Do iPod (hard disk MP3 players) do well running?

Triathlon Forum
1

What is everyone’s experience in running with their iPod or similar hard disk based MP3 player? I’m sure they have some anti-skip technology that will make it work well at least initially. My experience is with CD players with anti-skip…some have worked good initially and then not so good after a few years. I also have a good deal of experience with computer hard disks that fail when someone drops their laptop, etc. CNET.com seems to think you should go with the flash based units for running. I have one of those already but it is only 128M, so I’m trying to decide whether to go with a new flash based (they can be as much as 2G now) or hard disk based, it is mainly for running. Anybody ever drop their Ipod out a 3rd story building onto a parking lot and have it work fine?

By the way, I ordered two sets of headphones from headphones.com, the Shure E2c and the Etymotic ER6i. I give the nod to the Shures. They seem more durable, they are cheaper, and they play a little louder. They are about equal in sound quality,I could’t consistently tell any difference. They both sound excellent, definitely worth the upgrade over the stock earphones. My friend has had his Etymotics for 3 years with no problems.

2

I have run with an IPOD for the past 2 years. I had a larger unit last year and part of this year and have just switched to the mini. I never had a skipping problem during a song. However, my larger unit would skip a song or two on a longer (ten +) mile run. There would be a long pause and then it would finally start playing the next song. I am guessing that it might have something to do with the hard drive jarring. It was annoying but not a major problem.

THe unit that was causing the problems was 2 years old so I switched to a mini a couple of months ago and have had no problems. I did a 3+ hour run the other day and it didn’t miss a song. I have had mini-disk players and flash card players. Ipod is hands down simpler and easier to work with.

For reference, I wouldn’t consider myself a smooth runner. I can’t run with a water bottle belt and even a race belt tends to bounce around on me. As for weather conditions, I am in Wisconsin so the unit gets subjected to some ugly cold at times. It doesn’t seem to effect performanced.

3

my ipod would skip and eventually just stop during long runs. now it’s broken and apple wants $99/hr to have a conversation about it. i bought a rio which works great and doesn’t skip because it doesn’t have a hard drive. the problem is one, it doesn’t hold a lot of songs and two, it’s not compatible with songs downloaded from itunes.

in fairness to apple, i have an older ipod and supposedly the kinks have been worked out. but i’m still bitter.

4

I run with my iPod Mini all the time. Never had any problems with skipping. The only problem I’ve had was with the fast forward button, which stopped working on two consecutive blue Minis. Apple replaced both at no charge. The Mini is a great little gizmo, I love mine.

5

iPods can’t skip during a song. They can do other things, like freeze or stop. But, they don’t skip due to “drive skipping” like a CD player does.

An iPod loads several songs at a time into RAM (from your playlist or album or whatever you’re listening to). The songs actually play from RAM, not from the hard drive. The hard drive spins up every now and then, loads the next few songs, and then shuts down again. So, an iPod is no more prone to skipping than a flash memory player.

When my iPod has seemed to skip, it’s always been due to the headphone cord. You can get any player to skip if you knock it hard enough because you can get the headphone amplifier to falter for a moment. Like others, I have been frustrated by the iPod occasionally freezing and requiring a re-boot. I reformatted the whole thing a while back and re-loaded all the songs and it has stopped freezing.

6

The regular iPods (hard drive based) were never REALLY meant for running. However, they do a fine job at that with occasional problems. I used to hold mine in my hand while running as opposed to wearing it, which probably helps a bit with the jarring. However, as with all hard drive systems, there is the possibility that you can damage the disk by jarring it. This is why it is not recommended (although few people adhere to it) that you do not carry around and/or tilt and move a laptop a lot while it is running. You should wait till the disk stops spinning (i.e. when you put it to sleep) before you lay it vertically into a briefcase for instance.

While the iPod mini is not a flash based player, the micro-drives they use are better for running. This is probably why Apple makes an arm-band holder for the mini and NOT for the larger model. I bought my wife a mini when they were first announced and I freakin’ LOVE it. I have the armband for it and it works really well and is very light. It’s also easy to control the volume/skip songs/etc. while on the run. Apple puts so much more thought and effort into designing user-friendly products, this is why people say the user-interface is so much better than imitators.

You might be interested in this article: http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=744. “Apple to begin manufactoring flash-based iPod next month.” (sorry can’t hypertext) These rumour sites are usually pretty dead on with predictions like this. They predicted the iMac G5 before it was announced, along with the iPod Photo.

An Apple made flash-based player would definately be something to wait for.

(I do not work for nor have any interests in the Apple company, I’m just another huge Mac fan.)

7

I never have dared to tri. Mine is digital. Yea,baby,
no moving parts.

8

I’ve been having the freezing problem too - how did you reformat your Ipod - I’ve only been able to do the reboot, but it’s only a temporary fix
.

9

My iPod is great running. It has never skipped. I have dropped it a couple of times hard and it survived.

