Topic: does recording at 24 bit draw more power than 16?

[leehookem]

I'm sure that this has been discussed before, but I can't figure out any search parameters to look.

the reason for the question is I am running tests with a DVD battery with the R44.  I thought I was recording at 24/48, but just realized i'm at 16/48.

Running AKG 481 > R44 and Mytek Stereo96 (XLR out) > R44.

[coloartist]

I have no facts, but I would think twice as much data is being written, so it should use more power.

[leehookem]

I would think so as well, just looking for some evidence.

[gmm6797]

in my Edirol R09hr, no difference... I got into a show to realize my batteries didnt charge well the night before... opener, got 54 min at 24 bit before they died, for the headliner, 55 min ay 16 bit before the batteries died

[wbrisette]

I don't think recording at 24-bits would draw any additional power, but a lot would depend on the chipset being used and how they record 16-bit vs. 24-bit. For example, on the Zaxcom Deva, the native format is always 24-bits, to record 16-bits, the DSP has to do more work, but because of how the DSP is designed the amount of power required to convert to 16-bits, doesn't change. However, if a company is using a separate chip, or has to enable some part of a chip that normally doesn't get used, it's possible to draw more power. I think it's all device dependent depending on how they are doing things. But in general I would be surprised if any mode required any more or less power than another.

Wayne

[taperwheeler]

I don't think recording at 24-bits would draw any additional power, but a lot would depend on the chipset being used and how they record 16-bit vs. 24-bit. For example, on the Zaxcom Deva, the native format is always 24-bits, to record 16-bits, the DSP has to do more work, but because of how the DSP is designed the amount of power required to convert to 16-bits, doesn't change. However, if a company is using a separate chip, or has to enable some part of a chip that normally doesn't get used, it's possible to draw more power. I think it's all device dependent depending on how they are doing things. But in general I would be surprised if any mode required any more or less power than another.

Wayne

And with that said, I imagine any consumption differences would be minimal.

[DSatz]

With the R-44 you set a certain buffer size, and as you record, whenever that much sample data is ready to be written to the memory card, it gets written--drawing some extra current for a moment each time it occurs. You can see this if you're running on internal batteries, because there comes a point at which each write to the memory card causes the battery level indicator to dip momentarily.

If you record 16-bit, the buffer fills less rapidly than if you record 24-bit, so there are correspondingly fewer writes to the card per minute or per hour. As a result, somewhat less power will be consumed over, say, an hour's time at 16 bits rather than 24, and at lower sampling rates as compared with higher ones.

But whether that translates into consistently or significantly longer battery life, I truly don't know. I'm willing to change batteries more often than might be strictly necessary, just so that I don't have to worry about their running out during any part of a recording. As a result I couldn't even tell you approximately how long the unit will run on a set of batteries in any particular setting--long enough for either half of any classical concert I've ever recorded with it, is all I know for sure.

--best regards

[bhtoque]

I'm sure that this has been discussed before, but I can't figure out any search parameters to look.

the reason for the question is I am running tests with a DVD battery with the R44.  I thought I was recording at 24/48, but just realized i'm at 16/48.

Running AKG 481 > R44 and Mytek Stereo96 (XLR out) > R44.

It does on the R-4 because the drive has to do more spinning to write the extra data. With an R-44 using flash memory I doubt the draw would be significant, but there probably is some extra power drawn by the extra data.

JAson