Is 3200 More Usable Than This Collie?

[scott_franklin]

I've been thinking hard about getting a 3200 (only $400 at PriceJapan!) when I read this:

I had a vision, once, that I could use my Z for all manner of tasks from being an MP3 player to reading pdf files to composing emails...Well, ever since upgrading from OZ 3.2 (I have a collie), the Z has been nothing but trouble with stupid problems like not being able to suspend properly, through extremely rough sound quality with mp2 files to general instability. For sure, the hardware is capable of useful things but the software sucks badly - nothing is ever stable.

This basically what I was hoping to get out of the Z, although I'd add VOIP, presentations (pdfs with a CF to VGA card, I can dream!), maybe porting SCID (chess database) with a good chess program (gnuchess or even crafty).  Oh, and I've written some .php scripts to maneuver around my literature database, so I wouldn't mind running a web server so I could use those...

So:  is the earlier post due to limitations of the collie?  Am I delusional in thinking that I can get the 3200 to do what I want?  How stable is pdaxrom (I would want an X server).  I've been running various forms of linux since 1994 (ok, that really dates me) but haven't done too much sysadmin stuff other than recompiling the kernel & installing patches to get laptop functions like sound &  modem working.  Installing other people's code:  easy.  Re-writing my own drivers, eh probably not.

Thanks for any help.  It's a significant enough investment (probably close to $800 w/accessories), plus returns are hard, that I want to have some idea of what I'm getting into.

Scott

[Dromede]

collie and sl-3200 are very different.the 3200 is better and more powerful in almost every way. all of the things you mentioned are very doable on the 3200 'cept the voip stuff, which is maybe a bit too much for the 3200. and yes stick with pdaxrom. pdaxii3 to be precise since it's the most stable X11 based distro IMHO.

if you plan to spend 800 bucks on a Z + accesories then maybe you should check out the kohjinsha series:
http://conics.net/catalog/product_info.php...626b9a41547a16b

[jfv]

VOIP using speaq works fine on my C860 except for some headphone issues, the Zaurus can handle it fine. I've used my Zaurus a lot for presentations, it can be done directly with pdfs but I prefer to convert the pdfs to jpegs and use the Sharp presentation program which is a bit more versatile. However, all this is with the Sharp ROM and I don't know how easy it would be to do these things in pdaxrom. In fact, things like presentation and networking are the main reasons I stick with the Sharp rom.

[moi]

(pdfs with a CF to VGA card, I can dream!),

do you already own one?. It's easier to find a new Sl-6000w than one of these CF to VGA with working drivers.

good luck

[Capn_Fish]

Well, I use my C3100 running r198 for:

-E-Mail
-Word processing
-Programming
-Web browsing
-Picture viewing
-Compiling

It is more or less my main computer, and it is perfectly stable. I think a C3200 would suit your needs.

[scott_franklin]

Thanks for the quick replies!  

if you plan to spend 800 bucks on a Z + accesories then maybe you should check out the kohjinsha series:
http://conics.net/catalog/product_info.php...626b9a41547a16b

I did check this out, but I like the Z's pocket-size (large pocket) and lower weight.  

I've used my Zaurus a lot for presentations, it can be done directly with pdfs but I prefer to convert the pdfs to jpegs and use the Sharp presentation program which is a bit more versatile. However, all this is with the Sharp ROM and I don't know how easy it would be to do these things in pdaxrom. In fact, things like presentation and networking are the main reasons I stick with the Sharp rom.

I'd like to heaf more about this.  Were you using a CF-VGA card (and if so, which) or USB?  How did you use it w/pdfs:  directly mirroring the screen (which I didn't know you could do)?  One reason to use pdfs is I can put in links to shell scripts that run animations, although I'm pretty sure the Z won't support a frame rate to make this worthwhile.  I also wonder whether these work in pdaxrom.

It's easier to find a new Sl-6000w than one of these CF to VGA with working drivers.

I'm kind of afraid of this.  I posted to the forum about the usb-vga dongles that seemed promising, but haven't gotten any replies.  I have no strong preference about usb vs. CF.  Any idea if the USB-VGA dongles work?

[jocasmi]

I got the both of them. For me the Collie is a lot of useful and stable, although it takes a little to know (the same for the Terrier) which software version is appropiated in every case, and how to set up some things. But, for it we have this forum.

C-3200 is faster and more capable depending on your needs. I bought first the C-3200, I've installed Open BSD, Debian, X/QT... a lot of power.
Now I'm using the Collie daily, and I'll try to set up properly X/QT and Debian. There's a way for everything. In this way my C-3200 is less exposed to the everyday's use risks. And the Collie, although a little slower ( for common applications, sure more with Debian or X/QT), is wonderful and very noble. I like very much this aged machine.

[jfv]

I have the IODATA CF to VGA card. It works great and you'll find several discussions of it in this forum. Unfortunately it's been discontinued so it may be hard to find. I don't know if it works on pdaxrom. The card can either mirror the screen or use the Sharp presentation tool. The screen mirror has an adjustable refresh rate but I don't think it can go below 5s which is probably too slow for animations.

[scott_franklin]

Thanks to all for the information.  The 3200 is sounding very attractive right now.  I wish (as I'm sure you all do) that Sharp was making some positive noises about continuing the line.

As of 10/2006, at least, there was a claim (Pazu_Z forum post) that the Kairen USB 2.0 VGA Adapter worked "flawlessly".  It didn't specify, however, if that meant the 18fps that Kairen claims.  It also wasn't clear if this only worked using the presentation software or could actually mirror the screen.  The driver's seemed to be a kernel module, though, which sounds promising (for compiling for pdaxrom, at least).  It might work with other, generic USB-VGA dongles.

Thanks again for all your help.

scott