Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Badbullet t1_j6k8o81 wrote

Reply to comment by lostan in eli5: Why do most airlines still use 2-pin audio jacks for the in-flight entertainment systems on their planes? by JJGLC92

They sold them on some flights I was on. Some flights I got them for free. Never experienced having to give them back, though I don't doubt it.

57

NoLiveTv2 t1_j6kcuc2 wrote

You younguns and your highfalootin' e lect tronics.

Back in my day, you had your headphones that used air tubes to transport the sound from the armrest to your ears, and you had to return the headphones at the end of the flight.

And you sat smoking your cigarette while watching whatever was on the tiny screen at the front of the cabin and listening to awful sound and you were thankful for the miracle that was modern flight.

118

roy-dam-mercer t1_j6kf98b wrote

Lort have mercy, those tube headsets were awful.

27

Uphene t1_j6kiulf wrote

Yeah they were.

12

TheLizzardMan t1_j6kx4ky wrote

Only had an experience with them in an MRI machine (No metal, they let you use them to take your mind off of the MRI, especially during full body scans, which take forever), I can only imagine how much ass they must suck to use in-flight. haha

9

3Gilligans t1_j6kk8yf wrote

And every time you jostled the tube or bumped it, it would cause a small explosion in your ear

14

VarmintWrangler t1_j6kvrps wrote

Good lord I had completely forgotten those existed. I remember them being particularly awful on the flights I took when I was young. My friend, thank you so much for transporting me back to my youth for a moment, even if it was over some really awful technology.

14

TwentyninthDigitOfPi t1_j6l0dl6 wrote

But if you didn't get them for whatever reason, you could put your ears to the holes in the armrest to hear! Made it hard to see the screen, but if you alternated, you could get most of the gist of the show.

For some reason, what really stands out in my mind is the clicky scroll wheel to change the channels.

10

JerricaBentonLife t1_j6l7guf wrote

Yes. And the armrests with grimey cigarette ashes. Least you got the head set with the air tubes that were never comfortably flexible enough and literally went INTO your ears. Just for the next person to use. 🤮

There was a time when they also handed out a little toiletry bag and socks you could keep. That was nice though. I felt super fancy.

5

DimitriV t1_j6lnvl7 wrote

I remember a flight where those headphones were free, but the adapter to connect them to the armrest was $4.

3

Boing78 t1_j6lx4p0 wrote

I remember them from our local hospital here in Germany. When I was a kid in the mid 80's I was in this hospital for a minor surgery for a week. The side tables next to the bed were such "rolling cabinets" with built in radios but without speakers, and no TVs back then. The only choice to listen to the radio was such a " tubed one ear headphone". Very uncomfortable to wear and you barely could understand anything. I was so bored and sad, my family gifted me my first walkman.

2

NotAPreppie t1_j6mdzj4 wrote

I remember this, as well.

And now we're in /r/FuckImOld territory.

2

Teauxny t1_j6llbtj wrote

Is it true they gave you the little alcohol bottles for free back then?

1

Chemengineer_DB t1_j6l0s7a wrote

They're probably talking about the Bose noise cancelling ones they lend you.

0

Badbullet t1_j6l4qij wrote

That sounds like a first class thing.

4

Chemengineer_DB t1_j6la39i wrote

Probably. They give them to you in Business too, but I've never seen them on domestic US flights, only international.

1