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+Q1: Are my batteries charged all the time when connected to my Player/Recorder?
+A1: Player: the charging is all done by hardware and the exact
+ functionality is hard to determine. It is however not recommended to keep
+ the charger connected for more than 10-15 hours if you're not using the
+ unit.
+
+ Recorder: no. The charging algorithm is carefully crafted in to not wear
+ out the batteries any more than necessary. If you're using your unit
+ connected to the charger most of the time, use the 'deep discharge' option
+ to save your batteries somewhat.
+
+Q2: Will keeping my charger connected a long time damage my batteries? Can I
+ leave it over night?
+A2: The charger logic lets the batteries charge until they are full. After
+ that, the charger is disabled, but the device will stay powered on and
+ continue to consume some power from the batteries (the hardware does
+ not allow running from the charger without charging batteries, or
+ powering off with the charger connected). After some time, it will
+ start charging the batteries again to keep them full. This will
+ wear the batteries a little, but overnight charging is what most
+ people do.
+
+ As the Battery FAQ at http://www.greenbatteries.com/ puts it:
+ "A NiMH battery can be charged and discharged hundreds of times,
+ but whether that means 200 times or 800 times has a lot to do
+ with how (you use it)".
+
+Q3: Does Rockbox charge the batteries more/less/worse/better than the Archos
+ firmware?
+A3: Player: Rockbox doesn't affect the charging on Players, it is all done
+ by hardware logic out of software control.
+
+ Recorder: The current release of 1.2 is much worse than the Archos
+ charger, it tends to stop charging much too early and leave the batteries
+ half empty.
+
+ The current development code (CVS daily builds as of 20.8.2002) is much
+ better than the 1.2 release, but still not perfect. Linus recently
+ measured 6 hours continuous playtime after a rockbox charge, and much
+ over 7 hours after an Archos charge. We are working on fine-tuning
+ the charger logic to get the most out of the batteries, but the
+ emphasis is on not overcharging them, since that would damage the
+ batteries. Better be safe than sorry.
+
+Q4: What kind of batteries are there in my factory default Player/Recorder?
+A4: Both ship with 1500 mAh NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.
+
+Q5: Is it hard to change the batteries? Does it void my warranty?
+A5: The archos manual and web site describe how to replace the batteries,
+ so you're supposed to do it. They recommend using only Archos-supplied
+ batteries, but my Recorder 20 unit only shipped with one set. Some
+ units have been shipped with two sets of batteries. Someone actually had
+ Archos send him new batteries free of charge after they had weared out,
+ under the warranty. (have asked from support-technique@archos.com,
+ waiting for an answer to arrive!)
+
+Q6: How much do replacement batteries cost? Where can I buy them?
+A6: http://www.greenbatteries.com sells 1800 mAh NiMH cells at $3.25USD each,
+ and I bought 4 of the same GP batteries for 20 euros in an home
+ electronics & household appliance store in Finland. NiMH batteries are
+ sold in almost all shops that sell consumer electronics, and in many
+ online shops. Browse around.
+
+Q7: What kind of run-time can I expect on a set of fully-charged batteries
+ when running Rockbox?
+A7: For the stock 1500 mAh cells, from 6 hours to 8 hours, depending on
+ which charger was used (see Q3). It depends a lot on the condition of
+ the batteries. We are looking into implementing more battery-saving
+ techniques in rockbox to make it rock longer.
+
+Q8: Can I use different batteries in my Archos?
+A8: Only use NiMH-type rechargeable batteries. It is considered to be safe
+ to use NiMH batteries of different capacities though, a lot of people
+ have purchaced 1700 or 1800 mAh batteries to replace the stock 1500 mAh
+ cells and have the device run a bit longer.
+
+Q9: Can I use non-chargeable batteries in my Archos?
+A9: This is not recommended. The unit has been designed to operate with
+ four 1.2V batteries producing about 4.8V at most, and using 1.5V
+ alkaline/zinc carbon batteries will produce around 6.0V, which will
+ heat up the unit a lot more and might even damage it. The Archos
+ manual explicitly tells you not to do so.
+
+Q10: Can I use a different charger?
+A10: People have successfully used different chargers with similar
+ specifications as the stock charger. The charger must have the
+ same kind of connector with same polarity (center positive/+).
+ The charger should supply at least 7-8 volts, and if it provides
+ more than 9V, it probably should be current limited (do not
+ directly plug it in your 12V car battery or it's charger!).
+
+ Using lower charging voltage will slow down the charging, and using
+ higher voltage will cause a higher charging current, more heat,
+ and too much heat and current can damage the batteries or the unit.
+ Using a different charger will void your warranty and can be
+ dangerous to your unit, so we can not recommend it.
+
+ Many people are happy using an external quick charger which
+ is specified to work with NiMH batteries.
+
+Q11: Can I buy a replacement charger exactly as the one Archos shipped?
+A11: The FAQ on the Archos web site and the top of the charger both read:
+
+ Output: 9VDC 600mA
+ Center positive (+) polarity
+
+ Chargers with similar (or user-adjustable) properties are available
+ at shops selling consumer electronics.
+
+
+Q12: I often need to stop my player for about 15 minutes or so, and when I do
+ it runs off it's batteries. I was wondering, which is best: shutting the
+ player down completely and rebooting it when I want to listen again, or
+ leaving the unit on? Which way does it draw more power?
+A12: In our testing we found the following results:
+ HDD off, LED off, idle 94 mA
+ HDD off, LED off, play 97 mA
+ HDD off, LED on, idle 129 mA
+ HDD off, LED on, play 131 mA
+ HDD on, LED on, play 230 mA
+ HD on, reading, LED off ~ 600 mA
+ HD spin up before read max 800 mA
+
+ So leaving the unit on and paused consumes ~100mA, and thus much less then
+ needing to reboot the unit. Your mileage may vary.
+