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authorAndree Buschmann <AndreeBuschmann@t-online.de>2010-03-29 17:58:17 +0000
committerAndree Buschmann <AndreeBuschmann@t-online.de>2010-03-29 17:58:17 +0000
commit10023adf727391cd165be7b5290e83a4710d0129 (patch)
tree20f141c4b87be108bfe09fbdfb84b8be910f24af
parentdedf08a6e15daa676176221cea19b0ab0e93df12 (diff)
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Add new section 'Optimising battery runtime' to the manual (FS#11148).
git-svn-id: svn://svn.rockbox.org/rockbox/trunk@25382 a1c6a512-1295-4272-9138-f99709370657
-rw-r--r--manual/advanced_topics/main.tex95
-rw-r--r--manual/configure_rockbox/display_options.tex4
-rw-r--r--manual/configure_rockbox/playback_options.tex4
-rw-r--r--manual/configure_rockbox/system_options.tex4
4 files changed, 101 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/manual/advanced_topics/main.tex b/manual/advanced_topics/main.tex
index 47d4305..b13a767 100644
--- a/manual/advanced_topics/main.tex
+++ b/manual/advanced_topics/main.tex
@@ -580,3 +580,98 @@ current version.
\opt{archos}{\input{advanced_topics/archos-flashing.tex}}
+\section{Optimising battery runtime}
+ Rockbox offers a lot of settings that have high impact on the battery runtime
+ of your \dap{}. The largest power savings can be achieved through disabling
+ unneeded hardware components -- for some of those there are settings
+ available.
+\opt{swcodec}{
+ Another area of savings is avoiding or reducing CPU boosting
+ through disabling computing intense features (e.g. sound processing) or
+ using effective audio codecs.
+} The following provides a short overview of the most relevant settings and
+ rules of thumb.
+
+\nopt{ondio}{
+\subsection{Display backlight}
+ The active backlight consumes a lot of power. Therefore choose a setting that
+ disables the backlight after timeout (for setting \setting{Backlight} see
+ \reference{ref:Displayoptions}). Avoid to have the backlight enabled all the
+ time.
+}
+
+\opt{lcd_sleep}{
+\subsection{Display power-off}
+ Shutting down the display and the display controller saves a reasonable amount
+ of power. Choose a setting that will put the display to sleep after timeout
+ (for setting \setting{Sleep} see \reference{ref:Displayoptions}). Avoid to
+ have the display enabled all the time -- even, if the display is transflective
+ and is readable without backlight. Depending on your \dap{} it might be
+ significantly more efficient to re-enable the display and its backlight for a
+ glimpse a few times per hour than to keep the display enabled.
+}
+
+\opt{accessory_supply}{
+\subsection{Accessory power supply}
+ As default your \dap{}'s accessory power supply is always enabled to ensure
+ proper function of connected accessory devices. Disable this power supply, if
+ -- or as long as -- you do not use any accessory device with your \dap{} while
+ running Rockbox (see \reference{ref:AccessoryPowerSupply}).
+}
+
+\opt{lineout_poweroff}{
+\subsection{Line Out}
+ Rockbox allows to switch off the line-out on your \dap{}. If you do not need
+ the line-out, switch it off (see \reference{ref:LineoutOnOff}).
+}
+
+\opt{spdif_power}{
+\subsection{Optical Output}
+ Rockbox allows to switch off the S/PDIF output on your \dap{}. If you do not
+ need this output, switch it off (see \reference{ref:SPDIF_OnOff}).
+}
+
+\opt{disk_storage}{
+\subsection{Anti-Skip Buffer}
+ Having a large anti-skip buffer tends to use more power, and may reduce your
+ battery life. It is recommended to always use the lowest possible setting
+ that allows correct and continuous playback (see \reference{ref:AntiSkipBuf}).
+}
+
+\opt{swcodec,disk_storage,flash_storage}{
+\subsection{Audio format and bitrate}
+\opt{swcodec}{
+ In general the fastest decoding audio format will be the best in terms of
+ battery runtime on your \dap{}. An overview of different codec's performance
+ on different \dap{}s can be found at \wikilink{CodecPerformanceComparison}.
