1 Specifications
2 Power/Batteries
3 repairing case (crack, hinge, kb etc)
4 flash cards / repairs cont.
5 Modems, IR port etc

As of 11/01/99 the HP LX series was discontinued.

\1 Specifications

Dimensions:16 x 8.64 x 2.54cm (6.3 x 3.4 x 1in)
Weight:312g (11oz) with batts.

Using the adapter extends batt life as the LX doesn't use batt pwr when the adapter is plugged in. The LX draws less than 500mA even when charging. 

The AC adapter makes some pgms run faster when the AC adapter is plugged in. It also prevents the LX from going into light sleep (batt conserving mode). Some DOS pgms will be slower on batt because the way they process info allows the LX to go into light sleep. 

Adapter specs: 12 VDC, Neg (inner) tip, up to 500-750mA, W/5.5mm OD barrel type connector. Polarity is NEG. Center ctc is grnd, outer ctc is pos. Min volt +9.6V, Noml +12V, Max +14.4V, Min curr 750 mA. 

Built-in ROM Appns: Appn Mgr, DOS 5.0, 
Pocket Quicken, Lotus 1-2-3 rel 2.4, 
cc:mail Remote, Data comm, 
Appt Book, Phone Book, Notetaker, Database,
Memo/Text Editor with Outliner 
Calculator, World Time and Stopwatch 
Filer, System Macros, Setup Utility 

Memory: 3 MB ROM, 2-96 MB RAM  
PCMCIA Type II card slot 
Read and write to flash disk cards 

Standard PC Architecture and CPU 
IBM PC architecture 
Intel 80 C186 CPU running at 7.91 Mhz 

Display: CGA-compatible FTN liquid crystal 
80 columns by 25 rows, 640 x 200 pixels.  Zoom options 
 
Input/output: Built-in 9 wire serial interface for
connection to RS-232 devices.  Built-in infrared
transmitter/receiver up to 115K bps for LX to LX and
other wireless communications. Built-in printer driver
supporting these serial printer types: HP Laserjet, 
Epson FX-80, IBM ProPrinter.  PCMCIA Type II  card slot
for running PC software and expanding I/O. 

Optional HP F1021 B Connectivity Pack for file transfers
between a LX and a DOS PC 
Optional adapter: HP F1011 A available in worldwide
configs for powering unit and recharging Ni Cd batts 

Power: Two 1.5V AA main batts. 
One 3V CR2032 coin cell backup batt
Optional 1.5V AA rechargeable batts 

LX uses an ASIC (app-specific integrated circuit), that integrates the 186 core and other blocks (PCMCIA control- ler, DRAM controller, etc) (Intel?) Hornet 80188 IC (with most of 286 microcode) running at 10 MHz. DOS sys uses only 27k of conventional RAM due XIP leaving 609k. It can be enhanced with 4DOS. All C instructions are accepted. 

PS/Plaza Wakamatsu, TYO 81 3 3251-8933, 3258-7445 
Install SHS dbl clk spd crystal, also Sells preinstalled. 

\2 Power/Batteries

PCMCIA cards do not draw power in the LX when it is off as the 5v supply is turned off to the PCMCIA slot. Mack.

1. Introduction The 200LX palmtop has an extremely complicated power system for its size. You may only put in the batteries and plug it in to the wall, but chances are that sooner or later you'll get to the computer's bad side, and need to read this. I did. There wasn't a power system FAQ, then.

An onboard battery meter (a kludged 6-bit ADC) gives very accurate battery voltage measurements for both the main and backup batteries, ranging from 1.57V to 3.30V, in .0286V increments. If you're paranoid like me, it pays to get a program like LXPro that you can pop up to read battery voltages without going into Setup (which isn't terribly accurate anyway.) LXPro can be found at SUPER. 2. Backup Battery 2.1. What is the backup battery for?

The backup battery maintains the system's RAM disk when no other power is available. This is normally when the main batteries are completely empty and the 200LX is not plugged in to the wall. 2.2. What is "Backup Mode" / "Exiting Backup Mode.." ?

It is a power-saving mode designed to prevent data loss. The theory is that the RAM disk of the 200LX (also known as the C: drive) needs power to maintain its contents. Most people value the contents of the C: drive and want to maintain them, at any cost. Even if it means their machine suddenly turns off and they lose whatever they were working on. 2.3. What triggers Backup Mode?

Any of the conditions which would require the system to run off the backup battery trigger Backup Mode. The main cause of going into "Backup Mode" is hot-inserting a PC Card, or in other words, inserting it while the machine is on. Most PC Cards cause a "spike" of current usage when they are first inserted which quickly settles down to their normal range. Often the spike is quite high; many cards draw over 100ma more than their operating current when first inserted. This quickly goes down to their normal operating specs, but even so, this very short current usage spike causes a voltage dip, which makes the 200LX think the batteries are very low. To prevent data loss, it hibernates.

The main culprits are 28.8Kbps and 33.6Kbps modems, or Ethernet cards. Occasionally flash cards have been known to trigger Backup Mode as well, but this is much more rare. Most 14.4 modems will not shut down the 200LX.

To prevent entering Backup Mode, the best thing you can do is TURN OFF the 200LX before inserting any cards! 2.4 What are the dangers of Backup Mode?

The most obvious danger is that your RAM drive will be erased. If you are plugged into a wall socket, your data is most likely safe. If you are on batteries, it's not so certain. Most of the time your batteries will have sufficient power to supply the C: drive's DRAM chips with enough electricity to maintain your data. This is because Backup Mode is usually entered long before your batteries are totally drained. (Contrary to a popular myth among 200LX users, Backup Mode does not force use of the backup battery. It will try all other power sources first.) However, if your batteries _are_ totally drained, or if your batteries have been removed, then the backup battery takes over. This is a situation you want to avoid, because: The backup battery will not last as long as the main batteries The backup battery is more expensive to replace than the main batteries The backup battery will read out at a fairly constant voltage until it is almost dead, then plunge. If you've been using it a lot, you may noteven know it by the voltage reading. In a typical situation, entering Backup Mode is equivalent to rebooting the machine. Hitting the [ON] key will bring the unit back up as though from a reboot. If your main batteries are too low to turn the unit on, you may hear a beep and see the screen flash, or you may see nothing at all.

If _every_ power source was too low to supply power to your RAM drive, your C: drive will be cleared and you will see the dreaded "Initializing RAM disk" message when you finally restore power to the machine.

Times2 Tech and Thaddeus 32MB upgraded machines are special in this regard. The above warnings apply to their on-motherboard RAM, which is highly vulnerable. The chips used for the 32MB drive, however, use less power than the built-in RAM and are a bit safer during power loss. 2.4. When should I change the backup battery?

Hewlett-Packard suggests that the backup battery be replaced annually. Really, it's not necessary to do so until the 200LX displays the message:

BKUP BATTERY LOW - Press ESC

However, you should always have one handy, because once this message is displayed the backup battery may be only minutes from being totally empty. 2.4.1. When does the palmtop detect a low backup battery condition?

The 200LX displays the BKUP BATTERY LOW message when the backup battery's voltage has dropped to 2.80V. 2.5. How do I change the backup battery?

Pull the infrared cover off. This will reveal the infrared LEDs and the grey plastic backup battery tray. Pull the small tab with enough force to pull out the battery, but no more. The tray's tab tears very easily. The battery's type is CR 2032. Make sure that when you put the new battery in, the silver, labeled side goes _down_. Replacement is the opposite of removal. 2.6. Do I risk anything by not using a backup battery (other than loss of sanity from the incessant "BKUP BATTERY LOW" message?)

Yes. If the main batteries are too low to maintain memory, you will risk serious data corruption or loss. Basically, it's a Very Bad Idea. Don't do it. 3. Main Batteries 3.1. What are the main batteries for?

Without main batteries, the computer is forced to overload its internal fission reactor, which supplies most of the current. This leads to excessive radiation and may cause skin cancer. Unfortunately, the glowing effect from the reactor doesn't reach the screen, as the upper hinge is lead-shielded. So you can't use it as a backlight. Sorry, guys. 3.2. What kinds of batteries can/should I use?

The type of batteries you pick will seriously affect the running time of the computer. There are several different kinds of batteries. The first, which comes with the palmtop, is alkaline. A good pair of "industrial use" batteries will last a very long time. Plus, you have the advantage of being able to see the amount of power remaining via Setup, since alkalines drop in voltage as they are used. They generally are rated to be around 2000 mAh (milliamp hours). On the other hand, if you're willing to spend the extra money on a set of rechargeables, you'll probably be better off.

Nickel-Cadmium batteries (also called NiCd or nicad) have been around for a long time. NiCd capacity is usually around 600mAh. High capacity batteries are typically 850mAh. Panasonic high-capacity batteries are the highest power NiCds, at 1100mAh. NiCd batteries can be recharged inside the palmtop. They have a lower operating voltage than alkaline batteries (1.2V per cell instead of 1.5V) but provide a flatter voltage curve, which means that the voltage generally remains constant until close to the end of the life of the battery. This is good because you can use higher-drain devices without triggering a "Battery Low" warning, since the voltage remains high. However, it can be disastrous if you get the "Battery Low" warning, don't have a spare, and watch your batteries totally die a few minutes later.

NiCd batteries are subject to a memory effect, which means that charging them without fully discharging them first can damage them and lower your battery life.

Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries (NiMH) are the next step up. You can go with basic RadioShack NiMH if you want; these garden variety batteries usually run around 1200-1300mAh. NiMH batteries have the same basic characteristics of NiCd batteries, being rechargeable and having a flat voltage discharge curve. However, they do not suffer from the memory effect and also come in higher capacities, so they have advantages. Newer NiMH batteries can be charged in the palmtop, when it is set to the NiCd setting. The downside is that most NiMH batteries have a high self-discharge rate; a fully charged pair left sitting for a week will discharge themselves down to nothing. Some newer batteries, notably Times2 Tech's high-powered 1350mAh NiMH batteries, overcome this and have virtually no self-discharge, thus providing us the best of all rechargeables.

Lithium AA batteries seem to be the longest-lasting in the 200LX. They have a discharge curve similar to NiCd and NiMH batteries, but last longer than even alkalines. They are not rechargeable, and are generally quite expensive ($4.50 and up for a pair). 3.3. What's up with the voltage meter when I use a PC Card?

This one is a bit hard to explain. Perhaps you've seen a coffee dispenser with a gauge of sorts, coming off the same pipe as the spigot. When you open the spigot, the coffee drains out of both the gauge and the actual container. Well, the battery meter works on the same principle. PC cards with high current drain will really mess up the voltage reading, while an SRAM or flash card will be practically undetectable. 3.4. When should I change/recharge the batteries?

You should change alkalines as soon as possible after the computer starts saying "MAIN BATTERIES LOW". You'll still have plenty of operating time if you can't change them immediately, however. When you really need to start wrapping things up is when it starts insisting "MAIN BATTERIES VERY LOW". Beyond that point, the system will eventually shut down. If you're lucky, there will be enough power left to keep it out of backup mode.

There's two different stories on rechargeables. Since the voltage curve is so steep on them, you need to get on AC power to recharge the batteries as soon as you get a "MAIN BATTERIES LOW" message. When you are using NiCd batteries, it is best only to recharge when the computer starts complaining, as intermittent recharging can permanently shorten battery life. With NiMH batteries, you can be safe recharging whenever you like, as they don't suffer from NiCd "memory effects". 3.5. Are there any external "power packs" available?

None commercially, though hobbyists have made some. With creative use of battery holders and such, you can, for example, run the computer from D-cell batteries. My opinion is that if the standard available power is not enough for you, it's probably in a situation where you would generally be running off an AC adapter anyway. In addition, you can't weld with the onboard power supply, so you might want to watch what you're doing if you get into that kind of situation. 3.6. When does the palmtop detect a low main battery condition?

According to the SDK:

The main or system battery consists of two 1.5 volt batteries in series. These batteries may be either NiCad or Alkaline, and feed the HP palmtop power supply in normal operation. The low main battery warning condition is nominally 2.2 (2.3 for NiCad) Volts. When the level reaches about 1.8 volts, the power supply can no longer reliably operate off of the main batteries, and an NMI Low Power In terrupt triggers a transition to Backup mode.

Because it is desirable to avoid warmstart, there is an intermediate state betwe en the first low battery warnings and the time of the Low Power NMI that MAY be entered. This state, called Software Shutdown, will be entered when the battery voltage reaches 2.0 Volts (NiCad or Alkaline). In this state the unit will be shut down, and attempts to wake it up will result in a pair of hi pitched beeps. Recovery from this state will not result in a warmstart provided that System Memory still appears to have integrity.

It should be noted that Software Shutdown is not triggered by hardware, but is instead the result of periodic battery measurements that take place every 15 seconds or so. Abrupt power transitions such as loss of battery contact, or very heavy loads being applied may result in a direct transition from a low battery warning state to BackUp Mode without ever entering the Software Shutdown state. 4. Adapter Power 4.1. What kind of adapter should I use?

If you are willing to spend $30-$35 on such an animal, then you should definitely go with Times2 Tech's tiny adapter. It's about as small as you can get, and its shape means it can be plugged in almost anywhere. It supplies 800ma of power (more than the genuine HP adapter!) which should be plenty for anything you do on the 200LX. The disadvantage is that it is not international-- it will only run on 120V, 60Hz AC current.

The next best thing is HP's adapter. It's light, portable, and is guaranteed to work with the palmtop in almost any country. There are cheaper solutions, but it's not necessarily a good idea to use them.

The onboard (that is, internal) power supply of the 200LX is very amicable. However, it is best to get an adapter as close to HP's specifications as you can. I have an adapter that is 9V, 300mA, and another that is 12V, 500mA, and both work fine. The optimal adapter is 12V, and at least 750mA. Make _absolutely sure_ that it puts out DC and has a negative (-) tip. We don't want any smoke, okay? 4.2. So what is all of this mA / V / tip stuff anyway?

mA stands for milliamps. An adapter's mA rating is how much current it can put out before it starts melting down (well, maybe not, but at least heating up a lot). You want a bare minimum of 300mA, if you aren't running any PC cards. If you are, I wouldn't use anything below HP's minimum spec of 750mA.

V stands for volts. The 200LX wants anywhere between 9V and 15V, ideally 12V. Too little will not be sufficient to power the unit. Too much could cause components inside to overheat and be destroyed.

The tip indicates the polarity of a barrel-style power connector. The tip is the bit that the needle on the palmtop sticks into. Since it's direct current, it _absolutely_ matters which way the power goes. The 200LX has a negative tip. With a positive-tipped adapter, you will likely destroy or severely damage the 200's onboard power supply. Don't forget. There's a diagram on the underside of the palmtop, below the connector, which shows the polarity, if you do forget. 4.3. What happens if I use an underrated supply?

Probably nothing. However, undervoltage and not having enough mA available does make the onboard power supply work a lot harder. Usually the upper-right area of the keyboard will start to get warm when this happens. Note that it will also get warm when charging batteries; this is not a sign of having an underrated supply. The other thing that will happen is the adapter itself will become very hot to the touch. If this happens, you really had better replace the adapter with a more capable one. (We're talking HOT here, not just warm. It's normal for an AC adapter to become warm when plugged in. If it burns your hand or starts smoking, though, that's a sign of a problem.) 4.4. I hear a buzzing noise from my unit. What is the deal?

Here we will get a little bit technical. The power supply which drives the screen also powers the PCMCIA socket. It buzzes in proportion to the amount of current it is delivering. Using a high-drain PC Card device such as a 28.8 modem will cause it to buzz louder, therefore, than it does when no PCMCIA card is installed. The loudness of this buzz is machine-specific. If it's too loud, you might want to have it checked out by HP or Times2 Tech. It's just not right for that small of a power supply to be making that much noise. 5. Onboard Power Supply Considerations

(Note: The rest of this FAQ is an answer. Deal with it. :) The power supply on the 200LX is amazingly hardy. It can handle just about any input voltage, and produces a wide variety of output voltages. It can run an entire computer, and an expansion card to boot. All in a space that could easily be covered by a single quarter (sorry to break the news, but I'm in the U.S. Don't hate me for it.. :) Anyway, it's tough to destroy, but you don't want to try. Don't run a high-powered modem while plugged into a cheap adapter. Don't try to run a Type III hard drive on high-drain batteries. The power supply is your friend. Don't melt it. 6. PC Card Considerations

Many people wonder about the computer shutting down if a high-speed modem or another high-drain card is inserted while the machine is on. The answer is simple. Remember the coffee-pot analogy mentioned earlier? A high-drain card will bring the voltage meter down low enough to trigger a very low battery shutdown. If you shut the machine off before inserting the card, likely it will all power up in such a manner that it won't trigger a shutdown. If you can hot-swap a PC card, however, than by all means do. If the computer doesn't mind card-swapping, then it is a lot easier to do routine tasks like switching a modem out for a flash card. If you are unsure of whether your machine minds hot-swapping of a particular card, turn the palmtop on and stick it in. If there aren't any abnormalities, then you can feel safe doing it all the time. I have heard that 33.6Kbps modems often shut the machine down all the way to Backup Mode, so you'll want to make sure anything you're working on is saved to the RAM or flash disk before you start to experiment.

(c) 1998 Ian Butler ian@hplx.net, Advanced Software Systems, Inc.,

You loose capacity when you do not charge fully your
empty Nicds. (memory effect) This is also true for NiMH
Accus, although less than in NiCd. The heating of the LX
when charging is from the voltage control circuit and not
from the Nicd's. The charging current of the LX is so
low, that you cannot heat good accus. I charge my NiMh's
outside the LX with much higher current w/o frying them,
but in a special charger with sophisticated charging
control (and temp monioring) 

Ah, the memory effect. I've been on NiMHs for so long
that I'd forgotten all about that issue in regards to
NiCads. Yes, NiCads supposedly require more aggressive
"conditioning" in how far you deplete them, and then in
how completely you recharge them. Partial discharges and
recharges apparently reduce the capacity of the cells
over time, tho I'll admit this is more from consensus
than experience since I had used only one set of NiCads
before switching. I pretty much abuse my NiMHs in every
way (partial-complete discharges, partial recharges,
monstrously long overcharges) ... with no discernible ill
effects to either cells, LX and more importantly to the
owner. - Longden  

Batt Life. PCs, mobile devices, and other HW as
mice, KBs, and digital cameras have undoubtedly altered
the way we conduct business and gather and disseminate
info for personal, entertainment, educational, and comm
gains.

But one thing that has remained constant even as these
tech tools advance in sophistication is their reliance,
at least in part, on batt pwr. Here's a look at the types
of batt used in a variety of common HW devices.

In desktop systems, an alkaline or lithium CMOS (comple-
mentary metal-oxide semiconductor) batt is secured onto
the motherboard to help maintain the real-time clock and
system config data stored in a CMOS chip when the system
is turned off. 

The alkaline batteries last two to three years, while
lithium batteries can last as long as five years. Nearly
all notebook computers produced today use rechargeable
Li-Ion (lithium-ion) or NiMH batts. Li-Ion batteries can
last more than five hrs between charges and weigh less
than NiMH batt. Conversely, NiMH batt average about two
to three hours between charges, depending on the use of
the notebook.

Handheld PCs typically use rechargeable Li-Ion or NiMH
batts. Li-Ion batteries for handheld PCs last 5-12 hrs
between charges, while NiMH batt can last six to 12
hours. Likewise, palm-sized PCs use rechargeable Li-Ion
and NiMH batt but may also use alkalines. Depending on
use, the rechargeable batts can last from five hours to
more than a week, while alkalines may last for two weeks
to two months.

Nearly every digital camera can operate with two to four
AA alkalines, but most can also utilize rechargeable
NiMH, NiCad, or Li-Ion varieties. NiMH batts are usually
good for 500-1000 charge/recharge cycles, NiCad batts are
good for 600-800 cycles, and lithium batts last from 500
to 700 cycles. If you use the camera's LCD (liquid-
crystal display) to frame snapshots, expect to only
capture a few dozen images before the batts are drained.

The type of battery that particular cellular phones use
depends on the manufacturer. Battery types generally
include NiMH, NiCad (nickel-cadmium), and lithium
batteries. You can expect to get anywhere from 500 to 800
charge/recharge cycles from a cellular phone battery or
18 months to three years of life.   Cordless mice
generally require two AAA alkaline batteries. Depending
on the manufacturer and amount of use, the batteries can
keep your mouse operational for six months to a year.
Wireless keyboards use four AA alkaline batteries that
live from 400 hours to a year or a combination of AA and
AAA alkaline batteries with life expectancies of six
months to a year.   Compiled by Blaine Flamig           

 Battery Power For Portables            
A battery is a group of connected cells that operate by
converting chemical energy into electrical energy. It's
like a miniature power station for the device that it
powers.  Laptop and notebook PCs are portables designed
to take advantage of battery power. And although you will
commonly see people using their portable PCs at a desk,
plugged into an AC outlet, the beauty of battery operated
portables is that they allow you to work in places where
power outlets aren't available.    Where It Sits  The
main battery for the portable sits parallel to the PC's
direct line of power, ready to be put to work. When the
portable is plugged in, electricity runs from the outlet
into the PC's power supply, which converts and channels
the electricity to the different parts of the computer.
At the same time, a trickle of electricity runs out to
the battery to keep it charged. When you unplug the
portable, a built-in switching mechanism activates the
battery. The battery then immediately supplies and
distributes electricity.    Battery Types  In some
smaller notebook PCs you might find alkaline
batteries-the same AA or C-sized batteries that are
available at grocery stores. Alkaline batteries aren't
rechargeable however. Once they're drained, you simply
replace them. Lead acid batteries provide reliable power,
and they're rechargeable. You can recharge a lead acid
battery as many as 150 times. Like your car battery
however, if you run a lead acid battery down and don't
immediately recharge it, it's dead. For portable computer
users, perhaps the biggest disadvantage of the lead acid
battery is its weight. It's much heavier than the Nickel
Cadmium battery, which is the most commonly used battery
today.  The Nickel Cadmium battery is lightweight and
rechargeable. In fact, you can drain and recharge a
Nickel Cadmium battery up to 1,000 times.  If you were to
completely drain your Nickel Cadmium battery every day
and recharge it every night, the battery would last about
two years. But since most people don't use their
portables everyday, Nickel Cadmium batteries are
typically good for two to four years. One fully charged
Nickel Cadmium battery provides two to five hours of
computing time, or run-time. How much run-time you'll get
depends on how much power the PC and its components
demand. A laptop with a hard disk, for example, will
consume more power than one without.  Nickel metal
hydride batteries are the latest in battery technology.
John Conoscenti, marketing manager for Varta Batteries,
Inc., explains that they are the same size as Nickel
Cadmium batteries and that a few portable PCs can use
both types. One advantage of the Nickel metal hydride
battery is that its cells can hold more energy than the
Nickel Cadmium battery. ``But the real reason for the
development of that system,'' says Conoscenti, ``is that
there's no Cadmium in it; Cadmium is a toxic material.''
Conoscenti predicts that the Nickel metal hydride
batteries will be widely available by 1993.    Recharging
Batteries  You can recharge the batteries for a portable
in two ways. First, whenever your PC is using AC power, a
trickle of electricity runs to the battery; it's called a
trickle charge. ``A small charge is constantly being put
into the battery so that when you unplug it, you'll have
a fully charged battery,'' Conoscenti explains. The
second way to charge your battery is with an external
battery charger. You fit the batteries into the charger
and plug the charger into a regular wall outlet. ``The
best way to charge,'' advises Conoscenti, ``is with a
standard charge, which is a 14-hour charge.'' Some
chargers offer to replenish the battery faster, in seven
hours, for example. But these chargers are more
complicated, he says, and can damage the battery.  Nickel
Cadmium batteries tend to self discharge, which means
they lose power when they're not being used. Battery
chargers counter this by beginning a trickle charge
immediately after the battery is replenished, ensuring
that the battery is 100% full when you take it from the
charger.  Nickel Cadmium batteries work best when they're
fully discharged then recharged. If you use a battery in
a more piecemeal fashion, over a period of weeks, say,
Conoscenti recommends occasionally fully discharging the
battery before recharging it. Some battery chargers do
this automatically, but you can also do it by leaving on
your portable overnight and recharging the battery the
next day. ``When you fully discharge the battery and give
it a full charge, you rejuvenate the battery. It's a good
thing to do to a Nickel Cadmium battery every once in a
while.''    Disposing Of Batteries  Since Cadmium is a
toxic element, when the battery for your portable finally
gives up the ghost, don't throw it in the wastebasket.
Instead, check with your local municipality regarding
disposable batteries. In some cases, portable computer
dealers will take used batteries and send them back to
their manufacturers for recycling. An average price for a
battery to power a laptop is $130. For a miniature power
station so cheap to refill, it's a bargain.

Alkaline cells start out with a voltage (presssure) of
about 1.5 volts. They deplete at a predictable constant
rate of use at about 600 milliampere hours (mAh) from a
start of about 2500mAh giving 20-30 hrs of use. They are
sensitive to cold and are usually not rechargable.

Alkaline  .50 ea.      Strt  Hrs  Test    Rmks

Sony LR6 SGE           3.05  36+  2/98    Best
Mitsubishi LR6 (G)     3.02  32+  1/98 
Panasonic  LR6T/4B     3.05  28+  1/98 
Walgreens (Fuji)             26+  1/98
Varta LR6 Titanium     3.05  22+  1/98 

Duracell MN1500 LR6          12+ 12/99 
Eveready Energizer 
Fujifilm               3.05  24+  1/00
Panasonic  LR6T/4B     3.08  28+ 12/99 
Panasonic              3.05  23   1/00
SONY Stamina                      3/00 TYO 

Alkalines uses a zinc wrap as the Neg electrode and
manganese dioxide as the pos electrode with a potasium
hydroxide paste as electrolite and can be called a dry
cell. It has a long life and some cells can be recharged.
The D size is considered a batt as it is composed of
several cells.

Lithium (Eveready FR6 L91) have the highest capacity with three times the energy of alkalines. They are primary (one use) cells with a 10 year shelf life and recommended as backups and use in cold weather. Gives about 35hrs of use. RM# 2054233. Special lithiums may be recharged but insure correct charging current or they may explode.

NiCads (GE) give about 14 hrs on a charge. Developed in Sweden in 1898. They are cap- able of about 2000 charge discharge cycles and remember the cycle, to keep it at  max efficiency completely discharge periodically.

NiCad $3 ea. Rechargable about 150X, and (GE) gives about 14 hrs on a charge. Its life may be shortened by recharge before completely discharged.

Memory effect manifests itself when batts are over/slow charged. The heat and chemical action causes crystals to grow, this and acidic action causes the sides to be eaten through and leak or burst.

NiMH (Jap/Tyo) start out with a voltage (presssure) of
about 1.5 volts/cell. They provide energy at an even rate
at about 600 milliampere-hours (mAh) per hour from a
start of about 1200mAh capable of about 18 hrs of use.
Twice as much capacity as NiCds. No memory effect.

These batts have flat usage (aprox 15 Hrs) curve then
drops quickly.  Do not overcharge as heat deteriorates
the battery and reduces its life.


Fuji HR/AA 2B         1500mAh  $10 pair 3/99 HKG
Sanyo R6              1500mAh 21.0 2.80 2.36 1/00 HDY
Sony                  1500mAh  $10 pair 3/99 HKG
Sony NH-DM2AA         1400mAh  $40 pair 2/98
Toshiba #3, TH-3A 2P, 1300mAh   $7 pair 2/97
Toshiba #3, TH-3A 4P, 1300mAh  $12 pair 2/98
Radio Shack                    $10 pair 12/97.
Sony                  1600mAh  $ 8 pair 3/00 


reg chg rate 400mA for 4 hrs
quk chg rate 1200mA for 1 hr
a fully chg NMhd batt will meas 1.2V.
Do not over chg.

There is a util pgm that enables you to charge longer
than 6 hours at 100mA. First time charge is much longer.

Solar powered recharger: CampMor 201-445-5000.
Handbook of Batteries 2Ed 1995 by David Linden $125.

The nominal voltage for a pair of NiMH batts is about 2.4
volts, and NiMHs, like NiCads, have a flat discharge
slope.  What you're seeing is the first initial peak
after charging.  This rapidly drops to more like 2.5ish
volts, then you should see it remain pretty stable and
slowly go towards 2.4 or so.  When it starts dropping
below 2.3 or thereabouts you're heading towards the end
of your batt charge.

ABC/LX includes a timer that shows you how many hours you
got from your batt; when you finish a charge, reset it to
zero and see what you get when it's time to recharge.
 
I've noticed that 1.5AH batts - don't charge as high as
1.3AH, maybe it's tied to capacity. I can say that 2.92
volts is *generally* in the peak range you'll see on a
NiMH charge. Remember that the A/D converter in the LX
doesn't have good res, and if you're just on "this side"
of a bit transition when the batt stalls that may give a
slightly lower reading than expected .

The bottom line is, getting some time and experience on
the batts before reaching any conclusions about their
usable life. NiMHs may be a little different from what
you may have used in the past, and therefore take some
getting used to.

>The voltage shown by ABC/LX does not go beyond 2.92
volts. Also, I see that even if the unit is not used, the
voltage drops within a few hours to 2.7X volts. 

I don't	know what the previous poster meant by
"reconditioning", but the things I've seen advocated for
that purpose are deep-discharging, and zapping.
 
Fans of	deep discharging will advocate putting a little
light-bulb across a single cell at a time, and running it
down until it's stone dead, then recharging it. Don't
deep charge whole battery packs at once, since doing that
will put a highly-destructive reverse voltage across the
first cell to discharge.
 
Zapping	goes with the theory that batts lose capacity
because of little conductive whiskers that grow between
the contacts; the usual recommendation seems to be to
dump a capacitor and let the current surge fry the little
whiskers into oblivion. Do it in a blast chamber says I.
 
I've used two pairs of AAs, each for a couple of years.
First I	bought a pair of Radio Shack "High Capacity" NiCD
AAs, 850mAH. They were as far as I know still fine a
couple of years later when I upgraded to the pair of
Radio Shack NiMH's I'm using now (not sure of their rated
capacity, but it's somewhere in the hood of 1200mAH).
They're also still working fine. My strategy is simple, 
 
(1) I use the builtin charger in my LX; it's the only
recharger I have. I never take the batts out; the batt
cover never comes off.
 
(2) When I buy the batt and they are brand new and dead,
I run 'em through a couple of the LX's 6-hr high-current
charge cycles to mostly fill 'em up.
 
(3) Once they have gotten their	initial	fill-up, I
install batset (avail from SUPER [1]), with the line in
autoexec.bat:
 
batset /c/t=00:01
 
so that from then on, whenever I plug the LX in, it gets
only one min (the minimum supported) of high-current
charge, and immediately drops down
    to trickle.	I plug the LX in whenever I'm at my desk
or at home asleep.
 
(4) When an exception comes up,	and I can't charge for
some time --- e.g. like
    last sommer	when I was sailing for a couple	of weeks
--- when I get	home,
    I give it a	6-hour cycle just to make sure it's well
off dead.
 
(5) I carry around a mini-maglite with two of the
single-user
    infinite-shelflife Lithiums, as a backups in case my
batteries ever	do go
    dead, but it hasn't	happened yet.
 
The operational	theory behind my strategy is that "memory
effect" is a myth,
overcharging at	high current damages cells,
but	trickle	charging is benign. So
far so good!         -Bennett

NiCd (nickel-cadmium aka Nicad) batteries were the first
rechargeable batteries that most of us ever came into
contact with. They were good in their time but as most of
us with cellphones and cordless phones know -- they do
build up a memory effect when frequently charged before
the cells have been completely discharged. This means a
shorter and shorter cycle life between charges until they
hold almost no charge at all. 

Enter the NiMH (nickel metal-hydride) rechargeable
battery!  NiMH is chemically different than NiCd and does
not succumb to the dreaded memory effect even when
short-cycled. 

Over the last two years we have seen larger and larger
capacity NiMH batteries hit the market, especially in the
popular AA size which is what almost all of the digicams
use. The first cells were only 800-900mAh capacity but
now we have a wide choice of cells ranging from
1100-1600mAh. As expected, the larger the capacity the
longer the run time. 

