Grayson Evans of Training Department Seminars says installers looking for a simple audio and video test signal for field set-up and troubleshooting can use their iPods.

He notes video iPods could store your video test and setup signals: PLUGE; SMTPE color bars; resolution test patterns; reference videos (for animations, videos, etc.)

All you need for the video iPod, says Evans, is a simple adapter cable to output composite video and audio from the mini-phone plug on the top. You don’t even need to buy the proprietary cable– a cheap camcorder adaptor cable will do.

Cables on the iPOD are reversed from the standard versions, he explains. When connected to the iPod: RED = composite video; WHITE = left audio; YELLOW = right audio.

Audio-only iPods can store: 1K test tone; all 1/3 octave tones used by standard equalizer; band limited pink noise (20-20 KHz); band limited noise for subwoofer (10-180 Hz); 20-20K audio sweeps and reference music (classical, rock, movie).