Registered: Jul 2000
Location: austin, texas
Posts: 61

hey something i don't understand so far is why there is so much concern about the wiring together of the cell phones and the visor ('rmapes' stlye when you can use an IR enabled phone (can't you?)

my questions i guess are:
1. with an IR phone, do you just point the visor beam at the phone beam dial up the ISP on the cell and leave them sitting together until you're done?
2. if so, that seems easier than the wiring method. is it as good? or is it more expensive to get an IR phone? i don't know a lot about cell phones, so i'm just wondering.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

On a VDx, you'll need 3rd party software to do the IR. In addition, consider this: the Visor and phone need to be in fairly close proximity to each other for IR to work. For something really quick, this might be ok, but what about heavy duty surfing? Remember, the Visor is a handheld device (as is a cell phone). Trying to surf and keep both devices pointing to each other with only 2 hands has got to be a real feat (if it can even be done ). The hard-wire method provides a more stable use, IMHO. Plus, and I'm not positive about this, but I think IR consumes more power from the Visor than a wired serial connection does.

I've been using my Visor/StarTAC combo for the past week and just love the way it works. I can essentially connect from anywhere at anytime and the 14.4 connection isn't really all that bad. Since I'm using this setup to mainly retrieve email, speed isn't an issue.

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 16

How?

Hi Mark,

I've got a few questions. How do you have your Startac and your Visor working together? Are they hardwired? Who is your mobile provider? What technology do they use (PCS, CDMA, GSM etc.)?

Many thanks!
Fred

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Re: How?

quote:

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Originally posted by fnj
How do you have your Startac and your Visor working together? Are they hardwired? Who is your mobile provider? What technology do they use (PCS, CDMA, GSM etc.)?

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 73

Anybody happen to also know the pinout on the Sprint Qualcomm Touchpoint phone or how I might find out? It might be the same as the Motorola StarTac, but probably not.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 106

Mark,

I am about to try the same TTL --> TTL mod you just made for your StarTac to Visor connection, but I have a couple of quick "technique" questions before I start.

1. STARTAC END:
I just bought my StarTac yesterday and picked up the car charger to go with it. Neither my original charger (in the box) or the car charger appear to have all 15 pins (looks like 4, 5, 10, 14 - probably the recharger-only lines). Where did you get the recharger with all 15 pins in it?

2. VISOR END:
a. Do you think a regular USB hot synch cable (appropriately rewired) will do the trick?
b. Did you discover a non-destructive means for opening up the visor-end connector in your process?

Thanks,

Kupe

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by Kupe
1. STARTAC END:
I just bought my StarTac yesterday and picked up the car charger to go with it. Neither my original charger (in the box) or the car charger appear to have all 15 pins (looks like 4, 5, 10, 14 - probably the recharger-only lines). Where did you get the recharger with all 15 pins in it?

2. VISOR END:
a. Do you think a regular USB hot synch cable (appropriately rewired) will do the trick?
b. Did you discover a non-destructive means for opening up the visor-end connector in your process?

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Posts: 79

StarTac and Visor Dlx

How much would you want to make me one? Having no facility or ability to pry and rewire, but owning a StarTac 7868 and VDx, I would love to go wireless.