Do NOT carry NiMH, NiCd or any kind of batteries loose in
your pocket or you risk being burned or starting a fire.
Most people don't realize how much current (power) can be
released by shorting out just one AA size battery. I have
heard of people being burned by a battery getting shorted
out in their pocket by some loose change or keys! 

NiMH BATTERY FAQs

Question: How long will nimh batteries last and what's
"mAH" mean?

Answer: mAh": Stands for mili-ampere hours. It measure
the capacity of the batteries. For example, a 1000mAh
capacity means that the batteries will last for 1 hour if
subjected to a 1000mA discharge current.  | Top of Page |

Question: What is the difference between NiMH batteries
and "rechargeable alkaline" batteries?

Answer: Recently the market has introduced a new type of
supposedly affordable rechargeable alkaline batteries.
However, they do not compare with NiMH rechargeable
technology. The key difference is that rechargeable
alkaline batteries can be recharged up to 50 times. NiMH
cells can be recharged up to 500 times.  | Top of Page |

Question: What do you mean by "no memory effect" on NiMH
batteries? 

Answer: Memory is a type of problem that traditional NiCD
batteries would develop. You probably have heard that in
order to maintain the life and performance of
rechargeable batteries, you have to fully drain the
batteries before recharging them. Thanks to "memory free"
technology featured on NiMH batteries, you can charge
them anytime you wish, regardless if the batteries are
fully drained or not.  | Top of Page |

Question: My Digital Camera uses 1.5V "AA" batteries and
your NiMH "AA" batteries are 1.2V. Will they still work?

Answer: Yes,  you can safely use our NiMH batteries
without any problems. They can be used in place of your
original batteries in almost all digital cameras , film
cameras, flash units as well as most other electronic
equipment.   | Top of Page |

Question: Does temperature effect the charging of your
NiMH batteries?

Answer: Yes, but usually only if charged outside of the
optimum temperature range of  0?C to 45?C when Slow
Charging and +10?C to 45?C when Fast Charging. See the
below for more detail.  | Top of Page |

Typical Battery Charging Performance of NiMH Battery
Cylindrical Cells

Standard Charging: Charging at 0.1C standard rate for
14-16 hours will greatly enhance the NiMH battery's
service life. Our NiMH batteries can withstand overcharge
at 0.1C rate indefinitely. Charging at or below 0.1C rate
is suitable across a temperature range from 0oC to +45oC.

Fast Charging: All our NiMH series can be fast charged at
rates from 0.5C to 1C. Fast charge termination measures
should be employed. These include: Temperature Cut-Off
(TCO), Rate-of-temperature rise (dT/dt), negative Delta V
(-dV). A timer control set at 105% of nominal capacity
can be used as an additional protection. For maximum
capacity, a trickle charging can be applied after fast
charging. We recommend top-off trickle charging at 0.1C
for 2 hours or 0.2C for 1 hour. Fast charging can be done
at temperatures from +10oC to +45oC.

Question: What is the average discharge curve of your
NiMH batteries ?

Answer: Discharge rates can vary depending on the
operating temperature. | Top of Page |

Question: What are the number of charge / discharge
cycles I can expect  from your NiMH batteries?

Answer: Under normal conditions you can expect any where
from 300 - 1000 charge / discharge cycles from our NiMH
batteries.  Cycle Life is dependent upon usage conditions
and type of charger used.  | Top of Page | 

Question: Do your NiMH batteries lose any capacity during
their useful life ?

Answer: Yes they do lose some capacity, but it is
normally very, very gradual. This is true with all
rechargeable batteries, but some have a very high rate
loss.  Our Nimh batteries are designed to have a much
longer cycle life than older generation Nimh batteries. 
Normally after 300 - 400 cycles, capacity will decrease
10 to15%. See the chart below.  | Top of Page | 

Question: How well will your NiMH Batteries work in 
Flash Units and Film Cameras? 

Answer: Our 1300 mAH NiMH Batteries will all work very
well in flash Units, and film cameras as well.  We have
many customers who are professional Photographers and are
now using only our NiMH Batteries in all their equipment
in place of standard AA batteries.

MAHA MH-C210   "SMART" i-CHARGER 
NiMH / NiCAD Rapid Battery I-Charger with Flex Negative
Pulse Charging.  Charges either rechargeable NiMH or NiCD
battery cells. Built-in Microprocessor controller with
Automatic Trickle Charge Charge Time 60-160 Minutes. 
This is one of the world's most compact  intelligent
chargers 

http://www.4gdo.com/batfaq.htm    email: info1@4gdo.com

FAQs about our NEXcell , GP, QUEST, Yuasa, or DigiPower
Rechargeable NiMH Batteries

Question #1:  My Digital Camera uses 1.5V "AA" batteries
and your NiMH "AA" batteries are 1.2V. Will they still
work ? 
Answer   #1:  Yes,  you can safely use our NiMH batteries
without any problems. They can be used in place of your
original batteries in almost all digital cameras , film
cameras, flash units as well as most other electronic
equipment. Actually when they are fully charged they will
measure around 1.4v per cell . NiMH (Nickel Metal
Hydride) batteries are fast becoming the most popular
choice of digital camera users, photographers, cellular
phone and laptop users, and many others because these
batteries have a much higher capacity and are virtually
memory free. These batteries do not need to be discharged
every time before recharging. NiMH batteries can be
damaged from heat by overcharging but this is easily
avoided by using a high quality, microprocessor
controlled battery charger or a charger designed for NiMH
batteries and charging as directed. 

Question #2: I am purchasing these NiMH batteries for my
Nikon Cool Pix 900 camera which I recently purchased. The
camera manual states that 1.5volt batteries are needed.
In your testimonials, a user of a Nikon Cool Pix 900
stated that the NEXcell NiMH batteries work well. After
reviewing the batteries, I have noticed that they are
marked as 1.2volt. Are these batteries acceptable to be
used in my camera and was the person in your testimonial
using these or a 1.5volt AA NiMH battery ?  If the
batteries are acceptable, are the batteries sent already
charged ? 
Answer   #2: All NiMH ( Nickel Metal Hydride ) batteries
as well as all Nicad Batteries are all 1.2 Volt for
consumer use. Once charged they average 1.3 to 1.4V . So
you can be assured that these are the batteries that
everyone is using in their digital cameras and other
electronic equipment.  We ship a large quantity of our
NEXcell NiMH batteries per week just for digital camera
use and we have found that around 30% or more of our
customers are using a Nikon CP900. We also use one here
ourselves for a lot of our product pictures. 
The NiMH batteries are always shipped uncharged and must
be fully charged before their first use.
 
Question #3: Does temperature effect the charging of your
NiMH batteries? 
Answer  #3:  Yes, but usually only if charged outside of
the optimum temperature range of  0?C to 45?C when Slow
Charging and +10?C to 45?C when Fast Charging. 
Standard Charging: Charging at 0.1C standard rate for
14-16 hours will greatly enhance the NiMH battery's
service life. Our NiMH batteries can withstand overcharge
at 0.1C rate indefinitely. Charging at or below 0.1C rate
is suitable across a temperature range from 0oC to +45oC.

Fast Charging: All our NiMH series can be fast charged at
rates from 0.5C to 1C. Fast charge termination measures
should be employed. These include: Temperature Cut-Off (
TCO ), Rate-of-temperature rise ( dT/dt ), negative Delta
V ( -dV ). A timer control set at 105% of nominal
capacity can be used as an additional protection. For
maximum capacity, a trickle charge can be applied after
fast charging. We recommend top-off trickle charging at
0.1C for 2 hours or 0.2C for 1 hour. Fast charging can be
done at temperatures from +10oC to +45oC.
 
Question #4: What is the average discharge curve of your
NiMH batteries ? 
Answer  #4: Battery discharge rates can vary depending on
the operating temperature.  
 
Question #5:  What are the number of charge / discharge
cycles I can expect  from your NiMH batteries? 
Answer #5 : Under normal conditions you can expect any
where from 300 - 1000 charge / discharge cycles from our
NiMH batteries.  Cycle Life is dependent upon usage
conditions and type of charger used. 

Question #6: Do your NiMH batteries lose any capacity
during their useful life ? 
Answer #6: Yes they do lose some capacity, but it is
normally very, very gradual. This is true with all
rechargeable batteries, but some have a very high rate
loss.  Our NiMH batteries are designed to have a much
longer cycle life than older generation NiMH batteries. 
Normally after 300 - 400 cycles, battery capacity will
decrease 10 to15%. Keep in mind that this is the amount
of charge the Batteries will hold not the quality.  See
the chart below. 
 
Question #7:  My Minolta Dimage V digital camera requires
6+ VDC and the NiMH batteries you offer supply only 4.8
on average. What effect will that have on my camera? 
Answer  #7: Be assured that his is not an issue at all.
Our NEXcell NiMH Batteries and our GP NiMH batteries can
be used in your Minolta Camera.  We have many customers
who have the Minolta Dimage V and are getting excellent
results from our NiMH batteries. 
Actually when charged the NiMH "AA" cells have 1.3V to
1.4V per cell or 5.2 to 5.6V from a set of 4 NiMH
batteries , and yet they will not only out last Alkaline
and Nicads, but in many instances they also will give
better performance.  Our NiMH batteries are specially
designed for high current drain applications such as
Digital Cameras, Flash Units, etc.. 
 
Question #8: How well will your NiMH Batteries work in 
Flash Units and Film Cameras? 
Answer  #8: Our 1300 mAH, 1350 mAH, 1400 mAH or 1500 mAH
NiMH Batteries will all work very well in flash Units,
due to their very fast cycle time.  They also work very
well in standard film cameras also.  We have many
customers who are professional Photographers and are now
using our NiMH Batteries in all their equipment in place
of standard AA batteries. 
 
Question #9: Are the NEXcell and GP NiMH batteries
virtually the same or is one better than the other? 
Answer  #9: Actually there is very little difference from
what we have found in all our tests.  We actually have
found that the NEXcell batteries do seem to perform a
little better than GP batteries, but this difference is
so very, very slight. We have even had times where the GP
Batteries have outperformed the NEXcell even when used in
the same equipment.  We have had reports that the GP
Batteries do hold a charge longer than the Nexcell over a
30 day period, however we find this to be of little
concern since you can place them in your charger and they
will be fully charged in no time.   We normally use
NEXcell Batteries almost exclusively in our Nikon CP950
and much of our other equipment we use on a daily bases.
Sometimes we switch to GP NiMH for in house use, but so
far we have found hardly no differences between the two. 
 
Question #10:   I  just purchased some of the NEXcell
NiMH batteries. I was told by someone that they should be
"conditioned" prior to use so that they have maximum
capacity and life. Can you tell me what the voltage and
current profile is for the conditioning cycle?   Should
this be done frequently? 
 
Answer  #10: Not true.    Conditioning requires a charger
that automatically performs this function and is
recommended for battery packs mostly. This is actually
not totally necessary for individual battery cells .
Conditioning should only be done occasionally because too
much is worse than none at all and should only be done
when necessary.  ie.  when the Batteries fail to charge
or operate as they did in the past. 
The main requirement is that you use a charger that is
designed for NiMH batteries. Just charge them as your
charger recommends.. and you should have no problems. One
thing you will find about NiMH batteries is that as you
use them they just keep getting better.
 
