Post-update battery weirdness - Page 4

UncleDuke · 03-19-2007, 09:49 AM

on 4 for a long time then straight away dropped to 1 and a minute later said low battery.

grimo1re · 03-19-2007, 01:45 PM

Yep, worked for me too: the other night the battery went funny again and I did the plug-in-reader-to-wallcharger-while on-trick and it worked a treat!

RSaunders · 03-19-2007, 04:47 PM

Wow, this is interesting.

I usually charge my reader with the cradle, which has the plug-in-charger to power it. The white light in the cradle goes out when it is "full". Sure enough, it usually shows 4 bars. It usually only does a couple hundred pages before it goes to 3/4. Today I've had it plugged directly into the plug-in-charger for over 2 hours, and it still shows the lightning bolt. I have to reach over and change pages every so often to keep the display on. Does the lightning bolt go out when it is really full??

Aprilbeginnings · 03-19-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSaunders

Wow, this is interesting.

I usually charge my reader with the cradle, which has the plug-in-charger to power it. The white light in the cradle goes out when it is "full". Sure enough, it usually shows 4 bars. It usually only does a couple hundred pages before it goes to 3/4.

I charged mine last week and I noticed that today it went 3/4's..... that equalled about 510 page turns........

Leaping Gnome · 03-19-2007, 06:37 PM

No, the lightning bolt does not go out when it is fully charged, just the little red light does. For the record, two Readers in my house here, pre-update charged normally, post-update both have this problem with the meter not updating.

yvanleterrible · 03-20-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aprilbeginnings

I charged mine last week and I noticed that today it went 3/4's..... that equalled about 510 page turns........

While I read your comment it occurred to me that having bad eyesight makes me waste more power than a young'n. That's eink discriminating against us!!!

Laurens · 03-28-2007, 02:55 AM

Well, yesterday the battery was completely drained, even though I supposedly charged it fully last week and hadn't used the Reader since. (It wouldn't even turn on.) So I charged it again and now the battery stays at four bars, even after several hours of reading. Seems I had to suffer some pain in order to find "healing". *knock wood*

LaughingVulcan · 03-28-2007, 09:48 PM

I know I'm not getting several thousand page turns off a charge. The first thing I did, out of the box, was first upgrade Connect and second upgrade the Reader. So I don't have a baseline for comparison. Best guess I'm getting about 2,000 turns off a charge. (Maybe 2,500 including every time I go upmenu, select different menu options, etc... I'm assuming every time the display changes is considered a 'page turn' for battery life purposes.)

dhbailey · 03-29-2007, 04:38 AM

That would be correct, since the reader's battery can't really know if it's actually turning a page in a book file or displaying a different menu.

I had the firmware update as well as the latest Connect software already loaded on my computer, so it updated the Reader's firmware as soon as I connected it to the computer and ran Connect, so I don't have any baseline for comparison either.

But on the other hand, my Reader hasn't shown any battery-indicator weirdness either. :-)

Laurens · 03-29-2007, 07:38 AM

Quite possibly it's the update process itself (i.e. the change from the old to the new firmware) that may be the cause of the problems. Anyway, still no problems after two days of use, so it looks like everything is back to normal for me.

Laurens · 04-03-2007, 02:35 PM

Unfortunately the battery problems resurfaced after a few days of non-use. Bring on the bug fix already!

Plowman · 04-09-2007, 08:32 PM

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if the battery indicator will ever change now. After I upgraded firmware I charged the unit until the light went out (overnight). The next morning the battery was still half way up/down. I've read 7 books (Simon Green's Nightside, and the first Tanya Huff/Victory Nelson) and the battery indicator hasn't budged.

I'm about to leave on a week vacation and am charging it up before I go. Here is hoping all goes well.

yvanleterrible · 04-09-2007, 08:56 PM

After fully charging for a whole night by using the 'reader on' trick, I did an approximate page count. When the triangle showed up the reader had turned around 3,400 pages. It is an approximate figure because with some pages I needed to backtrack so as to properly comprehend what I was reading. Anyway it is a far cry from the advertised 7,500.

Something particular also showed up. After 10 hours on, the reader's background became much darker a shade of gray than usual, thereby reducing contrast much further. Has anybody noticed?

