Commuter Entertainment

[ImbracableCrunk]

It sounds like I'm gonna have a lot of commuting on my hands for the next few years.

Besides a good book and the girl in 14E, what works well for inflight entertainment? I'm thinking Ipod or Iphone for movies. What's the best method for getting movies into a player?

My laptop will barely last one movie, and I've got a looong commute.

 

[CA1900]

Besides a good book and the girl in 14E, what works well for inflight entertainment?

Whatever route you go, get a Bose QuietComfort 2 to block out the screaming babies and inquisitive idiots. Muffling the airplane noise is just a side benefit!

My laptop will barely last one movie, and I've got a looong commute.

Maybe it's time for a better laptop. I'll get 3+ hours on a stock Macbook. And you can always buy a second battery if necessary, which should cover pretty much anything you'd do domestically.

I also have a little iPod Shuffle -- $50, long battery life, and the size of a matchbook. I keep it in the case with the headset; it works great.

 

[samballs]

The PSP kinda has it all, and last forever.

 

[dispatchguy]

Ipod Shuffle here too - couldnt fly without it. And yes, some of the Bose headsets for the slipstream noise - some of those Pink Floyd intros are hard to hear on a stock headset even with the volume cranked; although my hearing sucks too (thank you working a USAF Flight Line) so that it could be ie too.

 

[colorado]

Buy PQ DVD to IPOD suite ($20 one time download) you can download movies from DVDs to play on your IPOD, much cheaper than purchasing from Itunes.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

How many movies does the average Ipod hold? Or Iphone for that matter? I'm going from Michigan to Anchorage, so something like 6 movies would cover me for a round-trip commute.


I think a Shuffle would be great, but no movies!

I wish my company would back off on the U-fly Mike TSO issue, too. Then I'd certainly for for the QC2!

 

[OPECJet]

Philips makes some earbuds that roll up into a rubber container. $20 at Target. Excellent sound. Only downside is that the person next to you will hear a little of it too when you crank it up.

 

[DwayneWorthless]

How about reading ALPA's Airline Pilot magazine cover to cover. A lot of good ole information concerning you and your union. Don't forget to pay your dues.

 

[dispatchguy]

That is very presumptive that he is indeed going to an ALPA-represented carrier.

And damn, I just noticed how much Worthless looks like Dr Fil, or is it vice-versa...?

 

[timmay]

It sounds like I'm gonna have a lot of commuting on my hands for the next few years.

Besides a good book and the girl in 14E, what works well for inflight entertainment? I'm thinking Ipod or Iphone for movies. What's the best method for getting movies into a player?

My laptop will barely last one movie, and I've got a looong commute.

As far as copying movies to ipod you need a couple of things depending on whether you have a PC or Mac. The mac is the easiest and it is free via freeware apps. Pm me if you want the DEETS!

 

[whaleroast]

Read Sky Mall.

 

[WalterSobchak]

Whatever route you go, get a Bose QuietComfort 2 to block out the screaming babies and inquisitive idiots. Muffling the airplane noise is just a side benefit!

If you're not into spending that kind of money (don't get me wrong, they're worth it if you can swing it)...look for some "Skullcrushers" by Skullcandy. I won $70 in the slot machines at LAS waiting for a delayed DL red-eye a few weeks ago...and blew it on these babies at the InMotion at the D gates...gave me the discount, which essentially took off the tax and put them right at $70. I noticed no external noise on the 757 to JFK (including the bastard crying lap-child in first class)...and the sound quality is incredible for the cost. They've got subwoofer-like bass...and pretty good clarity at high volumes...without the person next to you noticing.

There are computer geek tricks to encoding your own DVD's for iPod/iPhone. I use Handbrake for encoding and DVD43 for unlocking the DVD's to encode them. I'm sure there are easier ways out there for a price, but Handbrake is free and just what I'm used to. (EDIT: I didn't see colorado's post above...go that route.)

I've been subscribing to several "quick lesson" foreign language podcasts on iTunes. They're free, quick 5 to 15 minute lessons in the basics of whatever language you subscribe to. So far I'm auto-downloading Italian and Arabic on my iPod.

Hope this helps...oh, and...unless the company is commuting you there, I highly suggest you befriend someone with access to loads and skeds for those hairy commutes.

Good luck...

 

[Tank]

itouch..works great and its small!!

 

[colorado]

How many movies does the average Ipod hold? Or Iphone for that matter? I'm going from Michigan to Anchorage, so something like 6 movies would cover me for a round-trip commute.


I think a Shuffle would be great, but no movies!

I wish my company would back off on the U-fly Mike TSO issue, too. Then I'd certainly for for the QC2!

You can adjust the settings, but most full length movies are not more that 750 mbs. I've borrowed and ripped full sopranos seasons and still had enough room for all my music and 3-4 movies. Hopefully it works, the screen is small but it beats carrying a laptop.

 

[Hovernut]

I second using Handbrake to crunch the movies to an iPod, etc. You can use ripit4me along with dvdshrink and dvddecrypter to rip dvds to your hard drive, or to an external WD Passport drive to build a large library. A sub to Netflix helps, too.

 

[xshuttlefa]

I have an Ipod touch. You can do the usual music and video, plus it will do Wi-fi internet. Not the most convenient Internet device, but it works pretty good once you learn how to use it. Works well enough to leave the laptop at home, unless I'm doing class work.

There are other apps like a calendar,calculator,etc. If you have AT&T cellular, you could get the Iphone.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Get "MagicDVDRipper" (google it) and use that to rip your DVDs to a movie file. You can select the type of file to save it as - make sure you save it as MP4 for PSP or iPod. I use that for movies on my Treo and it works pretty well. On a 2GB memory card, I can store about 3 full movies...

 

[dojetdriver]

That is very presumptive that he is indeed going to an ALPA-represented carrier.

And damn, I just noticed how much Worthless looks like Dr Fil, or is it vice-versa...?

Well, if he's not I can gladly redirect my description his was. That is, the ones I don't use for emergency toilet paper.