Just bought an Zoom H4N Pro. I plan on using it to record band music for 8 hours a week. There's a backlight setting... "The backlight stays on all the time." This would be very handy for me, but I hesitate to do so thinking it may burn out the light prematurely. Anybody know if I should be concerned about this happening if I leave it on all the time?
H4N Pro - leave backlight on all the time?
- Thread starter AR99
- Start date
TalismanRich
Well-known member
I leave the backlight of my H4n on all the time, but then I never rely on the batteries. The batteries keep the date/time current, but it is always run off the power supply. From my perspective, the only reason to turn off the backlight is to save battery power. Using it for 8 hours a week is NOTHING! I'm pretty sure that these are LEDs that will generally last decades. I have LEDs that run 24/7 most of the time and have for years.
Thanks for the reply. Saving battery power isn't even a consideration, I always run off the power supply as well. I don't even have any batteries inserted; keeping the date/time current on my files isn't a consideration either.
I guess 8 hours a week is nothing, relatively speaking. This is my first recorder, H4N Pro or otherwise, so I was just wondering about the longevity of the LEDs with the backlight on all the time. Based on your experience it looks like I shouldn't concern myself with it.
Serendipity Records
Well-known member
LEDs run forever, at least according to the sales pitch when they first were a thing 
rob aylestone
Moderator
I think you're more likely to wear out the stop button than the LEDs at 8 hours a day!