekking in antartica) will also do damage to HDD (PV=nRT; pressure and temp are directly proportional)

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Added:

Ha ha...i just checked apple site.


Apple may charge you a diagnostic fee including shipping charges, as described below, ("Diagnostic Fee"), plus applicable sales tax, if Apple inspects your product and determines based on the inspection that the product does not require repairs. If Apple determines, while inspecting your product, that repairs are needed due to the failure of parts that are neither supplied by Apple nor Apple-branded, Apple will return the product to you without repairing it, and may charge you the Diagnostic Fee plus applicable sales tax. If the repair requires additional labor or parts that were not specified in the estimated charges, Apple will ask for your approval of a revised estimate. If you do not agree that Apple may revise the estimated charges, Apple will return your product and may charge you the Diagnostic Fee plus applicable sales tax. Apple reserves the right to refuse repair service on products that have serial numbers altered, defaced or removed or that are damaged due to accident, abuse, neglect, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider), unauthorized modification, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), extreme physical or electrical stress or interference, fluctuation or surges of electrical power, lightning, static electricity, fire, acts of God or other external causes. In such event, Apple will return the product to you without repairing it, and may charge you the Diagnostic Fee, plus applicable sales tax.

Ok, in that case, screw that "sealing HDD" idea.

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Nick-H

Actually it uses air to keep it offthe disk surface, otherwise a head crash, as per Agni's post, happens and that's the end of that disk.

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wandering_kat

Makes 'em nauseous.....

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-m2-

iPods shouldn't be put through the washing machine, either. If you do, better not try and pry it open with a screwdriver!

http://www.ipodhacks.com/article.php?sid=1361

agni5454

LOL, i was thinking the same....he he. I was going to say "God Did it" :-P as well. Oh well.

machadinha

Hmmm... reminds one of that old caution not to dry your poodle in a microwave oven. Is there anything people don't need advice about?

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vistet

member lightning has experience with hard disks (iBook) at altitude :

mira4bai4

Now there is legal loop hole as there are NO random acts of God!!!!!!!
Everything that God does is deliberate, karma is a requirement in this creation and as such your iPod biting the dust is a deliberate act of God ~ shit happens!!

agni5454

also i have done an experiement with a Ti-82 LCD where the LCD was damaged roughly in the 250C range. Cold temp doesn't do any damage to LCDs. So i doubt if in Conor's case, the LCD will be damaged. Its the pressure we are worried about. Drop in pressure may crack the LCD (hence a random act of God).