OMG! Never knew how BAD the x51v blows! - Page 2

norseman8485 · 03-31-06, 07:50 AM

...and pink cows to dance around my room.

kemoschwabbie · 03-31-06, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by psionandy

what happened to the x51 you bought in january?]

The x51v I got in January is the same one here that I am bringing up. It is in 'right out of the box condition'. I purchased it for a close friend of my who is largely unfamiliar with the PPC scene and is beginning to learn about it. There has been no messing around with it, no tweaks, no adjustment. The only thing I have done is put a WMV file on it attempted to watch it. If I watch it in 'small-screen' mode it is sluggish. If I even attempt to watch it in 'full-screen' mode--forget about it. It locks up and requires a reset to get it back on its feet. Additionally, I have seen it rest in its cradle all night, only to be pulled out and find the battery is dead. I have switched batteries with my x50v to insure it is not a battery issue, and the problem remains. I am open to the idea that I received a bad PPC. But really, based on the volume of issues here that I have read about, do I have a lemon, or is this just another example of why Dell must release a ROM update that attempts to address these issues? I am not attempting to perform BT magic with this, just enjoy a simple WMV file. It works without problem on my x50v.

The thing that burns me most about this is the foolishness I feel after raving for months about how great my PPC is, only to have a confused and disappointed friend thinking the problems my be their fault. Especially when it is clearly the PPC.
:realmad:

Kemo

bluevolume · 03-31-06, 09:04 AM

This thread is another great example of how this site is going into the toilet. To the original poster, you are simply making a fool of yourself. Maybe you've got some magical x51v that has myserious problems that nobody else has ever had -- just eBay it and move on. The Axim is still only a computer, and it is completely vulnerable to the user screwing it up (actually more so, because they come here and start applying 'fixes').

You mention that you can't get TCPMP working correctly -- thats where you lost 90% of us here. That is the best video player around, and if it won't play something then you're either on an old version, have a video with an oddball codec, or trying to play something it isn't intended to play (newer WMV files). If you would like to get some satisfaction out of your Axim instead of just ranting about it, then read some of the 'good' threads here. The x51v is a great PDA, and if you aren't using BT then you shouldn't be having any real problems. Most of the complaints on this site are related to the x50v and the confusion around that device being completely different than the x51v when running WM5.

kemoschwabbie · 03-31-06, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by bluevolume

This thread is another great example of how this site is going into the toilet. To the original poster, you are simply making a fool of yourself. Maybe you've got some magical x51v that has myserious problems that nobody else has ever had -- just eBay it and move on. The Axim is still only a computer, and it is completely vulnerable to the user screwing it up (actually more so, because they come here and start applying 'fixes').

You mention that you can't get TCPMP working correctly -- thats where you lost 90% of us here. That is the best video player around, and if it won't play something then you're either on an old version, have a video with an oddball codec, or trying to play something it isn't intended to play (newer WMV files). If you would like to get some satisfaction out of your Axim instead of just ranting about it, then read some of the 'good' threads here. The x51v is a great PDA, and if you aren't using BT then you shouldn't be having any real problems. Most of the complaints on this site are related to the x50v and the confusion around that device being completely different that the x51v when running WM5.

I totally concur with your remarks that TCPMP is the best thing that ever happened to the PPC. That it did not work was exactly why I went on my rant last night. I figured, "Hey WM isn't working--no big deal cause TCPMP is where it is at." TCPMP did actually render and play the file, but it was so jerky I could not believe it. When I ran benchmark on it, it was rendering about 8% of the video frames. Talk about dropped framed rate! I will attempt to re-render the video with Xvid later in the weekend. The battery issue I could sort of overlook, but software that by comparison on my x50v sails seems to be very clunky on the x51v.

Just for clarity, it arrived with ROM A06, and shows about 21Mb of RAM available for programs. The only two applications installed on, beyond the basic ROM installed aps, are Pocket Informant and TCPMP. When playing the video file I insured that all other apps were closed and the processor was set to Max Performance.

Thanks,

Kemo

rlarson_mn · 03-31-06, 09:38 AM

The first couple of months with my X51V were a bit rocky I will admit. After the update ROM A06 and applying the 'Fake Server Trick' my unit has been rock solid for the past 4 months. No soft resets required, no los of SD or CF cards, no will not turn on issues. I use my unit as a POcket PC first and then as PIM device. I do not use BlueTooth so I am unable to comment on its functioning, will leave that to others. I have a 8gb CF micro drive which holds my movies and large pdf files. My SD card is used to back up my My Documents folder and to hold additional files from my PC that I wish to have with me at all times. I upgraded from a Ipaq 4155 to my X51V for the screen, additional memory (256mb), rotateable screen, and the ROM feature which holds both OS and user applications and data. Would not go back at this point.

PabloPowell · 03-31-06, 09:39 AM

Quote:

TCPMP did actually render and play the file, but it was so jerky I could not believe it.

I have ran accross some WMV files that did play jerky in TCPMP but that is most likely because of the bitrate. 99% of the time TCPMP plays files perfectly.

netsyd · 03-31-06, 09:42 AM

I've got to disagree with the original poster ... I've got both an x51v and an x50v. My wife has now inherited the x50v, because I found the x51v to be just as stable and just as smooth to use as the x51v.