Question #11:   I  was removing my NiMH batteries from my
charger and I dropped one of them on a concrete floor.
Now that battery does not want to take a charge. is it
possible that by dropping it I damaged it somehow ? 
Answer  #11:   Yes , by dropping this battery you have
probably caused some internal damage.  These batteries
are like any rechargeable battery such as your car
battery or any other piece of electronic equipment. 
Dropping can cause severe damage !    If you do drop them
we recommend replacement.   Even if no damage is
apparent, the battery could later develop a short or a
leak while in the equipment and then cause even more
damage.  
 
Question #12: I know that it is not wise to mix different
brand/types etc. batteries in the MH-C777 charger. But
what about mixing batteries of same type, but different
discharge levels? Ie. I have 8 NexCell's. If 4 of them
are discharged and the other 4 fully charged - can I put
them all in an 8 slot tray, clip it onto the MH-C777 and
expect them to charge correctly?
Answer  #12: You should always make sure all batteries
are at the same or very close to the same discharge
levels. Never mix NiMH batteries that have different
levels of charge.  The MH-C777 has no way of knowing
which batteries are charged and which ones are not.
Failure to follow these instructions when charging your
batteries can lead to excessive charging , battery damage
or leakage, or even damage to the MAHA MH-C777 charger
itself. If you must charge the 4 batteries that are
discharged you need to get a 4 cell holder and charge
only those 4 batteries. 
 
Question #13: Can you store NiMH batteries for long
periods without use and still charge them fully?    
-Michael
Answer  #13:   Like any rechargeable battery , even the
one in your car, some capacity will be lost after a
certain amount of time when rechargeable batteries are
stored and not used for extended periods of time..
Normally all that is required with most NiMH batteries is
to run them through 3 charge /  discharge cycles and
normally this will revive them to full capacity.   Also
keep in mind that even when used on a regular basis, some
capacity is lost with each cycle, although very small. 
However considering how inexpensive NiMH batteries are
and how many alkaline batteries  they replace this is of
little importance.
 
Question #14: I have purchased some AA and AAA NEXcell
batteries from you, and also a Maha C204F re-charger. I
am very pleased with these and I am telling all my
friends about them. I understand it is not as necessary
to have the Maha re-charger "condition"
Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries every time like one might
do with Nicads. But neither your web-site nor the Maha
charger give any indication how often might be advisable
for conditioning. Would it make sense to condition NiMH
batteries every third or fourth time they are recharged?
Every 10th time? 

What would be a good recommendation? 
 
Answer  #14: There is no rule of thumb for conditioning
NiMH batteries.  However you will usually know when your
batteries need to be conditioned and  do not seen to be
performing as they once did.  At this point you should
consider using the conditioning cycle.  Possibly by
conditioning your batteries they will then start
performing as they did in the past.  
 
Question #15: Do you folks have NiMH AA and AAA batteries
available with solder tabs?  I have an old (very old)
aviation band HT whose battery pack was built using AA's
with solder tabs, and I need to build a new one as the
old  one long ago stopped taking a charge.   - E. Poole 
Answer  #15:  Yes, we now have the "AA" NiMH batteries
with tabs available at the present time only. We have no
information when or even if the "AAA" NiMH batteries with
Tabs will be available.  Please Note:  Soldering on NiMH
Batteries can cause them to explode, leak, or weaken
their external case, or plain just cause them be damaged
and not work unless done by a capable individual with
proper soldering knowledge.  
 
Question #16: Are NIMH batteries also good for
flashlights?    ie AAA & AA size Maglites?    Are any
chargers available that will charge more than 4 batteries
at a time?         Thanks D. Stefan 
Answer  #16: The NiMH "AA" & "AAA" batteries are
excellent for Mag-lite flashlights. As a matter of fact
they work well in any flashlight.
Also both the Maha C-210 or the Maha C-777 will charge
ten  AA or eight  AAA cells when used with the
appropriate holder.   We currently have only a eight cell
AAA battery holder available, however it could charge ten
AAA cells if a ten cell holder was used. 
 
Question #17: This is my first time ordering a charger
and batteries. Please verify that the that charger and
batteries are compatible and appropriate a Nikon Coolpix
950 digital camera. Thanks!
 
Answer  #17: Not only can we verify it, we use the exact
same batteries and charger  for our Nikon 950s that we
use here. We also use the Quest 1500 mAH and the GP 1300
mAH batteries with excellent results. It's a fantastic
camera, but without NiMH batteries it would be very
expensive to operate.  Again please note that our NiMH
AA, AAA, C, or D size batteries can be used as a direct
replacement for any standard AAA, AA, C, or D size
battery.  
Sales Dept.  - Note :  D and C size batteries are due
sometime in July.
 
Question #18: The batteries below are to be use in
Olympus c2000z. If they are not compatible, let me
know...
 
Answer  #18: Not only are they compatible they are one of
out top sellers for Digital camera use.  Again please
note that if your equipment uses standard size AA, AAA,
C, or  D sizes then our NiMH AA, AAA, C, or D size
batteries can be used as direct replacements.  
 
Question #19:  I have a large number of them from you and
have been very happy with the performance of the NEXCELL 
batteries. I seem to remember seeing it mentioned on your
site about these batteries gradually losing their charge
when, after they're charged, they're not used for a
while. Is this true?
Because I have so many sets of these batteries, I'm
afraid they will "bleed-down" before I need them. I'm
going to make a charger (I'm an engineer) to keep 16
batteries trickle-charged. Please tell me if the
batteries "bleed-down their charge over the course of a
few weeks. If I'm mistaken about this, I won't have to
build this device.    -   Eric
 
Answer  #19: - While it is true that Nimh Batteries like
any rechargeable do loose their charge over a period of
time, keeping them on a very small trickle charge will
maintain them in a fully charged state, if you must
always have fully charged batteries. 
This is usually not a factor as long as you use them
within 5 to 10 days of their initial charge. We have and
still use Nexcell "AA" batteries in our flashlights and
they usually last well over 1 to 2 months with
intermittent use. We also have placed them in a
flashlight and then checked them after 3 weeks and found
the light to be plenty bright and still put out 1 to 1.5
hours of light before running down and needing a charge.
We also use the Nexcell "AA" batteries in our Nikon 950
digital cameras. We have had one of the cameras sitting
for as long 3 weeks ( after taking 10 to 20 pictures ) ,
and then turning the camera on , we were able to still
take 20 to 30 pictures before the batteries were in need
of a charge.   

Question #20:  Dear Thomas Dist --  I just placed an
order for 8 NEXcell AA batteries to use in my new 
Olympus C-2500L digital camera. I did not order a
charger, assuming I could use the Olympus Camedia Ni-MH
Battery Charger BU-100 that came with camera. Output for
this charger is listed at 1.2V 490mA x 4. The Olympus
literature goes to great length discouraging the
employment of any batteries other than their own in this
charger.
Please advise me if I can use the BU-100 charger with the
NEXcell batteries which should be arriving in a day or
two from your company. I appreciate your prompt attention
to this matter, as I shall not be charging the batteries
until I get a go-ahead from you. Perhaps this would be an
appropriate topic to add to the FAQ page on your website.
Thank you.  -  William Taylor
 
Answer  #20: We have many customers who are using our
Nexcell batteries in their Olympus Chargers. To date we
have had no one tell us that they have experienced any
problems. Please note that any good NiMH charger should
be able to recharge any good quality NiMH battery without
any problems. 
 
Question #21:  I'm interested in your NEXcell
rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries , I will be
using them in Olympus D450Z Digital Camera, my concern
is, will it fit inside this camera, I have just purchased
4 Energizer ACCU Rechargeable NiMH "AA" batteries and
they fit in so snug I have to use dental tool to remove 3
of the 4 batteries, I'm afraid to use them for fear they
may mold-form from heat inside the compartment.
 
Answer  #21: - All the News groups have several postings
about this very problem. Hundreds of people have even
damaged their cameras trying to get these batteries
removed from their cameras.   
There is no problem with any of our batteries. They are
made to specs in size, and will fit perfectly. - Sales
Dept.
 
Question #22: Will it hurt the NiMH batteries to run the
voltage down to 0 volts?   I accidentally left the radio
on and ran them down to nothing. They seemed to charge ok
although is there any capacity loss when this happens?  -
Bill 
Answer  #22: Bill - Usually no capacity loss occurs, but
this could possibly damage the batteries.. There is the
danger of causing the batteries to reverse voltage, and
then they will no longer accept a charge.  Since you were
able to get them to accept a charge, you may be okay. 
Also it is also best to recharge the batteries before
they are totally dead. This will extend their useful life
considerably.
Thomas Distributing, 128 East Wood St., Paris, IL  61944
Email : sales@thomas-distributing.com   8/30/00

Laptop Batteries May Have Higher Fire Risk
By CATHERINE GREENMAN Mar 15 2001 

LIKE many people, Mark Bridger, a math prof in Newton,
Mass., has relied on a laptop PC to help him keep up with
his work when he travels. So he took his Dell Inspiron
3800 along on a trip to his Maine vacation home.

But one morning, while Mr. Bridger and his wife were in
the garden, they noticed that smoke had started to fill
their living room, where he had left his computer, and
that a bookcase in the corner had caught fire. 

Firefighters arrived in time to save the house. But while
the fire seemed a freak accident at first, investigations
by representatives from Mr. Bridger's insurance company,
the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Dell Computer
found that it had originated in Mr. Bridger's computer.
The investigators concluded that the computer had been
left too close to a wood- burning stove and that its
lithium-ion battery had overheated and caught fire.

These days, lithium-ion batteries are used in virtually
all high-end laptops, most camcorders and many of the
newer wireless phones. They have built-in circuitry to
monitor heat buildup, as well as voltage, charge and
other indicators, meant to shut the batteries down if
problems are detected. 

Manufacturers and safety experts say it is rare for the
batteries to overheat, smoke or cause a fire. But several
PC makers have recalled portable computers because of
potential hazards assoc with such batts.

In Oct 2000, Dell recalled 27,000 Latitude and Inspiron
laptops after receiving a report of a computer fire. The
problem was linked to pieces of metal found in the
laptops' lithium- ion batteries (made by Sanyo) that
could have caused the batteries to short-circuit and
start a fire. 

The same month, Compaq recalled 55,000 Armada laptops
after a customer complained that the Sony lithium-ion
batt in an Armada had short-circuited and emitted smoke.
In 1995, Apple recalled its PowerBook 5300 models after
the electrolytes in the lithium-ion battery caught fire. 

Lithium-ion batteries can produce four volts, or four
times the power of nickel metal hydride batteries, which
were used in most laptops until a few years ago. While
producing more energy, lithium-ion batteries are also
smaller and lighter than nickel metal hydride batts and
therefore produce more heat and are more sensitive to it.