HarryT · 04-10-2007, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plowman

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if the battery indicator will ever change now. After I upgraded firmware I charged the unit until the light went out (overnight). The next morning the battery was still half way up/down. I've read 7 books (Simon Green's Nightside, and the first Tanya Huff/Victory Nelson) and the battery indicator hasn't budged.

Once you've finished charging your Reader in the normal way, as you have done, all you have to do is this:

1. Plug the wall charger into the mains power socket but DON'T plug it into the Reader.

2. Switch the Reader on.

3. Plug the charger into the Reader for a couple of seconds.

Your battery meter will immediately jump to "4 bars" and all will be well.

Aprilbeginnings · 04-10-2007, 08:28 AM

Even charging it via the wall, you have to remove the plug and then plug it in again to set that meter. I don't think this problem will ever be corrected either. IMO

HarryT · 04-10-2007, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aprilbeginnings

Even charging it via the wall, you have to remove the plug and then plug it in again to set that meter. I don't think this problem will ever be corrected either. IMO

That's a very pessimistic view - they broke it in the last upgrade, so I don't see why they can't fix it again in the next

.

yvanleterrible · 04-10-2007, 08:54 PM

Yes it will be corrected!

The reader'll have a colo(u)r successor with HTML support...I hope!!!

RSaunders · 04-11-2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aprilbeginnings

Even charging it via the wall, you have to remove the plug and then plug it in again to set that meter.

Curious, but this matches my experience. I had not charged up my reader before a long flight to Hawaii, but I took the charger. After reading for hours, I had been at 2 bars for about 250 pages. I charged it overnight, and the red LED went out. It went back into it's case until the flight back. Imagine my surprise when I turned it on and only had 2 bars. I read 620 pages on the return flight, and still two bars. Today I get back the the forum, and try this trick. Plug in charger for a second, and it recalculates the battery, and shows 3 bars. This is about what I'd expect after 600 pages.

WilliamG · 04-12-2007, 02:19 PM

This battery bug is really annoying, actually. I never know what charge my Reader is at. It's *gasp* putting me off reading.

NatCh · 04-12-2007, 02:52 PM

It seems to go down okay for me, it just doesn't want to go back up. But the 'plug it in while it's turned on' solution seems to work just fine. In fact, the last couple of times I've charged it, I've just left it turned on and charged it.

Aprilbeginnings · 04-12-2007, 02:54 PM

Since you charge it while left on I am curious, does the reader *remain on* for the few hours that it is charging or does it turn itself off? I usually have the reader off when I charge, then turn on, pull the plug, plug it back in to get the bars to read correctly

NatCh · 04-12-2007, 03:08 PM

The rascal stays on. In fact, it stays on after it's fully charged -- I usually (if that word applies to something I only do every once every two or three weeks) drop it on the cradle as I'm dozing off, and it's fully charged and still on in the morning. I'm not sure, but I don't think it'll turn itself off if it's connected to power.

Laurens · 04-12-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamG

This battery bug is really annoying, actually. I never know what charge my Reader is at. It's *gasp* putting me off reading.

Same here. I find myself constantly checking the battery to see if it drops a bar (or two), which distracts from reading.

Aprilbeginnings · 04-12-2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

The rascal stays on. In fact, it stays on after it's fully charged -- I usually (if that word applies to something I only do every once every two or three weeks) drop it on the cradle as I'm dozing off, and it's fully charged and still on in the morning. I'm not sure, but I don't think it'll turn itself off if it's connected to power.

Okay, well next time I charge I will do it with the reader on and see if the reader remains on. I am fully charged now so it will be a little while until I do this again.

RWood · 04-12-2007, 04:15 PM

When I carge from the wall outlet the Reader stays in the same state it was when I started (on->on, off->off.) The only sign that it is charging is the red light on the side. When I charge (or load books) via the USB connection it always turns on and stays on after I unplug it from the USB.

Nightwing · 04-15-2007, 02:53 AM

Though I was going nuts...

Have the same upgrad/bad battry indicator. Before the upgrade the guage did correctly.

After the upgrade it like I leave it on. Been busy so its been sitting for long periords. It drops about a bar a week or so under no use. Though it was the SD card eating power but keep it out unless reading from it. And stll does this.

