Help needed!

[Typhoon]

I've had really bad luck lately. Several days ago, I found my x50v PDA in the dryer. I found out that I had left it in my pants that ended up in the washing machine, then the dryer. Wiered thing is that the memory cards survived. I have heard memory cards surviving through incredible situations. It wouldn't turn on for several days, but finally it turned on today, except that the screen has a bunch of gray and white horizontal lines that go up and down. I was surprised that it at least turned on. So I want to find out what is its true status. I will try to hook it up by USB with my laptop (once I get my laptop from the repair depot), but I figured it would be a good idea if I could find a program that displays the PDA screen, then I would know what's working and what's not. Anyone know of a program like that?

[Darius Wey]

If you manage to get it to sync, and assuming everything inside is operating correctly, you can use SOTI Pocket Controller. (http://www.soti.net/default.asp?Cmd=Products&SubCmd=PCPro)

To be honest though, I think your device has gone to the electronics depot up in the sky. I suggest contacting Dell or Pocket PC Techs to have it repaired.

[Typhoon]

If you manage to get it to sync, and assuming everything inside is operating correctly, you can use SOTI Pocket Controller. (http://www.soti.net/default.asp?Cmd=Products&SubCmd=PCPro)

To be honest though, I think your device has gone to the electronics depot up in the sky. I suggest contacting Dell or Pocket PC Techs to have it repaired.

Huh...thanks...Yea, I did call them and they told me they could replace it for $200. It didn't sound like a bad idea to me.

[Typhoon]

I pressed the reset pin, and as I walk away, lo and behold, I hear the ding sound that happens after a reset...sounds like hope is still there. Now all I need is the screen to work right. But when I tried to get it too sync, Win XP asked for a driver file for the device (PDA). The x50v CD doesn't seem to have it... I guess I will have to wait and see...

[Typhoon]

Okay...I just found out that it syncs too...problem is that I can't do a thing if I can't see the screen. I don't think it responds to taps as well... Someone had suggested that I should buy a VGA cable to check it out...sounds like a good idea...

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Try MS Activesync remote power toy - it'll do for displaying the screen and all. Not as good as Pocket Controller, but it'll do the job you want:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=74473fd6-1dcc-47aa-ab28-6a2b006edfe9&DisplayLang=en

[Typhoon]

Thanks! It's getting late so I will have to try it tomorrow. ?? I just resetted the device for the 5th time and now instead of have gray and black horizontal lines, its got blue, white, and yellow. I don't know how resetting the device changed things, but looks like it is getting better.

[Menneisyys]

Thanks! It's getting late so I will have to try it tomorrow. ?? I just resetted the device for the 5th time and now instead of have gray and black horizontal lines, its got blue, white, and yellow. I don't know how resetting the device changed things, but looks like it is getting better.

Hope the LCD unit isn't cracked - horizontal/vertical lines almost always mean cracked LCD screens (meaning a very expensive screen swapping)/

[Darius Wey]

Someone had suggested that I should buy a VGA cable to check it out...sounds like a good idea...

Yes, something like this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,41409) would be suitable - assuming your video-out connector and GPU are both doing okay. You'll have to somehow enable the Mirror application though. Considering you can't see what's on the screen, and that the touchscreen may not be working, you could be at a loss, unfortunately.

[Menneisyys]

Okay...I just found out that it syncs too...problem is that I can't do a thing if I can't see the screen. I don't think it responds to taps as well... Someone had suggested that I should buy a VGA cable to check it out...sounds like a good idea...

BTW, if you can sync it, why don't you install a remote controller app (SOTI, dotPocket, MS Remote etc. - see their full list/comparison here (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=514&more=1))? All these apps can be installed without having to tap anything on the PDA's screen. Getting a VGA cable is pretty futile instead because, as Darius has already poited out, you would need to explicitly enable mirroring on the PDA.

[Typhoon]

Someone had suggested that I should buy a VGA cable to check it out...sounds like a good idea...

Yes, something like this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,41409) would be suitable - assuming your video-out connector and GPU are both doing okay. You'll have to somehow enable the Mirror application though. Considering you can't see what's on the screen, and that the touchscreen may not be working, you could be at a loss, unfortunately.

Yea....

[Typhoon]

Someone had suggested that I should buy a VGA cable to check it out...sounds like a good idea...

Yes, something like this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,41409) would be suitable - assuming your video-out connector and GPU are both doing okay. You'll have to somehow enable the Mirror application though. Considering you can't see what's on the screen, and that the touchscreen may not be working, you could be at a loss, unfortunately.

Yea....

[Typhoon]

Thanks! It's getting late so I will have to try it tomorrow. ?? I just resetted the device for the 5th time and now instead of have gray and black horizontal lines, its got blue, white, and yellow. I don't know how resetting the device changed things, but looks like it is getting better.

Hope the LCD unit isn't cracked - horizontal/vertical lines almost always mean cracked LCD screens (meaning a very expensive screen swapping)/

I don't see any cracks. I hope that is not the case...

[Menneisyys]

Thanks! It's getting late so I will have to try it tomorrow. ?? I just resetted the device for the 5th time and now instead of have gray and black horizontal lines, its got blue, white, and yellow. I don't know how resetting the device changed things, but looks like it is getting better.

Hope the LCD unit isn't cracked - horizontal/vertical lines almost always mean cracked LCD screens (meaning a very expensive screen swapping)/

I don't see any cracks. I hope that is not the case...

LCD cracks are sometimes very hard or impossible to see - unlike with cracked (glass) touchscreens.

[Typhoon]

Oh I see... Yea, I searched eBay for LCDs for the x50v, and found a few auctions. The LCD + Digitizer costs $180. The auction says that if the LCD is displaying black and gray horizontal lines, then the LCD is cracked. Thing is that it did display black and gray horizontal lines then switched to white, yellow, blue horizontal lines. Today it switched back to black/gray, then back again to color. It looks like it needs to be replaced, but Dell says they can give me a new PDA for $200... I need to think this through. Hopefully it will start working again.

[Darius Wey]

It looks like it needs to be replaced, but Dell says they can give me a new PDA for $200... I need to think this through. Hopefully it will start working again.

I do think $200 for a new PDA is a good deal. Considering the cost of parts and the hassle involved with replacing them, just paying that little bit extra and having a new PDA on your doorstep seems a far more enticing option.