Lithium-ion batteries are also different from other types
of rechargeable batteries in that their electrolytes, the
medium through which the lithium ion moves from one
electrode to the other during the charging process, are
not water soluble. This makes them more susceptible to
short-circuiting if exposed to moisture than NMh batts. 

Since the fire, Mr. Bridger said, he has expressed
concern to Dell that its user manuals are not explicit
enough about the hazards of leaving laptop computers too
close to a heat source. "They should have a warning in
the manuals against leaving laptops fewer than three feet
away from radiators, stoves or fires," he said. 

Tom Kehoe, a spokesman for Dell Computer, said consumers
who follow the guidance in its user manuals should not
have overheating problems with lithium-ion batteries.
"There is a recommended temperature range that you're
supposed to operate them between, which is minus-14
degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit," he said.
"Those numbers are clearly spelled out in the manuals."

Norm England, president of the Portable Rechargeable
Battery Association, a trade group, warned consumers away
from using lithium-ion batteries made by generic battery-
pack assemblers rather than name- brand manufacturers
like Sony, Panasonic and Sanyo. Although some name-brand
lithium-ion batteries have been involved in product
recalls, Mr. England said the number of incidents
prompting the recalls was relatively small compared with
the millions of lion batts produced each year.
 
The generic batts, he said, may not have built-in safety
features or cert by Underwriters Labs. But because most
lithium batts in the US come from major manufacturers, he
said, "I don't see any cause for concern."

Still, Jim Jester, a PC consultant and owner of Profess-
ional Computer Services, in The Woodlands, TX, said
manufacturers could do more to warn consumers to take
precautions. "Modern lithium- ions do get warm, and
people have bad habits like leaving their laptops on beds
and under piles of paper while the batteries are
charging," he said. 

He said his Motorola StarTac wireless phone, which uses a
lion batt, tended to overheat when he left it charging in
its polyurethane case. "Sometimes it's enough that I
worry it's going to melt the inside of the case," he
said.

Mr Jester advises against charging wireless phones or
laptops in cars when it is warm. "Safety switches can
fail, and charging in a warm room, or with heat in a car,
is dangerous," he said. "Manufacturers could mention more
about not getting these things too hot."

In Sys, Comm (F6), DEFAULTS 
are: zero for IO Adrs, IRQ. 
ENABLED Com1 in DOS. 
Usually used for cable connex to PC.
Com2 for datacomm and modem. 

\3 repairing case (crack, hinge, kb etc)

Definitive crack repair proc for crack at the right
hinge. This setup does not show on the outside of the LX.
The proc is for people with some technical skills.
1. Dismantle the case of the LX as has been described in
detail many times.
2. Lift the bordering of the display in one corner and
slowly disattach the sticker from the case plastic.
3. Using torque screwdriver unscrew the four screws in
the corners of the display case.
4. Disengage the plastic frame holding the display from
the top shell of the LX.
5. To remove the LCD display with electronics from the
top cover, you need to dismantle the right hinge "brake"
or mechanism that is responsible for allowing the tilting
of the screen when the LX is opened.
6. To do this, study the hinge mechanism construction, so
you will be able to reconstruct it after the repair. Take
a sharp pockte knife and slowly pry off the metal sleve
on the left side of the pin carefully as the setup is
spring loaded. Do it over a large piece of white paper.
Once this is done, you can take out the LCD screen from
the top plastic shell.
7. Check the area by the right hinge, where you noticed
the fine crack on the outside of the clamshell casing
from the inside. The crack is usually so thin as to be
unnoticable from the inside.
8. Taking a sharp tool, like a scalpel blade or cutter to
shave off some of the dark green plastic in the area of
the crack (spot about 1x1cm) / yes actually thinn the
plastic of the case in the area of the crack!!
9. Border (frame) this area by sticking several layers of
paper tape around it.
10. Go to a hobby shop and buy some acrylic resine used
for molding small object or a clear plastic acrylic resin
used for embedding insects etc. 
11. Mix this stuff into thick paste, pour into the
prepared area on the inside of the top shell in the area
of the crack and let to set. The overall thickness of the
plate you will be creating is only the depth you have
shaved into the original green plastic plus about one
millimeter above (into the frame you have made from the
paper tape).
12. By this you have welded the original plastic from the
inside (it is partly dissolved by the thinner used with
methacrylate resine) and reinforced it with about 1,5
millimeters of the poured-in plastic.
13. Using the sharp tool you have, shave off any excess
material to allow puting the LCD screen back into it's
shell.
14. Now for the tricky way of reassembling the hinge
spring mechanism. Get someone (if you have a child, it
helps in this part) to squeeze the spring that is in the
inside of the mechanism with tweezers. Take some thin but
strong thread (I used surgical braided nylon used for
sutures No.3, but I think that dental floss should be
even better!!) and tie the spring together, so it will
stay compressed even when the tweezers are released.
Tie it on two sides or even in three places, keep the
knots on the right outer side of the spring. You will
have to have patience and probably repeat this several
times.
15. Reconstruct the hinge mechanism and replace the metal
sleve. Cut the knots to release the spring inside the
mechanism (some parts of the string may remainin inside
unless you consider strategy beforehand.
16. Put the LX casing back together.

There has been no sign of the initial crack for six
months of heavy use. The cosmetics are perfect and it
seems to have solved this problem.

Ales Bourek {:>
bourek@med.muni.cz
http://www.ivf.cz
voice +420-5-4124-8606

The LX has a temperature sensor and tries to adjust the screen brightness for ambient temp. The charging circuit being close to this sensor is fooled by it into dimming the screen.

The Hornet (200lx chip) uses a bank-switching scheme that allows up to 32MB of mem to be adrs on each of the NRAS[3:0] signals and up to 64MB mem to be adrs on each of the NRCE and NCS[1:0] signals. This allows up to 320MB to be accessed in the 1MB adrs space of the 80C186 CPU.
The bank-switching scheme supports one 64KB bank and eight 16KB banks. It is intended to allow support of LIM EMS 3.2 and also to support the need for a 64kb page of ROM code to be swapped in and out of upper mem.

\4 flash cards

ATA flash cards are high per- formance, solid state
storage Type II PC Cards avail in sizes from 4MB up to
440MB. These cards are constructed of shock resistant
stainless steel for max ruggedness. Their low power usage
make them the ideal storage solution for digital cameras
and other electronic consumer devices. ATA flash cards
include 16Mbit or 32Mbit NAND flash memory and an ATA
controller chip set. This enables the card to achieve
write-to-flash speeds as fast as .65 MB/sec and read from
flash speeds as fast as 3.5 Mbytes/sec. The cards can be
used in both 5V and 3.3V machines.

ATA architecture puts a controller on the card to handle
data mgmnt transparently and distributes writes so all
memory gets even wear. If a mem sector dies it's
automatically mapped out of use. The drv appears as an
IDE drv to the O/S to preclude compat problems. 

The 440MB card works if a LX has the ACECARD driver
loaded, the largest size card that does not need the
driver is 220Mb. 

ATA flash cards vs linear flash cards.
Linear flash cards need drivers to run, whereas ATA flash
cards have the driver implemented on the card.
SanDisk	explains this in detail	in their FAQ.
 
It is an over simplifaction on the part of Sandisk. ATA
flashcards have a controller built in that sits between
the pcmcia socket and the flash memory that makes the
flash memory appear as if it was an ATA device. This is
not SW that runs on your computer, if it was there would
have to be SW that was compatible with EVERY PC and OS
that you might plug the card into. 

What I was refering to with regards to the springboard
slot is the abiliby of the card to actualy have SW that
hooks into or even complete takes over the function of
the device it is pugged into. in simpler terms you could
plug in an MP3 player card that had all the hardware for
MP3 decoding and playback and a new application would
appear on the device to play MP3 files. Maybe it would
even change the function of the device to look and act
like a dedicated MP3 player as long as it was plugged in.
This gives companies tremendous power in totally retar-
geting the devie for a new use.
 
As a cloer to home example, it would be	entirely possible
to implement a springboard card that contained not only a
pcmcia slot but	the entire OS to emulate a 200LX, right
down to the internal memory. Of course in this example
there would be issues with the keyboard and emulation but
somebody could make a linux version just as easily. Or a
business that needed smart inventory control could make a
springboard that would turn the thing into a barcode
reader complete with inventory database and upload
capabilities.
 
I think	the problem is that you	are looking at the
springboard as a general purpose thing like CF but it is
not and	it really can't be since any code in a
springboard has to work with a specific OS and HW set. 

Instead think of it as an expansion port just for the
visor. If you have a IBM thinkpad you can't put anything
you want in the internal bay, you have to have things
made for the thinkpad. Same goes for other laptops that
have versions of multifunctional bays. Well that is what
the springboard is for the visor, a multifunction bay
specifically for it.
 
I would	have liked to see a CF slot AS WELL as the
springboard. One for generic hardware (CF) and one as an
expansion bay for the specific device (springboard).
 
The main advantage to the springboard format is that it
>can include software and hardware and the software can
automatically be incorporated into the system's
functionality.

Think of the springboard slot more like a slot	on a
desktop motherboard. You can plug in a card that has HW
and BIOS extentions and the computer can imediately make
use of the HW via the BIOS extensions. While I tend to
agree that a new slot is a...

Linear flash mem stores and sends data in linear bursts.
The LX receives data in blocks, the data bursts must be
converted to blocks by the Flash Translation Layer (FTL)
with Flash File System (FFS) software. These cards are
used when system resources is not a problem.

LX hinge comment: It COULD make a difference if the stress of both hinges were equivalent if all forces act symmetrically. But that's not the case, because the right hinge is the one that contains the mechanics that holds the lid open and the left hinge don't get any stress. 

To remove the latch (broken or not): The display case is
two (plus) parts.  At the point where the latch "lives"
you must pry the two case halves apart, just enough to
allow the latch to be removed. There is no need to remove
the frame from around the display as there are no screws
in the area of the latch. Enough space can be made this
way to remove the latch. 

Inside the case there will be one or two little "golf
clubs" of plastic. These are the "springs" that once made
the latch function. Collect these two parts. Carefully
examine the two parts (one if you are lucky and your
latch still has a spring attached) and observe the
orientation of attachment for re-attaching the plastic
parts.

Difficult part... build a jig to hold the parts in the
correct orientation. I used a small piece of wood and my
motor-tool to do this. Once you have this done get some
solvent-based glue for model building.

NOT SUPER GLUE! The glue must be a liquid, not a "paste",
it must run-like-water. Put your latch and it's parts
into your jig and using a very fine paint brush, place
the tiniest amount of glue possible onto the cracked
parts. Wait at least two days before trying to remove the
parts from the jig. This is a spring you are fixing here,
give it all the chances you can to work. 

To replace the repaired latch, use the case opening trick
(above) and carefully work the latch back into place. 
Don't break anything.  Phil Drummond 4/99 LX list

Latch: Cut a piece of very soft foam rubber (the length
of the latch) and use super glue to attach. 

