How can I record Cockpit Video & Audio with iPhone

Tx_Flyboy

Tx_Flyboy

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All,

When i post this in youtube, all i get is a bunch of people talking about recording audio using an audio recorder. F that. It's 2017. I want to use my iphone to record both cockpit video & audio from the comms (without the annoying wind/engine noise).

I have:
* Iphone (duh!)
* the RAM suction cup mount.
To record cockpit audio (instead of wind/engine noise) i am thinking about one of the following:

Nflightcam audio input cable or
pilot usa audio input cable

Has anyone tried this setup? I don't really want to buy either of these products if i cant get the results i'm looking for.

Thanks again in advance.
 
I just connect the deal w/ the earbuds and mic for taking calls when driving and put it inside one of the headset cups.
Gets the job done especially w/ noise cancelling headsets.
 
What kind of headset do u have? the tangos can record audio on the iPhone using FlightLink.
 
i have Bose aviation X headsets.

I am not looking to capture audio on a separate device. I want to capture audio & video via my iPhone.
 
the iphone audio plug is non-standard mini 1/8 inch. it has a third section on the plug that is the mic with the corresponding third ring on the jack in the iphone. Get the apple earpod/mic, stick the ear pods under your headset or just ignore them and tape the mic to the mic arm on your headset. Make sure you position the iphone so you can record the video and audio - i other words, you're limited to the length of the cord.
 
Eh...no earbud in mike trick or any non-standard measure.

I want to connect my iphone via audio cable adapter wires to my headset and intercom system...simple as that.

Has anyone done it?
 
I assume you do NOT have iPhone 7? (no headphone jack)
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I just connect the deal w/ the earbuds and mic for taking calls when driving and put it inside one of the headset cups.
Click to expand...

Coincidentally, I just tried that yesterday. Was pleasantly surprised with the quality.
 
Tx_Flyboy said:
Eh...no earbud in mike trick or any non-standard measure.

I want to connect my iphone via audio cable adapter wires to my headset and intercom system...simple as that.

Has anyone done it?
Click to expand...
No, it's not simple. Welcome to Apple.

I repeat...the audio jack on the iPhone is non-standard, proprietary to Apple, despite being the 1/8 mini plug. If your intercom has an audio out jack, that will be your best bet. But again, the only audio input to the iPhone is either thru the built-in phone mic on the device or thru the proprietary jack.
 
Tx_Flyboy said:
Eh...no earbud in mike trick or any non-standard measure.

I want to connect my iphone via audio cable adapter wires to my headset and intercom system...simple as that.

Has anyone done it?
Click to expand...
standard iphone earbud and mic in the earphone cup is as simple as it gets, yet you reject the simplest solution while still asking for a simple solution! :) KISS ... see above.
 
172andyou said:
It's not non-standard. It's a combo port that lots of vendors use these days.
Click to expand...
Hm...learn something new everyday. I haven't seen it anywhere other than Apple. Where else is it used?
 
It's not so much that the TRRS connector itself is nonstandard, it's that it doesn't behave like a "normal" line input; IIRC there's some custom mic sensing mojo. That is why simple adapters and attenuators will work with a regular audio recorder but not with an iPhone.
 
I went ahead and ordered the pilotusa audio cable.

I'll post an update after i go flying with it. it seems no-one who's responded has actually tried it.
 
Tx_Flyboy said:
I went ahead and ordered the pilotusa audio cable.

I'll post an update after i go flying with it. it seems no-one who's responded has actually tried it.
Click to expand...

Hi - I own the adapter from Pilot USA, this one:

http://www.pilot-usa.com/pa-80s-iphone.html

They're very close to me so I dropped in and picked it up in person years ago:

PILOT COMMUNICATIONS USA
70 MAXWELL
IRVINE, CA 92618
Phone: (949) 748-8880
Fax: (949) 748-8881

Note that the audio cable for smart phones is different from the cable used with digital recorders. They have slightly different plugs.

The cable I have works perfectly with old iPhones that have a standard earbud jack to receive the 3.5 mm plug. I like having an ambient audio track of engine and wind and noise from the GoPro and a separate comms only track from the iPhone. That way, you can adjust the relative volume levels during editing.

I recently got an iPhone 7 which doesn't have a 3.5 mm port and only has a Lightning Port.

The iPhone 7 comes with a "Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter" so you can listen and talk using the ear speakers and microphone on regular earbuds that have a 3.5mm plug:

Apple_Adapter.jpg

There are lots of third-party options too, but I suspect they may not work.

I haven't tried to record cockpit audio via a Lightning adapter yet, but I think it will work.
 
Last edited:
murphey said:
Hm...learn something new everyday. I haven't seen it anywhere other than Apple. Where else is it used?
Click to expand...

I did a google search yesterday because I didn't think your info sounded right. I remember Dell, Lenovo, HP and Asus for sure. Seems to be commodity.
 
172andyou said:
I did a google search yesterday because I didn't think your info sounded right. I remember Dell, Lenovo, HP and Asus for sure. Seems to be commodity.
Click to expand...
Just because I'm not familiar with other applications of the TRRS plug/jack doesn't mean it's not out there. I asked where/who else becuse I don't know who/where else.
 
murphey said:
Just because I'm not familiar with other applications of the TRRS plug/jack doesn't mean it's not out there. I asked where/who else becuse I don't know who/where else.
Click to expand...

Yup, no problem. Now you know some of them.
 
The cable came in. WIll attempt a flight this weekend and post the video.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
And you can just stick the GoPro inside one of your headset cups and record everything that way
Click to expand...

That's what I'm gonna try today, sticking the entire GoPro inside my headset cup.
 
I bought and tried the pilot USA cable. It sucks. Incredibly scratchy and and Skippy although it does record cockpit audio.

Will return for a refund.
 
Last edited:
Darn. Out of curiosity, is the Pilot USA cable connected directly to the iPhone, or via an adapter cable?
 
it connected directly to the iPhone (6).

Also, i tried this connection with two separate headsets (Bose X and Telex 50D) and two comms...same results.
 
Is there a way to use bluetooth earbuds and put the mic inside your aviation headset(for iphone anyway). I am aware that iphone doesn't support it but is there a budget solution around this issue like an adapter or something?
 
I connect an external wired microphone to my Drift camera and put it my earcup. ATC audio was excellent, I need to speak up a little, but it's still understandable.

Here is an example:


Of course the real expert on in-cockpit audio/video recording around here is Mr. Aviation 101.
 
I can't speak to the audio, but the one time I tried recording video on an iPhone on a ram mount, I got extremely queasy watching it due to the slight vibration transmitted through the mount.
 
eman1200 said:
That's what I'm gonna try today, sticking the entire GoPro inside my headset cup.
Click to expand...

So if your headset is already full of GoPro, where do you shove your head? And if it's too dark up there, will you be able to find your way out with both hands and a flashlight?
 
Seriously the 3 dollar solution. Phone mic in the ear cup.

 
Honestly the best way I've found to record audio is to get the Y splitter and plug it into a voice recorder, like MrAviation101 has done. Not advocating his videos or +1'ing his cheesy voiceovers, but the line in recording method is perfect. Video you can use a GoPro or cheap Chinese knockoff like the SJCam series of cameras with good results.

Only problem I've found when recording is the jello effect caused by the camera vibrating and the rolling shutter that digital cameras use.

You can import the video and audio into Windows movie maker. If you have multiple video files to import, then I suggest something like premiere.

Briany puts the microphone/earbud thing into his ear cup and it seems to work quite well. But there are plenty of examples of people doing that with less than stellar results.
 
Are there any aviation headsets that have built in audio recording? Preferably under $500.
 
Fellow_Pilot said:
Could you be a bit more specific on how that would work?
Click to expand...
Take the mic/ear piece for your hands free mobile phone and stick it inside the cup of your head set. Record your video and all communication will be recorded
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I just connect the deal w/ the earbuds and mic for taking calls when driving and put it inside one of the headset cups.
Gets the job done especially w/ noise cancelling headsets.
Click to expand...

heehee.. flying a cirrus with cups on his ears.

Gain some Clarity young man, or perhaps a Halo.
 
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