Author Topic: Gameboy Advance SP extra batteries??? (Read 17748 times)

novastar512 · « **on:** February 16, 2003, 01:01:57 PM »

I really want to get a GBA SP mainly because of the front lit screen. However, I am a little worried about the litium ion battery problem. Let's say I was playing my GBA for a week and I had about 1 hour left. What happens if I go on a car trip for 3 hours??? I get gyped because I can only play for 1 hour!

Will Nintendo begin to sell more batteries? because if I had two batteries I think that would be perfect. That way I could play continually all of the time.

RickPowers · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2003, 02:12:54 PM »

The problem is that the battery access compartment needs to be UNSCREWED in order to access the battery, so dropping in a quick replacement isn't very feasible. The answer to your particluar problem is to charge the GBA when you aren't using it (you don't want to drain a Lithium Ion battery down to nothing on a regular basis), or get a Car Adapter, which I'm sure will be available shortly after launch.

Taco · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2003, 02:20:17 PM »

You can recharge it at anytime. If you read the news about the SP on www.planetgamecube.com it said somewhere you don't need to wait for it to run out to charge it.

novastar512 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2003, 05:14:15 AM »

So it won't develop a memory problem and such, cause recharging it whenever, must wear out the battery or something.

Also, I'm not too worried about the screw on the screw on the back, it is just a tri-wing, one.

EDIT: Wait, Rick are you saying that you really CAN charge it whenever??? So if you play it for 3 hours you should recharge it? Or should it be worn down more?

Fammy2000 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2003, 06:53:15 AM »

My Palm has a Lithium Ion battery and I don't have any memory problems when I charge it. I rarely use more than 80% of battery before I get back to the cradle. I would suspect the GBA SP battery will be the same way. Just charge it every few days and you will be fine.

But you are right, it would be nice to be able to swap out batteries when they go dead. Gotta love those AA's.

BlkPaladin · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2003, 07:06:52 AM »

The problem with the batteries, if they are simular to cell phone batteries, is you don't want to drop them. They get screwed up pretty fast doing that. Three for the life of the battery is pretty fair but you will have to take care of it. And the batteries souldn't be more than a replacement for a cell phones.

novastar512 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2003, 09:58:33 AM »

Well, I hope that is the way. Since I don't want to worry about charging it. It would be nice if you could continuously charge it whenever your done.

For example, if you played for 30 minutes and poped it back on the cradle. But in reality, that doesn't work, i think...

Gibdo Master · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2003, 07:09:00 PM »

You can recharge while you are playing a game.

Zaush · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2003, 11:18:42 PM »

Believe the guy, the reason litium ion is so useful is because it never develops a memory from premature charging. In fact, it's better to do so than running the battery down to absolute squat power. If you run it to nothing and leave it that way for long it will decrease the capacity.

EL Pollo DIablos · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2003, 03:17:18 AM »

With this kind of battery if u want to increase the lasting of it and the amount of power stored in it wotn go down u dont have to decharge it fully before charging it again?

El Pollo Diablos

RickPowers · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2003, 10:49:33 AM »

As we've said ... no. You can shorten the battery's life span if you drain it completely before you charge it. Just charge it when you're done using it, and you should be fine.

Yes, this is pretty much the opposite of what you've been told to do with NiCad or NiMH batteries.

novastar512 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2003, 11:21:22 AM »

Wait let me ask this ONE MORE TIME. Basically, when you done playing with it, you stick it on the charger?(I'm guessing it turn off automatically). Even if you only play it for like 1/2 hour? This will determine whethere I get one or not, since I don't want to be gyped and find out I have destroyed my battery after a month.

RickPowers · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2003, 12:15:38 PM »

I've said it THREE times now. CHARGE IT WHEN YOU'RE DONE USING IT.

novastar512 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2003, 12:36:30 PM »

Ok, I'm buying one. I guess I better sell my GBA. I'm parnanoid. It not my fault. I just don't want to be ripped off by a crappy battery and then having to send it in to Nintendo to get a new one.

