Macbook Pro at altitude - Mt. Everest

[kdum8]

See this link for a video of Macbook Pros being used at high altitude on Mount Everest. Although this was mentioned before on MR by Macbytes I don't think there was a youtube link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01g4ugvMCIY

They are using several MBPs with SSD drives for greater reliability and editing their video dispatches using Final Cut Pro.

Nice video!

EDIT: For those who found this interesting, here is more on the MBP from the team:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-NeSzIRpTY&feature=channel_page

check out all the tasty gear!

 

[rgarjr]

nice one dude..

 

[UniPro]

That's pretty freaking sweet. Thanks for the share.

 

[upinflames900]

I think it is a message for all those PC supporters...
The Hierarchy
1. Mac
2. Pen and Paper
3. Your Memory
4. PC (unless someone else has something to add after number 3)

 

[UniPro]

3. Abacus

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

I think it is a message for all those PC supporters...
The Hierarchy
1. Mac
2. Pen and Paper
3. Your Memory
4. PC (unless someone else has something to add after number 3)

How does this have anything to do with the posted video? Are you that desperate to find a reason to bash anything non-apple?

 

[The General]

I wouldn't take a MacBook Pro up there with me ... It's below the maximum operation temperature and altitude. Above even the storage altitude/temp near the top.

 

[upinflames900]

How does this have anything to do with the posted video? Are you that desperate to find a reason to bash anything non-apple?

No, I just think it is interesting that when given the choice what to use in this situation, they choose to use Apple Computers, probably believing them to be better. I own two PCs as well, and I use them from time to time. It was more of a joke than anything else.

 

[alphaod]

I'm sure my Thinkpad can survive just as well as the MacBook Pro if not better.

 

[upinflames900]

I apologize if I offended anyone, my only point was to make a comment about the video. I thought the idea of taking macs to the "end of the earth" so to speak was a testament to their reliability. As a result I made the comment about macs being better than pcs because that was a sentiment that I gathered from watching the movie. I don't mean to simply demean pcs, that is not why i posted the comment. In my opinion, macs are better suited from that type of video editing than pcs, and the video showed that they were using macs and not pcs. In the end, it was simply a joke that does have relevance to the video. I'm sure that other computers could handle that environment, and no i do not believe that macs are the end all be all of creation.

 

[kdum8]

I wouldn't take a MacBook Pro up there with me ... It's below the maximum operation temperature and altitude. Above even the storage altitude/temp near the top.

Well given that they had to take something with them there was no choice. Those conditions are outside of all mainstream mac/pc operating ranges. They may not be rated to work in those conditions but that doesn't mean that they aren't perfectly capable of doing so. That is why the post is interesting in my opinion, to see unusual environments where they are being used.

 

[mikes70mustang]

what does altitude have to do with how a computer runs? Not like there is a air bladder or some sort of oxygen mixture that needs to be just right for it all to work.

 

[bruinsrme]

Well I guess next time I plan on climbing MT Everest I kno wwhat computer to take...

Or an IBM
Shirely they Jest ( IBM Everest )
With over 1,000 industry awards worldwide since its inception, IBM ThinkPad notebooks have been used in numerous Space Shuttle missions, under the oceans, and carried in chilling cold during several climbs to K2 and Mt. Everest. An IBM ThinkPad notebook is also included in the permanent design collection of the Modern Museum of Art in New York.

 

[bruinsrme]

what does altitude have to do with how a computer runs? Not like there is a air bladder or some sort of oxygen mixture that needs to be just right for it all to work.

Pressure affects moving parts and and gases in the LED/LCD

 

[kdum8]

what does altitude have to do with how a computer runs? Not like there is a air bladder or some sort of oxygen mixture that needs to be just right for it all to work.

Indeed, the low air pressure found at those altitudes wouldn't have much effect I should imagine but extremes of temperature could. Battery performance is much reduced in cold climates. The components could also be potentially affected too, although it's not as if they are leaving the MBPs outside the tents in blizzards or anything...

