Using my Macbook for music while driving?...

[anthonplake]

So I've been using my Macbook to listen to music ever since I bought it (I don't have an mp3 device). Often times if I hit a bump and my Macbook will stop playing the music for a second or two and then resume playing. I'm assuming that my hard drive disc is getting thrown around everywhere and it's getting scratched up right? Surely that's not good. So basically what I'm asking is - would it be worth it for me to go buy a mp3 device of some sort rather than my hard drive skipping on occasion? How bad is this to my hard drive?

 

[GGJstudios]

While you may get away with using your MBP in that way, there's definitely additional risk of damage. I certainly wouldn't recommend what you're doing and would highly recommend you buy an MP3 player instead.

 

[700-Grizz]

Dude you are killing your hard-drive! Hard drives are made to in a stationary environment only, no bouncing, throwing around period! Get you a Nano or something

 

[Spadoinkles]

I use a USB stick. They're perfect, except when you spill hot coffee on it and it melts

 

[w00t951]

I use a USB stick. They're perfect, except when you spill hot coffee on it and it melts

I don't think it matters, unless the hard drive head parks on the MacBook Pro. iTunes or whatever music app is still running on the Mac, and will probably still be spinning the disk platter.

 

[yawns]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_Motion_Sensor

When your drive "pauses," it's probably because of this. Even with that built-in, you're not really doing the drive any favors by driving around with it while it's constantly spinning. You should probably look into an mp3 player, or an SSD drive.

At least you're not doing this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUDKxTRgAOA

 

[Spadoinkles]

I don't think it matters, unless the hard drive head parks on the MacBook Pro. iTunes or whatever music app is still running on the Mac, and will probably still be spinning the disk platter.

I mean I have a USB interface in my car so I plug a USB straight into it; better than having to charge the iPod/MP3 every couple hours of use

 

[anthonplake]

I use a USB stick. They're perfect, except when you spill hot coffee on it and it melts

Ah that's a good idea. While driving just run all my music off a USB stick? I didn't even think about that. Thanks man. This is just temporary until I get one of those fancy new Droid Razrs then I'll just use that as my primary music playing device

 

[macbookme]

I never think I would use my macbook in a car. Only moving macbook while it's powered on, I sometimes hear cracking sound inside it. I think it's the sound of hard disk reader make abnormal contact to the disk.

 

[GGJstudios]

I never think I would use my macbook in a car. Only moving macbook while it's powered on, I sometimes hear cracking sound inside it. I think it's the sound of hard disk reader make abnormal contact to the disk.

No, it's not. The noise you hear is this:

Apple Portables: About the Sudden Motion Sensor

 

[jdsingle]

You hook up your computer and listen to it in your car? That's brave lol.

I would just get a head unit that accepts all kinds of media. My pioneer unit utilizes AUX, SD Card, USB, iPod, and CD/DVD media.

 

[Spadoinkles]

You hook up your computer and listen to it in your car? That's brave lol.

I would just get a head unit that accepts all kinds of media. My pioneer unit utilizes AUX, SD Card, USB, iPod, and CD/DVD media.

I love USB drives. I break SD cards a lot, I'm over CDs and the USBs LIVE in my car unless I get sick of the music in there

 

[iphone1105]

Ah that's a good idea. While driving just run all my music off a USB stick? I didn't even think about that. Thanks man. This is just temporary until I get one of those fancy new Droid Razrs then I'll just use that as my primary music playing device

No, he's not talking about running off a USB on your MAC, he's talking about actually plugging in a USB to a radio that allows a USB interface.....like a nice aftermarket Sony, Alpine, or Clarion

 

[Spadoinkles]

No, he's not talking about running off a USB on your MAC, he's talking about actually plugging in a USB to a radio that allows a USB interface.....like a nice aftermarket Sony, Alpine, or Clarion

That's kinda what I just said.
But nah, Ford Audio for the win (It's only broken down twice in its first year )

 

[psykick5]

Dude buy a secondhand iPod for $100... much less risk of damaging your computer.

 

[anthonplake]

No, he's not talking about running off a USB on your MAC, he's talking about actually plugging in a USB to a radio that allows a USB interface.....like a nice aftermarket Sony, Alpine, or Clarion

lol no dude. I'm talking about running the music off of my computer from a flash drive so the hard drive isn't spinning much or at all

----------

So I'm sure everyone will be happy to know that I bought a simple iPod Nano 6G just for the heck of it (it looked cool okay?). It's just something to save my computer until I get a phone with more memory space (or maybe an iPad in the near to come future... ). I've been backing up my hard drive every since I started driving with my computer on so if the hard drive did crash, I could easily buy a new one and recover my lost files. Anyway, thanks for all the advice !

 

[GGJstudios]

lol no dude. I'm talking about running the music off of my computer from a flash drive so the hard drive isn't spinning much or at all

The fact that your music would be stored on a flash drive would have no effect on your hard drive spinning. If your computer is active doing anything, your hard drive will be spinning. It doesn't matter where your user files are located.