My CZ is a little over a year old now and I noticed that I don’t get the battery life I did a year ago. I thought it was due to the 320k VBR MP3 files I normally play, compared to the 128k CBR file I used for battery life testing a year ago. So, I tested it again with a 128k CBR file, looping the song and playing my headphones (Sennheiser/Adidas around-the-neck phones) at moderate volume (2 ticks above minimum). I’m running the stock, lastest Sandisk firmware.
In my tests last year, I got 17 hrs. of battery life, a pleasant surprise since Sandisk claims 15 hrs with 128k MP3 files. This time, I didn’t even get to 12 hrs under similar conditions. I thought, ‘great, the warranty just expired and the battery is already going’. I then realized the file was on my SD card (Sandisk 32GB, class 4), not the internal memory.
I tried my test again, this time playing a 128k file off the main memory and removed the SD card. Lo and behold, I get the 17 hrs. as in last year’s test. The battery isn’t going on me; the SD card uses up a lot more current than I expected.
If anyone has the time, I’d love to see if these results can be repeated. I won’t give up the 32G card but was surprised it knocked that much life off the battery. I’m also guessing that the battery life per charge goes down when using the external card, not when it’s just plugged in.
Playing content from a memory card does indeed take more power so it’s normal you would see a battery run-time difference. I don’t know as anyone has done any substantive testing, but I am surprised that it is that different.
Playing content from a memory card does indeed take more power so it’s normal you would see a battery run-time difference. I don’t know as anyone has done any substantive testing, but I am surprised that it is that different.
So was I but it’s repeatable on my CZ, same file. Don’t know if my SD card is skewed at the upper end of the distribution for current consumption either. I design ICs and I know there can be spreads but how wide Sandisk allows I don’t know. Typically with memories the spread isn’t that wide, maybe 10-15%. I did dig up some info on the card’s specs, they say 50+mA active, 10uA in stand-by or less. I was surprised by the 50mA but that makes a bit of sense since I noticed the player got a bit elevated in temp when using the SD card. Not hot mind you but I did notice the player wasn’t stone cold like when using internal memory.
Mine’s a 32G Sandisk class 4 card I got from Amazon, not a 3rd party so it should be legit. It plays fine, no issues writing to it either. I’m guessing what I’m seeing is typical but it was eye opening.
I’m running my 2nd “no card” test, the player just ran out of charge, it was 5 min. shy of 18 hrs. Nearly 18hrs. ain’t shabby, definitely better than what Sandisk claims. But, if you play off the card it’ll cut out over 1/3 of the battery life (at least in my case). The SD cards are more power hungry than I thought.
I assume you’re running RB firmware Mikeerman and also have an SD card in your CZ? If you have a chance, see if RB has the same current usage degradation playing off the card. I had my CZ lock up a few times using RB so I just removed it and went back to the Sandisk stock FW.
I can’t claim this is true but I thought the sound was improved using the RB firmware, with no equalization used. Do they use a superior MP3 codec than Sandisk does?
I can’t claim this is true but I thought the sound was improved using the RB firmware, with no equalization used. Do they use a superior MP3 codec than Sandisk does?
Because sound quality is based on hardware, not firmware Rockbox won’t yield any higher sound quality than what the hardware in the player can actually decode. Rockbox does offer more ways to ‘enhance’, or ‘color’ the sound you get out of it though, through EQ and other options than what the OF has.
I’m running my 2nd “no card” test, the player just ran out of charge, it was 5 min. shy of 18 hrs. Nearly 18hrs. ain’t shabby, definitely better than what Sandisk claims. But, if you play off the card it’ll cut out over 1/3 of the battery life (at least in my case). The SD cards are more power hungry than I thought.
I assume you’re running RB firmware Mikeerman and also have an SD card in your CZ? If you have a chance, see if RB has the same current usage degradation playing off the card. I had my CZ lock up a few times using RB so I just removed it and went back to the Sandisk stock FW.
I can’t claim this is true but I thought the sound was improved using the RB firmware, with no equalization used. Do they use a superior MP3 codec than Sandisk does?
Nope, Mikerman is not using Rockbox (why, I don’t know) , but I have been using it since last November. I’ve never bothered comparing the battery life with card and without card because mine always has a card in it…a class 2 Sandisk 16GB card. I always have high-bitrate files on mine, and I consistently get 15 hours or better…and I probaby listen to what is on the card more than what is on the internal memory.
The sound doesn’t change, I don’t think, unless you are tinkering with EQ. Rockbox has more efficient decoders built in, which account for the better battery life. For example, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis battery life pretty much double with Rockbox, and I think MP3 is slightly improved.
I tested my 16GB sd card in the Clip+ in rockbox and battery life was reduced by about 10 minutes if I played off the sd versus no SD IIRC. However, I don’t know if all SD cards are as power efficient as mine. I guess its possible some don’t sleep efficiently, though I don’t know for sure.
I’m running my 2nd “no card” test, the player just ran out of charge, it was 5 min. shy of 18 hrs. Nearly 18hrs. ain’t shabby, definitely better than what Sandisk claims. But, if you play off the card it’ll cut out over 1/3 of the battery life (at least in my case). The SD cards are more power hungry than I thought.
I assume you’re running RB firmware Mikeerman and also have an SD card in your CZ? If you have a chance, see if RB has the same current usage degradation playing off the card. I had my CZ lock up a few times using RB so I just removed it and went back to the Sandisk stock FW.
I can’t claim this is true but I thought the sound was improved using the RB firmware, with no equalization used. Do they use a superior MP3 codec than Sandisk does?
Nope, Mikerman is not using Rockbox (why, I don’t know) , but I have been using it since last November. I’ve never bothered comparing the battery life with card and without card because mine always has a card in it…a class 2 Sandisk 16GB card. I always have high-bitrate files on mine, and I consistently get 15 hours or better…and I probaby listen to what is on the card more than what is on the internal memory.
The sound doesn’t change, I don’t think, unless you are tinkering with EQ. Rockbox has more efficient decoders built in, which account for the better battery life. For example, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis battery life pretty much double with Rockbox, and I think MP3 is slightly improved.
I was ‘just hearing things’ as I suspected.
My wife has a 32G Sandisk card I got at the same time in her Android phone. I’ll swap cards and see if the battery life is reduced comparably. I also have some older 2GB cards and will see how those reduce battery life. I may have a bum card for all I know.
@saratoga wrote:
I tested my 16GB sd card in the Clip+ in rockbox and battery life was reduced by about 10 minutes if I played off the sd versus no SD IIRC. However, I don’t know if all SD cards are as power efficient as mine. I guess its possible some don’t sleep efficiently, though I don’t know for sure.
It may be I have a card at the end of the distribution for current consumption for all I know or this is normal. A hit of 1/3 of battery life seemed excessive to me. I need to try some other cards I have in the house and see how they affect battery life. For all I know this is normal. My wife has a CZ also, I need to check out that unit too under similar conditions.
