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TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
I took an airplane to Florida for vacation and before we took off or landed, the guy said to turn off any electronic devices (including iPods). The problem is, the iPod doesn't turn off. When you hold play, it just puts it to sleep. It's still running though because when you touch the scroll wheel, it's back on instantly. This isn't the same as booting the iPod up completely. Also, the only way to shut down is to hold menu and center for 10 seconds, but it doesn't stay off, it just restarts it.

So what's the difference between putting an iPod to sleep and putting a laptop to sleep? I really tried shutting off my iPod, but it's just not possible.

Can't shut down an Apple TV either.

Does anyone know of a way to shut off the iPod for real?
 

Kate.

macrumors regular
Aug 30, 2009
208
86
US
I doubt an iPod is going to interfere with an airplane. I think you're safe. If an iPod could singlehandedly take down a commercial jet, we probably would have heard about it by now.
 

TuffLuffJimmy

macrumors G3
Apr 6, 2007
9,022
136
Portland, OR
What's the point to this thread? You answered your own question. Yes, iPods cannot easily be turned off. Hell, when you turn off a computer the CMOS battery is still keeping some processes running.
 

Fuchal

macrumors 68030
Sep 30, 2003
2,603
1,057
An iPod can not even come remotely close to interfering with any airplane equipment.
 

macsarethebest

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2009
162
1
^^^^^^ are right, but there is a way to turn an iPod completely off. Hold down the menu and center buttons until the apple logo appears, then keep holding down the center button, but switch from menu to rewind. Some kind of menu will appear, depending on which iPod you have, and there will be a sleep or deepSleep option, something like that. use the fastf-rewind buttons to navigate, center button for enter, and et voila! clicking any button will turn back on again, but the iPod is shut off, not just sleeping.
 
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Consultant

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,314
34
Are you going to shut down your watch? How about a pace maker (a piece of electronics)?

iPod does not affect navigation equipment.
 

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
The iPod won't affect the airplane because it is not sending or receiving any signals. That's why cellphones have airplane modes, it stops the phone from sending or receiving any signals, but you can still use it to play games, listen to music or do whatever you want that doesn't involve sending or receiving data wirelessly.

You could use a laptop as long as EVERY wireless connection is OFF. If its not an iPod Touch it can't Send or receive signals, thus you can listen to music on the plane :D

If it IS an iPod Touch you need to turn it onto Airplane mode, if it has one, I'm not sure...
 

ChrisBrightwell

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2004
2,294
0
Huntsville, AL
The iPod won't affect the airplane because it is not sending or receiving any signals.
It still generates RF noise, which is the concern. It's a very marginal amount of noise, but it's a source of noise nonetheless.

The rest of your comment ignores that this request comes during takeoff and landing procedures, not at cruising altitudes.
 

Darth.Titan

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,905
753
Austin, TX
I took an airplane to Florida for vacation and before we took off or landed, the guy said to turn off any electronic devices (including iPods). The problem is, the iPod doesn't turn off. When you hold play, it just puts it to sleep. It's still running though because when you touch the scroll wheel, it's back on instantly.

So after putting it to sleep, you slide the lock switch to the locked position. Now for all intents and purposes it is off.

My 5G iPod has been in my room turned off in this fashion for over two weeks. The battery is still almost completely charged.

No power use = Tuned off
 

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
The point is, they tell you to turn OFF ALL electronic devices. They also specifically listed iPod when they said it.

They don't say to put the iPod to sleep just like you can't just put your laptop or gameboy to sleep.

That's the point of this thread. It baffles me that you can't shut off an iPod or Apple TV. The iPod is still running even when it's asleep. The very second you even touch the scroll wheel, the iPod is ready to go instantly. So holding play isn't shutting it off and forcing it to reboot into service mode isn't a very good or easy work around.

The reason I started this is because my brother was sure there had to be a way to shut down.
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,778
2,026
Colorado Springs, CO
The point is, they tell you to turn OFF ALL electronic devices. They also specifically listed iPod when they said it.

They don't say to put the iPod to sleep just like you can't just put your laptop or gameboy to sleep.

That's the point of this thread. It baffles me that you can't shut off an iPod or Apple TV. The iPod is still running even when it's asleep. The very second you even touch the scroll wheel, the iPod is ready to go instantly. So holding play isn't shutting it off and forcing it to reboot into service mode isn't a very good or easy work around.

The reason I started this is because my brother was sure there had to be a way to shut down.
Not all airlines have the same policy. Some tell you to turn off your electronic devices OR put them in airplane mode. They just don't want the RF interference to possibly interfere with the guidance systems. It's pretty remote that it would happen but there is still a chance. Better to be safe than sorry type of thing.

