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Gear / Technical Help => Remote Power => Topic started by: backwhereubelong on February 22, 2014, 12:27:48 AM
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I was thinking about purchasing some OneLoop brand rechargeable AA Batteries for the Sony PCM-M10 setup. I see these come in 1500 & 1800 cycle NiMH ... which one is the better option? Or is there a better rechargeable battery out there? Maybe I'm putting too much importance on something as simple as a battery, but if the unit can't record, then all is lost.
If it helps, I do use the mic in/mic power option the majority of the time. So do I need a battery with a higher output?
Some advice would be cool.
Thanks!
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Hi, backwhere. There is a section of the forum called "Remote Power" where the battery experts hang out. You might get quicker/better responses to your question there.
--best regards
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Three key points, I think:
- Generally, higher the capacity (mAH), longer the run-time.
- Low self-discharge is well worth the marginal extra cost.
- A good charger matters. Most nowadays have a good set of standard features like discharge cycle, fast and trickle charge, overcharge protection, etc. But some still charge batteries in pairs. Try to find one that charges each cell individually.
FWIW, I have a good stock of Sanyo Eneloops (1900 mAH) right now that I use heavily (though not for my recorder). They're a year or two old, so I'm sure Sanyo now offers similar with higher capacity. I also like my La Crosse BC-700 charger.
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There's nothing wrong with putting thought and planning into your battery needs, but at the same time don't lose any sleep over the subject. The good news is that you have a Sony m10 and they last a looong time on a single charge...whatever battery you choose. For example, I think people get over 20 hours on a pair of alkaline's. Just watch the battery meter and change your batteries out before it goes dead on its own (I can't remember if the m10 saves the file if it loses power or loses the file, but just good practice to hit stop and change the batteries before the recorder goes dead).
I'd add to Brians response that Eneloop batteries are low self discharge, so they're very popular batteries in the taping circles. But really there's no bad rechargeable battery in terms of 'don't use this' type of thing. Most people use the 2500mah Energizer rechargeables that you find at Wal Mart without any real down-side.
One thing to realize about battery discharge and the meters is that the meters show bars based on the voltage reading. The discharge voltage vs. time is NOT a linear relationship, so you might see 2 or 3 bars for hours and hours on the M10 but the amount of time between it going from one bar to going dead might not be very long (I don't have an M10, so I don't know how long that time might be). Pay attention to the meter though and don't assume that just because it took say 2 or 3 hours to go from 2 bars to 1 bar that it will also take that long to go from 1 bars to zero bars.