HD5/HD5H - Skippy when hot

In the past, I've always ignored manufacturers' specifications about normal/optimum operating temperatures for electronic goods. But last week, I learned from personal experience why it may not be wise do this with the HD5/HD5H.

On a hot day, I was wearing jeans with particularly tight pockets - stuffed into one of which was my HD5H. It had been running for a couple of hours solidly, in playlist mode. Suddenly, it skipped a whole track and went back to playing from near the start of the playlist - completely randomly! Later, it just switched off during normal playback.

I switched off the player, put it somewhere cool, then ran the same tracks/playlist right through again, with the unit on my desk at work rather than in my pocket. Everything was fine. Can only assume it was a heat-related hiccup - hot day, plus a human body temp. of over 38 degrees, I guess (upper limit for HD5/HD5H is 35 degrees).

 

Might have to revise my thinking on the above. We've had hot days since then, and in similar circumstances, there's been no recurrence of the problem I detailed.

 

Meh...

Oh, Shadow, are you trying to get the whole 1st page of the MP3 forum to be full of threads started by you?

 

Whoops! Sorry! Was going back through the archives and kept seeing things I wanted to add.

How vain!!

 

Can confirm that the HD5 definitely DOESN'T like hot operating conditions! Left in on a metal table outside a cafe in sunny weather. Tried playing about 10 mins later - no display! Everything worked fine except this. Let it cool down and all was well again ...

 

I live in Seville (south of Spain) where we usually have 40-45 ºCelsius (on shadow). I have my black (hotter) HD5 since June and used it with no problems. I usually carry it in the pockets of my jeans or in a black bag. I usually use it in my car (dark gray, hotter) with no problems.

Maybe you have faulty units. I haven't seen any of that problems with my unit so far.

 

Hmmm ... could be.

 

Sure it is'nt something todo with the running?

 

Not sure I understand? The running?

 

Sorry, very embrassing i can't read. Though you said you have been running!

 

Yeah. You were running solidly for 2 hours on a hot day. Training for a marathon can be brutal, eh?

 

Very good!

Still think my problem might be heat related. Doesn't occur under any other easily replicable conditions ...

 

The LCD display can be affected by heat. If you have an OLD LCD watch heat the display with a hair dryer. The characters will disappear, let it cool down and the characters will re-appear. (At least they should if you haven't permanently melted the screen lining!)

The LCD changes phase with heat and can no longer be aligned correctly by the electrodes.