If you witnessed lockup issues, it was either a bad unit (hey it happens - no system is perfect or I wouldn't have a job), or the software you installed had compatibility issues with WM5. Mine goes with me everywhere and gets used daily (almost full battery drain) and I have very few problems with it ... the system is fast & reliable.

You said this system is fresh out of the box, no tweaks. Did you atleast do the activesync tweak? If not - DO IT. Then go back and try everything you have problems with again... that 1 tweak makes a world of difference!

benots4 · 03-31-06, 09:52 AM

I have not done a lot of that but I do have two wmv that I have viewed full screen. One is that guy attempting to launch a bottle rocket from his butt.... Those play full screen just fine with Windows Media Player. I have done a lot of messing with video authoring from the desk top. I don't know where you got your wmv file but there are tons of things that can go wrong. I have created many that do the thing you describe on my dual processor workstation. What you describe indicates you have a file that is two complex for the PDA.

The thing to remember is this is a PDA not a Main Frame, it can easily be over powered. You need to have reasonable expectations.

kemoschwabbie · 03-31-06, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by netsyd

I've got to disagree with the original poster ... I've got both an x51v and an x50v. My wife has now inherited the x50v, because I found the x51v to be just as stable and just as smooth to use as the x51v.

If you witnessed lockup issues, it was either a bad unit (hey it happens - no system is perfect or I wouldn't have a job), or the software you installed had compatibility issues with WM5. Mine goes with me everywhere and gets used daily (almost full battery drain) and I have very few problems with it ... the system is fast & reliable.

You said this system is fresh out of the box, no tweaks. Did you atleast do the activesync tweak? If not - DO IT. Then go back and try everything you have problems with again... that 1 tweak makes a world of difference!

I will do the active sync tweak. Can you post up the link where I can read up on it and how to properly apply it?

Thanks in advance,

Kemo

Bagelsnbrew · 03-31-06, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by netsyd

I've got to disagree with the original poster ... I've got both an x51v and an x50v. My wife has now inherited the x50v, because I found the x51v to be just as stable and just as smooth to use as the x51v.

I'll second that my x51v is just as stable and smooth as a x51v! :p

nasatech · 03-31-06, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by kemoschwabbie

I've done all the tweaks I can to the x51v to get everyone ounce of processing power and memory maximization, and still it is totally pathetic.

Originally Posted by kemoschwabbie

The x51v I got in January is the same one here that I am bringing up. It is in 'right out of the box condition'.

So, bubba, which is it? Did you screw the pooch by tweaking the hell out of the unit, or is "right out of the box" ??

Come back and play with the big boys when you get your story straight......

03-31-06, 11:51 AM

I love my Axim x51v and it works just as I expect it to :-)

CaptKen · 03-31-06, 12:11 PM

Sounds like he tweaked himself out of the game. I am certainly not a power user, but use BT gps every day for hours at a time, I surf internet and send/receive Email several times every day either by BT broadband access (Verizon cell phone) or at hotspots or Wi-Fi Networks. I can read books on it, and even edit and FTP web page changes. I can play a few games, and even beat the thing at chess some of the time. Calendar reminders, and contacts are there, too. I can read pdf files that I get via Email, and have a calculator, too. Since January, I can count the soft resets on one hand, (after doing the fake server fix). 3 of them, and that was because I needed to delete some of my spelling errors from the word completion, and one after I put in the driver for BT keyboard. BT headset would be nice, but I surely can't say the Axim is crap because of that one thing. All that for 500 bucks! I think the Axim was a bargain. It was the best 500 bucks I ever spent. Some folks just wouldn't be happy even if they were hung with a new rope.

03-31-06, 12:30 PM

Mine too, is a rock! I love her so!

CodeBubba · 03-31-06, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by benots4

Yeah, Your so smart you can't even get your models straight. Maybe that is why you are having so many problems. Are you sure your not trying using the Toaster as a PDA.

The Post was the X51 sucks not X50 with a WM5 upgrade. Whose full of Sh**?

I've had my X51v (NOTE THE MODEL JACKA$$) since Nov. NEVER ONCE HARD RESET, HAVE ONLY SOFT RESET BECAUSE OF 3RD PARTY PROGRAMS, NEVER ONCE LOST THE SD CARD, BT ACTIVSYNC TO MY LAP TOP EVERY DAY, TRANSFER FILES BETWEEN TWO CELL PHONES AND LAP TOP VIA BT IN ALL DIRECTIONS. NO UNEXPLAINED POWER DRAINS, NO WHITE SCREENS, NOTHING BUT VGA. I DEPEND ON IT FOR WORK, MEETING, NOTES, RECORDER, WORD AND EXECEL. BTLTV IS GREAT, HANDBASE IS BUGGY BUT COST EFFECTIVE. IT LOADS THIS PAGE FASTER THAN MY 2GIG DESKTOP, IT LOAD EVERYTHING FASTER THAN MY LARGE CORPORATE IT MAINTAINED WORK STATION AT WORK. DON'T TELL ME I DON'T USE IT. YOU SIR ARE THE ONE THAT S#$KS!

Hey, this is getting OUT OF HAND. There's no reason for this kind of flaming on this board. Cut it out!

-CB :hide: