VisorCentral.com - VDX -> Prism, How to?

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-- VDX -> Prism, How to? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=10723)

Posted by MHCohn on 01-09-2001 10:12 PM:

Is there any FAQ or detailed thread on moving all my programs and info from my VDX to a new Prism. I've sort of been aware of various problems/discussions of this before, but it wasn't relevant to me then. But now I want to get a Prism.

If there's no detailed thread can any of you give me advice considering the following:

I previously patched the OS to v. 3.1H3; I use Launch em and Backup Buddy. Also Hackmaster for After Burner, and Launch'em. I also have the 8mb Flash Module, which I keep in the VDX all the time and the Targus keyboard. Those are the only ones which I use and recall having heard caveats or potential problems.

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by Winchell on 01-10-2001 03:37 PM:

I managed this, but it was tricky.

I hotsynched my VDX (say that it's name is "Fred").
On my PC I used Windows Explorer to find the c:\program files\palm\fred\Backup folder and deleted the 3.1h3 patch.
I hotsynched my Prism and named it Fred. I set the hotsync to desktop overwrites handheld to copy all the files over.
I reset the hotsynch back to the standard handheld overwrites desktop.
I took the flash module out of the VDX and put it in the Prism.
I took the batteries out of the VDX for an hour or so, put them back, then hotsynched it. I gave it the name Gramps.

I found that some software does not work well on the Prism. After Burner is worthless, as the Prism has no wait states to remove.

I hope this helps.

__________________
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Posted by BruceMc on 01-10-2001 05:24 PM:

That's pretty much it, except there is no need to set the conduits to "Desktop overwrites handheld". HotSync senses a new unit because it has no UserID, and automatically does a full restore.

After you sync the new unit, it is a very good idea to hard reset the old one as Winchell did. HotSync gets very confused if 2 handhelds with the same User Name are synced to one desktop.

Posted by MHCohn on 01-10-2001 08:30 PM:

Thanks, guys, that was a *lot* easier than I thought it would be. I went out and bought a Platinum during lunch, then simply removed the 3.1h3 prc from my back up directory, inserted the 8mg flash module and then hotsynced the Platinum. It took everything, no problem.

However (there's usually one of those)... then I took the batteries out of the VDX for a while, and hotsynced it. I gave it a new name (OLDVDX),and shortly after it started the sync was prompted to create settings for Desktop to Go.OK, no problem. When the hotsynch was done, all the data from my basic apps came back, but none of my many add-on programs. I then went into the directory expecting to see a subdirectory for OLDVDX, so that I could re-copy the update patch into it. But there is no such directory.

Now I'm concerned about hot syncing the Platinum again, I'm afraid I'll lose all of its programs. Any suggestions?

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by MHCohn on 01-10-2001 09:42 PM:

Uhm...(envision a Gilda Ratner voice here) "Never mind."

I was able to hotsync the Platinum with no problem and then able to restore everything to the VDX.

In the course of doing all this, I decided to return the Platinum and wait for the next great Visor. The Platinum is a great unit, and if I were just starting out, or getting my first Visor, I'd take it in a flash (so to speak). However, truth be told, there just isn't enough difference in the screen quality of the Platinum over the VDX to justify spending $300 for it. And that is the main reason I was getting it. It's certainly better on things like Album to Go and Teal Movie, but... well, I guess I got kinda misty eyed over my year and a half old but still trusty and almost mint condition VDX. We've been through a lot together and it's never failed me yet. I can't just throw it in the dustbin for some flashy, younger hot bod. The VDX is plenty fast for me, and still looks good.

Don't take my decision as a negative against Handspring, rather it's a positive endorsement of how good the first Visor was/is. Again, thanks for your help, guys.

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by PDAENVY on 01-10-2001 10:20 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
...Platinum ... better on things like Album to Go [than on] VDX... [/B]

Are you sure about this? I thought that VPL and VDX had the same screen and that since Album to Go writes directly to the screen in 16 greys that VPL's better OS 3.5 doesn't come in to play. I don't see how a faster CPU could improve images.

[Edited by PDAENVY on 01-10-2001 at 05:23 PM]

__________________
Jeff

Posted by MHCohn on 01-10-2001 10:45 PM:

The questions about 2 bit vs 4 bit and 16 gray have been kicked around this site so often by so many optimistically hopeful people wanting 16 level gray on their VDX that, to be honest, I'm not 100% sure about anything in this area.
I'm pretty sure, though that OS 3.1 doesn't show 16 grey no matter what a program tries to do. There are lots of others here who could answer that question better than me (but then there are also lots of others who will probably try to refute the answer too!)

BUT, technical stuff aside, I am sure about what I could see with my eyes comparing the two units side by side. The Platinum is crisper and clearer in Album to Go and Teal Movie. It's definitely better. If I didn't already have a VDX, I'd pay the difference to get it, as well as the other improvements in 3.5, shielding and etc. But, since I do have a VDX, it's not worth $300 to me for the improvements.

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by Winchell on 01-11-2001 03:09 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
It's certainly better on things like Album to Go and Teal Movie, but... well, I guess I got kinda misty eyed over my year and a half old but still trusty and almost mint condition VDX. We've been through a lot together and it's never failed me yet. I can't just throw it in the dustbin for some flashy, younger hot bod. The VDX is plenty fast for me, and still looks good.

Don't take my decision as a negative against Handspring, rather it's a positive endorsement of how good the first Visor was/is. Again, thanks for your help, guys.

I hear you.
I went through a lot of soul searching before I upgraded to a Visor Prism. But I'm still keeping my trusy old green VDX. Like you said, we've been through a lot together, and it is still Good Enough.

