Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 18

In response to a thread I started regarding the shimmer problems I have had with my many Prisms, SG posted the below message. So far, it had worked for me, and a few others.
---------------------------------------------------------

Posted by SG on 1/31/01:

I noticed some slight flickering on my Prism and came across this hidden feature that allows you go change contrast - my flickering is absolutely gone! Try it out!

Go to Prefs
Change Date to Jan 1 1904
Hold down Power button
Adjust Brightness (this is actually now Contrast) to the left (maybe 1/3 of they way)
See the difference!

Make sure you change back your time.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 120

Holy cow!!
I wasn't THAT bothered about the flicker... Wasn't that frequent. But WHOH! change that contrast and the screen clarity and crispness REALLY gets great. Thanks!!

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

Its hard to believe something as simple as the constrast was the problem, but it worked! I never really cared about it either but now its completely gone. Any idea on if this will affect battery life?

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Matt Nichols
[email protected]

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 293

It's working for my prism thank's!
but I still see a little little bit flicker.
can you recommend me which way to go, make the contrast more left or more right? thank's

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Have A Good Day!
I Love My Prism!

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 23

Hey guys, I tried the same thing out, and although I notice that the shimmer effect is gone, I still notice the backlight flicker. When I'm writing something up in the memo, I still see a quick drop in the backlight brightness in a fraction of a second. It happens every 25-30 characters I write up. Is there something wrong? Does it also have to do with my brightness?

Like I said the shimmer is gone, but that quick flicker still occurs occasionally. Thanks for the advice though. The screen is much more crisp after changing the contrast.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 77

That has to be the craziest thing I've ever heard of. I almost didn't try it because it seemed so unrelated... strange. However... IT WORKED?!?

WHY? That makes absolutely no sense... but I'm impressed. Thanks to whoever figured this out.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 247

You're the bees knees SG! How on earth did you figure this out?!!

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Tan Kit Hoong,
Star Publications (M) Ltd
<img src="http://thestar.com.my/tech/images/thestar_140x45.gif">

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Eastern Washington State
Posts: 1

1904 FIX

You are GOD....

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Do you work for Handspring or are you just that much of a stud?

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 384

I'm impressed

I don't own a Prism, I have a VPL, but I gotta give SG mucho props!! Damn, how the HELL did you figure that out? Hmmm... I think we should call this:

"The SG Maneuver"

[Edited by Fat_Man on 02-01-2001 at 10:57 AM]

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Fat's

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

SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!

First I was like Then I was like Then I was Like Now I'm like . AWESOME. I wonder if it does the same on a IIIc , Mine always had a yellowish tint, hmmmmm. Anyways, The 'Sweet Spot' on mine seems to be right under the A in Adjust Brightness.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Re: SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Visor Guy2
First I was like Then I was like Then I was Like Now I'm like . AWESOME. I wonder if it does the same on a IIIc , Mine always had a yellowish tint, hmmmmm. Anyways, The 'Sweet Spot' on mine seems to be right under the A in Adjust Brightness.

---

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

SG, you are a great guy. Has anyone told Handspring about this yet? SG should get a free SOMETHING from them for solving so many people's very serious problem. They could save thousands in shipping costs alone.

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Once in a while you get shown
the light....

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Posts: 30

Ok, that fix is all well and good. But the true question isn't "how did SG discover that amazing trick?".

The real question here is "why in the world do Prism owners have to jump thru hidden hoops to adjust something as mundane as contrast???"

The chances that Handspring doesn't know about this one is zilch! I'd guess they kept this one close to the vest for a reason. Hidden easter eggs are one thing, but for them to hide a basic feature like this is crap!

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Posts: 74

First of all -- thanks for the great tip! I've had my Prism a couple of weeks and didn't have a shimmer problem, but the contrast now looks better.

Secondly, I agree with sreidy -- if Handspring reads these posts on a regular basis I would like to know why they didn't IMMEDIATELY let this one out of their secret vault of tricks and announce to the user community. It would seem to me, based on the numerous posts I've read mostly http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...icons/icon8.gif that they could have averted a lot of bad reviews and PR earlier.

Are they really in touch with their loyal user community?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Offhand I'd say that the reason Handspring kept this a secret is that there are problems that occur when the contrast is adjusted.
That is, problems that intelligent users can deal with, but problem which will turn unintelligent users into an increased burden on Handspring's technical support people.

And SG, you are a Visor Uberguru!

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 109

Visor Guy2

I just wanted to say I like VIsor Guy2's post.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 120

Copy Fleabag; that smiles post is hilarious!!

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

I think the Prism contrast "feature" was not known to the support people, and the presence of the said "feature" was probably only available or known to the developers, and it was unforseen that some units would be shipped with bad contrast settings. The support people with nearly every company WANT to solve the customer's problems, and I feel that it is just simply a lack of communication internally between the developers that implemented the contrast controls and the support people that knew of the problem. I'm sure Handspring will be very happy to have this issue solved, thanks to SG. Again, I say he deserved something from Handspring for being such a cool guy.

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Once in a while you get shown
the light....

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 18

Handspring SUCKS!

While I am very happy that SG's Contrast secret worked to help me get a screen that is very gorgeous and crisp, I am very dismayed by the fact that Handspring had to keep this contrast feature such a damn secret! It is so simple and cures a very common problem...why the hell could Handspring let us know about it?

Anyway, I do enjoy my Prism now, but I will sell it on eBay as soon as the Palm Vc comes out. A loyal HAndspring user I am NO MORE! True, Palm is playing catch up with Handspring, but there is no point to being the leader of technology if you can't do it right. Might as well go with a company that takes it time and knows how to do it right the first time without screwing the first generation unit users like Handspring does!