Sean Byrne here raises an interesting issue with respect to the infamous DRM and battery life of our MP3 players. The only thing we eye on while going for an MP3 player is its battery life that fails to parallel manufacturers’ claims and runs off unexpected even under in ideal conditions. Surprisingly, on the other side there are a few such as Creative Zen Vision M that runs for about 16 hours, as tested by CNET, despite the 14-hour claim.



But the true test comes when it runs with DRM subscription. The WMA 10 DRM crippled subscription tracks sucks out at least four hours of battery life and delivers only 12 hours of playback at the end. It makes a whopping loss of 25% of playback time. It varies with respect to different players, for example, Apple’s FairPlay DRM take on 8% MP3 playback.



The battery-hungry DRM, especially WMA DRM 10 format, as provided by services such as Napster or Rhapsody, gives worse results. Actually, the DRM take the toll due to its processing and also slows down the player.



Sean Byrne has cited other interesting examples which are an eye opener for the oblivious consumers desperately looking for more battery life and high performance. So, what’s the solution? Just shun DRM protected music or get the music converted into a more battery-friendly format, if those 2 to 4 hours matters to you, but don’t forget that recharging your battery again and again will ultimately kill it too soon.



Thanks: Sean Byrne



Via: cdfreaks