I keep the majority, gifted a couple of clips, binned an ipod or two. I regularly (at least once a week) use about 5 different mp3 players for various reasons. The others tend to sit around but they still get occasional use. I like gadgets though, I have to talk myself out of buying more.
@jk98 wrote:
“But that’s still within the 1-3 year lifespan mentioned above. To clarify, when I asked if this lifespan was indicative of these micro-players, I meant in general, not specifically the Clip/Clip+.”
What do you expect for around $50? Even much more expensive players, those $150-300 probably don’t last much longer. Players are designed for features and performance, not longevity. Here’s a question. Assuming it is possible to build a player with double the average lifespan, and a two year warranty instead of just one year, how many people would be willing to pay 50% extra to buy it? Since technology is advancing so fast, most probably wouldn’t want to pay the higher price.
The issue of a built in battery is a bit different, as its capacity is decaying over time, so it isn’t just a matter of the player working or not working, but of dealing with decreased battery life over time.
Well, I don’t know what to expect - that’s why I’m asking.
What I’ve experienced is a little different - I have two Creative Labs mp3 players, a 128Mb MUVO TX bought September of 2005 for around $70 and a 20Gb HDD-based player (whose name escapes me) I bought in April of 2004 for around $100. Both still work flawlessly. Granted, the MUVO uses off-the-shelf batteries which remedies the built-in battery-declining-life issue, and the other uses a honking (but replaceable) 6v rechageable battery.
Message Edited by jsmaye on 02-02-2010 12:59 PM
Lifespan will vary greatly, based on use and how much you do the equivalent of a full recharge. The Clip’s battery is good for 300-500 plus full recharges–figure matters for your own use accordingly.
My answer was just a guess based on my experience with mp3 players, and what I saw others have written about their players. Keeping the player away from hot temperatures for long periods of time is the most important thing. If the player is to be stored unused for a few months, it is best to have the battery charged half way, and kept cool.
When you say full recharge, do you mean deep-cycling (empty-to-full) or “topping off”? If I add or delete fliles via USB every couple of days, which incidentally tops off the battery, does that count towards the 300-500 full-recharges lifespan?
Empty-to-full, but it all doesn’t have to be at the same sitting. Kind of like filling your car with gas. And so, if you routinely recharge at the 50% point, after 4 of your recharging cycles, you will have used up 2 of the player’s lifespan cycles.
I don’t think it works out quite like that, in cases of a partial discharge. I have a good feeling that you’ll get considerably more life via topping the battery, versus complete charge / discharge cycles.
I have worked for years with Motorola pacsets (transceivers) and EKG / defibrillator units (HP, Lifepak / Physio Control)- they get “topped off” constantly, for obvious reason. Starting with NiCd batteries (everything is progressing to NiMH, Li-Ion, LiPo), these devices wouldn’t “fall off the shelf” in performance after a year’s use, and that’s easily over 1000 charges per year, many more in some cases.
The trick, in cycling NiCd, was to keep the individual cells from “reversing”, or having the voltage per cell drop to the point where an individual cell fails. Professional charge stations would monitor the battery status and cycle them for us, rather than letting them drop to “stone dead”. The Sansa does this automatically, with its LiPo battery.
Bob :smileyvery-happy:
Complete discharges are not recommended for batteries of the type used here, apart from occasionally to recalibrate the battery gauge.
I’m guessing that there’s circuitry in the Clip to prevent the batteries from being completely discharged - there’s probably a “trip-wire” around 3v.
As someone else said you can play music when charging by only partially inserting the usb plug.
I found this out by accident
I finally figured this one out:
solution:
buy a ground loop isolator (cheap ones can be found on ebay) and but it between the audio cable and aux-in
I bought a simple one with a male and female 3,5mm audio jack,works perfect!
so it was the noise from the car electronics like someone mentioned in this thread, thanks alot!
That happens to me all the time,
Right, it doesn’t, when connected to your computer with a regular USB cable. Either use a power only USB cable when connected to your computer (or loosely connect a regular USB cable to your computer so the data pins inside the connector don’t connect), or recharge using an AC (wall) power USB adapter (the Clip will play when connected to AC power).
Would this work with an FM transmitter that plugs into the cigarette lighter ?
If you’re asking whether the Clip will work with an FM transmitter, yes.
Hi from Russia!
Instead of using the audio ground loop isolator to remove the loop when charging you can use an car inverter.
I use this one (http://technopoint.ru/catalog/i6610278/preobrazovatel-napryazheniya-energenie-eg-pwc-031) )
In the inverter must be connected with the 220v AC charger output DC 5V. It realy work, noise realy dissapear.
Of course, it would be easier to find isolated dc dc converter 12v to 5 v.
Try, for example, such a converter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230406343187. (I don’t try that)
Sorry for my English :smiley:
