Thanks for your supportive message, Paul. As you read earlier, I was begining to wonder if the transplant was the right move. I really want the recording feature. Thanks for a positive message. terry Powers
-----Original Message----- From: Paul Henrichsen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:40 PM To: Braillenote List Subject: RE: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery Hi, Carol. I agree. No one should be put off buying an MPower. It is absolutely wonderful. I think there are only a few of us with this battery problem. I agree with you there. We really shouldn't even have had to calibrate our batteries in the first place, these being new units. I just decided to try it as I wanted to see how it worked. Regarding your concern about lost settings or data. I don't see any settings lost even when the MPower goes completely flat. Mine resets each time I try a calibration and still, I have not lost any settings nor have I lost any data. I want those who read this message to be absolutely clear on this point. I saw those messages about microphone settings being lost and such, but I am here to say that mine is exactly where I left it at 48 db. I have about 20 mb of files on mine and nothing has ever been lost nor gotten corrupted. I charged mine to 100 percent this morning, read for around 15 minutes then turned it on to check something. I am at 96 percent. I find that if I use the modem, bluetooth transceiver or USB port, my percentage tends to drop a bit faster.But these processors are faster than in the bn classic. We could be dealing with nothing more than a bad battery. We'll have to wait to see what the engineers find out from the information we have submitted. I can tell you that when mine was discharging yesterday that it took over nine hours for it to go flat. I still would not give up this unit and go back to a bn classic for any reason and those who are waiting for a transplant have nothing but good times to look forard to with their new MPowers. If they are not absolutely impressed, I want to know why<grin>. At 8/17/2005, you wrote: >Paul, > >Again I'm having similar experience in that, after our first calibration >and recharge and the power unit was unplugged, the mPower reported 100% >charged yesterday. I turned off and didn't use it for just 3-4 hours >and, when turned on again, the percentage report was only 90%. > >I accept Jonathan's statement that there are only a few people having a >problem, but I'd like to make the observation that, had I been given >very clear instruction at the beginning from UK's Technical Support of >all I had to do (including running the BN down to 90% before trying to >calibrate, I would have succeeded in carrying out the needed calibration >much earlier. As it was, despite the fact that I made it very clear it >was an mPower, the instructions I was given did not work and were >probably for earlier models. I reiterate here, my main concern is now, >having had to recalibrate at this early stage, what is going to be the >battery's life expectancy (bottom line: will we perhaps end up having >to shell out to return the BN for a new battery early than 18 months' >time). > >Short battery cycles and the need to reset a number of items as a result >of the battery getting too low was one of the big reasons why Mike >decided to abandon the PacMate and go for mPower. (I would very much >like to do the same, if and when funds allow.) I appreciate that we >don't lose data and it would seem there are few settings that are thrown >out when the mPower battery suddenly ceases but, once we are using it >full-time, we would not want to run the risk of losing important data >because of no warning received of "battery low" or "critical". > >I'm delighted to see that we appear to have much better support with the >mPower, from the mailing list point of view anyway, and I very much >welcome the questionnaire sent out by Dean. > >The last thing I want to do is to put someone off buying an mPower. I >say it again "We're really pleased with the mPower and won't let it out >of our hands unless absolutely necessary; so now I'm not intending to >say any more on the list about these battery issues, so long as we get >the support and help off list that we require. I am confident that we >will! > > >-- >Carol >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul >Henrichsen >Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 1:11 AM >To: Braillenote List >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery > > >Hi, John. I used bluetooth a bit on Sunday and Monday as I was trying to > >get it work with a verizon phone and went down to 75. I then read for an > >hour and went down to 66. >Sometimes, I will drop more than five points in a day doing nothing. At >8/16/2005, you wrote: > > >Hi Paul, > > The battery goes shortly after ten percent or, maybe, around five. > > >Yes, PC cards and such Definitely makes a difference. I used mine > >continuously for just under three hours with only a brief use of a card > > >to back up data and went from 43 percent to just under 20. If I had > >used my wireless card, I'd bet I would be recharging the unit now. > > > >Take Care > > > > > >John D. Panarese > >Managing Director > >Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc. > >9 Nolan Court > >Hauppauge, NY 11788 > >Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479 > >Email, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com > > > >AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA, > >PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO-TRONICS, > >PULSEDATA, DUXBURY, DANCING DOTS, ROBOTRON, AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR THE > >BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul > >Henrichsen > >Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 6:56 PM > >To: Braillenote List > >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery > > > >Hi. John. I think that is something in the manual from the old days > >that was never corrected. Even with the bn with the newer motherboard, > >you would never get 20 hours. The board used more power than the older > >ones. I hear the older boards could get 20 hours, but not the new ones > >and certainly not the MPower. I suppose humanware should correct this > >little oversight in the manual. I also saw a line in chapter 13 that > >went nowhere. It was half a sentence and then it went to the next > >section. At what point below ten percent does your battery die? Last > >time, mine died at around nine percent. Granted, I used the modem once, > > >but that was it. I was playing with bluetooth last night trying to test > > >some verizon phones and then I read for an hour. I went from 75 to 59 > >when I looked at it this morning. Before using bluetooth, I think I was > > >at 89; so that short time of using bluetooth repeatedly dropped it from > > >89 to 75 within an hour or so of noncontinuous use. > >Peripherals really seem to drain the battery quickly. > >At 8/15/2005, you wrote: > > > > > Just out of curiosity, how much battery life should one expect > > >from a BN mower? The manual suggests twenty hours, but I do not > > >foresee this, even without using cards and external drives. Am I > > >correct in assuming that it's more like 10 or 12 hours or is my > > >battery already messed up? I've used it from 100 percent to under > > >ten three times and granted that I have used a PC card and wireless > > >card at times, my estimations have been around the 10 to 12 hour > > >range in total life. > > > > > > > > >Thanks > > > > > > > > > > > >John D. Panarese > > >Managing Director > > >Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc. > > >9 Nolan Court > > >Hauppauge, NY 11788 > > >Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479 > > >Email, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com > > > > > >AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA, > > >PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO-TRONICS, > > >PULSEDATA, DUXBURY, DANCING DOTS, ROBOTRON, AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR > > >THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul > > >Henrichsen > > >Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 7:38 PM > > >To: Braillenote List > > >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery > > > > > >Hi, Carol. I agree. Probably not worth sending the unit in. Just more > > > >of an annoyance. I still can get it charged to 100 percent and as > > >long as you know the battery dies at just under ten percent, you know > > > >what to > >expect. > > >Also, > > >losing that ten percent means that you will not get 10 to 12 hours of > > > >use out of an MPower. Again, not a big deal as long as you are aware > > >of it. It just means you have to charge up more often. It would be > > >nice if these guys would come out with a car charger or some kind of > > >external battery charger. At 8/15/2005, you wrote: > > > > > > >Yes, we definitely had some trouble plugging in and getting going > > > >again. I'll keep you posted and probably the list as well. > > > > > > > >I think it may be a hardware/software issue perhaps but not > > > >something which can necessarily be repaired even if you send your > > > >unit in. We're not planning to send ours unless we're convinced the > > > > >battery isn't up to scratch and we're not getting anything like > > > >what we should > >with it. > > > > > > > > > > > >-- > > > >Carol > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul > > > >Henrichsen > > > >Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 4:50 AM > > > >To: Braillenote List > > > >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery > > > > > > > > > > > >Hi, Carol. I assume you have seen my last message by this time. > > > >Battery percentage reading on the MPower seems to be quirky at > > > >best. It does charge, but sometimes, for no reason that I can think > > > > >of, it just stops aat some point. You need to unplug the AC adapter > > > > >and plug it back in again and even then, it might stop somewhere > > > >else. Plug in enough, and eventually, > > > > > > > >you will get to 100 percent. I don't know if this is a software or > > > >hardware problem or if I should send it in for repair or not. I > > > >have only had it for a month and that is why I want to talk with > > > >other MPower users, off list if need be, to see if they notice this > > > > >as well. At 8/13/2005, you wrote: > > > > > > > > >Paul, > > > > > > > > > >I'm not sure if my last message got through so (everyone) forgive > > > > > >me if > > > > > > > > >this is a sort of duplication. > > > > > > > > > >Interesting. We've been having similar problems with the mPower > > > > >and, although it now seems to be giving us a correct battery > > > > >reading and we haven't (after all) actually needed to try the > > > > >calibration, we certainly have had to do that "big reset" for > > > > >something, which appeared > > > > > > > > >to us, fairly minor at the time. > > > > > > > > > >Humanware, I'll watch this one closely and give feedback if I > > > > >can. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-- > > > > >Carol > > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul > > > > > >Henrichsen > > > > >Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 12:18 AM > > > > >To: Braillenote List > > > > >Subject: Re: [Braillenote] problem calibrating the battery > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Thanks, Don. I will try that. I talked with Chris at humanware > > > > >and he was surprised as well. I also had quite a scare today with > > > > > >my > >MPower. > > > > >I > > > > > > > > >had it > > > > >down to nine percent last night. I thought I would turn it on > > > > >today and it would drop the customary five percent. I was > > > > >surprised to find it was still at nine percent. I played with > > > > >menus, moved something to a flash card, etc, for a while in an > > > > >effort to get it to drop, It dropped ti eight > > > >percent. > > > > >I > > > > >decided to try loading a large book with the book reader. During > > > > >the loading, the MPower died. I plugged it in and tried a reset > > > > >after about 15 > > > > >seconds. Nothing happened. I tried this for the next hour and > > > > >still, nothing happened. > > > > >Chris from humanware told me the secret and got me back up. I was > > > > >sure > > > >I > > > > > > > > > >had to send it in and was talking to tech support to get an RMA > > > > >number. > > > > > > > > >What I had to do is to press reset and record at the same time. > > > > >This brought the unit back up. It was still plugged in and was at > > > > > >93 percent. In no time, it was at 99 percent and working again, > > > > >but what a > > > > > > > > >scare! At 8/12/2005, you wrote: > > > > > > > > > > >Hi Paul, > > > > > > > > > > > >The problem probably is that at that high of a level, the > > > > > >battery is trickle charging. > > > > > > > > > > > >Try discharging the battery to something under 90 percent and > > > > > >then start the cycle. > > > > > > > > > > > >It should first charge the rest of the way which won't take > > > > > >long and then the discharge should start. > > > > > > > > > > > >I think it needs to charge before discharging to accurately > > > > > >determine > > > > > > > > > >the point where the battery is fully charged as part of the > > > > > >overall calibration process. > > > > > > > > > > > >It won't hurt a thing to do this. > > > > > > > > > > > >Don > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > > > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > > > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > > > > >___ > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > > >___ > > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > >___ > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > > > > > >___ > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.10/73 - Release Date: >15/08/2005 > > >-- >No virus found in this outgoing message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.10/73 - Release Date: >15/08/2005 > > > >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