I did need a Prism for a color application I'm writing, but I'm keeping my green VDX around, for backup if nothing else. And I'd also like to develop a I/R game, so I'd need a second Visor to test it with.

I re-named my green VDX "Callisto", after the green alien adventure figure from the "Major Matt Mason, Mattel's Man in Space".

Posted by MHCohn on 01-11-2001 05:35 PM:

Callisto

Hmm... Callisto, also Jupiter's second largest moon and the most heavily cratered object in the solar system. Better be careful with that green VDX!

Be sure to tell us about the color app you write, maybe that'll be what gets me to spring for a Prism.

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by PDAENVY on 01-11-2001 06:26 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
...I'm pretty sure, though that OS 3.1 doesn't show 16 grey no matter what a program tries to do...

I'll be the first to argue. Download the 4 and 16 grey versions of the FirePlace video for FireViewer. On my VDX, if you pause, it's easy to count exactly 4 shades in the former (white, black, 2 greys in between).

I won't insult you by saying I can make out 16 shades in the other version, but I'm certain I can make out 5 (white, black, 3 greys), and if there are 5 then there have to be 16.

Any other VDX owners care to confirm this?

I'm not disputing the question of whether images on a VPL looks better(I'll defer to your experience, since I've never compared), I'm just saying that it's not because a VDX can't show 16 shades under some apps.

quote:
...If I didn't already have a VDX, I'd pay the difference to get it...

I so agree with you on this one, especially because I don't think the Eyemodule viewing software writes directly to the screen.

__________________
Jeff

Posted by MHCohn on 01-11-2001 08:51 PM:

Well, shut my mouth!

Damn that Fireviewer is good. Certainly looks live 16 to me. Well, I said I wasn't 100% sure. Thanks for rubbing my nose in it so that I finally downloaded and tried it.

The video converter is also pretty neat. Too bad it doesn't (like Tealmovie) also encode the sound. If it did it would blow Teal out of the water (on a VDX anyway).

I guess I'm going to delete Album to Go...

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by Winchell on 01-12-2001 03:41 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
Damn that Fireviewer is good. Certainly looks live 16 to me. Well, I said I wasn't 100% sure. Thanks for rubbing my nose in it so that I finally downloaded and tried it.

Yes, Fireviewer is good. It certainly is my favorite.

However, your original statement was correct: "I'm pretty sure, though that OS 3.1 doesn't show 16 grey no matter what a program tries to do."

Fireviewer shows 16 greys by bypassing OS 3.1!

As a rule of thumb, it is a Bad Thing for a program to bypass the OS, but Fireviewer seems to have gotten lucky.

Posted by Winchell on 01-12-2001 03:51 PM:

Re: Callisto

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
Be sure to tell us about the color app you write, maybe that'll be what gets me to spring for a Prism.

Don't hold your breath, it will take a while.

160x160 resolution is pretty poor if you are trying to cram a lot of detail onto the screen. But with color, you can get a larger effective resolution.

Basically I want to port a program called VMap to the Visor.
http://zircher.iwarp.com/v_map.html

This program allows one to play paper and cardboard "wargames" on one's computer.
Wargames (or "conflict simulation games") are a dying game type. The map is generally ruled off in hexagons, and cardboard counters with numbers on them represent army units. Popular subjects include WWII, the American Civil War, and the Napoleonic Wars. Plus many science fiction outer space games.
More details can be found here:
http://www.grognard.com/

But chances are my program will not be the "killer app" that convinces you to purchase a Prism.

I'm mostly writing this program for my own amusement.

Posted by PDAENVY on 01-12-2001 04:13 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Winchell
Fireviewer shows 16 greys by bypassing OS 3.1!

As a rule of thumb, it is a Bad Thing for a program to bypass the OS, but Fireviewer seems to have gotten lucky.

I'm a professional software developer, and I think you're overstating the issue.

Bypassing an OS is a legitimate design decision. For one thing, it can allow you to maintain the part of your customer base that isn't running the most current OS.

Of course, the danger in bypassing the OS is that your code might not work on new hardware or subsequent revisions of the OS, requiring a rewrite. But nonconforming code doesn't always even break for new hardware or OS versions, so for many developers it's a good bet.

Anyhow, a company with a cutting-edge product like FireViewer will almost certainly rewrite some code when a new OS version comes out, so they're not even really making any extra work for themselves. They may as well hold on to VDX users as long as they can by bypassing the OS.

__________________
Jeff

Posted by MHCohn on 01-12-2001 04:40 PM:

Jeff,

Do you know if Firepad has any plans to add sound to their video player? I wouldn't expect the sound to be very good using the current Visor/Palm speakers, but who knows what will come along in the future?

__________________
-Michael-

Posted by PDAENVY on 01-12-2001 06:04 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MHCohn
Jeff,

Do you know if Firepad has any plans to add sound to their video player?

I hope I didn't give anyone the impression I work for them. I write Windows software.

I haven't heard anything about Firepad's plans. Have you checked their website?

__________________
Jeff

Posted by Winchell on 01-12-2001 07:25 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by PDAENVY
quote:
Originally posted by Winchell
Fireviewer shows 16 greys by bypassing OS 3.1!

As a rule of thumb, it is a Bad Thing for a program to bypass the OS, but Fireviewer seems to have gotten lucky.

I'm a professional software developer, and I think you're overstating the issue.

Yeah, you're probably correct.
I'm a professional software developer as well, but my bosses are very conservative. Coding to the OS has been drummed into my head from day one.

But as far as coding for the PalmOS platform, I see your point. The two situations are not the same.

I'll be quiet now...

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