 

[jav6454]

nice. I imagine they use SSDs due to nonmoving parts where as an HDD can easily screw up their lives.

 

[kdum8]

nice. I imagine they use SSDs due to nonmoving parts where as an HDD can easily screw up their lives.

Absolutely. I don't have any statistics but I would imagine that the failure rates for SSD drives are much lower than for a standard HDD. Sooner or later they will probably replace the platter-type disk drives.

 

[mikes70mustang]

Indeed, the low air pressure found at those altitudes wouldn't have much effect I should imagine but extremes of temperature could. Battery performance is much reduced in cold climates. The components could also be potentially affected too, although it's not as if they are leaving the MBPs outside the tents in blizzards or anything...

yah thats what im thinking, its not outside. of course it wont run well if the battery is half froze. But im sure it works great if the room temp was really cold. I figured they might use the MBPs as a heater

 

[SkyBell]

Toughbooks weren't considered? I'd think those would be the most logical choice for something like this...

 

[kdum8]

Toughbooks weren't considered? I'd think those would be the most logical choice for something like this...

Interesting. I had never heard of a 'Toughbook'. It looks like a good product but it is Windows based and it looks as if the team wanted to use Final Cut Pro for editing which is mac only. Also the new unibody MBP is a lot tougher than the previous incarnation.

 

[winninganthem]

You need to take the MBP to Everest to be able to use it on your lap without it burning your thighs

 

[mikes70mustang]

Interesting. I had never heard of a 'Toughbook'. It looks like a good product but it is Windows based and it looks as if the team wanted to use Final Cut Pro for editing which is mac only. Also the new unibody MBP is a lot tougher than the previous incarnation.

i still dont get why everyone thinks its tougher. I seems to break much easier now. I think the "stronger" was a huge gimmick to lure people in

 

[kdum8]

i still dont get why everyone thinks its tougher. I seems to break much easier now. I think the "stronger" was a huge gimmick to lure people in

Well when I apply pressure to my pre-unibody MBP the case flexes quite a lot. The Unibody doesn't do that at all and generally feels a lot stronger. Try a direct side-by-side comparison and you'll see what I mean.

 

[gr8tfly]

Indeed, the low air pressure found at those altitudes wouldn't have much effect ...

Low air pressure affects hard drives in two ways: the first, is the air density required to fly the read/write heads (see Bernoulli principle). Above a certain threshold, there's an increased risk to physical head crashes. There are also sensors for temperature, as high temps also decrease air density. That's the main restriction, IMO.

The second reason applies more generally to electronics - cooling. Most electronics rely on some form of air flow for cooling - either flow by convection or a fan. The cool air can then conduct away heat. The less dense the air, the less heat it can carry.

A couple of interesting tidbits: At 18,000', 50% of the atmosphere is below you. Below 18k', density changes [pretty much] linearly about 1" of mercury per 1000'. Above that, the rate no longer is linear (I don't have a good rule of thumb for that one, but there are calculators on the web that'll do it for you.)

Commercial aircraft, btw, keep a cabin pressure of about 8000'.

 

[kdum8]

Low air pressure affects hard drives in two ways: the first, is the air density required to fly the read/write heads (see Bernoulli principle). Above a certain threshold, there's an increased risk to physical head crashes. There are also sensors for temperature, as high temps also decrease air density. That's the main restriction, IMO.

The second reason applies more generally to electronics - cooling. Most electronics rely on some form of air flow for cooling - either flow by convection or a fan. The cool air can then conduct away heat. The less dense the air, the less heat it can carry.

A couple of interesting tidbits: At 18,000', 50% of the atmosphere is below you. Below 18k', density changes [pretty much] linearly about 1" of mercury per 1000'. Above that, the rate no longer is linear (I don't have a good rule of thumb for that one, but there are calculators on the web that'll do it for you.)

Commercial aircraft, btw, keep a cabin pressure of about 8000'.

Interesting information, thanks for the post. The MBPs that these guys are using have Solid State Drives so they wouldn't suffer from the HDD problems that you mention. The internal components may be affected though.