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Re: Twiddler & batteries

From: "Harold Schmeitz" <schmeith@ehv.tass.philips.com>
Date: Tue Jun 30 18:01:40 1998
Newsgroups: comp.sys.wearables

Ruth Bygrave wrote in message
<899032820.7263.0.nnrp-08.c2de7070@news.demon.co.uk>...
>All right, I know I use a semi-wearable (PPPro), & that's outside the remit
>of this newsgroup, but does anyone else using batteries w/ a Twiddler have
>this problem:
>
>After using Twiddler on 3 AA batteries for a few hours it starts dropping
>characters -- "l", "'" (apostrophe), "r" and sometimes "b". Yet "l" is an
>"f" + [space] chord, and when this happens "f" and [space] are usually OK.
>Am very confused.
>
>Regards, \/\/oof
>
>
Well it looks like you're using the twiddler out of spec.
3 AA batteries give about 4.8 to 5 Volts when full, but the voltage drops
when you use them for a while. Since the twiddler requires 5 Volts, strange
things may happen, so I'm not very surprised... ;)

Solution : use a 5 Volt power supply for the twiddler.

Plan A : IMHO a DC/DC converter gives the best results. Input may go as low
as 3 Volts, while the output remains a rock solid 5 V. You'd only need a
small one.

Plan B : Or use a 9 V battery, and a 5V regulator. It's a bit cheaper, but
you're wasting a lot of power this way, so you'll end up buying a lot of
batteries.

Greets,

Harold