Oh and someone already answered your question:
... there is a way to turn an iPod completely off. Hold down the menu and center buttons until the apple logo appears, then keep holding down the center button, but switch from menu to rewind. Some kind of menu will appear, depending on which iPod you have, and there will be a sleep or deepSleep option, something like that. use the fastf-rewind buttons to navigate, center button for enter, and et voila! clicking any button will turn back on again, but the iPod is shut off, not just sleeping.
 

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
Not all airlines have the same policy. Some tell you to turn off your electronic devices OR put them in airplane mode. They just don't want the RF interference to possibly interfere with the guidance systems. It's pretty remote that it would happen but there is still a chance. Better to be safe than sorry type of thing.

Oh and someone already answered your question:

Yes. My question is answered. It's not possible. It's weird that Apple didn't put a feature in place for that.

Going into debug mode is not something that people should be doing.
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,778
2,026
Colorado Springs, CO
Yes. My question is answered. It's not possible. It's weird that Apple didn't put a feature in place for that.

Going into debug mode is not something that people should be doing.
The fact remains that you don't need to turn it completely off. Sleep mode only supplies enough power to keep the OS in memory and it won't drain it noticeably faster than turning it completely off. It will not interfere with the airplane's systems.
 

daxomni

macrumors 6502
Jun 24, 2009
457
6
Not all airlines have the same policy.
Every commercial passenger airline I've flown to or from or inside the US asks you to turn off electronic devices that can be turned off during takeoff and landing. What airline have you flown that doesn't?

Some tell you to turn off your electronic devices OR put them in airplane mode.
Nope, they say turn them off. Airplane mode is for cruising altitude.

They just don't want the RF interference to possibly interfere with the guidance systems.
It's quite obvious that's not the real issue, if it was then they'd presumably never let us take any of this stuff on-board in the first place. My guess is that this is more of a liability issue than a safety issue.

What I want to know is... Who the heck takes an Apple TV onto an airplane?!
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
The point is, they tell you to turn OFF ALL electronic devices. They also specifically listed iPod when they said it.
The fact that your iPod isn't 100% powered-down doesn't matter. As long as it's secured (and not distracting you) during takeoff/landings, you've met the majority of what the FAA was going after.

Also there are non-technical reasons airlines want fliers to power down their BlackBerrys, iPhones and laptops.

According to FAA spokesman Les Dorr, the FAA requires these carriers to have policies “prohibiting the operation of any [portable electronic devices] during the takeoff and landing phases of flight. It must be recognized that the potential for personal injury to passengers is a paramount consideration, as well as is the possibility of missing significant safety announcements during important phases of flight. This prohibition is in addition to lessening the possible interference that may arise during sterile cockpit operations (below 10,000 feet).” (For more FAA guidance on electronic devices check out this link).

So in addition to potential for frequency interference, carriers and regulators are also concerned about the decidedly non-technical safety issue of loose Kindles — or other electronic devices — potentially clonking somebody in the head during a bumpy takeoff or landing. Also, carriers and the FAA just want you to put away your toys for a few minutes and pay attention to the pre-flight announcements.
http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/05/07/kindle-dx-must-you-turn-it-off-for-takeoff-and-landing/
 

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
Update. I tried the debug mode thing that another user pointed out and there was no sleep or deep sleep options. It only had hardware diagnostics like making sure the click wheel and lock buttons work. I have a 120GB iPod classic.

Also, about the Apple TV. I didn't bring that on the plane, but it's another Apple product that doesn't have an OFF mode. It has sleep or UNPLUG. It's kind of annoying. My Apple TV gets VERY hot and the only way I've found to shut it down is to just unplug it while it's running… that can't be good for it. Who wants their Apple TV running at all times? Oh and by the way… for some reason my Apple TV hard drive is still running even when I've put it to sleep. When I unplug it… I hear Wooooooosh like the hard drive is spinning down.
 

TuffLuffJimmy

macrumors G3
Apr 6, 2007
9,022
136
Portland, OR
Update. I tried the debug mode thing that another user pointed out and there was no sleep or deep sleep options. It only had hardware diagnostics like making sure the click wheel and lock buttons work. I have a 120GB iPod classic.

Well then you just don't know what you're talking about. I have a 120GB classic that I bought last summer and it has the exact option the poster was talking about.
 

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
Yesterday I got out my old 2006/2007 2GB iPod Nano that I haven't used for a while. It was 100% dead, so I plugged it in, and it showed the Apple logo for ages, like it was starting up:D Is this the 'deep sleep mode'?
 
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