+}
+
+\opt{flash_storage}{
+ Your target uses flash that consumes a certain amount of power during access.
+ The less often the flash needs to be switched on for buffering and the shorter
+ the buffering duration is, the lower is the overall power consumption.
+ Therefore the bitrate of the audio files does have an impact on the battery
+ runtime as well. Lower bitrate audio files will result in longer battery
+ runtime.
+}
+\opt{disk_storage}{
+ Your target uses a hard disk which consumes a large amount of power while
+ spinning -- up to several hundred mA. The less often the hard disk needs to
+ spin up for buffering and the shorter the buffering duration is, the lower is
+ the power consumption. Therefore the bitrate of the audio files does have an
+ impact on the battery runtime as well. Lower bitrate audio files will result
+ in longer battery runtime.
+}
+
+ Please do not re-encode any existing audio files from one lossy format to
+ another based upon the above mentioned. This will reduce the audio quality.
+ If you have the choice, select the best suiting codec when encoding the
+ original source material.
+}
+
+\opt{swcodec}{
+\subsection{Sound settings}
+ In general all kinds of sound processing will need more CPU time and therefore
+ consume more power. The less sound processing you use, the better it is for
+ the battery runtime (for options see \reference{ref:configure_rockbox_sound}).
+}
diff --git a/manual/configure_rockbox/display_options.tex b/manual/configure_rockbox/display_options.tex
index f416e84..23673e2 100644
--- a/manual/configure_rockbox/display_options.tex
+++ b/manual/configure_rockbox/display_options.tex
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
\item[Sleep (After Backlight Off).]
This setting controls how long rockbox will wait before turning off the
display after the backlight is turned off. Turning off the display
- saves a little bit of battery power but turning on the display takes
- noticeably longer than just turning on the backlight.
+ saves battery power but turning on the display takes noticeably longer
+ than just turning on the backlight.
}
\opt{backlight_brightness}{
diff --git a/manual/configure_rockbox/playback_options.tex b/manual/configure_rockbox/playback_options.tex
index 8ac9548..5f61b0b 100644
--- a/manual/configure_rockbox/playback_options.tex
+++ b/manual/configure_rockbox/playback_options.tex
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ you to configure settings related to audio playback.
The setting \setting{FF/RW Min Step} controls the initial speed and \setting{FF/RW Accel} controls the acceleration.
\opt{disk_storage}{
- \section{Anti-Skip Buffer}
+ \section{\label{ref:AntiSkipBuf}Anti-Skip Buffer}
This setting controls how early Rockbox starts refilling the music buffer
from the hard drive when playing. A longer Anti-Skip Buffer helps prevent
skips in music playback if Rockbox has trouble reading from the disk.
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ you to configure settings related to audio playback.
}%\opt{swcodec}
\opt{spdif_power}{
- \section{Optical Output}
+ \section{\label{ref:SPDIF_OnOff}Optical Output}
Enables or disables the optical S/PDIF output to
allow a digital connection to a suitable external decoder. To enable
optical output, set to \setting{Yes}
diff --git a/manual/configure_rockbox/system_options.tex b/manual/configure_rockbox/system_options.tex
index d2eb992..af7695e 100644
--- a/manual/configure_rockbox/system_options.tex
+++ b/manual/configure_rockbox/system_options.tex
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ This sub menu relates to limits in the Rockbox operating system.
}
\opt{accessory_supply}{
-\subsection{Accessory Power Supply}
+\subsection{\label{ref:AccessoryPowerSupply}Accessory Power Supply}
This option turns the accessory power supply \setting{On} and \setting{Off}.
The Apple accessory protocol has been partially implemented in Rockbox, and
thus there is a reasonable chance that your favourite accessory will work.
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ this option \setting{On}. If it is not required, then turning this setting
}
\opt{lineout_poweroff}{
-\subsection{Line Out}
+\subsection{\label{ref:LineoutOnOff}Line Out}
This option turns the \dap{}'s line-out \setting{On} and \setting{Off}. On some
devices an enabled line-out will consume some power even if not used. If it is
not required, then turning this setting \setting{Off} will save battery and