Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

I just bought some Maxelle Ni-MH batteries for my VDX a few days ago. I let them charge up over night, and then popped them in this morning. Now, its telling me batteries are low. I had another set in there charging up all day, and i put them in. After hotsynching i lost about 10% of the power. Whats going on? The charger is set to charge Ni-MH and not Ni-CD, but it was shipped with the setting on Ni-CD and with Ni-MH batteries in it? Should i use the other setting or what? I didnt pay that kinda money for batteries that would die on me!

Erik

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 7

You also have to change settings in PalmOS so it knows rechargable batteries are in use (not alcaline as default). Go in MemoPad (Or any other app in which you can write). Click on new and write "(sign for shortcut).7" and you will change batteries to NiCd (there isn't settings for NiMH but NiCd works fine here). If you don't know which is the sign for shortcut you can find it in graffiti help.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 68

I use 2 sets of Energizer NiMH 700 mAh batteries with my Platinum, and they last well over 2 weeks.
On the Platinum there IS the setting for NiMH batteries, maybe it comes with PalmOS 3.5 only?

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

NiMH don't charge to 1.5v, they are only 1.2v (look on the battery you'll see the 1.2v).. In fact most rechargeable batteries don't go to 1.5v!

this is where your 10% has gone to.. Don't worry, it shouldn't drop much for the next few weeks.. On my VDX, I would get about 2 weeks on a charge.

The visor's battery display is calibrated to 1.5v alkaline, on a Visor Deluxe (or a pre OS 3.5 Palm), set your battery type to NiCAD (NiMH as a setting is only available in OS 3.5)
To easily change your battery display calibration type, you need to get a freeware/shareware program, check palmgear.com


You should be ok so long as you are not getting a pop up window that actually says "your batteries are low..." If you are getting a warning window, your batteries or the charger may be defective.

__________________
"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

If you don't feel like using hacks and If you use silverscreen, the Toolbox, Device Info screen shows you which battery your visor is set to.

I will be switching to rechargeables this weekend.. I'm burning up the alkalines in about a week or so on my VDX...

Dieter

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 290

quote:

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Originally posted by EricG
The visor's battery display is calibrated to 1.5v alkaline, on a Visor Deluxe (or a pre OS 3.5 Palm), set your battery type to NiCAD (NiMH as a setting is only available in OS 3.5)

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Thanks for the specification, but Handspring owners only have two choices, 3.1 or 3.5 (I didn't want to confuse anyone out there)

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"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Not so sunny, San Diego, CA
Posts: 51

Dot commands

Hmm. I've tried using the (shortcut).7 command to change the battery type, and it doesn't seem to have any effect (I've also never been able to get other dot commands to work...) Is this an issue with VDx's or am I just dense?

After trying it, SilverScreen's Device info still says "alkeline" despite the .command and using Battery Level hack..

Any other suggestions or bright ideas?

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

I used to use a shareware/freeware program to set the battery type on my VDX, "Batt type", or something like that, although the program has the option for NiMH the OS on a VDX doesn't support it, so it defaults to NiCAD (which is fine).

Shortcut activation has always been a mystery to me as well..

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"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

Re: Dot commands

quote:

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Originally posted by WorldCTZen
Hmm. I've tried using the (shortcut).7 command to change the battery type, and it doesn't seem to have any effect (I've also never been able to get other dot commands to work...) Is this an issue with VDx's or am I just dense?

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Not so sunny, San Diego, CA
Posts: 51

Not Dot commands

I've tried the double-tap for a period, and a single tap followed by the alphanumeric.. no dice either way. Shame, too. I'd like to enable the reversed backlight sans hack.. (command.8) Anyone else having this issue?

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 7

Re: Not Dot commands

quote:

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Originally posted by WorldCTZen
I've tried the double-tap for a period, and a single tap followed by the alphanumeric.. no dice either way. Shame, too. I'd like to enable the reversed backlight sans hack.. (command.8) Anyone else having this issue?

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

Re: Re: Not Dot commands

quote:

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Originally posted by rascho


Shortcut commands work when you see on a screen what you type. That means you need to write "(shortcut).7" and you need to see on a screen "(shortcut).7". This is why you need to enter it in memo (or any othe editor). You cant just write something if it doesnt apear in a screen. And I think backlight shortcut doesnt work in Visor (but I havent tried it).
Let me repeat step by step. Start memo/new. Type "(shortcut).7" (no quotes). Then this will desapear from screen and Visor will write current battery settings. By repeating this you can cycle through 3 types of batteries.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

Re: Not Dot commands

quote:

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Originally posted by WorldCTZen
I've tried the double-tap for a period, and a single tap followed by the alphanumeric.. no dice either way. Shame, too. I'd like to enable the reversed backlight sans hack.. (command.8) Anyone else having this issue?

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 501

Re: Re: Not Dot commands

quote:

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Originally posted by bregent


The shortcut 8 command does not work on the Visor. If the other shortcuts are not working then you have a problem.

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__________________
Jeff Meyer

"And he died like he lived: with his mouth wide open."

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

I use REchargable alkalines regrettably.. but I do find they drop to 50% or less quickly.., thoughI'm someone who milks my batteries to the lowest level. (2.074mV is my lowest leval).. WHen they warn you.. ESPEICALLY using rechargacles.. you have at elat an hour more of runtime.. so

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-miradu

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Not so sunny, San Diego, CA
Posts: 51

clueless

After following all the sage advice (which I already knew) I still have not been able to change my Visor's battery setting..

actual actions:
open Memo
enter 'shortcut' (the lowercase "l" thingy), ".7"
My visor still says "alkeline".. I've tried with SilverScreen disabled (just in case. How do you determine what battery type the Visor is set to outside SilverScreen?), with BatteryLevelHack disabled..

what are some other dot.commands that work on the Visor so I can troubleshoot whether the problem is me or my Visor?

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: South Lake, FL
Posts: 103

Re: clueless

quote:

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Originally posted by WorldCTZen
enter 'shortcut' (the lowercase "l" thingy), ".7"
My visor still says "alkeline"

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You need to enter the .7 several times on the same screen - each time you do, you will see another one of the battery settings options. Stop when the one you want is displayed.

BTW, I had a problem with Ni-MH batteries draining very fast too - it turns out to have been due to the patch to the infamous memory chip problem with the early Visors. Handspring replaced mine immediately, and no further problems.

Good luck!

__________________
Eschew obfuscation!

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

Re: clueless

quote:

---

Originally posted by WorldCTZen
After following all the sage advice (which I already knew) I still have not been able to change my Visor's battery setting..

actual actions:
open Memo
enter 'shortcut' (the lowercase "l" thingy), ".7"
My visor still says "alkeline".. I've tried with SilverScreen disabled (just in case. How do you determine what battery type the Visor is set to outside SilverScreen?), with BatteryLevelHack disabled..

what are some other dot.commands that work on the Visor so I can troubleshoot whether the problem is me or my Visor?

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__________________
There is nothing yet made by man that cannot be improved upon.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 68

dot = tap tap

quote:

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Originally posted by DBrown
Open Memo. Enter the shortcut, then two dots in the letter area.
(...)

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