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2.25 Battery Indicator Question

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Topic URL: http://www.neurosaudio.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4783
Printed on: 03/24/2006

Topic:

Topic author: Dr. Smack
Subject: 2.25 Battery Indicator Question
Posted on: 09/30/2004 08:33:40 AM
Message:

In 2.25 (as in 2.24), there is the battery charge indicator when the power is off. My question is, does this use a significant amount of power? I ask because in my Neuros setup, I leave mine in the car during the day. It stays plugged into the cigarette lighter throughout the day. It doesn't draw any power, so it isn't actually charging, but the indicator shows that is it.

Replies:

Reply author: webkid
Replied on: 09/30/2004 12:31:50 PM
Message:

That depends. Do you have a USB 2.0 backpack? I will assume that you do, but some don't.

If you do, then if the display shows charging... it is drawing power.

If you aren't using a newer backpack, then you should unplug the device (that is, unplug it from the bottom of the unit), otherwise, it is losing power. It's an old glitch.

Reply author: Dr. Smack
Replied on: 09/30/2004 1:18:21 PM
Message:

quote:
Originally posted by webkid

That depends. Do you have a USB 2.0 backpack? I will assume that you do, but some don't.

If you do, then if the display shows charging... it is drawing power.

If you aren't using a newer backpack, then you should unplug the device (that is, unplug it from the bottom of the unit), otherwise, it is losing power. It's an old glitch.

Whoops. I meant to include that I'm using a 1.1 backpack. Somehow in the over a year I've been reading the forums, I never remember seeing anything about that glitch. I guess that explains why my Neuros never seems to have a full charge.

Reply author: webkid
Replied on: 09/30/2004 1:20:57 PM
Message:

Yup. With the older backpacks, the Neuros assumes that it's getting DC if a contact is depressed inside of the jack. So it becomes a little zealous about power usage and battery life drops a bit.

Short solution: just unplug it whenever it's not actually charging.

Reply author: Dr. Smack
Replied on: 09/30/2004 1:39:17 PM
Message:

quote:
Originally posted by webkid

Yup. With the older backpacks, the Neuros assumes that it's getting DC if a contact is depressed inside of the jack. So it becomes a little zealous about power usage and battery life drops a bit.

Short solution: just unplug it whenever it's not actually charging.

But that means I now have to actually plug it in myself when I get in the car. I liked being able to start my car and having the Neuros auto power on and start playing where I left off. Oh well. Thanks, webkid.

Reply author: bklotz(at)operamail.com
Replied on: 10/21/2004 11:43:23 AM
Message:

You have to be careful with this as well because as I discovered the last couple of days, with leaving the 1.1 backpack plugged in after a powerdown in the car after using MiFi, and showing the charging animation, it keeps broadcasting to MiFi, sucking even more power. I think this is a bug. Can anyone else confirm this behavior?

Reply author: webkid
Replied on: 10/21/2004 1:59:22 PM
Message:

As I said before, this is known behavior. The Neuros is unable to detect when there is no power, because those older models depend on the switch inside the jack on the device. Simply put, unplug the unit. That is the only solution, period.

I committed a change to CVS on the GarBage branch that completely shuts the unit down when pressing and holding the play button (ie, it simply powers off, instead of "sleeping"), and additionally it allows you to "kill" the charging animation and cause it to sleep, as if you had unplugged the unit, by holding back (that is, left) on the joystick.

My recent build of GarBage's firmware is available here:
http://neuros.php-help.com/firmware/garbage/woid.en.hex

Use at your own risk, etc etc. Don't forget to actually power off your unit.

Reply author: Lou Erickson
Replied on: 10/22/2004 3:42:26 PM
Message:

You could also wire an unswitched 12v cigarette lighter plug in your car. Then it wouldn't be a problem.

(Some cars do that anyway. My VW has an unswitched lighter.)

Reply author: webkid
Replied on: 10/22/2004 4:17:25 PM
Message:

That sounds like a fantastic way to wake up to a dead car battery.

Reply author: Rejk
Replied on: 04/17/2005 2:47:18 PM
Message:

If the red led on the car adaptor goes off when you shut off your car, then you need to unplug the neuros from the power plug, if it stays lit at all times, then you should be good, it will obviously take a small amount from the car battery all night, but I wouldn't think it would be a very significant amount on any car battery that is in good condition.

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