Have Normal Batteries Ruined My Unit?


Macguyver

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
114
OK, just got my GP2X, excited as hell, didn't realize that the AC power didn't ship with the unit.

Popped in my SD card, threw in some regular Duracell AAs just to get started.

Everything was fine, until the batteries ran out about 30 minutes later. Screen went white and purple with lines throughout, impossible to use. I know this is normal, it's what happens when the batteries get too low. So I grab brand new AA's thinking, OK, don't panic.

Here's the rub - put in new batteries, THE SCREEN IS STILL GARBLED! Tried again with Energizers, then even grabbed my 2500 regargeables. Even though the unit says that my battery power is at 100% (I can just barely read the screen), it's still white and garbled. What happened?

Is my unit toast, after only 30 minutes? I have not tried anything but batteries, I don't even have an AC power adapter, so I didn't fry the thing. Anyone have any ideas?

Please help, I can't believe after all this time that I can't use it, I'm dying over here!

Mac
 
Normal batteries didn't toast your machine, if you have GOOD & RELIABLE recharegeables and RECHARGER, use those... Normal ALK batteries will be a waste of time in most cases.


- And get the AC adapter, it's always useful :)
 
I'm not 100% sure that the rechargeables were fully charged, so I'm going to do a full recharge now (takes 8 hours)

But seriously, you're telling me that 2 Alkaline batteries fresh out of the shrink wrap aren't enough to power the unit even for a partial hour?

I'm still confused why the screen isn't resetting to normal with new (albeit Alkaline) batteries. Does the weak power shock it into some kind of garble mode? The batteries are good for 3 Volts, so what gives?

And why did the Alkalines work for 30 minutes when the unit was fresh out of the box? Something doesn't add up here.

Mac
 
Alkalines cant provide high ammounts of power, when a device draws a high power out of them they crystalize pretty fast wich incrases thair resistance so they cant output much anymore.
NIMH batterys can suffer way more drain.

sorry for the grammer, im about to fall asleep, good night guys.
 
But seriously, you're telling me that 2 Alkaline batteries fresh out of the shrink wrap aren't enough to power the unit even for a partial hour?
That's exactly what we're telling you.

Make sure your nimh batteries are fully charged (they don't come charged), and then get back to us.
 
those rechargables you got might of "milk bottled" if there too old (assuming by the 8 hour charge). you should try getting a new charger you can do a full charge in around 1 hour now adays (my old 1 took 16 sheesh!)
 
Hey gang,

OK. I do have the Energizer recharger that takes 8 hours to charge, and it works fine. It's not the 15 minute version but that shouldn't make a difference. My batteries are brand new, the green 2500 mA ones from Energizer.

After 8 hours the light went off the charger and voila, I was ready to get this problem licked, and start my homebrew dreams!

But NO, I have the same problem. Arghhhh! My screen is STILL mostly white and purple with faint thin vertical lines, even with fully charged 2500 mA batteries. If I tilt the unit just right, I can BARELY see the menu icons, and run the thing.

I am a resourceful guy (hence the username), but even the best of us runs into faulty equipment sometimes.

I don't think my unit needs to be reflashed since the menus work fine, it's totally operational. Too bad I can barely see anything.

Here's the real confusion - even the battery display says "full" when I check it!

Any ideas?

Mac
 
The vendor I purchased it from agrees with you. Bum LCD. Return for replacement.

It's already on its way back.

I hope the next unit is more robust! Not a great beginning, but I'm still eager to get going.

Mac
 
Back
Top