Sony Cybershot DSC-W1... Bad Camera...Bad Customer Service by Sony... Read on...

I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !

If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.

Dave




"Alan Browne" wrote in message
. ..
| David H. Lipman wrote:
|
| Don't top post
|
| Good points. I found the same lack of quality support with Sony Vaio laptops.
Therefore I
| won't buy Sony.
|
| As for using Lithium AA's in the camera. There is absolutely NO reason why you should
not
| be able to use them. Electrically they are the same as any other AA batteries, they
just
| last longer. I buy mine from Sears at ~$10.00 for 4 x AA batteries (better price than
Radio
| Shack).
|
| When the camera manufacturer puts in a warning:
| "AA Lithium batteries cannot be used" it is there for a good reason.
|
|
|
|
| --
| --e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--
|

"David H. Lipman" wrote in message
...
I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !

If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.

Dave

Any batteries will work in a camera as long as they do not exceed the
voltage specs for the camera as put out by the manufacturer. If they are too
low in voltage the camera won't work, but it won't harm the camera, since
any battery you use will begin to put out a too small voltage when near the
end of its useful life. I use a home-made lead acid battery pack on my Nikon
F5. It only uses 5 cells, since 6 cells will charge up to 14.5 volts, and I
was afraid that this might over voltage the camera circuits. Fortunately, I
was able to find individual cells that only charge to about 2.1 volts each,
and build a 5 cell pack that only charges to about 10.5 volts, which is well
within the manufacturers 12 volt specs. I have to wear this pack on my
waist, and connect it to my camera with a two conductor cord, but it will
provide the camera with plenty of power for a long time, since it holds
about 3500 ampere-hours. I use it for a back-up if the eight 1.55 volt
lithium's die when I am on a location somewhere out in the sticks.

William:

Go back to using 6 cells and then obtain and implement a LM7812, 12v regulator. More than
12 volts can go into the regulator but, only 12 volts will come out of the 3 pin active
device.

Other chips to use; National Semiconductor LM25xx family -
http://www.national.com/parametric/0,1850,1758,00.html

Full schematic of a 12v, low voltage, regulated power supply:
http://www.drbob.net/project/powersu...d/default.html

Voltage regulation concept:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_5/7.html

Dave




"William Graham" wrote in message news%mCc.94061$eu.6020@attbi_s02...
|
| "David H. Lipman" wrote in message
| ...
| I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !
|
| If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.
|
| Dave
|
| Any batteries will work in a camera as long as they do not exceed the
| voltage specs for the camera as put out by the manufacturer. If they are too
| low in voltage the camera won't work, but it won't harm the camera, since
| any battery you use will begin to put out a too small voltage when near the
| end of its useful life. I use a home-made lead acid battery pack on my Nikon
| F5. It only uses 5 cells, since 6 cells will charge up to 14.5 volts, and I
| was afraid that this might over voltage the camera circuits. Fortunately, I
| was able to find individual cells that only charge to about 2.1 volts each,
| and build a 5 cell pack that only charges to about 10.5 volts, which is well
| within the manufacturers 12 volt specs. I have to wear this pack on my
| waist, and connect it to my camera with a two conductor cord, but it will
| provide the camera with plenty of power for a long time, since it holds
| about 3500 ampere-hours. I use it for a back-up if the eight 1.55 volt
| lithium's die when I am on a location somewhere out in the sticks.
|
|

"David H. Lipman" wrote in message
...
William:

Go back to using 6 cells and then obtain and implement a LM7812, 12v
regulator. More than
12 volts can go into the regulator but, only 12 volts will come out of the
3 pin active
device.

Other chips to use; National Semiconductor LM25xx family -
http://www.national.com/parametric/0,1850,1758,00.html

Full schematic of a 12v, low voltage, regulated power supply:
http://www.drbob.net/project/powersu...d/default.html

Voltage regulation concept:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_5/7.html

Dave

Thanks, Dave. - I may just try building one of these. I am using gell-cell 2
volt cells that I found on line pretty cheap, but I would prefer a regular
12 volt gell cell because they are very common, and I can plug them into my
car cigarette lighter socket and recharge them while I am driving around. I
have to charge my home-made pack with a 6 volt wall wart supply that really
puts out 10.65 volts under no load. This works, but it takes several days to
recharge the 10.5 volt pack back up if it is nearly discharged.....12 volt
gell-cells are really neat for this application because they come in all
sizes. The ones used for bicycle lights are a nice size......

"William Graham" wrote in message news:p%mCc.94061$eu.6020@attbi_s02...
"David H. Lipman" wrote in message
...
I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !

If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.

Dave

Any batteries will work in a camera as long as they do not exceed the
voltage specs for the camera as put out by the manufacturer.

Most of the time probably true, even for camera instructions that
say otherwise.

But it's not absolutely true. Batteries have other important specs
other than just voltage and size. Source-resistance also is an important
one. Another important feature has to do with cameras that charge batteries
"in camera" (as my wife's new digital camera does). Bad things can happen
if the wrong kind of battery is in there. The chemistry of some batteries
may be that defective ones (or overcharged ones) will outgas some small
amount of something that could affect some cameras more than others.

And even then, it may just be statistical. Meaning the "problem" whatever
is is, may affect only 1% of users, 99% are fine. That'd only be a problem
for the mfgr who's reputation for 'bad cameras' will grow (and for the 1%
who had the problem). But that would make it worthwhile saying not to use that
kind of battery.

Batteries also can have different characteristics over the maximum
spec'd temperature range. Some batteries have limited allowable
temperature ranges.

IOW, it can be more than just voltage rating.

Mike