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EmPower (aircraft) power adapters with the m9700?

post #1 of 9
11/6/06 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 
Just wondering if anyone has used a DC/DC adapter (suitable for use on a plan - the flight will have EmPower sockets, supplying 75W 15V DC) with the m9700?

I'm wondering if it'll even work, as the laptop PSU is 120W.. I know the Dell's are capable of downswitching to a lower output PSU (assuming it's a Dell PSU with the autosense stuff in it), but I've no idea on the Arima/AW..

Kensington do appear to do a 120W DC/DC adapter listed as EmPower compatible - but if the socket in the seat is only rated at 75W, well - I don't fancy burning out the electrics on an aircraft I'm flying in

Otherwise it'll be a looong ol' flight (Heathrow to Seattle) with nothing but in-flight entertainment
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post #2 of 9
11/6/06 at 6:06pm
Oh boy, that's a long flight. It's raining heavy here for Seattle, so bring a raincoat and a brolly...

I don't know anything about these things, so I can't give any advice... I wonder if you can charge the battery at the lower wattage if the laptop isn't turned on safely? I'd be nervous about firing it up on full power at that wattage...

You can always buy a couple extra batteries...
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post #3 of 9
11/6/06 at 6:13pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah - the last thing I want to do is fry something.. although if I'm going to fry something - as long as it isn't the seat wiring! I wondered the same as you though - if it'd at least charge the battery, but not run the laptop.. at least that would give a few hours out of the ~10hr flight of gaming (luckily I'm going with a colleague who's also into gaming - I forsee much PvP action)

A friend of mine is an electrical engineer for BA (Avionics, actually, but it's close) - so I'll see if he knows what overload-protection the seat wiring has.


I picked the best time of year to be visiting the Pacific North West, didn't I? Still, all bar the first Sunday and last Friday will be spent shut in a conference room having technical facts hammered into me, so I probably won't see much outside!
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post #4 of 9
11/6/06 at 7:50pm
The weather is supposed to improve by Wednesday. I hope so because I'm going to be up on a roof Wednesday through Friday. It sucks being on a roof in the rain...
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post #5 of 9
11/8/06 at 4:55am
Watch out for that rainy roof, Hammerhead!

aaron - I don't know if the m9700 will charge on the lower wattage charger...but I'm pretty sure the airline seat power won't handle anything higher (unless they have upgraded their system). I know I "blew out" the power in my seat when I tried to charge a Dell XPS 2 (also 120W, I think)...so I haven't tried my m9700 on board...

You may have to rely on old fashioned entertainment...books and a few movies
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post #6 of 9
11/8/06 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 
Hmm - I don't fancy the thought of popping the fuse in my seat too much

Perhaps I'll just have to invest in a PSP for the flight instead
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post #7 of 9
11/8/06 at 7:13pm
lol love that way of thinking investing on a PSP, why dont you get an extra battery ? that will give you a total of 3 hours or 2 batteries for a total of 4.5 hours
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post #8 of 9
11/9/06 at 6:29am
Thread Starter 
That'd still only be half a flight, though It's nearly 10 hours from here to Seattle..

I'll probably just end up going with the book idea though, knowing my remarkable ability to leave everything to the last minute..
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post #9 of 9
11/10/06 at 12:37pm
damn a ten hour fligth that reminds me my last fligth to china from costa rica, almost 24 hours total and only a sentia as enterteiment, thugth i did got to met a very cute fligth attendant that was into computers

but yeah get a nice book game for what your battery will last and then read on....
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