Tonight was going to read a bit and notest it went from three to two then one just flipping a few pages.

A soft reset seem to kick it back up. But

Trying the charge while on trick...

If this does not fix it will contact Sony. Have the extra coverage on it.

ADDED:

Hum.... Wonder if in the updates there a bit of bad code that is drawing more power when on or off? Because why alter a section thats works? Yes I have written software for sale. And you do your best NOT to break things...

NatCh · 04-15-2007, 08:36 AM

I think they were trying to get at that bar flutter we were having, you know where it drops a bar and then it pops back after you leave it off for a while? Personally, I found that a good deal less bothersome.

Nightwing · 04-15-2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I think they were trying to get at that bar flutter we were having, you know where it drops a bar and then it pops back after you leave it off for a while? Personally, I found that a good deal less bothersome.

Could be.

Most bat indicators that report on these type of battries are more of a educated guess.

dyspepsic · 04-15-2007, 06:14 PM

There isn't a way to roll back to original firmware? This sucks hard. Sony, please get a clue

-d

Nightwing · 04-24-2007, 01:21 AM

Well left it for a week without use..

gauge went down about 1/4 in one week with out turning it on for the week. Turned it on flip about 4 pages in the menu and bing.

Going to go a bit more without it and see where it goes for the next week.

04-09-2007, 08:32 PM	#102
Plowman Member Posts: 17 Karma: 24 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: PRS-500	Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if the battery indicator will ever change now. After I upgraded firmware I charged the unit until the light went out (overnight). The next morning the battery was still half way up/down. I've read 7 books (Simon Green's Nightside, and the first Tanya Huff/Victory Nelson) and the battery indicator hasn't budged. I'm about to leave on a week vacation and am charging it up before I go. Here is hoping all goes well. Last edited by Plowman; 04-09-2007 at 08:33 PM. Reason: Spelling

04-15-2007, 02:53 AM	#116
Nightwing Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 541 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Cowon A2 Dell x3i, Sony Reader & Eee PC!	Though I was going nuts... Have the same upgrad/bad battry indicator. Before the upgrade the guage did correctly. After the upgrade it like I leave it on. Been busy so its been sitting for long periords. It drops about a bar a week or so under no use. Though it was the SD card eating power but keep it out unless reading from it. And stll does this. Tonight was going to read a bit and notest it went from three to two then one just flipping a few pages. A soft reset seem to kick it back up. But Trying the charge while on trick... If this does not fix it will contact Sony. Have the extra coverage on it. ADDED: Hum.... Wonder if in the updates there a bit of bad code that is drawing more power when on or off? Because why alter a section thats works? Yes I have written software for sale. And you do your best NOT to break things... Last edited by Nightwing; 04-15-2007 at 03:11 AM.

04-15-2007, 06:14 PM	#119
dyspepsic Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2007 Device: sony prs500	Roll back update? There isn't a way to roll back to original firmware? This sucks hard. Sony, please get a clue -d

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03-19-2007, 09:49 AM	#91
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	on 4 for a long time then straight away dropped to 1 and a minute later said low battery.

03-19-2007, 01:45 PM	#92
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	Yep, worked for me too: the other night the battery went funny again and I did the plug-in-reader-to-wallcharger-while on-trick and it worked a treat!

03-19-2007, 04:47 PM	#93
RSaunders Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 2054 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	Wow, this is interesting. I usually charge my reader with the cradle, which has the plug-in-charger to power it. The white light in the cradle goes out when it is "full". Sure enough, it usually shows 4 bars. It usually only does a couple hundred pages before it goes to 3/4. Today I've had it plugged directly into the plug-in-charger for over 2 hours, and it still shows the lightning bolt. I have to reach over and change pages every so often to keep the display on. Does the lightning bolt go out when it is really full??

03-19-2007, 06:37 PM	#95
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	No, the lightning bolt does not go out when it is fully charged, just the little red light does. For the record, two Readers in my house here, pre-update charged normally, post-update both have this problem with the meter not updating.