If the clasp is loose and no longer keeps the lid closed,
find a piece of sponge, cut to shape and shove it in
there. Bath sponges are not so good, tend to lose their
shape. Try the sponge they use to pack electronic
components and cameras, a little stiffer and lasts
longer.  it actually survived the LX! 

Three sections from a ball point (pen) spring under the
latch is also reported to work. 

\5 Modems

- make sure a util like CIC100, or LXCIC is running. If
you use LXCIC, run it resident. This makes sure, that a
plugin modem is always config for IO and can enter its
low pwr sleep mode. (2*15mA=30mA for the XJ1144)

- set the modem 'power down' counter to 1 second using
ats24=1  This has to be done only once. The register is
kept in the XJ1144's nonvolatile memory.

- don't care about a plugged in modem if your LX is
  switched off. (Thanks Mack!)

You should only insert PCMCIA cards in the LX while it is
off as the IO and adrs lines come directly from the cpu
and is not buffered going to the card slot and when the
power is off, so is the card and ergo it is safe.

There is no PCMCIA std way defined for a card to wake up
a unit. The LX does have a plug-in card wake up scheme on
GPIO pin 6. GPIO pin 6 goes to the batt voltage detect 1
(BVD1) pin on the card, but is INVERTED in the process.
The card must have a pwr supply independent from the LX
because the card will not receive any power from the LX
when it is off.  Mack. 

To use a modem in your PCMCIA socket, you need to have D:\BIN\CIC100 /GEN 1 loaded. (Or Stefan Peichl's excellent replacement, LXCIC, which is available at SUPER. It is then automatically configured as COM2.

Max modem speed is limited by chip to 19000. If you hear
a click short after power on, this indicates, that a
modem card has been detected and cfg for IO. CIC100 or a
similar TSR has to run. The click comes from the Socket
Service BIOS in ROM, no chance to switch it off. The
click is a PCMCIA recommendation and HP took it over.
There should be no click after power on, if a flash card
is inserted.

Modem connections overseas. Hard to plug into, a hotel
tele outlet esp in older hotels or 3rd world GHs. To this
the many connection methods and you can a problem
connecting, like with the many electrical outlets and
stepdown transformers (220 to 110v).  You can go the
Tele-Adapt route but I thought the prices they charge for
plug adaptors was pretty outrageous especially if you're
able to walk around whatever city you find yourself in
and buy them for a buck or two at the KMart in Prague and
about $6.00 from Tele=Adapt. Don't forget to ask the
concierge for adaptors either. That's part of the price
you pay for the room anyway. Forget about this in the
ex-Soviet states. 

I have developed a kit to meet my needs.  This is what I
usually carry: Konnex acoustic coupler A short cable with
RJ11 and 4 micro alligator clips at the ends (how to
below) A short cable with RJ11 and RJ45 (I think that's
the designator - they are the flatter, newer modular
plug) at the ends. A retractable telephone cable spool or
one of the cassette sized tel cables which rewinds into
itself.  This is to use with the two cables above. The
appropriate tele plug adaptor if known. Spare 14.4 modem
(Bought an XJack/Gateway  from Marine Park Electronics in
NYC for $19.99 $20 for shipping.  A  female/female plug
connector to connect the short cable with the spool or
cassette above. IBM modem voltage tester One plug two
outlet T shape plug adaptor.  This in case you want to
retain the telephone set as you might have to do manual
dial to get out first with some programs.  Test first.
Zelco 2 aaa flashlight.  Not sure if this the one Mitch
likes or not.  It has the wrap around gooseneck with lamp
on the end.  I tried the PCL Travel Light and Clip but it
was just too big and unwieldy.  But it is kind of cool.
Small Screwdriver kit (Bought a black plastic kit not
much bigger than a pack of matches which has a head and 4
bits for about $5 someplace.)  Alternatively,  a
Leatherman tool/Swiss Army knife/ or your entire Sears
tool kit can be useful. Some cable tapes to keep the
stuff from becoming a mess of spaghetti. I like the
double sided velcro stuff. Sometimes I carry the ac
adaptor.  Short trip i just use batteries.  Out of the
way place I bring it along with an extension cord and yet
more electrical outlet adaptors. Probably a website which
lists this somewhere but since I don't have www access,
it was, initially at least,  trial and error for me. I
used to store this stuff in those toiletry kits the
airlines give out.  (The Saudi airlines had great ones! 
But that's a steep price to pay <G>) Lately I've been
using a Case Logic (3.5 x 8 in / 11.5 x 24 cm) padded kit
which only cost about $10.  It has spaces for PC Cards
which I did not find useful.  To this case I added lots
of velcro and velcroed in the flashlight, cassette tel
cable, T plug,  cable tapes.  The palmtop fits in there
nicely and you can even jam some gear into but I prefer
to make it the tool kit and use the HP while enroute
anyway.  Like most overly obsessive HP'ers, I have 3-4
cases for it.

In newer hotels, you'll find many with the new RJ-45 for
their data connections.  It's been my experience that
this data outlet is usually okay when checked by the IBM
tester whereas the telephone outlet is over (usually b/c
it's a PBX or other system).  I've seen these in Muscat
and Tel Aviv. In older hotels and such, you can clip your
alligator clips into the socket which sometimes is
hanging off the wall making it fairly easy to do so.
Always check your connection with the IBM tester.  The
tel cable colors are nearly meaningless as there is no
universal standard.  Usually you have to try a couple of
combinations. I have used the Konnexx to get my email
from a telephone booth as well in Amsterdam.  Hotels, esp
in Europe, have connect charges from the hotel for 6 sec
increments in addition to the cost of the call.  A huge
rip-off in my humble opinion.  Hence the phone booth or
telephone kiosk option.  Don't forget the at3 command to
shut down the "foreign" dial tone which some modems don't
recognize.  The Konexx also works on PBX systems since
you simply place the coupler over the telephone handset. 
I've hit 28.8 on occasions with this.  YMMV.

Some ideas: I bought a tele cable kit for about $12-15
from Wal-Mart which includes the "tel cable pliers",
modular RJ-11 plugs (Tele jacks used in the USA) and some
cable. The pliers strips the tele cable and crimps the
modular plug onto it.  About 6-10 inches to keep bulk
down since they connect to the spool or cassette of tel
cable via a female/female plug.  I had heard about an
alligator clip a few years back and have used this even
in European 4-5 star hotels with crummy telephone
support.  Some  places have "Business Centers"  People do
get nervous if you start pulling wires out of the wall.  
So be neat and put it all back together again. Things
have gotten much better but there are still some comm
unfriendly places

--------------------------------------------
Need d:\bin\cic100 /gen1 (in config.sys)

A short click audible after power on indicates that a
modem card has been detected and configured for IO.
Indeed CIC100 or a similar TSR has to run. The click
comes from the SocketService BIOS in ROM, Can't switch it
off. The click is a PCMCIA recommendation and HP took it
over. There should be no click after power on, if a flash
card is inserted in the LX.

---------------------------------------------------------
Using a	sgl spd 4Mb LX and an ext modem, I usually
connect using LXTCP at 19200, with no probs. I use this
in Israel, and recently	in Australia, and Thailand. Only
once in Thailand I had to reduce speed to 9600 because of
connection probs. So as far as the LX side of things is
concerned, the speed of connection IS dependant mainly on
the SW being used to connect, but it is also dependant on
the ISP and the quality of the tele connection.
 
Conclusion: what works for you where you currently are is
the right speed. The previous mail in this thread is a
good guideline, but it is worth experimenting.
 

PTP V7/#1, Ja-Fe 98.

Date:   Sun, 5 Nov 2000 01:41:57 -0500  Top of Form 3 && 
       
steve@CARDERFAMILY.NET  &&&&& Add Addresses     
From:   Steve Carder <steve@CARDERFAMILY.NET> | Block
address Bottom of Form 3        
Subject:        Re: Troubles w/ 56K modem......         
To:     HPLX-L@UCONNVM.UConn.Edu                
> It works fine w/ my older 14.4 "Creative Labs"
> PC-Card modem, but doesn't work with the newer,
Thaddeus bought,
> 56K, low-power modem, many members on the list have
used.

I use a 56K modem from Thaddeus along with some 14.4
modems.  I found 
it worked better if I tinkered with the s37= parameter. 
The one suggested by Thaddeus is s37=29 and this allowed
me to connect only about 1/3 of the time.  When I tried
s37=30 it wouldn't connect at all.  With s37=28
everything works well.  I know some people do best with
s37=30 so try several ways.  Here are my Modem Init and
Dial entries:

ModemInit=AT&Fx3m0w2s37=28
Dial=ATDT2213817

To use as memory card see SMART memory.
Adrs is: 4305 Cushing Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538,
T:510-623-1231, http://www.smartm.com, tech support:
support@smartm.com.
 
SMART Modular Tech: W/6MB RAM. Uses F: drive. To make
Modem/mem work, try setting last drv to G: in CONFIG.SYS
Load stacker drv.  Works using F: drv.
Set 14.4kb modem to 19,200 baud.

Both have FAX send/Recd SW preloaded. 
See LXNSW re Stacker SW and articles PTP V4#1/95. 

Cannot get SMART to work.  No dial tone. emailed tech
support at Smart Tech (now Apex). They have not replied.

Here's the set up:
1.  The card is set up as drive G. I am able to comm with
the card as a data storage drive without any problems
(read and write). I can run LX apps from the data files
stored on the card. So, it seems that the machine is able
to comm with the card. It has 4MB mem.

2. The G drive has autoexec.bat and a config.sys file on
it, and the C drive also has an autoexec.bat and
config.sys file on it. The autoexec.bat file on the C
drive has the following line:

d:\bin\cic100 /gen1 (no rem in front of it)

3. The modem driver is smdriver.sys 3,305 bytes and is
installed on the G drive and the C drive.

4. The DataCom setting are as follows:
  1. Baud = 9600
  2. Com2
  3. Parity even, Data Bits 7, Stop Bits 1
  4. Emulation VT100
  5. Xon
  6. Phone number is entered in the little box, and I
checked that the line has a dial tone.

5. I am using the same phone cord that came with the
modem. Connx to the modem card (connx is to the card, not
the serial port) and wall phone jack are tight and good.

5. When I push the connx key,  I get a msg on the Datacom
screen that says: ATDT phonenumber, no dial tone. I hear
no dial tone from the 200lx at all.

6. I am trying to connx to CompuServe.  The CompuServe
phone number is good since I connected to CompuServe
successfully on my PC.

7. A few people asked me to check the autoexec.bat file
on the C drive to make sure it had the cic100 line in it.
I checked it and it DOES have the line. (Yes, the LX
boots to the C drive.)

Any other ideas?  I still get NO CONNX or DIAL TONE.

The card modem is using the G drive because I have
assigned the F drive to my Drive100 unit.  Drive100 is a
small, portable floppy disk drive.

Earl Benson
---------------------
I had the same problem with my Smart fax/modem 6M. I had
all the symptoms that you describe. But I fixed it!!!

I opened it up and located a broken operation amplifier.
It is labeled 117P something and it has 8 legs. In my
"Elfa" catalog it costs $20

I had a 1414L Apex modem that I had bought from from
kento for $20. I knew it had the same cable so I figured
the inside was the same too - it almost was. There was a
117p. I desoldered it and replaced it with the broken one
in my combo card.

NOW IT WORKS AGAIN!!!

If You try this, be carefull when You desolder the IC.
The traces are easy to destroy.

> Subject: One more time: no modem connection
>
> I have pulled out my Smart fax/modem PCMCIA card that I
frequently used several years ago with my HP200lx. 
Cannot get it to work.  No dial tone. Can you guys help
me out?  I have emailed the tech support = people
at Smart Technology (now Apex) have not replied.

Tomas Moberg: T: 046(0)18/255 977, Tomas.Moberg@abc.se
--------------------------------------------
Smart (apex) combo card problem.
The most likely problem is that it is the operation
amplifier in the modem part of the card that has blown.
Like others I had a fully functional card that sudenly
one day stoped to work. Everything worked, AT commands,
memmory etc. I kept getting NO DIALTONE when i tried to
use the modem. I looked it up and the card actualy lifted
the hook but the dial tone did not get through. There was
something blocking the signal. It turned out to be a
operation amplifier named 117p something. I found
it in a "elfa" catalog for $20.

The case is not that hard to remove, but the op-amp is.
If You dont have the right things to remove it with I
suggest this: Use 3 persons and two soldering irons for
the job. 2 persons heat one side each (4 legs, 8 all in
all) simmultaneously. When its loos the, third person
remove it with a tweeser - but only when the solder is
melted and it is loose from all 8 legs. Getting the new
op-amp in place is not that hard. Just put some
(little) solder on the pads on the card, make sure that
the new ic is alligned and carefully solder in place.
DONE!
 Tomas Moberg : Tel:+046(0)18/255 977
 Tomas.Moberg@abc.se

The Palm would be an ideal replacement if it had a
keyboard. I am currently using a borrowed Palm along with
my LX and it's pretty nifty.  Jeff

palmtop.net Mitchel Hamm, started 11/96.
Palmtop paper Hal Goldstein 

Eleven point feature comparison of the HPLX and Palm
Organizers by Larry Finch.

1. General
    a. Notes that are attached to appts, Todos, addr book
entries, etc, are limited to 2K on the Palm, 64K on HP.
    b. Launching apps is easier on the Palm (however).
    c. Hotsync is awesome! The HP has nothing equivalent
now; at one time Palm Computing offered Hotsync for the
HP, but it wasn't as good as this. It only synced the
internal apps, not add-ons. The Palm syncs the entire
contents of the device.
    d. No file mgmnt on the Palm. The HP's is very
sophisticated, however, the Palm is easier to use because
of this).
    e. HP's built-in 123 is better than ANY of the
3rd-party Palm SS. To some degree this is a limitation of
the screen size, but Quicksheet, the best of the Palm
spreadsheets, is annoying slow for even simple SS.
    f. LX's built-in DBs is better than all but one of
the Palm add-ons (HanDBase), but the HP is still built-in
and easier to use.
    g. The LX has what unlimited memory expansion.
    h. The Palm uses mem much more efficiently than the
HP, so a 2MB Palm can do a lot more than a 2MB HP.
    i.  The Palm apps are generally faster.
    j. The Palm global Find is vastly superior to the HP
(which has it only as an addon). The HP's is also
maddeningly slow. the Palm is similar to the Newton's.
    k. The Palm can do a name lookup from any app and
insert name and phone # into the appt/todo/note etc. The
closest on the HP is through the Buddy addon; you can
select a name in the addr book and create an appointment,
todo, or note from it. The Newton, did this even better!
    l. The LX allows any number of appt books, phone
books, notepads, etc. The Palm has only one of each
(although it can be subdivided into categories). This is
a major deficiency. My HP has annual appt files for the
past 10 years, so I can search for anything that I did in
the past and check when it happened or look at the notes
associated with it. This is not possible on the Palm.
    m. The HP's display is better than the Palm III
(although the Palm is very good). But the IIIx and V beat
the LX.
    n. LX's apps have a "subset" function that allows
records to be selected for display based on any search
criteria. The Palm "Category" allows entries to be
selected by category only. The HP is much more useful.
    o. The HP's SmartClip allows the user to set up print
formats and copy formats for entries in the phone book,
notebook, and DB apps. The Palm has nothing equivalent.
    p. The LX has UNDO to any entry and discard changes.
The Palm has no such capability; all changes instantly
update the entry. A major deficiency.
    q. The HP has a powerful macro capability. There is
no equivalent for the Palm.
    r. The Palm has fewer built-in apps than the HP; to
approach equivalent capability you must spend a couple of
hundred dollars. Most Palm add-ons are commercial or
shareware opposed to freeware.
    s. The LX can be a primary data source for most
functions it does (SSs, complex calcs, DBs, notes, etc.)
The Palm can be primary for Appointment cal, phone book,
and ToDo, but you wouldn't want it to be primary for most
other functions such as spreadsheets, notes, DBs, etc.
    t. Battery life is better on the HP, but the Palm
still gets a couple of weeks.

2. The Palm Appt book is diff from the LX, ea has feat: 
    a. It's faster to enter appts on the Palm than on a
LX.
    b. Much faster to navigate to a date in the future or
past.
    c. Both support Repeating appts; the LX has more
repeat options.
    d. The LX has multi-day appts, the Palm does not.
This is DIFFERENT from repeating; on the LX you can have
a 5 day appt. that also repeats. (eg, an annual 5 day
meeting.) Not on the Palm.
    e. The Palm alarm isn't as loud or as persistent as
the LX.
    f. The Palm alarm doesn't allow for user-supplied
alarm tunes.
    g. The LX has a LOCATION field for appts; not on the
Palm (very minor).
    h. The LX allows a complete entry (with all of its
parameters) to be copied and pasted to create a new
entry. The new entry can then be assigned a new date and
all of the other info (alarm, duration, repeat, number of
days, etc) will default. The Palm has no such capability;
all that can be copied is the text of the entry. This is
a significant deficiency.
    i. The LX month view inserts the text of appts in the
calendar. The Palm just indicates dates where there is an
appt.
    j. The LX has a 6 month calendar; the Palm does not.
    k. The LX has a view that displays Appts, ToDos, and
an analog clock simultaneously.
    l. The Palm week view is better than the LX's.

3. The Palm ToDo list is significantly inferior to LX:
    a. Only 5 priorities (260 on the HP)
    b. Cannot go to a date in the future to enter ToDos
or see the ToDos that are due on that date. View is
due/past due only, or all.
    c. The HP has a start date and a due date for ToDos.
The Palm only a due date (which the HP calls the Start
date -- the day it first appears on the list).
    d. The add-on program  ReDo corrects many of these
failings, but is a separate application that must be used
with the ToDo app.

4. The Palm adrs book is better than the LX:
    a. Incremental search is equivalent between them.
    b. The Palm allows fields to be renamed on both a
global and entry by entry basis. A very nice feature. The
LX can only be renamed globally.
    c. Palm fields are multi-line; the HPs are single
line.
    d. The Palm has more fields, including email and
multi phone nbrs. LX can doo too.
    e. In the Index view, the Palm displays the name if
it exists, or the Co if there is no name. A nice feature.

5. The LX's NDB is better than the Palm's Memo:
    a. The LX can sort by multiple fields.
    b. The LX allows text formating in notes.
    c. The LX can assign notes to categories. The Palm
does also, but the LX allows a note to have multiple
categories, the Palm only one. also, the LX has 255
possible categories, the Palm only 16.

TIP 
How do you know if the IR port is actually sending info?
by Larry Finch (PDC Larry). Go to Radio Shack and get an
Infrared Sensor, Cat. No. 276-1099 (about $5.00). It's a
small plastic card that has an IR-sensitive spot on it.
To use, you "charge" the card by holding it near a light
bulb for a few seconds, then hold it in the path of the
IR source. If the IR is working the card will glow.

 1  GND    Ground        35 GND  Ground
 2   D3    Databit 3     36 CD1  Card Detect
 3   D4    Databit 4     37 D11  Databit 11
 4   D5    Databit 5     38 D12  Databit 12
 5   D6    Databit 6     39 D13  Databit 13
 6   D7    Databit 7     40 D14  Databit 14
 7  CE1#   Card Enable   41 D15  Databit 15 
 8  A10    Adrs bit 10   42 CE2  Card Enable
 9  OE#    O/P Enable    43 RFSH Refresh 
10  A11    Adrs bit 11   44 RFU  Reserved 
11   A9    Adrs bit 9    45 RFU  Reserved 
12   A8    Adrs bit 8    46 A17  Adrs bit 17  
13  A13    Adrs bit 13   47 A18  Adrs bit 18
14  A14    Adrs bit 14   48 A19  Adrs bit 19
15 WE/PGM# Wrte Enable   49 A20  Adrs bit 20
16 RDY/BSY Ready/Busy    50 A21  Adrs bit 21   
17   Vcc   Power         51 Vcc    Power
18  Vpp1   Pgm Volt 1    52 Vpp2 Pgm Volt 2
19  A16    Adrs bit 16   53 A22  Adrs bit 22
20  A15    Adrs bit 15   54 A23  Adrs bit 23
21  A12    Adrs bit 12   55 A24  Adrs bit 24
22  A7     Adrs bit 7    56 A25  Adrs bit 25
23  A6     Adrs bit 6    57 RFU  Reserved
24  A5     Adrs bit 5    58 RESET  Card Reset 
25  A4     Adrs bit 4    59 WAIT Extend bus cycle
26  A3     Adrs bit 3    60 RFU  Reserved 
27  A2     Adrs bit 2    61 REG  Reg Select
28  A1     Adrs bit 1    62 BVD2 Batt Volt Detect 2
29  A0     Adrs bit 0    63 BVD1 Batt Volt Delect 1
30  D0     Data bit 0    64 D8   Data bit 8
31  D1     Data bit 1    65 D9   Data bit 9
32  D2     Data bit 2    66 D10  Data bit 10
33  WP   Write Protect   67 CD2  Card Detect
34  GND     Ground       68 GND  Ground

A 3.5V/5V PCMCIA adapter for Smart Media cards. May work similar to CF adapters. Price was about $80. May be a simpler and less power hungry solution for viewing pics on a Smart Media card.

I have seen smart media	cards as being 1/2 the cost of compact flash.  I have seen PCMCIA card adapters and even 3 1/2" floppy disk adapters for the smart media cards.  Can we use the smart media cards in a PCMCIA card adapter	in our HP palmtops? If so, are there any problems associated with them or any brands to stay away from. Do they have better or worse speed and battery drain?
