Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 5

Is my visor dead?

Hi,

I had my visor (the most basic model) for more than 1 year. Yesterday I found out that it was "dead" (at least not usable anymore).

I don't use it very often but I keep it with me all the time in my bag. Yesterday when I tried to turn it on, nothing happened. I was surprized since I just put in a new set of "Energizer" batteries before the X'mas. So I tested the batteries with a digital meter and it was low (~0.5v). So I put in anther new set. To my surprise, there still was not any activity when I push the power button. In desperate, I tried the reset button. The screen flicked with very strange pattern. I tried the reset button again. It truned back on. Everything is lost. but seems it backed to normal. So I set the time and prepare to re-sync once I get back home.

Today then I tried to turn it on. It is dead again. Now, the batteries are ok. So I have to try the reset button (on the back) again. After several try, it finally came back. But after I turned it off and try to turn on again, it again is dead. So I tried the hard reset (hold power button and push reset). Still, it is the same. While sometimes I can get it to be turned on, it is very unstable. Very often, I received the "fatal error" message, after which I have to reset it. Even more strange, it sometimes turns itself on just by itself. Sometimes, it turns itself on with only half screen displaying strange pattern (some pixels are on, some are off).

The warranty has expired long time ago. Anyone saw/heard of this type of problem?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Best,

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 152

You might try opening it up and making sure the board and wires are tight and the batteries are making contact.

__________________
Howard

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

Re: Is my visor dead?

quote:

---

Originally posted by dys
Hi,

I had my visor (the most basic model) for more than 1 year. Yesterday I found out that it was "dead" (at least not usable anymore).

I don't use it very often but I keep it with me all the time in my bag. Yesterday when I tried to turn it on, nothing happened. I was surprized since I just put in a new set of "Energizer" batteries before the X'mas. So I tested the batteries with a digital meter and it was low (~0.5v). So I put in anther new set. To my surprise, there still was not any activity when I push the power button. In desperate, I tried the reset button. The screen flicked with very strange pattern. I tried the reset button again. It truned back on. Everything is lost. but seems it backed to normal. So I set the time and prepare to re-sync once I get back home.

Today then I tried to turn it on. It is dead again. Now, the batteries are ok. So I have to try the reset button (on the back) again. After several try, it finally came back. But after I turned it off and try to turn on again, it again is dead. So I tried the hard reset (hold power button and push reset). Still, it is the same. While sometimes I can get it to be turned on, it is very unstable. Very often, I received the "fatal error" message, after which I have to reset it. Even more strange, it sometimes turns itself on just by itself. Sometimes, it turns itself on with only half screen displaying strange pattern (some pixels are on, some are off).

The warranty has expired long time ago. Anyone saw/heard of this type of problem?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Best,

---

Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 5

Taking batteries out didnot help solving the problem.

As suggested by some other posts on the board, I tried to take the batteries out and leave the visor with no batteries (over night). Now when I tried it, it still does not work properly.

I am puzzled.

There seems to be some definitly defect with the visor design based on just how many similar posts here. :-(

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

After letting the Visor sit overnight, did you use a fresh set of batteries or the ones that were in it? I'd try a brand new set and see if it comes back to life.

It's also possible if you had it in your bag for a long time that it got tossed around and something came loose inside.

__________________

God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 5

After over night with no batteries inside, I put in a brand new set of batteries.

I am lossing hope on it. All I can do now is to leave it without batteries for a while and see if that will help.

I still think it is more like some sort of non-mechanical problem.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

Based on similar discussions elsewhere, try this:

1. Remove the batteries and clean the battery contacts carefully. A pencil eraser will remove minor corrosion, and the pencil point can be used to 'chip off' any crud. Wipe the contacts with rubbing alcohol or some contact cleaner (be careful with the contact cleaner- some of it will destroy or at least fog plastic!)

2. Try again with batteries you KNOW are good. Test the batteries (preferably with a tester that shows a bit of a load) before putting them in, and record it so you can see what is going on.

3. Try, in order, a soft, warm, and hard reset until it comes back to life.

4. If this does not work, remove and test the batteries again- did they loose a charge? If so, something may be shorting inside the device. If not, something is still possibly loose inside there.

Carefully open up the device (there are really good directions for this on Stephanie's Visor Page, http://www.maksystems.com/visor/index.html#apart) and look for problems- broken or loose connections, bare wires touching each other (especially near the battery compartment), etc.

If you do not see anything, carefully reassemble the device and try again with good batteries- just doing this may have cleared up the problem!

5. Try the soft, warm, and hard resets again. Test the batteries again- any changes?



My gut feeling is that a battery wire or spring popped loose or is corroded or damaged. Not usually a big repair concern if you don't mind fiddling with sensitive electronics.

Good luck- I KNOW how frustrating this kind of thing is!

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

quote:

---

Originally posted by dys
After over night with no batteries inside, I put in a brand new set of batteries.

I am lossing hope on it. All I can do now is to leave it without batteries for a while and see if that will help.

---

__________________
Jeff

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

quote:

---

Originally posted by Madkins007
4. If this does not work, remove and test the batteries again- did they loose a charge? If so, something may be shorting inside the device. If not, something is still possibly loose inside there.

Carefully open up the device (there are really good directions for this on Stephanie's Visor Page, http://www.maksystems.com/visor/index.html#apart) and look for problems- broken or loose connections, bare wires touching each other (especially near the battery compartment), etc.

---

__________________
Jeff

Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 5

First of all, thanks for all the nice suggestions. I will try.

To my understanding, the reason some people (seems like these also include the support people from Handspring) suggested to take out the batteries for sometime maybe because the visor has some sort of capacitors inside (which holds the energy while one is changing batteries). This energy is used to maintain the internal memory until new set of batteries are put in.

So if this is the case, and if my visor is dead because of some sort of unstable/incorrect internal memory states, leave it without batteries inside for a while maybe able to drain the capacitor completely and bring the memory back to baseline level (which should be the state when the visor first arrive in my hand).

That is just my last/desparate try.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

quote:

---

Originally posted by dys
To my understanding, the reason some people (seems like these also include the support people from Handspring) suggested to take out the batteries for sometime maybe because the visor has some sort of capacitors inside (which holds the energy while one is changing batteries). This energy is used to maintain the internal memory until new set of batteries are put in.

So if this is the case, and if my visor is dead because of some sort of unstable/incorrect internal memory states, leave it without batteries inside for a while maybe able to drain the capacitor completely and bring the memory back to baseline level (which should be the state when the visor first arrive in my hand).

---

__________________
Jeff

Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 5

I guess I am out of luck then. :-(

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: DFW
Posts: 82

please refer to http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...;threadid=20723