Registered: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27

I'm still within my 30-day return period, so I'm still trying to decide if it's a keeper. I've done the SG maneuver and increased the contrast, so now the shimmering icons and jiggly lines are gone, but I still have the flicker, and it's quite noticeable. In fact, I haven't gotten used to it yet, so it hits me every time. I notice that it's less noticeable at a higher screen brightness, but sometimes (like at night) I like to keep the screen down at about 1/4 to 1/3, and it's realy obvious when it's like that.

Simple question for you all: have any of you gone through this issue, returned your unit (possibly multiple times!) and gotten a flicker-free unit? Do they even exist??

BTW, I had a IIIc that my wife now uses to play Bejeweled on, and that screen had no flicker at all. Since it's supposed to be the same screen hardware, I wonder if it's happening because of the way HS has pumped up the screen colors and basically just maxed out the intensity.

I'd appreciate any advice on this!

Thanks.

Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 594

You post:
"...I've done the SG maneuver and increased the contrast..."

Is this the one w/the crazy date thing (like 1902) and then a few Graffiti taps, or something? I think that's the tip you have to hunt down. I'm not a Prism owner, so I've never done it, nor noted its specific instructions, but search the board, it's here somewhere.
Anyone else got a bead on that?

__________________
"Great Spirits Have Always Encountered Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds." -- Albert Einstein

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27

You're right, that's the SG maneuver, although it's simpler than you made it sound. All you do is set the date to 1/1/1904 (it's the lowest date you can set on the unit) and then the brightness tool turns into a contrast tool. I did that, believe me. I also did read the posts about this, and evidently some others noticed also that this maneuver didn't help with the flickering.

Thanks, but I still wanna know if any units don't flicker!

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 4

Hey everyone,
Yes, I have a prism, and no, it doesn't flicker. First of all, the contrast hack should be used properly - turning the contrast all the way up does not solve flicker. You must find a spot in between the dark, low contrast setting and the flickering setting. I just adjusted it with the up and down buttons, and looked at a white part of the screen until it didn't flicker. I believe that some units left the factory not set properly - but most of them are ok. If your unit flickers, try this and see if it goes away.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

I bought my Prism in retail two weeks ago, and haven't seen any screen flickering or contrast problems. And I've never done the SG manuever. Handspring probably fixed the problem on its latest assembly run of Prisms.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 72

quote:

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Originally posted by Gameboy70
I bought my Prism in retail two weeks ago, and haven't seen any screen flickering or contrast problems. And I've never done the SG manuever. Handspring probably fixed the problem on its latest assembly run of Prisms.

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27

Thanks, fr0g. One question for you: can you tell me exactly what contrast setting you have, meaning under which letter in the words "Adjust Brightness" does your contrast bar fall?

I tried finding the "sweet spot" this morning, but I wasn't able to. Maybe if I put it in the same exact spot as yours, my flicker will go away.

Thanks!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

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Originally posted by dshorter
Could you provide a lot#, shipping date off of your box so I can check it when I go to buy mine? Thanks!!

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Streamwood, IL USA
Posts: 118

Prism no Flicker

My Prism never flickered. I regularly keep the brightness setting at about 1/3 to 1/4.

The shipping information and lot number is encoded into the letters at the beginning of the serial number. Some guys here decoded it when the visors first started shipping. I don't remember how to decode it, but the messages are still here somewhere . (Very old though.) Think 10/99

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 72

quote:

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Originally posted by Gameboy70


I don't see anything on the box identified as the "lot number," but there's a "Part No. 60-0085-00," and there's a white tag on the plastic wrapper for the case with the number 02007400. I don't see shipping date anywhere on or in the box. The serial number, minus the last two digits, is AEBEB0505402xx. Hope this helps. If you can tell me where to find the shipping date, I'll doublecheck.

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Thanks GB, I'm going to check w/HS and hopefully they can distill a ship date from yout info. By the way, what is your Avatar a picture of? Pretty cool; looks like a dead-head postage stamp.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Today's avatar

dshorter:

I picked up an Eyemodule2 last week and have been changing my avatars daily since then, each one the "Eyemodule pic of the day." I've been captioning the pictures in the "location" info underneath the avatar. The avatar for today (5/16) is of a painting hanging in a Latin-themed coffeehouse in Pasadena called Zona Rosa Caf�, and is part of a series of Kahlo-esque pictures on exhibit there. I didn't get the name of the artist. If you're interested, I can email you the VGA copy of the picture, but tomorrow, it'll be replaced by something else.

Registered: May 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 98

Re: Today's avatar

quote:

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Originally posted by Gameboy70
If you're interested, I can email you the VGA copy of the picture, but tomorrow, it'll be replaced by something else.

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"That IS a Palm III form-factor in my pocket, AND I'm happy to see you...."

Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 594

Re: Today's avatar

quote:

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Originally posted by Gameboy70
dshorter:
I picked up an Eyemodule2 last week and have been changing my avatars daily since then....

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EM2 rules, doesn't it? Almost validates the whole SB concept by itself, IMHO.

__________________
"Great Spirits Have Always Encountered Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds." -- Albert Einstein

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

I've had my PRism for 45 days now? Whatever. I keep it at ever brightness leval, and it works perfectly. I don't even get what flickering is. AND ys, he eye2 is a sweet as$ peice of mother****ing ****!

__________________
-miradu

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Mountain View, CA
Posts: 211

quote:

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Originally posted by miradu2000
AND ys, he eye2 is a sweet as$ peice of mother****ing ****!

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__________________
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Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 23

Virtually all Prisms flicker. I've been through three replacements and they all flickered. The only way to reduce the flicker is to increase the brightness to about 3/4. The lower the brightness, the more noticeable the flicker.

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Sacramento, Ca
Posts: 35

I disagree. I think it's not as much to do with brightness as much as it is to do with contrast. It took me a few shots to set my contrast just right, but it doesn't flicker now at any brightness level... ever. No flicker at all now.

James

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 109

Mine will "sometimes" flicker at the lowest brigntness setting. But not always. Mine is not yet 30 days old. I do have some paint rubbing off where it contacts the cradle and from the supplied case.

__________________
I got a turtle head poking out!

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27

I unfortunately had to return my Prism since it was causing me some very bad eyestrain, leading to headaches. Has anyone else had this problem? I never experienced this with my IIIc. I'm wondering if it's the extra intensity of the Prism's screen, or maybe just that my eyes have gotten a bit older...

I then got the same eyestrain from an m505, so I'm back to monochrome for now, but I'm really missing the color. The Prism's features are perfect for me, so I really wish that I could use it. Ahh, such is life...

Thanks for all your comments.