03-28-2007, 02:55 AM	#97
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	Well, yesterday the battery was completely drained, even though I supposedly charged it fully last week and hadn't used the Reader since. (It wouldn't even turn on.) So I charged it again and now the battery stays at four bars, even after several hours of reading. Seems I had to suffer some pain in order to find "healing". knock wood

03-28-2007, 09:48 PM	#98
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 206 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: Kobo Sage. Ex Sony (PRS-500, -600, -650 and Nook)	I know I'm not getting several thousand page turns off a charge. The first thing I did, out of the box, was first upgrade Connect and second upgrade the Reader. So I don't have a baseline for comparison. Best guess I'm getting about 2,000 turns off a charge. (Maybe 2,500 including every time I go upmenu, select different menu options, etc... I'm assuming every time the display changes is considered a 'page turn' for battery life purposes.)

03-29-2007, 04:38 AM	#99
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	That would be correct, since the reader's battery can't really know if it's actually turning a page in a book file or displaying a different menu. I had the firmware update as well as the latest Connect software already loaded on my computer, so it updated the Reader's firmware as soon as I connected it to the computer and ran Connect, so I don't have any baseline for comparison either. But on the other hand, my Reader hasn't shown any battery-indicator weirdness either. :-)

03-29-2007, 07:38 AM	#100
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	Quite possibly it's the update process itself (i.e. the change from the old to the new firmware) that may be the cause of the problems. Anyway, still no problems after two days of use, so it looks like everything is back to normal for me.

04-03-2007, 02:35 PM	#101
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	Unfortunately the battery problems resurfaced after a few days of non-use. Bring on the bug fix already!

04-09-2007, 08:56 PM	#103
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	After fully charging for a whole night by using the 'reader on' trick, I did an approximate page count. When the triangle showed up the reader had turned around 3,400 pages. It is an approximate figure because with some pages I needed to backtrack so as to properly comprehend what I was reading. Anyway it is a far cry from the advertised 7,500. Something particular also showed up. After 10 hours on, the reader's background became much darker a shade of gray than usual, thereby reducing contrast much further. Has anybody noticed?

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04-10-2007, 08:28 AM	#105
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	Even charging it via the wall, you have to remove the plug and then plug it in again to set that meter. I don't think this problem will ever be corrected either. IMO

04-10-2007, 08:54 PM	#107
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Yes it will be corrected! The reader'll have a colo(u)r successor with HTML support...I hope!!!

04-12-2007, 02:19 PM	#109
WilliamG Addict Posts: 307 Karma: 60998 Join Date: Sep 2006	This battery bug is really annoying, actually. I never know what charge my Reader is at. It's gasp putting me off reading.

04-12-2007, 02:52 PM	#110
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	It seems to go down okay for me, it just doesn't want to go back up. But the 'plug it in while it's turned on' solution seems to work just fine. In fact, the last couple of times I've charged it, I've just left it turned on and charged it.

04-12-2007, 02:54 PM	#111
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	Since you charge it while left on I am curious, does the reader remain on for the few hours that it is charging or does it turn itself off? I usually have the reader off when I charge, then turn on, pull the plug, plug it back in to get the bars to read correctly

04-12-2007, 03:08 PM	#112
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	The rascal stays on. In fact, it stays on after it's fully charged -- I usually (if that word applies to something I only do every once every two or three weeks) drop it on the cradle as I'm dozing off, and it's fully charged and still on in the morning. I'm not sure, but I don't think it'll turn itself off if it's connected to power.

04-12-2007, 04:15 PM	#115
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	When I carge from the wall outlet the Reader stays in the same state it was when I started (on->on, off->off.) The only sign that it is charging is the red light on the side. When I charge (or load books) via the USB connection it always turns on and stays on after I unplug it from the USB.

04-15-2007, 08:36 AM	#117
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I think they were trying to get at that bar flutter we were having, you know where it drops a bar and then it pops back after you leave it off for a while? Personally, I found that a good deal less bothersome.

04-24-2007, 01:21 AM	#120
Nightwing Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 541 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Cowon A2 Dell x3i, Sony Reader & Eee PC!	Well left it for a week without use.. gauge went down about 1/4 in one week with out turning it on for the week. Turned it on flip about 4 pages in the menu and bing. Going to go a bit more without it and see where it goes for the next week.