Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

I've read the numerous posts here regarding battery drain and just can't believe there can be so many "bad" Visors (from a hardware point of view) out there.

So I was wondering... since the Visor is never really "off" (it basically just goes to sleep and the processor is still "active"), can there possibly be applications that, if running when the power switch is turned off (or the auto-off kicks in), continue to drain the batteries? A processor-intensive app might(???) continue to run in this case. I've always made it a habit of returning to the application launcher screen before turning the unit off (I'm not running any 3rd party launcher). Maybe this is anal-retentive behavior, but, hey, it's my Visor...

Another culprit might be the .1 and .2 shortcuts which open the serial port (and turn on the battery "faucet"), keeping it open until a soft reset is done. It can be fairly easy to invoke one of these shortcuts and not even realize it when entering Graffiti quickly (I speak from experience). Perhaps those of you experiencing battery drain can try a soft reset before doing anything else and see if the problem goes away. There is a free utility program called ATool that has a lot of neat features, one of which is showing the status of the serial/IR port along with an option to close it.

Just a couple of cents worth of observation from someone who hasn't experienced any significant battery drain (other than that which occurs with USB sync's, especially with 500k of Avantgo channels)... keep the change!



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MarkEagle - Ice is nice!

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

I'm curious about this as well. I did notice that running a greyscale application like the "MahJonng" game does gobble up battery life.

I too have developed the habit of going to the home screen before powering down my Visor. I don't know if powering down while in a greyscale app increases the power drain, but why take the chance?

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

I am one of the poor schmucks with a battery eater. the two replacements I have recieved have also been bad. I started the post on runtime to try to track this stuff down.

so far my actual time for my new batteries is less than 24 hours, and my runtime is showing almost 11 hours ON !!! the actual on time during this period was less than 10 minutes. I also did a soft reset after I changed the batteries.

i didnt realize a-tool had the ir / serial monitor until i read your post so I just installed it. Guess what? it shows my ports open BUT THE CLOSE BUTTON DOES NOT WORK.

perhaps this is the bug ? permanently open serials?

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 114

declana,

I don't know how Runtime get to know the visor is on or off, but from my experince the "on" time shown by it is rather correct. Now it seems that your visor is indeed on when you think it has been turned off. Although the possibility of a strange software eating battery silently exists, please make sure the power key and the four function keys are not pressed while in the case.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Beaverton, OR USA
Posts: 87

Are there any apps/hacks that will monitor and log processor cycles? It may not be something to keep running all the time, but it seems it could assist in determining what is causing the drain. Of course, it would probably cause extensive processor usage itself, so maybe the whole idea is silly. What's that thing from physics, where the observation of an event affects the event itself? Is that the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle? Ahh, it's been too long...

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Mark N.

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

quote:

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Originally posted by declana:
so far my actual time for my new batteries is less than 24 hours, and my runtime is showing almost 11 hours ON !!! the actual on time during this period was less than 10 minutes. I also did a soft reset after I changed the batteries.

i didnt realize a-tool had the ir / serial monitor until i read your post so I just installed it. Guess what? it shows my ports open BUT THE CLOSE BUTTON DOES NOT WORK.

perhaps this is the bug ? permanently open serials?

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by declana:
it shows my ports open BUT THE CLOSE BUTTON DOES NOT WORK.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

I did soft resets, I did hard resets, I stripped all programs off the pda except native apps, atool, and runtime. Still it eats batteries like bon-bons.

BUT:

I actually received a call from Handspring about my problem (in response to an email). They are pre-testing a new unit and shipping it to me. They did say that they monitor returns etc for trends in failures like batteries. Hopefully if there IS a battery drain problem, it has drawn some extra attention now.

[This message has been edited by declana (edited 06-07-2000).]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 341

Unfortunately until you remove all hacks, etc. you are never going to get to the root of things. This has to be some 3rd party app as no one else in the last 9 months has had such a problem. It almost has to be
a-tool causing this.

I also use runtime and I highly doubt that's the cause).

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

ATool is not a hack, its a program like runtime. I installed it after runtime because I wanted to see the state of my serial ports. Usage / drainage has been uneffected by atool. See the "runtime users" discussion for the handspring response to all this.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 48

I've had a similar problem off and on (so to speak). I use my Visor regularly, but sometimes my batteries will run down after a couple of days [worst two day, best 27 days]. Other times it's weeks. But basically I get about 10 - 11 hours of run time. I haven't found a pattern, but I wonder if it's a specific app? I don't run any hacks, either. Hmmmm.

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What if your sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others?

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

quote:

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Originally posted by Svenski:
I haven't found a pattern, but I wonder if it's a specific app? I don't run any hacks, either. Hmmmm.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

quote:

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Originally posted by mtn:
What's that thing from physics, where the observation of an event affects the event itself? Is that the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle? Ahh, it's been too long...

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by declana:
...the Runtime program is still showing that I have usage during the off-hours (small differnce, but still binging, with beam turned off).

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 4

I have experienced this battery drain problem as well. Unfortunately, like everyone else, I'm still looking for a solution. My problem started after I played a new game that I just received from a friend. Euchre was the game. Soon after I had trouble turning my Visor on and then of course it went completely dead and I replaced the batteries. I have done multiple soft resets and hard resets. I replaced the batteries on Monday evening and by Tuesday afternoon they were dead. I then replaced them on Tuesday evening and by Wednesday afternoon the Visor would not turn on. Has anyone else had the problem of the power button not turning the Visor on consistently? I hope someone from Handspring is noticing this problem and working on getting us a solution.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 43

I had this battery drain problem on the replacement VDx I was sent. After a few days of multiple batteries and soft and hard resets, I returned it. However, I had left it with no applications on it (after a hard reset) and it was still draining. Just my two cents worth. My new replacement has been working fine.

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

Another potential cause of battery drain is leaving the IR receiving option "on". I've had my IVDx since February, and one of the firt things I learned from VisorCentral is that, if you want any type of battery life, turn the IR receiver "off". I did so, and the battery has not been an issue.

On the topic of battery drain, watch out for those eyemodules. When it's plugged into the springboard slot, it's a sponge for battery power.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

quote:

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Originally posted by tdfellrath:
Another potential cause of battery drain is leaving the IR receiving option "on". I've had my IVDx since February, and one of the firt things I learned from VisorCentral is that, if you want any type of battery life, turn the IR receiver "off". I did so, and the battery has not been an issue.

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