hello general chatters, i have purchased a sharps vl a10h viewcam and would like to know if it is right to have a fully charged battery in the unit for long periods of time or are you supposed to let the battery discharge it's self first, i take the video tape out when not in use, i have used the viewcam for the first time and even though it was second hand it recorded brilliantly, i have transfered the recording to dvd for posterity so my next question is, what is the recording life of a Hi8 video tape, i am open to all advice from experienced video'ers cheers finbar

The problem with leaving batteries in any device for a long period of time is the possibility of the battery leaking and damaging the device. Even lithium batteries can leak

And the standby current drawn by the camera will flatten the battery faster. Remove the battery from the camera when not in use, charge the battery before long-term storage. Many types of batteries deteriorate if left uncharged. If the camera is going to be unused for months, most types of battery show some degree of self-discharge. Top up the charge on the battery after being unused for 2 or 3 months, even if you're not going to use the camera.

As you've mentioned, taking the tape out when not in use is a wise idea, otherwise the tape may adhere to the drum and cause problems next time the camera is used.

thanks garmanma sound advice, platypus, well help from an expert much appreciated, i didn't know about storing batteries fully charged but that is what i have done today and will do again in the months to come if i don't use the viewcam. what are your views on purchasing a non genuine battery supposedly compatible as a sharps genuine one, they come with a one year warranty, i know that sharps them selves are dead against such batteries but the non genuine ones are a third of the price cheers finbar

Aftermarket batteries do vary considerably in quality, which is why manufacturers deliver blanket advice not to use them. The video camera service guys where I work have found the main type of poor performing battery to be the type with multi fittings that try to work with many different types of camera. If an aftermarket manufacturer takes the trouble to make a range of different batteries specific to the requirements of different brands and models, there's more likelihood they also take some care about the standard of cell fitted into the battery.

Keep in mind that there's really only one way to market a very cheap product, and that's to use very cheap components.

platypus, thanks for the reply i will take it on board when i visit ebay later as i want to take a spare battery on holiday with me in july, the price of genuine sharps are astronomical but i don't want to get caught out with a cheap dud, so once again thanks for the pointers i now know what to look for. cheers finbar