Azule · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2003, 05:56:17 AM »

Quote
CHARGE IT WHEN YOU'RE DONE USING IT.

uh...Rick, can't you charge it while you're using it...and it only takes 3 hrs to charge.

Sean · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2003, 08:12:02 PM »

Just friggin' charge the thing constantly. Never play it without charging it. Never sleep unless your GBASP is charging. Just don't dare let it die. Don't allow it. If you do, the Gremlins will hatch. Got it, people?

Matt · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2003, 03:00:37 PM »

ALWAYS keep the thing charged as much as possible.

The battery will live longer that way too.

COnstant draining and recharging is bad. (ie. letting the battery go down to 10% each time before recharging)

Matt · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2003, 03:34:38 PM »

Yes, you can charge while using... that is a good idea too.

joshnickerson · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2003, 04:30:54 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: RickPowers
I've said it THREE times now. CHARGE IT WHEN YOU'RE DONE USING IT.

Are you saying we should charge it when we're done using it?

......
I'm just asking to get banned, aren't I?

Gibdo Master · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2003, 04:31:23 PM »

It only takes 3 hrs to completely charge it too. With that in mind if it was just starting to go low or if you just charged it after playing (or during) it shouldn't take to long. I have a third party battery charger thing and it takes like 15 hrs to recharge and then you are lucky if you get 5 hrs out of it. One thing that would be nice is if there was a way the GBA or the charger could let you know if the batteries are completely recharged.

novastar512 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2003, 06:22:35 PM »

so if you play it for like 10 minutes, and then charge it, will it automatically turn off, so you don't have to worry about time? or keep track if a stupid light turns off.

Azule · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2003, 11:38:27 PM »

As I recall it does tell you. There's a second light just for the recharger, if it's orange it's charging and is done when it turns green....something like that. I don't know if it turns off automatically, but this light change might suggest it.

Gibdo Master · « **Reply #22 on:** February 28, 2003, 06:56:32 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Azule
As I recall it does tell you. There's a second light just for the recharger, if it's orange it's charging and is done when it turns green....something like that. I don't know if it turns off automatically, but this light change might suggest it.

I really hope that's the case because I hate having to set my stop watch for my current rechargeable battery thing and then hope it's actually fully recharged when the time is up.

tech9 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 01, 2003, 01:32:39 AM »

They are predicting 500 recharges or 3 years. From the video press release i saw the unit must be sent back to Nintendo or one of there factory service centers.

I dont think they are going to make changing the battery that easy. It may even be soldered onto the pcb for all we know (anybody with an import SP open it yet??)

What i would like to see is a powersupply fot the SP that is totally independent from the battery charger circuitry, but seeing how nintendo is claiming that you can play while charging the battery, that doesnt seem to be the case.

mark

mac<censored> · « **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2003, 03:05:23 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: tech9
They are predicting 500 recharges or 3 years. From the video press release i saw the unit must be sent back to Nintendo or one of there factory service centers.

I think this is just typical nonsense included for legal reasons (i.e., they don't want to support users that have fumbled a battery change, however unlikely it may be).

Quote
I dont think they are going to make changing the battery that easy. It may even be soldered onto the pcb for all we know (anybody with an import SP open it yet??)

Judging from Lik-Sang's dissection of the SP, the battery is easily user-changeable (assuming you can get an extra battery, of course!); it looks like it just drops out once you remove the cover.

Quote
What i would like to see is a powersupply fot the SP that is totally independent from the battery charger circuitry, but seeing how nintendo is claiming that you can play while charging the battery, that doesnt seem to be the case.

Yeah that would have been cool. I really liked the one on my girlfriend's cellphone, where the recharger was this tiny plug that attached directly to the [tiny!] battery; they included two batteries, but you could still recharge the one actually in the phone while it was in use!

I expect there will be 3rd-party rechargers soon that allow separate recharging (my brilliant idea is that someone could market a charger that includes an extra battery and a replacement battery-cover that doesn't require a screwdriver...).

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Author Topic: Gameboy Advance SP extra batteries??? (Read 17748 times)