summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
-rw-r--r--manual/plugins/batterybenchmark.tex97
1 files changed, 45 insertions, 52 deletions
diff --git a/manual/plugins/batterybenchmark.tex b/manual/plugins/batterybenchmark.tex
index ab7774c2c4..fb7c64dfa0 100644
--- a/manual/plugins/batterybenchmark.tex
+++ b/manual/plugins/batterybenchmark.tex
@@ -1,20 +1,19 @@
1\subsection{Battery Benchmark} 1\subsection{Battery Benchmark}
2The Battery Benchmark Plugin enables you to test your battery's performance, 2The \setting{Battery Benchmark} plugin enables you to test your battery's
3while making normal use of your \dap. Once loaded it will run in the 3performance whilst using your \dap\ normally. Results can be submitted
4background (TSR plugin), reading various info about your battery while you use 4to the \wikilink{BatteryRuntime} wiki page.
5it. Once you finish your session you can find the benchmark output data in a
6file on your \dap\ \fname{/battery\_bench.txt}.
7Please submit your results to the Rockbox wiki.
8\wikilink{BatteryRuntime}
9 5
10\subsubsection{How it works} 6\subsubsection{How it works}
11After you load the plug-in the operation of your \dap\ continues as normal. 7Once loaded, \setting{Battery Benchmark} runs in the
12You can do whatever you could do before loading the plugin except loading 8background recording various information about your battery to memory.
13another plugin. If you happen to load a plugin while benchmarking, a splash 9A new point is written to memory every minute.
14screen will inform you about the termination of the benchmark. 10Every time the disk is accessed for any reason
15While you operate it will log various battery related information every time 11(such as refilling the audio buffer, opening a directory or entering
16the disk is activated by external causes, (buffer refill, open directory, 12USB mode etc.) then the information in memory is written to disk.
17USB mode) or an hour passes without updating the log file.\\ 13Once the memory becomes full (after many hours), then the data
14are written to disk anyway. This is done so that the data are not biased by
15excessive additional disk accesses. The file is written to the root
16directory of your \dap\ and is called \fname{battery\_bench.txt}.
18The plugin will continue to log info until: 17The plugin will continue to log info until:
19 18
20\begin{itemize} 19\begin{itemize}
@@ -22,49 +21,43 @@ The plugin will continue to log info until:
22\item The \dap\ is shut down. 21\item The \dap\ is shut down.
23\item The battery is empty. 22\item The battery is empty.
24\end{itemize} 23\end{itemize}
25Between disk activity (or an hour), it will log info in memory (every 24
26measurement is captured when the voltage changes). If there are too many 25Benchmarks can be resumed if
27measurements older entries will be deleted and the log file will inform the 26you accidentally load a plugin, or turn off your \dap, so long as the log
28user about the interval where entries were lost. Benchmarks can be resumed if 27file \fname{battery\_bench.txt} is not deleted.
29you accidentally load a plugin, or turn off your \dap, as long as the log
30file \fname{/battery\_bench.txt} is not deleted.
31 28
32\subsubsection{Information explained} 29\subsubsection{Information explained}
33On the top of the file you will see various info on how to use the plugin. 30At the top of the \fname{battery\_bench.txt} file is various
31information on how to use the plugin, followed by the data themselves.
32
34\begin{description} 33\begin{description}
35\item[Time] This column reports the total time of operation of the \dap. It is 34\item[Time] This column reports the total time of operation of the \dap. It is
36not the time that you started the plug-in. If you have your player on for 5 35not the time that you started the plug-in. If you have your \dap\ on for 5
37minutes and then start the plugin, it will start measuring from 5 minutes. 36minutes and then start the plugin, it will start measuring from 5 minutes.
38\item[Seconds] As time, it shows time passed in seconds. Nothing special, it is 37\item[Seconds] The same as \config{Time}, except measured in seconds.
39there because it is free and maybe someone might want to make graphs with 38\item[Level] The percent level of the battery estimated by Rockbox, and not the
40seconds. 39actual battery level. The actual battery level can be seen from the
41\item[Level] The percent level of the battery estimated by Rockbox. This is an 40\config{Voltage} column
42estimation and not an accurate result. Using the real percentage (current 41\item[Time Left] This shows the time remaining until the battery is empty,
43battery voltage / top battery voltage) * 100) we can calculate the difference 42again as estimated by Rockbox.
44between the estimation. Goal of this column is to make the estimation algorithm 43\item[Voltage] The battery voltage in mV at the moment the measurement
45of Rockbox more accurate. 44was taken.
46\item[Time Left] It shows the estimated (by Rockbox) remaining time until 45\item[C] This stands for Charger. An "A" in that column shows if the power
47shutdown. Again, as with Level(above), this column can be used to see 46adapter was attached to the unit at the time of the measurement.
48differences between real time left and estimated time left. This could help
49make time left more accurate.
50\item[Voltage] The battery voltage, the moment the measurement was captured.
51Measurements are captured when this number changes while benchmarking.
52This column can be used to give quite interesting graphs in a spreadsheet
53program. (Excel, Calc, e.t.c)
54\item[M/DA] (Measurements per Disk Activity) The number of measurements stored
55temporarily in memory, before written on the log file. This can give you an
56idea of how many voltage changes there are between disk activity (or one hour).
57\item[C] Stands for Charger. An "A" in that column shows if there was the power
58adapter attached to the unit, at the time of the measurement.
59\item[S] The "S" column shows the state of the device (Charging, or not). The
60"C" indicated that the unit was charging when the measurement was captured.
61\item[U] USB powered. Only for targets that support this. A "U" will indicate 47\item[U] USB powered. Only for targets that support this. A "U" will indicate
62if the unit was using the USB port for powering. 48if the unit was using the USB port for power at the time of the measurement.
63\end{description} 49\end{description}
64 50
65\subsubsection{Making graphs} 51\subsubsection{Usage}
66While you can tell how long your battery lasted, with a single look at the last 52The log file can be used to tell you how long the battery lasted (with some
67line of the battery log (\fname{/battery\_bench.txt}), the most useful purpose of 53limitations, see below), but it is most useful for graphing discharge curves
68Battery Benchmark is to make graphs using a spreadsheet program like Excel or 54in order to improve Rockbox's estimation of battery level and time remaining.
69Calc. The battery log (\fname{/battery\_bench.txt}) is in CSV format (comma separated) 55The battery log (\fname{battery\_bench.txt}) is in CSV format
70so you can quite easily import it to a spreadsheet program. 56(comma separated variables) and thus can be easily imported into a spreadsheet
57or similar program.
58
59\subsubsection{Limitations}
60As \setting{Battery Benchmark} needs to write the data held in memory to
61disk in order to save them, it is possible that should Rockbox shut down
62due to low battery then there will not be enough power remaining to write the
63data to disk. Therefore all measurements since the previous save will be lost.