10

jhc,
if you’re using Mac OSX go into your Utility folder and open the program Disk Utility while you have your iPod connected. Select your iPod from the window on the left and there should be an option “Erase”. Choose from the dropdown menu the Volume Format you want (Mac OS Extended Journaled is the default for Mac OS X). However, if you’re using your iPod with Windows you’ll need to choose MS-DOS File System. Click “Erase” and it should reformat for you.

Make sure your data is backed up beforehand of course!

11

I have a first generation 10 GB iPod and can no longer run with it. It freezes and I have to do a hard reset on it every time. I’ve tried a hydration belt with a padded pocket, the iPod sleeve clipped to my shorts, etc. Nothing seems to work anymore. It used to - I guess it just got a bit loose inside. I have no problem biking with it though! I think I’m going to get a small memory card mp3 player for running that straps to my arm (I hate holding something in my hands!).

12

I’ve had an iPod for about two years and have never seen it run. I can charge it overnight and set it outside in the road or even near the sidewalk and it just sits there. Likewise, I’ve never seen it skip. I can’t imagine it having the physycal ability to skip if it can’t even run. I have not taken it to the pool to see if it could swim. C’mon, whaddya think I am…duh?

13

Apples float.

14

Frankly, I wouldn’t do it if I were you. I have both a flash player and a HD player, and I have a lot of experience hand assembling computer systems. Its just kind of dumb to put something like a HD, with its inherently low tolerances internally, through the trauma that comes with running. Think about how much abuse your knee takes from the pounding, and it was designed for that. HDs are simply not designed to take repetitive jarring like that. It will simply reduce the lifespan of an otherwise very expensive player.

The flash player is better for that kind of activity. Use the Ipod for gym work or even bike work if you’re that kind of guy. It’ll thank you later.

15

As a preface, I work at an Apple Reseller store. I don’t really have an interest in the company, but I’ve had to go through a lot of training on the products. Anyway:

First of all, I want to say that yes, a HD based system can skip. Not in the sense of a CD skipping (which really isn’t skipping either.) As earlier stated, the HD writes songs to RAM, and then periodically writes more. When the drive is under stress, (being jiggled), the hard drive won’t spin up and the RAM cache will slowly run down. Different models have different amounts of buffer (or cache, or skip protection). The 4G ipods, including standard and minis, both have 25 minutes of skip protection. The ipod photo has 17 minutes. I don’t have my spec sheets on the 1 and 2G but I know that had next to nothing skip protection. The best thing you can do if your skip protection runs out is to keep the unit still enough for it to write to RAM. Either stop and stretch, or hold it in your hand all steady-like. I do it with mine, and usually works pretty well.

I think that the iPod, and the mini, were both evaluated in the running surrounding by Apple during design. Though not designed for this purpose, I don’t see any long term damage with the many clients we have due to constant jogging of the unit. But I do know that you can get better results with them by putting it somewhere that doesn’t bounce much. Armbands are best (and unlike the post before by someone who said “While the iPod mini is not a flash based player, the micro-drives they use are better for running. This is probably why Apple makes an arm-band holder for the mini and NOT for the larger model.” Wrong. Apple didn’t make an armband for marketing purposes to more strongly push the value points of the mini. It is hard for Apple to justify 4G@$249 and 20G@$299, so they added a smaller case, pretty colors and market it as a go-all do-all. Several companies created armband accesories under agreements with apple before the product was even released, for the larger iPods. Marware probably makes the best. Ipod minis with the microdrive are probably better as far as excersize and skipping go (especially because of the lighter and smaller aspect), but big iPod will work just fine. Plus if you decide to go Forrest Gump, you would run out of music on your mini a whole lot faster. :slight_smile:

As for dropping an iPod. The highest we have ever gotten one to drop without breaking is 8 feet to hardwood with no case, and 15 feet to hardwood with an iSkin. The unit is pretty robust and the first thing to go is ususally the display. The drive in most cases will still function fine after a drop. {we had some returned units with bad buttons and the like, and didn’t know what better to do with them. Our drop tests were conducted under less that labratory-like conditions.] If you drop it lots, you can get a super duper case called the lily-pod, (I think that’s the name.), it has a rubberized interior with an anodized aluminum exterior, and it is water-proof to boot. You can acutally submerge it and it will play on. Drop it on your bike at 28mph and no problem.

I would say though, if you do get an iPod, and are going to run with it, get the Extended warranty. It’s only $60 and is cheap insurance in case anything goes wrong for 2 years. It more than covers the cost of a new battery if it dies, and if you do jack it up running, you will either have it fixed or replaced with a similar model (brand new) at no expense. You just can’t lose.

16

I’ve been having the freezing problem too - how did you reformat your Ipod - I’ve only been able to do the reboot, but it’s only a temporary fix
There’s a whole rundown on the website FAQ. But, I must admit, I took it to the Apple store in the mall where I bought it and they did it for me. I told them what was happening. They nodded knowingly and said to come back the next day and it would work fine. And, it has ever since.

17

Thanks!

(and Ashburn too…)