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.