[comp.sys.handhelds] ESD BARS...

U46837@UICVM.uic.edu (02/20/91)

While on the CTA bus with nothing else to do, I started swapping battery
combinations on my 48, and looking at the relative battery status (done
by pressing [ON][D] and then [G]). These are my findings...

1) I think "ESD" means "Electro-Static Discharge".

2) "210V" is not "210 volts", but is the VOLTAGE AT PORTS 2, 1, & 0
   (respectively) and that a bar under that particular digit indicates
   the battery status of that port.

Note:  I don't know about HP or CMT ram cards, but EPSON ram cards have a
       "Vbb" pin that is the ram card's battery voltage level.

3) When I have a fresh bunch of batteries in the 48, the battery status
   screen shows this...
                            ESD 210V  210V
                                ||    ||

   When I have an old, somewhat dead bunch of batteries in the 48,
   I got this...
                            ESD 210V  210V
                                  |     |

   With fresh AAA's and a ram card (port 1) with a lithium battery installed
   I got this...
                            ESD 210V  210V
                                |     |

   With fresh AAA's and a ram card (port 1) with the lithium battery removed,
   I got this...
                            ESD 210V  210V
                                ||    ||

   I performed the two previous steps with the ram card in port 2, and saw
   the same results.

   Theory: The bars mean nothing for ports 1 and 2 if no card is in that
           relative slot.  If a bar appears under a port digit, then the
           battery level for that port is low.

   Question:  Why is there a pair of "210V" objects on the screen?

                             Sincerely,  EUG <u46837@uicvm>