New firmware

[orwell2k]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

I now have more problems -- same as before, but more often -- with the PB360 as it was returned to me than with the original. PB apparently found no hardware defect but replaced the 14.2 originally installed with 15.2, as if that would help, which it did not. I have tried everything now -- sent it back, downgraded again to 14.2, done the hardware reset, maintenance (format internal memory and clean slate), and uploaded all my files again. I have tried PDF and Epub using both the PDF viewers and FBreaders. They all produce the same problem. I simply cannot use this device to read because it conks out (reboots) at least once an hour. I have also tried to read a number of different files, including public domain files, so the notion that something is "unclean" in the files is not a sufficient explanation. The device is simply not market ready, in my opinion. 240 euros is not chicken feed. I cannot read with this device. Period.

That is most disappointing. Sounds like you have a 'lemon'.

I disagree that the devices in general are not market-ready. I have not had a single problem with my device. I still use 14.2 firmware, and as I don't really use ADE I am hesitant to update until a few more users express their complete satisfaction with the 15.2 version (or 15.3 comes out... ).

Even though PB found no hardware fault, I would expect them to exchange the device for a completely new one. As you point out, hourly reboots are really unacceptable and the device is indeed unusable in that state.

PB have been very good with customer support so far, and I hope this continues... for you to get a replacement device and for the rest of us to be confident that PB will continue its excellent record of support.

We'll await the official PB reply to your troubles... maybe you should PM one of th reps on MR?...

[IndecisiveMe]

While I'm also having rebooting problems with my PB360, I would definitely not say it's not market ready. I had a couple of problems with 14.2, but loads more with 15.2. Even with those handful of crashes/freezes with 14.2, I still thought it was an excellent device and well worth the expense.

I'm sorry you're having so many problems with it.

[Vienna01]

I just installed 15.2 on my 301. OK so far.
the bin & config files are empty looking with Windows. Are there any hidden files in them that Windows can't see?
I never installed FBReader 180 on this reader when it was 15.1 [from the factory]
I wish to get some of the advantages of FBreader 180.
If I now install FBreader 180 do I undo the fixes to FBreader that were part of 15.2?
If I do install FBreader 180 and wish to be able to select between FBReader & FBReader 180. I assume I need to populate /system/bin with FBreader180 and populate /system/config with a config file that shows FBreader as alternate to FBReader180. Is this correct?

Must that added config file also have entries for formats such as DJVI, PDF, MP3...Or are they covered by the hidden/default config file that came with 15.2 if I don't override those lines with my added config file?

Finally: If there is more than one version of FBReader180.app where to I get the latest version?

[Schnitzelbrain]

Originally Posted by Vienna01

I just installed 15.2 on my 301. OK so far.
the bin & config files are empty looking with Windows. Are there any hidden files in them that Windows can't see?
I never installed FBReader 180 on this reader when it was 15.1 [from the factory]
I wish to get some of the advantages of FBreader 180.
If I now install FBreader 180 do I undo the fixes to FBreader that were part of 15.2?
If I do install FBreader 180 and wish to be able to select between FBReader & FBReader 180. I assume I need to populate /system/bin with FBreader180 and populate /system/config with a config file that shows FBreader as alternate to FBReader180. Is this correct?

Must that added config file also have entries for formats such as DJVI, PDF, MP3...Or are they covered by the hidden/default config file that came with 15.2 if I don't override those lines with my added config file?

Finally: If there is more than one version of FBReader180.app where to I get the latest version?

All you said is absolutely correct, take the Extension.cfg from here, u can open it (after unrar and alternate it) with win and u will see how it is setup.

Take the latest fbreader from here, this is the developer site. There u always find the latest.

To use different fbreaders u just give the different names and set them in the config file. The original is in the rom so even with the name fbreader u will use the new one but NOT overwrite the original. deleting the new and the system takes the ROM version. That also means the bin folder is empty because nothing (also not hidden) is in there. The PB has 2 sections, one u access via win and one thats in the rom and not shown . The system software checks in both sources to give us the possibility to change things without messing with the core files.

