Stand-by mode

SanDisk MP3 players Sansa® Fuze™
1

Hi there,

I got my fuze yesterday and it’s still V01.01.11F. The question is: where is the stand-by mode?? Before the purchase I was playing with the fuze in the shop to check it out, and whenever I slided the power button up she went sleeping (yes, I checked the firmware - was the same as I have). Now, when I try to do the same with the device I bought, it says Goodbye and powers off. Huh?

2

Update your firmware to the latest build.  Unlike the View, the Fuze doesn’t have a “standby”, it’s active or powered off.  The device boots very rapidly.

The screen “backlight” setting may have been set differently on the demo unit.

The Auto Power setting shuts off the device after remaining “paused” for the selected interval.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

3

@rajski wrote:

Hi there,

 

I got my fuze yesterday and it’s still V01.01.11F. The question is: where is the stand-by mode?? Before the purchase I was playing with the fuze in the shop to check it out, and whenever I slided the power button up she went sleeping (yes, I checked the firmware - was the same as I have). Now, when I try to do the same with the device I bought, it says Goodbye and powers off. Huh?

You were checking this out in a store with the Fuze connected to an outside AC power source. When you press the power button (while connected to AC) the Fuze & e200 series v2 units go into ‘Stand-by Mode’, presumably so they will continue to charge. This does not happen when it is under its own power. It shuts down completely.

It probably has to do with the different processor chip used in these models as opposed to the e200 series v1 units. I noticed this difference between the v1 & v2 when plugging them into my Sansa Base Station. I actually prefer the behavior of the v1 frankly.

When plugged into an AC source (wall charger or docking station) while powered on; if the player’s power button is pressed, the screen will change to a large charging battery icon (similar to what you see in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen) taking up the majority of the screen. This will stay on & flash as long as it is charging. When complete, the unit will shut down (power off) completely.

The v2’s & the Fuze however, as you mention go into ‘Stand-by Mode’ and never do power off completely while connected to an outside power source. I don’t like this, but there’s nothing you or I can do about it, other than manually pull the plug when charging is complete. Otherwise it will stay on, but in a low power mode, still spinning your electric meter and sucking up juice and your money. It will spring back to life w/o initialization when the power button is pressed again.

This might not only theoretically shorten the unit’s expected life-span, but goes against ‘green’ ideas and philosophies. There are enough electrical ‘vampires’ out there, like computer printers, VCR/DVR’s, kitchen stoves, microwave ovens or anything which has a ‘Stand-by Mode’ or low power draining setting that doesn’t turn completely OFF, including all those convenience appliances with the LED clock. I mean really, how many clocks do you need? Just look around you home. I’ll bet you can’t turn a complete 360 degree circle in any room where you don’t see at least one LED clock display, and in many rooms there are probably multiple ‘timepieces’. In my kitchen alone there are 4 of these alone. Likewise in the living room with all the electronic gear.

The problem is that you can’t buy anything electronic any more that doesn’t have a clock display or turn completely OFF, not drawing any electrical current at all! This isn’t necessary and hopefully things will change in the future.

[sighs & steps down from his soap box] :wink:

4

My Clip doesn’t have a clock:stuck_out_tongue:

Your point is well taken though:smiley:

5

Ah yes, the “go green” monster is out to get us all, making us all feel guilty that the lights are on.

This is a question easily rectified (pardon the pun) by an electrical engineer.  The net consumption is very little when devices are in standby.  The generator at the power station is feeding a closed system.  Once the turbine spins, the rotational energy has been transformed to electrical energy, and it cannot be stored as by magic.  Turning off the wee “vampires” is of far less consequence than the gloom and doom media will tell you.

Thus, “standby” is not inherently evil, it’s the maximum power demands that determine the load on the generating system.  If we can “get by” with a smaller generator, the plant consumes less.  If we are smart about the limits of capacity, we need burn less fuel.  But remember, once the system is operating, the energy is not stored, it must be distributed.

If you want warm fuzzies when listening to your Sansa, consider that we are all being happily entertained with mere milliwatts of power consumed.  That has to count for something.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

6

@neutron_bob wrote:

Turning off the wee “vampires” is of far less consequence than the gloom and doom media will tell you.

 

Thus, “standby” is not inherently evil . . .

I agree the power consumption in a ‘low power’ or ‘stand-by’ state may be miniscule, but there is still juice going through whatever circuits which could theoretically shorten the life-span of the electronic unit, couldn’t it? I am certainly not an electrical engineer, so I may be talking through my hat here. You know much more that I on such things.

One of the points I was trying to make though, is all these little LED’s, LCD’s, etc. on all our modern conveniences add up and cost us more for our electrical bill each month.

I don’t need any help from appliance manufacturers in spending more money than I need too, especially in this day & age. :wink:

Message Edited by Tapeworm on 12-15-2008 09:40 AM

7

Well, as you are reminded each month, California has experienced some absurd swings in the price of electrical power.  When you figure out just how the tiered rate system is supposed to work, based upon the electrical consumption of a garden shed in Zimbabwe, let me know.

We’ll have some fun figuring out how to save that critical kilowatt-hour that means all the difference on the bill.  Perhaps, a teeny wind turbine adding 2KWh will make just enough energy to keep us in the correct bracket.  Maybe, this is the key to “wind power”.

We’ll have to work on that one.

Bob  :stuck_out_tongue: