Messages

1

General Discussion / Bye Zaurus And Be Well.

« on: February 15, 2005, 06:20:09 pm »

Well, I'm done!...  at last, I had to take a decision and I made it... I sold out my Z5500 and think that it is now in better hands that mine, because its new owner is a Systema administrator who works on linux.

I have to say that it was a little sad choice, because I was a strong believer of the Zaurus and its potential, but, I had to say that the device evolved to a very specific profile of owners because the kind of software and the somewhat dark tricks knowledge required to could use it.

I'm still believe in linux and for desktop use I continue with it, but for the more common user uses like Effective PIM, mail management and sync for users that dont work all the time on a desktop or dont have permanent quality internet connections, fair and easy linux sync of mail and pims, and software for other uses than systems administration or related, and by the way for people who wants to use something that dont came from M$, IMHO the real option may be a palm (T3 in my case...)

I had to say that I really like and appreciate the kind of nice, clear and polite help and manners on the forums of people like Lardman, that always have patience and will to help new users that didnt have knowledge deep of linux, on other hand like an user that came from outside linux, and who remember some replies to other users, I would like to say that If we beleive in linux as a choice for the real world, we have to have patience to teach and share the knowledge, but if somebody didnt believe in that kind of patience may be better to restrict the bad mood replies that makes angry and dissapointed the new users that want to believe in alternatives to the empires and who spend their money in buy a zaurus and hopes that they could use it well.

Anyway, I have to say that my time around a Zaurus was somewaht funny with some bither moments sometimes, but this is the way that the life is... I'm may consider again Zaurus in the future but that may be when I could see a good common user support and easy of use.

all in all, Thank you very much for all the help and advices that I received, and hope that Zaurus could stay rising well and could be a better and real choice for the common users around the world.

Again, Thanks you very very much to all the friends around here and best regards!

Xaser

2

Costa Rica / Hola! La Zaurus Es Pura Vida! :)

« on: January 20, 2005, 06:16:15 pm »

Hola!
  Que alegría saber que alguien mas anda por aqui con una Zaurus....  cuando salio y la traje tenia la esperanza que no seria el unico con el chunchito por aca mucho tiempo, pero conforme paso el tiempo estaba  creyendo que nadie mas por aca iba a animarse con una....  que bueno saber de vos!  

En lo particular, hace rato que me deje el TKC rom 1.0 con algo de cacko pero la tengo asi desde el Año pasado pero la verdad estaba aguevao de estar probando tanta carajada que daba pulgas y como la config que deje es muy estable me he quedado con eso de "si funciona bien no lo arregle..."

De wifi no uso nada, mas bien en lo que me meti a fondo en con bluetooth, compre el Aircable para zaurus y el de puerto serial (que trae unos modos internos programables) y me han funcionado bien para internet... no uso sincronizacion inalambrica pues realmente lo que es sincronización para mi siempre fue una par!da  ... con outlook me funciona, pero detesto outlook y solo lo uso para actualizar la agenda de la zaurus (para mi correo uso Mozilla Thunderbird pero ya perdi la esperanza de que algun dia lo  sincronizen con la zaurus....) en particular lo que mas me extraño de lo que no puedo usar si no es con outlook es lo de sincronizar correo....  en lo particular le estuve dando seguimeinto a sincro con notes pero despues me olvide.... eso me interesa... como te ha funcionado?....  permite sincronizar correo?...

En lo que es hardware, uso SD de 128 y modem telefonico CF, tambien tengo un CF to MMC,SD y memroy stick adapter que me permite usar esos tipos de trajetas en la ranura de CF de la zaurus (lo comprepor las memory stick de camara sony) y todo funciona bien....

De tkc me llama la atencion el media player pero no se si sera bueno, ylas otras no se si te refieres a las PIM de TKC....  hace dias que no veo de esa gente nada..

Ya aguevo....     sinceramente que alegria saber que alguien por aca tambien usa la Zaurus.... en lo particular es util contar con alguien mas con el hardware, pues como a veces se le mete el agua tiene uno que hacer magia para saber si de verdad esta jodida o no ....