[Vienna01]

Originally Posted by Schnitzelbrain

snip
To use different fbreaders u just give the different names and set them in the config file. The original is in the rom so even with the name fbreader u will use the new one but NOT overwrite the original. deleting the new and the system takes the ROM version. That also means the bin folder is empty because nothing (also not hidden) is in there. The PB has 2 sections, one u access via win and one thats in the rom and not shown . The system software checks in both sources to give us the possibility to change things without messing with the core files.

I'll try that. Thanks

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

I now have more problems -- same as before, but more often -- with the PB360 as it was returned to me than with the original. PB apparently found no hardware defect but replaced the 14.2 originally installed with 15.2, as if that would help, which it did not. I have tried everything now -- sent it back, downgraded again to 14.2, done the hardware reset, maintenance (format internal memory and clean slate), and uploaded all my files again. I have tried PDF and Epub using both the PDF viewers and FBreaders. They all produce the same problem. I simply cannot use this device to read because it conks out (reboots) at least once an hour. I have also tried to read a number of different files, including public domain files, so the notion that something is "unclean" in the files is not a sufficient explanation. The device is simply not market ready, in my opinion. 240 euros is not chicken feed. I cannot read with this device. Period.

All I can say about this is the following facts:
1) You sent this to us without any description of what was wrong with your device.
2) Our technicians checked your device thoroughly and didn't find any technical problem with your device whatsoever

It is impossible for our technician to recognize someone's device from the Mobileread forum, because there are no means whatsoever to link the real name to the avatar for him. So you simplify our life in a big way if you specify exactly what problem you have, generally speaking.

I won't answer your accusations otherwise.

[Forkosigan]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

I now have more problems -- same as before, but more often -- with the PB360 as it was returned to me than with the original. PB apparently found no hardware defect but replaced the 14.2 originally installed with 15.2, as if that would help, which it did not. I have tried everything now -- sent it back, downgraded again to 14.2, done the hardware reset, maintenance (format internal memory and clean slate), and uploaded all my files again. I have tried PDF and Epub using both the PDF viewers and FBreaders. They all produce the same problem. I simply cannot use this device to read because it conks out (reboots) at least once an hour. I have also tried to read a number of different files, including public domain files, so the notion that something is "unclean" in the files is not a sufficient explanation. The device is simply not market ready, in my opinion. 240 euros is not chicken feed. I cannot read with this device. Period.

Unfortunately you forgot to attach an error description, etc... Our service technician checked your device very thoroughly and could´t find any problems with it. It seems, there are problems with the Firmwire 14.2 only with your device, but not with all PB360. In other words you´ve got a defective reader, sometimes it happens with every manufacturer. If you would describe your problem, we would try to find out what exactly was damaged and send you a brand new device. Your reader seems to have a damaged Flash memory, it is almost impossible for the technician to discover such problem since the device works normaly. Please send us your PB Reader again and don´t forget to attach the description of what exactly going wrong.

[IndecisiveMe]

Originally Posted by Forkosigan

It seems, there are problems with the Firmwire 14.2 only with your device, but not with all PB360.

Definitely not just a problem with this 14.2 installation. My problems
are nowhere near as severe as this case, but 14.2 froze and crashed a fair amount for me in the space of about six weeks. 15.2 is much, much worse, though.

I don't think mine is a hardware issue at all, just wanted to make it clear that 14.2 is not as stable as most people think. For some of us it is not great, but we put up with it becaue we love our PB360s.

I'm waiting (not so) patiently for 15.3. Hopefully we'll get a great new, stable firmware update.

