Topic: KORG MR-1 pt.II

[tedyun]

You cannot charge the Korg MR-1 via USB.

You are absolutely correct. However, that wasn't the purpose of my post! From the thread on using an external battery with the MR-1, the unit requires power that turns out to be compatible with USB power (5V, 800-500mA). The main problem is that you need some way to connect the USB source to the DC-in jack.

While it is possible to hack together a USB cable and a plug, the cable that I linked is a low-cost solution that doesn't require any cutting and soldering. In addition, it is a Y-cable, with the other end terminating in a mini-usb - this carries the data.

So the main benefit of this cable is that you can plug one end into your computer, and then the other two plugs into your MR-1. Now you can mount the drive and charge the unit -- no AC adapter required (which is almost the size of the MR-1).

The second benefit is that you can plug the MR-1 to an external Li-Ion battery pack. I just happened to have one, and I find it more convenient than the Korg external battery pack. I will still pack along both.

[ScotK]

Hmm, I sent in my form for the free external battery pack from Korg, but never got it.
Is there another way?

[Nick's Picks]

any 5v source.  Ipod external batteries work well.
I've got a tiny little one that has 5v/6v/7.2v output seletable via a switch.  Its about 1/2 the size of a deck of cards and at 5v outputs 2850mAh.
In a pinch, I can use it to power my Apogee MMP on the 6v setting (2500mAh).  Even has a flashlight built in.
I'm searching for it, but it has no brand name.  If I can find it, i'll post it.  its the best battery I've ever had, bar none.

[Nick's Picks]

I can't find it..., but this would work (w/a slight modification to the USB cable, replacing w/an M tip)
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Battery-Pack-Lithium-ion-Rechargeable/dp/B000N63AC6

[EarlyMorningRain]

went through all of the pages in this thread (and for pt 1) and didn't see any mention of it, so guessing not. But here it goes anyway, does the MR-1 play flac files (like my iRiver does) ?

This does loook like a nifty little unit though, def keeping my eyes open for one of these......

[Colin Liston]

You cannot charge the Korg MR-1 via USB.

Is this really right?  How come the charge icon comes on when I plug in a USB battery?

[RTD]

Back to the SSD project for the MR1.

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~bigsmile/rail/mr1-swap.htm
Looks that someone had done it successfully
Maybe someone can translate this a bit.
cheers

[H₂O]

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww5a.biglobe.ne.jp%2F~bigsmile%2Frail%2Fmr1-swap.htm&lp=ja_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

[H₂O]

went through all of the pages in this thread (and for pt 1) and didn't see any mention of it, so guessing not. But here it goes anyway, does the MR-1 play flac files (like my iRiver does) ?

This does loook like a nifty little unit though, def keeping my eyes open for one of these......

Unfortunately not at this time

[desertsky]

 I bought my MR-1 in 2007, so I didn't qualify for the free battery pack offer from Korg.  But you can order it online from B&H Photo at
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/543019-REG/Korg_BATPACKMR1_4_AA_External_Battery_Pack.html
$15 plus shipping.  There is a 3 week wait though as B&H doesn't carry them in stock.  It's strange that you can buy the battery pack from B&H but not directly from Korg.

I just received my external battery pack from B&H yesterday and have been running a test recording this morning with the MR-1 using the battery pack and 4 fully-charged UniRoss Hybrio NiMH 2100 mAh hybrid AA rechargeable batteries.  It's been recording for 4 hours now and still drawing power from the battery pack.  Impressive!  More juice than I'll probably ever need.  I had been using a small external Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery pack and not too happy with it.  The MR-1 would frequently cut off the external Li-ion pack and start drawing power from the internal battery less than an hour into the recording even though the battery pack was fully charged.  I missed the entire encore of a Cure concert last year because the MR-1 had cut off power from the battery pack and drained all the power from its internal battery.

 

[edtyre]

  The MR-1 would frequently cut off the external Li-ion pack and start drawing power from the internal battery less than an hour into the recording even though the battery pack was fully charged.  I missed the entire encore of a Cure concert last year because the MR-1 had cut off power from the battery pack and drained all the power from its internal battery.

This is EXACTLY why i got rid of mine, lost parts of three shows and called it quits.
Used the Korg 4 AA external battery pack for the last show i recorded (MR-1) and it worked fine.

[BJ]

what tip where you guys using?  I have the radioshack adaptaplug B, and have not had one problem yet.  Im running a VR(7-18V in - 9v out and 5v out)  i am running two DVD batteries (9v 5400mah) in parallel in. 5v out of the vr box with adaptaplug B into the korg.  This is in my gear bag, so not a stealth situation, not a lot of movement in there either.

im just wondering if it could have been your li bat and tip?

[tedyun]

Hi BJ,

The other thing with Li-Ion batteries, if this is one of those USB packs, I think you need a high current out of the pack. In guysonic's tests, he showed that the draw is normally under 500 mA, but can sometimes spike to 800 mA. If I understood correctly what he wrote, if the battery doesn't output enough current, the MR-1 will switch to the internal battery.

desertsky, I tried using rechargables but they didn't work. I thought that because the total voltage of rechargables is < 5V (ie., 4 x 1.2V = 4.8V), that it won't properly power the MR-1? Am I off, or is there something about these "hybrid" batteries that you are using?

Ted

what tip where you guys using?  I have the radioshack adaptaplug B, and have not had one problem yet.  Im running a VR(7-18V in - 9v out and 5v out)  i am running two DVD batteries (9v 5400mah) in parallel in. 5v out of the vr box with adaptaplug B into the korg.  This is in my gear bag, so not a stealth situation, not a lot of movement in there either.

im just wondering if it could have been your li bat and tip?

[desertsky]

desertsky, I tried using rechargables but they didn't work. I thought that because the total voltage of rechargables is < 5V (ie., 4 x 1.2V = 4.8V), that it won't properly power the MR-1? Am I off, or is there something about these "hybrid" batteries that you are using?

If you go to fmaderjr's post in this thread back on January 26th, he says he was also able to get about 6 hours total recording time using the external AA pack w/ Sanyo Eneloop 2000 mAh AA batteries.  The Sanyo Eneloops are the same hybrid low self-discharge NiMH type rechargeables as the Hybrio's I tested.   So there must be something about these newer batteries.

Found some info about the hybrid batteries on Wikipedia.  The article say voltage with the hybrids is more stable than other traditional NiMH rechargeables.  That could explain why they seem to work well with the MR-1.  There certainly doesn't seem to be an issue with the total voltage being 4.8V.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_self-discharge_NiMH_battery

It is generally claimed that low self-discharge NiMH batteries retain 90% of their charge after six months, 85% after a year and 70% after two years, when stored at 20 °C (68 °F).

Low self-discharge NiMH batteries typically have a significantly lower internal resistance than traditional NiMH batteries. This has a number of desirable effects especially for high-drain applications:

• Voltage is more stable (less load- and capacity-dependent). This can have a beneficial effect on runtime in electronic devices, which typically have a cut-off voltage per battery that is not much lower than NiMH's nominal voltage. (However, this can also cause some devices with battery status indicators to overestimate the remaining capacity of a nearly drained cell.)
• Reduced heat buildup when the battery is quickly charged or discharged
• Higher efficiency

[sgordo]

Sorry if this was discussed previously but I couldn't really find a clear answer.

What are people doing as far as setting levels on the MR-1 in low profile situations?  It seems like accessing the gain through the menu function could be difficult.  Is it? 

I would be running line in.

Thanks for the help!