Bueno, de a fijo que un gusto el saber de Ti y espero que por ahi podamos segui en contacto...  

Saludos y que estes bien!

Javier
San Jose, Costa Rica

3

5x00 Hardware / Unbricking Z5500, Battery Discharge & Service Menu

« on: January 20, 2005, 05:55:28 pm »

yep.... I tottally agree.... nothing better to see spikes that an oscilloscope...   hum, but  they could may not commonly available and not so easy to set for the common user...  
by the way, the analog meter could be easy to be available in most of places...  anyway... more than do test I still choose to plug my devices (cell too) only when a acr is started, and unplug devices before turn it off...  is not a big effort and for sure could be a simple way to avoid fry the valuable toys....  

However, for the register, I really agree with ran... If somebody needs to use an electronic device atached semipermanent way to a car, must be check the power source of the device with an oscillo if the adapter device is not clearly guarantee to use in that way.

C U L8ter and best regards to all!  

4

5x00 Hardware / Unbricking Z5500, Battery Discharge & Service Menu

« on: January 12, 2005, 06:16:56 pm »

Hi Ran!

I agree with you...  additional  peaks could be from diferent  ignition systems on cars, and when them start to fail...  for now I believe that the only way that  could be used to start a car with expensive devices gadgets connected is by testing the adaptor voltage output before use it with gadgets duringa a starting, with a good multimeter (in fact in some cases may be more usefull a GOOD analog multimeter, because cheap digital meters are sometimes so cheap that simply dont detect or show well transitory voltages, but with the movement of a needle in a good analog somebody could chheck well if the adapter blocks well the trasitory peaks...
 
Best Regards!  

5

Costa Rica / Hola! La Zaurus Es Pura Vida! :)

« on: January 12, 2005, 09:16:03 am »

Hola!

Si estas leyendo este mensaje, puede ser que vivas en Costa Rica y que tengas o pienses hacerte de una Zaurus.... En mi caso yo compre la mia, hace como 3 años, una Z5500, que me ha acompañado desde entonces y en este tiempo le he tomado un gran cariño, a pesar de que ha veces me las ha hecho como todo chunche eléctronico suele hacer...

Si te interesa, con gusto podre ofrecer los comentarios, experiencias o consejo en lo que pueda ayudar y ademas, siempre es bueno saber si alguien mas en la zona donde vives usa una de estas pequeñas maravillas.  

Pura vida y que lo pases de lo mejor!  

Xaser

6

5x00 Hardware / Unbricking Z5500, Battery Discharge & Service Menu

« on: January 11, 2005, 02:25:00 pm »

Hi!
 Please excuse the long messague but hope that it could helps other people...

I'm really happy by now, because I could unbrick my Z5500 after some long digging on the forums and reading mixed symptoms on diferent models of Z's

I had a very messy case, because I brick my Z5500 after test a self-made battery pack of 4 AA NiMH batteries that in the first try I connected inverted to my Z5500, and then it works fine after I check it and correct (only maintin the wrong connection
for few seconds that takes to me to recheck all...) and after that I forgot my Z by 2 days on my cars with the  battery almost at minimun...so when I Triying to charge again it didnt wake up, and with the previous facts I started to conclude that my Z was lost...so like I believ that I didnt had nothig to loose....

So, the only good signal that I got was that after some reset and hard reset, was that I got the yellow led on like if my Z could be charging but it didnt... so I check the forums and read the mixed info and after check the good info at http://www.tekprosystems.com/zaurus/internals.htm I conclude that is not a hardware fault...(by the way Im not afraid to use soldering iron on small devices...Im electrical engineer and lost the fear long long time ago when I started to made Ram upgrades on my Amiga 1000 and doing lots of them for earn some money, by piggybacking and soldering ram chips over the chip soldered on the main board...  )

