(Fwd) FW: [Publib] question about headphone size and battery u

[Crawford,Walt]

A couple of related facts and comments:

1. According to test reports (and my own experience), name-brand
alkalines will last substantially longer than store-brand alkalines (in
a ratio roughly equal to the price difference).  It's also true that
alkalines will last a lot longer than traditional "heavy duty"
batteries--but you don't want to use old-fashioned batteries for other
reasons anyway. They're cheap, but not a good value.

Rechargeable batteries typically don't last as long per charge as
alkalines do, but may be cheaper in the long run--IF they're used in
devices that get used a lot. (Most rechargeables lose charge slowly when
they're not in use.)

Incidentally, you probably don't want to spring for "better than
alkaline" batteries (e.g. lithium), the ones touted for use in digital
cameras. They're great for digital cameras--but for use in a
low-power-drain device like Playaways or MP3 players, their
cost-per-hour is much higher than name-brand alkalines. 

2. The size of the headphones doesn't matter. The efficiency of the
headphones or earbuds DOES matter, but that's not directly related to
size. (Larger over-the-ear phones could very well be more efficient than
earbuds. In the world of speakers, larger speakers generally are more
efficient than smaller ones, but for reasons that may not apply to
headphones.) 

3. I would disagree with Jay Blint about high-quality headphones. Most
high-quality headphones do not contain internal batteries or
amplification (and many of them are high-efficiency as well). The most
common headphones that use internal batteries are either wireless
headphones or noise-reduction headphones, neither of which is likely to
be a candidate for use with Playaways. (Wireless because they require a
transmitter, noise-reduction because the powered ones run $150 and up.)

By the way, referring to an earlier post in this stream: The bit rate of
data storage should have nothing to do with either how loud you need to
play the output or how much power is required. 

Walt Crawford
Senior Analyst, OCLC RLG Service Center, but speaking entirely from my
own reading and awareness...
650-691-2227
crawforw at oclc.org
M-F 7-4 Pacific Time
-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Marla
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:17 AM
To: publib
Subject: (Fwd) FW: [Publib] question about headphone size and battery u





Below find a copy of the response from Viccy's BWI rep. about headphone
use, etc.

I don't know if this makes it any better or not.  I'll let the reader
make his/her own decision.


BYE! 
Marla/Acquisitions
Great Falls Public Library 
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls MT  59401-2593
mwilckens at mtlilb.org

_________________


-----Original Message-----
From: Blint, Jay [mailto:jblint at bwibooks.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 7:48 PM
To: Victoria Kemp
Subject: RE: [Publib] question about headphone size and battery use

Viccy,

Thanks for your email.   And a great question!   An "Alkaline"  Triple a
battery will last for 12 hours of use.

I use the time element rather than saying playing thru one book as a
patron could play some chapters several times and use up the 12 hour
window before a book is finished.

Also in a language course playaway example it might take me 12 hours to
get thru chapter 1 in a 15 chapter language training course from playing
over and over  " donde esta los banos" and finally learning I was asking
" where are the bathrooms " instead of what I wanted to say was " how to
I buy a lottery ticket"?

Anyway if a " non alkaline " battery is used the playing time of the
unit drops off by as much as 50% in my experience.

Now for the Head phone issue.    I have purchased several types of head
sets at various dollar stores from $ 1.00 to $ 5.00.   I still had
around 12 hours of playing time.

The type of head phones that would produce a " concert quality "
reproduction of the narration do require extra power.  However those
type of head phones usually require some batteries in the head phones
themselves to power the high quality amplification unit built into these
type of head sets.  The head phones are not powered from the power
source in the playing unit.

If a patron owns these type of head sets they know about the power they
need for their head phone unit.

Please let me know if I win the award for thoroughly confusing the
issue!

Best Regards,

Jay Blint

Regional Account Manager

BWI... A Follett Corporation Company

 



*************
For reason will convince us that what is necessary to be 
performed in the heat of action should constantly be
practised in the leisure of peace.  
Vegetius, EPITOMA REI MILITARIS

_______________________________________________
Publib mailing list
Publib at webjunction.org
http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib