Rechargeable Save Batteries?
This is something I've always wondered. I know it would be mostly pointless because of how little power SRAM needs, but would they function as a normal battery and drain eventually, or would they recharge when you're playing games?
Comments
Some people avoid the entire issue once.the first battery dies and simply install battery holders that dont require you to do any more soldering when the replacement battery requires replacing. You just pop the old one out and pop in a new one. Easy peasy.
The whole point of this is to never have to lose your save or copy it onto another device.
Would the rechargeables last longer than normal, single use batteries though?
Usually it's the other way around. Trading off a shorter charge life for the rechargeable function.
I don't see why it would not have worked on carts but I'm sure it would have been way more expensive at the time than a normal 2032 battery.
If batteries are lasting 25+ years, I just don't see the need.
Yeah, I suppose. I guess I didn't realize how long they really last. It could still potentially be useful for games with an RTC, because they use more power, but replacements are easy (backups vary), and they'll last another ~10 years after that.
Maybe it'd be useful for higher power SRAM for reproductions or something.
If batteries are lasting 25+ years, I just don't see the need.
It's wierd. I have two Zelda 1 carts that are still going strong and yet my launch day Pokemon Yellow cart was dead by 2010. To my knowlege it doesnt have much to do with the type of battery used. I have a Gameboy Golf from 89 that uses the same CR1616 type battery as Pokemon Yellow and it still saves fine.
Maybe battery life is relative to the size of the SRAM? I'm sure Golf and Zelda would need far less than any Pokemon game.
Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal are all reportedly worse as far as battery life goes supposedly due to the internal clock. If this is true, I could see the use for a rechargable battery in those,
It's wierd. I have two Zelda 1 carts that are still going strong and yet my launch day Pokemon Yellow cart was dead by 2010. To my knowlege it doesnt have much to do with the type of battery used. I have a Gameboy Golf from 89 that uses the same CR1616 type battery as Pokemon Yellow and it still saves fine.
Maybe battery life is relative to the size of the SRAM? I'm sure Golf and Zelda would need far less than any Pokemon game.
Well, the battery was physically smaller in Pokémon, and I think you're right about larger SRAM needing more power.
Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal are all reportedly worse as far as battery life goes supposedly due to the internal clock. If this is true, I could see the use for a rechargable battery in those.
Exactly, that's why I mentioned RTC on my previous reply. The problem though, is still that they last 10-15 years, which wouldn't be enough to warrant recharging. You'd need to fit a socket in there too, so who knows.