[mdmorrissey]

I have just sent it back -- for the second time. I did include an error description the first time, and it hasn't changed. I described it the first time to Waldemar Luft (is he one of you?), and he said the problem was known, and I did so again this morning. This time I am sending it to Waldemar in Werraue. He assured me this should not be happening and that I would get a replacement. The thing reboots spontaneously and especially when turning pages, and it does so with all types of files, all the installed readers, and with both 14.2 and 15.2. I hope I just got a fluke defective machine, and that the one I get back will work as well as everybody here says it does.

[Forkosigan]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

I have just sent it back -- for the second time. I did include an error description the first time, and it hasn't changed. I described it the first time to Waldemar Luft (is he one of you?), and he said the problem was known, and I did so again this morning. This time I am sending it to Waldemar in Werraue. He assured me this should not be happening and that I would get a replacement. The thing reboots spontaneously and especially when turning pages, and it does so with all types of files, all the installed readers, and with both 14.2 and 15.2. I hope I just got a fluke defective machine, and that the one I get back will work as well as everybody here says it does.

Waldemar Luft is one of our distributors in Germany, he has nothing to do with the service center in Nuremberg. Sorry for misunderstanding, it was not your fault. I will arrange shiping of a new device through Waldemar.

[mdmorrissey]

Originally Posted by Forkosigan

Waldemar Luft is one of our distributors in Germany, he has nothing to do with the service center in Nuremberg. Sorry for misunderstanding, it was not your fault. I will arrange shiping of a new device through Waldemar.

Thanks. He said there would be no problem sending a new one.

[orwell2k]

Good to see, after some initial confusion, that the PB support staff have come through (again) to help customer. Of course it's a shame that there was any problem, but overall I think the PB devices are pretty good quality and reliable.

I am still using 14.2 on my PB360 and have no desire to change yet. I sometimes get the urge to upgrade because usually a newer firmware should be better, but the 14.2 config on my PB360 has been almost bulletproof since Dec 2009, and I am thus hesitant to change something that isn't broken!

If I used ADE I would probably be more motivated to change, but I read almost exculively in FB2 and use the fbreader180 with wrist-turn app and am loving the reading experience. Well done to all involved in the PB devices, support and the developers of 3rd-party apps like fbreader180.

I recommened PB to anyone who asks about a choice in eBook reading devices, with the caveats of my own usage requirements, of course...

Keep up the good work!

[mdmorrissey]

Originally Posted by orwell2k

Good to see, after some initial confusion, that the PB support staff have come through (again) to help customer. Of course it's a shame that there was any problem, but overall I think the PB devices are pretty good quality and reliable.

I am still using 14.2 on my PB360 and have no desire to change yet. I sometimes get the urge to upgrade because usually a newer firmware should be better, but the 14.2 config on my PB360 has been almost bulletproof since Dec 2009, and I am thus hesitant to change something that isn't broken!

If I used ADE I would probably be more motivated to change, but I read almost exculively in FB2 and use the fbreader180 with wrist-turn app and am loving the reading experience. Well done to all involved in the PB devices, support and the developers of 3rd-party apps like fbreader180.

I recommened PB to anyone who asks about a choice in eBook reading devices, with the caveats of my own usage requirements, of course...

Keep up the good work!

This is encouraging, as are most of the posts about PB360 -- which is why I bought it in the first place, and why it so frustrating to have gotten a defective device. I hope what they send back to me works as well as yours. If it does I will sing their praises too. Where do you get your books, by the way? Do you use public domain books -- those are my primary interest. (If I want to buy a book I'll get it a used paper edition from amazon.)

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

This is encouraging, as are most of the posts about PB360 -- which is why I bought it in the first place, and why it so frustrating to have gotten a defective device. I hope what they send back to me works as well as yours. If it does I will sing their praises too. Where do you get your books, by the way? Do you use public domain books -- those are my primary interest. (If I want to buy a book I'll get it a used paper edition from amazon.)

Have you seen the books here on mobileread ?

[mdmorrissey]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Have you seen the books here on mobileread ?

Nope, but now I have. Thanks.