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Kent Walters · 09-28-2009, 07:38 PM

Hello All,

I think we have drifted off topic here; my responses were meant to encourage those considering an early buy of iRex’s new DR8000SG to compare its features, and iRex’s promises, with the same features and promises of the earlier offerings. My intent is not to discourage anyone from buying (though I recommend against it, pending user feedback), but to help them make an informed decision. As Faenad noted earlier, there are a good many threads, on various forums, regarding iRex’s products, and those who haven’t been following might be quite disappointed after purchasing--especially those who might rely on these devices for professional purposes. I have been embarrassed by my DR1000S’ performance (“You paid how much for this?”); for me, the embarrassment itself is my only loss--your milage may vary.

Shaggy,

My Hanlin uses lithium (not poly) batteries, and it holds a charge for weeks of intermittent use (several books, the thousands of page turns that Astak/Hanlin promises). My DR will not hold a useable charge for 4 days of non-use. To me, as a user, whether the drain while ‘off’ is caused by the cap sense circuitry or some ‘bug’ is irrelevant--My DR spends more time being charged than being used. An on/off switch at the battery would eliminate battery drain while ‘off,’ and no matter what causes it, the cause comes from iRex, and, IMHO, a battery switch (at least) should have been included by the factory. The DR’s (slight) unreliability keeps me from using it as much as I would like to.

For me, the DR’s low use time is, in fact, a significant problem, one that causes me to keep it plugged in while using it (but only when I can), and I think this need for constant recharging has played a role in the broken USB sockets that some users have suffered; that’s QUITE a significant problem, it seems to me. The DR’s low use time and battery-drain-while-off issues are facts, it is only the causes and contributing factors that are theoretical, and the bugs you suggest only add to the list of theories, not shorten it. That the cap sense switch circuitry draws power when off is a fact; whether it is a significant factor (and I will define ‘significant’ as a noticeable difference in use time) can only be determined by testing, and I will begin testing tonight.

My only assumption is that iRex has made several engineering choices that have kept the DR1000S from being the dependable high quality device that it might have been, and that it almost is. Whether my theories or yours are correct about the battery life, or it is something we have not imagined, the problem comes from iRex, and I have little confidence that iRex will address it.

It is these and other design issues (that I’ve mentioned elsewhere) that prompt me to recommend others not to rush to buy iRex’s new offering.

Kent Walters

09-28-2009, 07:38 PM	#33
Kent Walters Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 92 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern California, USA Device: iRex DR1000S, Astak EZreader (Hanlin V3)	Straying off topic? Hello All, I think we have drifted off topic here; my responses were meant to encourage those considering an early buy of iRex’s new DR8000SG to compare its features, and iRex’s promises, with the same features and promises of the earlier offerings. My intent is not to discourage anyone from buying (though I recommend against it, pending user feedback), but to help them make an informed decision. As Faenad noted earlier, there are a good many threads, on various forums, regarding iRex’s products, and those who haven’t been following might be quite disappointed after purchasing--especially those who might rely on these devices for professional purposes. I have been embarrassed by my DR1000S’ performance (“You paid how much for this?”); for me, the embarrassment itself is my only loss--your milage may vary. Shaggy, My Hanlin uses lithium (not poly) batteries, and it holds a charge for weeks of intermittent use (several books, the thousands of page turns that Astak/Hanlin promises). My DR will not hold a useable charge for 4 days of non-use. To me, as a user, whether the drain while ‘off’ is caused by the cap sense circuitry or some ‘bug’ is irrelevant--My DR spends more time being charged than being used. An on/off switch at the battery would eliminate battery drain while ‘off,’ and no matter what causes it, the cause comes from iRex, and, IMHO, a battery switch (at least) should have been included by the factory. The DR’s (slight) unreliability keeps me from using it as much as I would like to. For me, the DR’s low use time is, in fact, a significant problem, one that causes me to keep it plugged in while using it (but only when I can), and I think this need for constant recharging has played a role in the broken USB sockets that some users have suffered; that’s QUITE a significant problem, it seems to me. The DR’s low use time and battery-drain-while-off issues are facts, it is only the causes and contributing factors that are theoretical, and the bugs you suggest only add to the list of theories, not shorten it. That the cap sense switch circuitry draws power when off is a fact; whether it is a significant factor (and I will define ‘significant’ as a noticeable difference in use time) can only be determined by testing, and I will begin testing tonight. My only assumption is that iRex has made several engineering choices that have kept the DR1000S from being the dependable high quality device that it might have been, and that it almost is. Whether my theories or yours are correct about the battery life, or it is something we have not imagined, the problem comes from iRex, and I have little confidence that iRex will address it. It is these and other design issues (that I’ve mentioned elsewhere) that prompt me to recommend others not to rush to buy iRex’s new offering. Kent Walters