So I point to the info of
http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...Service%20Menus

http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...%20not%20charge

but it HAVE some diferences to make it on a Z5500 specialty...
1) Follow all the recharging battery instructions on that pages. They are clear and Good.
2)The service menu on a Z5500  (and apparently also on a Z5000, but I didnt have one...)
i reached by this:
2a)remove battery on Z5500 and charging it externally.
2b)without battery push reset button for 20 seconds...
2c)put battery on place BUT DONT PUT THE BATTERY COVER AND DONT FLIP THE Battery switch lever
(maintain it at replace battery position) and connect the zaurus charger properly
2d)PUSH at the same time the keys D and P on keyboard and reset pushbutton inside battery bay.
2e)aftera second or two... tadaaa...appears the service menu and in the option 3 of the screen 1
you could move between option with cursor key on slide keyboard and select option with OK key, for
cancel and option or exit, use the DEL key(without use SHIFT key, only push that key...)
2f)Follow carefully the info on the page for battery CX00 for resetting the volatge level.
2g)Exit the service menu by simple push again the reset button.
2h)wait 30 seconds and then restart your Z5500 (and may be Z5000).

and some other info that at least I conclude of this:

1) Use of a battery pack that is selfmade but very well checked polarity of the connector and by use of 4 AA batteries NIMH dont damage your Z5500 and even the Zcould resist a short
time (few seconds...)  of inverse voltage batteries pack, but this is a suppose that you could take if you have troubles and it is made for few seconds.

2)You WILL HAVE A VERY HIGH CHANCE of fry your Z5500 if you connect it while you start your car because the diferent car adapter have diferent quality protecting overvoltage circuitry for diferent brand of adapters/cell adpater modified/other brands computers adapters/cheap adapters, so AVOID start your car whit you Z connected...

Im sure by now that all the bricked Zs by dischargin and may be some of the brickeds by flashig are because that bug.

I decided to made this post because the usefull info is really mixed on the forums and didnt found one post that puts the things really clear for my Z5500, so part on my revival was by guessing following the info for the other models but without knowing If  I could made the things worst.

Anyway please excuse this post if it botther,but I wrote it with the hope that may be it help somebody else...

Have a nice day!  

Xaser

7

Site Suggestions, Requests, and Updates / Costa Rica ZUG

« on: August 21, 2004, 11:18:38 pm »

Hello!
I would like to ask if may be posible to register a Costa Rica ZUG.

thank you and best regards!  

8

General Discussion / Remote control of Digital cameras with a Z! :)

« on: August 21, 2004, 10:24:00 pm »

Yeap!   At last, I could made the upload of the file (I still wonder why I could didnt it before, but I had to reduce the size under 200k in order to made the upload (I wonder if may be some issue because the attach option saids that it could be up to 2 Mb...), well, I cut some of the files that I made and only leave the extracted arm binaries and the info and original developer docs... but I believe that it could be enough... )

So, now, again I would like to ask the favor of somebody that could help checking the binaries with a "real" wire serial cable, and check if it could manage a camera.  By now I stucked on the  question if  happens that the IO library that was originally compiled with the package could not open properly the serial port /dev/ttyS0 of the zaurus or maybe some  issue withe aircable connection that I was triying to work.  May be usefull too if somebody could at least if the program send some codes trought the serial port (even without a camera, and with another computer try "hear" the serial port of the Z whe the command is runnig..., It tried to use minicom for check this, but didnt got  signals....

If the utility could be tested with a real serial cable, and works , it could be very usefull , because the cameras that work with it  still have decent resolutions.

In case that somebody could help with the test, IBy the way,  I  put with this messague a zip file containing the files that I install by simply copy the files to /home/QtPalmtop/bin/ and them made the command: chmod 777  /home/QtPalmtop/bin/photopc (and substitute photopc with other files names too), and voila, the utility appears that runs really fine on the Z, excepts that I couldn check until now if it could open the serial ports on the z and because this, I didnt know if it really could send the commands to the camera. the programs are really really small.

Thanks for  any help.  bets regards!  

9

General Discussion / Remote control of Digital cameras with a Z! :)

« on: August 21, 2004, 10:06:17 pm »

This is the file that could remote control digital cameras with the serial port of the Z
(Control in this case means, take pictures, download it, or some specific file of it, or downloads all in the camera memory, take snapshot,  change setings of the camera like  resolutions, shutter mode speed, aperture mode settings, timers, macro lens mode, flash mode, power down time, turn off the camera, etc..., almost everything that you could control with the buttons of the cmera itself but only in remote...(and in some cases may be more controls than the ones that are available with the buttons of some cmaeras...)    )

10

General Discussion / Remote control of Digital cameras with a Z! :)

« on: August 19, 2004, 04:29:34 pm »

Hi Lardman!

Thank you for answer... sadly for me that you didnt have a camera for tests (you are one that always offer glad to help others around here and you help me with other questions on the past...   ).  About the gender cahger/null modem, Im use them from long time ago, so by this I checked all by now.

The issue that I have is that the original file was compiled for the ARM debian, this is why I started with it, and after some digging with alien, I extracted the file and manage to run in the console off the zaurus and it apears to run well, BUT, after many MANY tries, always got the same 4 errors in row, and this are the same errors that the program made if it didnt could open the serial port of the computer that runs it or when the serial cable is not well connected (I checked it with the x86 version of photopc and the prog works fine and only give the errors if one of the above conditions are present).

 After did a lot of checking on the wiring and the port of my Z, I'm stuck because all my tries are wit a wireless Aircable serial cable so, like it didnt be a "real" wired cable, I'm wonder by now if the program didnt works because some issue on the aircable or may be the library that use the utility could not open well the zaurus /dev/ttyS0 port. I didnt have a standard serial zaurus cable, and dont want to buy one only for this test (with the aircable I dont have a real use for one standard cable at least that Im could be sure that the wired cable could e used with serial cameras).  So this is because I could ask for some help with the test.  As I said in the previous messague, I could make my serial cable to transmit and receive text with minicom running on Z and on a PC connected by the serial aircable modules, but didnt had luck making the camera works or even receive the commands from the z using the proper cable changes/adapters...

About cameras, is good to check that the serial cameras are really cheap by now ( I bougth a Agfa ephoto  1280 for around $50 and it came in mint condition and after check for good Olympus and nikon models I found them really cheap on ebay and similars...). By other way, may be somebody around could have one or may be have a friend or relative that could have one unused  or even dusted, tah could be borrow for a tests with a real serial cable.

About the software I had really Bothering troubels with the file attachmet option that the ZUG server offer, with this I had two days triying to attach to my reply a zip file containing the software and the originals files of where I got the utilties and some help files that I collected/converted to more usable forms, BUT after 14 times I CANT made the ZUG server to finnish my reply (I only got a micr*$oft style error messague that saids "the document contains no data" (and of course that ALL MY DATA  IS IN PLACE, but only apperas if I try to upload a file with the attach option of the reply page) if use Firefox mozilla and if I use iexplorer I got a general error reply....  this put me somewhat uposet, because I really eager to upload the file in order that it could be available to anyone that could help to check if it works... but by now I dont know what happens with the ZUG server...), so If I could get an option to upload the file I will be happy to do it.

Well, thanks and again please excuse the long messague, but IMHO, the explicit info could help better to the friends that could be with will to help.

Thanks again and best regards!

P.D. sorry for the late reply, but as I said I had 2 days triying to send a complete reply that includes the file without luck AND I didnt use firewall or special things, only a common public dialup connection.

11

General Discussion / Remote control of Digital cameras with a Z! :)

« on: August 19, 2004, 04:25:46 pm »

this messague is edited because I had troubles with the page attach option. see next messague.

12

General Discussion / Remote control of Digital cameras with a Z! :)

« on: August 18, 2004, 12:45:35 am »

Hi!
Since a some so-so long time, Im have the photography like one of my interest, and by the way, since some time ago, I wonder about if I could use my Z to control in a extense way a digital camera.  For now, I have a maybe good camera, but as all the models on the recent years models, it is usb, and by the way, the almost full control over the operation is almost imposible. But some time ago the serial port cameras, had very GOOD controlling options, and I start to thinking about looking for an alternative to use it from my Z5500.

Well, By now, I had two weeks of triying and fighting, and after many frustating hours, now Im stucked, so I would like to ask if someone could help me.

By now, I manage to obtain that a good shell utility named photopc, and made it runs on Z (please note,That I said manage to obtain, so Im a electromechanical  engineer who works in buildings systems design, so, Im not a developer and  I didnt made it, but is freely usable as far as the ususal debian terms, so of course, the program was made for a good developer some years ago....)

By now I installed it on my Z5500, and tested and it runs and even reports the help lines in shell.  By the way it shows all the behavoir like if it could not open the Z serial port.  well the other part is that Im like the extreme posibilities, so, I want that the remote control be serial WIRELESS by means of a aircable serial that I have.

well, this is the point, I didnt have a standard serial cable, and dint want to buy one only because to test if the bug are on the serial opening port from the shell command or in the config of the aircable wireless serial. (beleive me I really tried all the posible things on the serial port, in fact, I could send/receive text between my Z and my desktop with minicom (however, I couldn made qtopia/intellisync works... buts that's another tale...), so I by now have a the wireless serial part working.)

So, I would like to ask, if somebody could help with test of the arragement.... the things that must be need are a Z (  ), a standard Z serial cable,  a digital camera  with its serial cable,  and  some sort of gender changer for coupling right the Z serial cable with the camera's serial cable.

If someone could help me with the tests, I send him the software that I already obtain in Z usable form.

I put on the below a list of camera models that could be used in that way.

Please excuse the long messague, but, may be better put detailed info about the whole thing.

Best regards and thanks for any help

P.D.
Supported camera models include: Agfa  ePhoto 780, ePhoto 780C, ePhoto 1280 and ePhoto 1680; Epson  PhotoPC "classic" / CP-100, PhotoPC 500 / CP-200, PhotoPC 550, PhotoPC 600 / CP-500, PhotoPC 650 PhotoPC 750Z and PhotoPC 3000Z; Nikon  CoolPix 700, CoolPix 800, CoolPix 900S, CoolPix 900, CoolPix E950, CoolPix 950 and CoolPix 990; Olympus  D-220L, D-320L, D-340L, D-340R, D-360L, C-400L, C-400Z, D-400 Zoom, C-410L, D-450 Zoom, D-490Z, D-500L, D-600L, D-600 Zoom, C-820L, C-830L, C-840L, C-860L, C-900 Zoom, C-1000L, C-1400L, C-2000, C-2020, C-2100UZ and C-3030 Zoom; Polaroid  PDC-640; Toshiba  PDR-2; Sanyo-Fisher  FVD-V1; and Sanyo  VPC-G1, VPC-G200, VPC-G200EX, VPC-G210 and DSC-X300. Not all of the above-listed cameras support all of the features of the software, although the software's basic photo download and erase functions have been reported to work with all the above listed camera models. Thank you very much

13

General Discussion / Pocketop keyboard doenst work... :(

« on: August 12, 2004, 01:23:16 pm »

Well, after too many tries, I surrender, so I would like to comment some issues about the IRK driver, in hope to could get some help with them...

Because the definitions of the other combination keys (that are really usefull), guessing that by now the ALT key is not enabled on the driver, I'm triying to map the characters:
CMD+a=á CMD+e=é CMD+i=í CMD+o=ó CMD+u=ú and CMD+n=ñ (and some otherfew, but always with the CMD combination key), so I already tried the 2 ways, the driver setting section GUI and the manual edit of the IRK.conf file with text editor. so the issues that I found (Im susing a Z5500 with the CackoKernel+Proto's V1.0 rom):

1) Editing the IRK.conf file by text editor is pretty easy, but I cant found a way that the driver reads the new modified hand made settings and that the keyboard respond to them. (I really try and recheck the key definitions that are as in the Craig's page info said, the key definitions order inside the text also checked to maintain the same order that uses the other definitions(numbering...), checking that the file IRK.conf is in the same path that the driver put in the original install,etc,etc.... ) but no matters what the driver refuses to see the new file and all the times after check the settings section only shows the same original key definitions that came in the ipk original file. blink.gif

2) I start with the zaurus in normal vertical screen setting, The setting GUI inside the driver, after some little guessing, works fine in the definitions of the key combiantions, I could assign all the keys that I would like to assign, and after all the setting repeated OK&OUT process, I got the key definitions working fine and after tested it with Text editor and Hancom Word, It works fine, BUT, when I ROTATE my screen (to put my Z in landscape mode), the rotation work perfectly and all the stuuf fine EXCEPTS that the driver LOST the key confination definitions that was already made, so after rotate, and tried to type the accented letters, they appears witout the defintion and checking the the settings info when the Z is in landscape mode, shows again the ORIGINAL key settings without change, and after rotate to vertical again, the keys definitions are still missings and only appears the keys defs taht came with the original ipk. blink.gif

3) In my Z5500 the SHIFT+CMD+space for rotating only displays an advice in the screen that saids "Rotaion Off" and "Rotation On", but after tapping in the "OK"button of the advice on the screen, nothing happens and the screenn dont rotates and maintains in the same screen aspects that was setting by the menu options corner on the screen.

Please excuse the long text, I put this only to try to explain clearly the issues, so I hope that it dont bother, but I tried to solve the issue 2 very lot of times and didnt found a way to fix it (or may be I'm not too smart for that... smile.gif ). All the times the GUI made key definitions for accented characters was lost.

The driver is a GREAT driver and I'm happy that Craig had the will to make it for all of us and I really appreciates it... smile.gif so, I would like to comment this little issues in order to got the driver work a little better for other languages, because in english it didnt have issues because is no need for accented characters and hoping that it don bother too much.

Thanks for attention and help. best regards!

14

General Discussion / Pocketop keyboard doenst work... :(

« on: August 11, 2004, 07:09:17 pm »

cwaig, thank you very much for the codes!

I believe that I will be able to make some tailoring to my keymap.
hum... the info seems very usefull, I wonder If it could be include in the docs section of ZUG site.

Thanks again for your help!  

15

General Discussion / Help/Advice in new bluettoth phone with Z5500

« on: July 07, 2004, 02:16:06 pm »

Hi!

After see the working GPRS on my country, on the SE T610 of a friend, Im really impressed so, I would like to use bluetooth to enable my Z5500 to use all-time internet with a gsm bluetooth cell phone.

well, at first, after some digging I ordered the Z module of the AIRCABLE co. for use it with the cell phone.

Then, I start looking for a good bluetooth cell phone option to use, so, after some days research, by the cost (in my country, the phone is sell separartely and is not gifted as part of the service suscription...  ), I ended with 2 choices, that I REALLY want some advice, because, in the past I suffer some screws when I tried to invest my hard earned money in some mobile solutions  ... , so, If somebody could advice, I really appreciate that...

Im thinking to choose in Sony Ericsson T68i (good local price and offers me it with the comunican accesory, all for US$159 and 1 year guarantee) and Sony Ericsson T610 (really expensive local price, around US$274.... in my country, the new cell phones are quite expensive to buy and as said the cell provider dont made offers with it, and sadly no store offers none of the models used...)

well, with all the previous mess, I would ask the following.

1) As far I understand, both off the phones could connect by bluetooth with a Z5500 with an aircbale module. Im right or there are issues with it.

2) If the connection could be made, the gprs service could be used as a permanetly connection by my Z5500 (in my country, by now the GPRS is FREE!!!, all the time... may be the only good thing that I have with my gsm service ) .

3) Im clear that T68i is a quite old model, but I found that the price of the T610 option is some High.... I may think in spend this High price, if I could hear a good reason, about the hardware or connection issues that the T610 may be really fine over T68i.... any comments/advice...

4) I really want that the new phone could connect with a linux box really fine, and I was please to found that this sites have nice developments for the T68i:

a)MyT68: http://www.thai.net/gnulinuxt68i/default.htm
b)K68: http://k68.sourceforge.net/
c)MyT68X: http://www.thai.net/cocoaosx/MyT68X.html
(I dont use Mac but may be some friends do...)

Somebody around here may be experiment with these packages.... May be the MyT68 could be translated to an IPK package for use in Z5500 (the developer put the sources available.)

5) May the T610 could use/connect with the packages that I noted in quetions 4?....

Please excuse the long messague, but I would like to be clear in the doubts....

Thanx to all for the patience and attention.... any help would be very welcome.

Best Regards!