HTC Hero

ptashek

Mr E wrote: »

For the tweakers, Teknologist has released a very small hack which speeds up the phone's wake-up cycle. Normally the phone can be a little sluggish after waking it up, but after this update there is a noticeable speed increase - no sluggishness at all.

http://android.teknologism.org/changelog/

You need to have Teknologist's kernel installed, or MCR 2.9 or 3.0 (which includes his kernel).

It's not really a hack, just a changed setting in the Linux kernel CPU governor. I'm not sure if this is exposed on the stock HTC kernels as well, but if so, one could just tweak it using ADB on a rooted phone, without installing a third party ROM/kernel. Might be worth checking.

Anyway, it improves post-wake-up performance quite nicely, without compromising battery life.

docentore

this might sound strange, but I can't find any info about it.
What kind of gestures can the phone read? Can I reject a call by shaking the phone, etc? I think I rejected few calls in last two days while taking the phone out of pocket, but I'm not sure if I didn't press anything on the screen by mistake.

Thanks

ptashek

docentore wrote: »

this might sound strange, but I can't find any info about it.
What kind of gestures can the phone read? Can I reject a call by shaking the phone, etc? I think I rejected few calls in last two days while taking the phone out of pocket, but I'm not sure if I didn't press anything on the screen by mistake.

Thanks

It doesn't support any gestures by default. I think there's a few apps in Market that add this sort of thing.

docentore

thanks ptashek.

new radio is out btw (source)

IH77

I am on Meteor and having problems syncing contacts with Google Contacts (and Calendar but not worried about that for now). The message says "sync is currently experiencing problems. It will be back shortly".

I have tried for a few days to sync but to no avail, same message appears. Have tried clearing data (from Applications settings) and restarting the phone, but nothing works. Haven't done a factory reset yet.

Been trying over Meteor data connection, must try with WiFi to see if makes a difference.

I saw some others had this problem, anyone get it resolved?

Dr. Loon

rizzee wrote: »

Can't see an option for that? I've pressed the menu key when i'm in the app but all I get is ''about'' and ''show all audio''

What app are you using for messaging? I'm using handcent, so maybe that's why I'm seeing different, but you should definitely be able to set it within the app. For example I have default notifications set for email, but within my messaging I've set a separate notification sound.

docentore wrote:

What kind of gestures can the phone read? Can I reject a call by shaking the phone, etc? I think I rejected few calls in last two days while taking the phone out of pocket, but I'm not sure if I didn't press anything on the screen by mistake.

Re: gestures. Dolphin browser uses gestures. You create your own gestures, for back, forward, close tab etc. It's also way better than the standard browser. Also facebook app and twidroid you shake the phone to update feed\tweets. I'm also sure you can turn the phone upside down to snooze an alarm.

NiamhK

Wow, over 100 pages in. I'm finding this a bit daunting going through the thread. Just hoping someone can answer a few quick questions for me?

I'm thinking of picking up the Hero this weekend from Meteor on billpay. To get the most out of this phone what do I need to get for it, apps wise or what is already present on the phone?

Also, can anyone tell me what the camera quality is like?

Any help or info to start me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Mr E

Camera isn't great, so don't buy it if you really need a good camera.

Apps wise, there is alot out there. Really depends on what you want to use the phone for (facebook, twitter, live streaming, music, navigation, business directory, games etc. etc.)

NiamhK

Thanks Mr. E, disappointed now that the camera isn't great. Pity, may have to hold out for another android phone that has good camera quality.

Guess I might be doing a bit of a pros and cons list this weekend.

Black_Knight

NiamhK wrote: »

Also, can anyone tell me what the camera quality is like?

Dont get a HTC if your buying a phone to use the camera with. Im on my 2nd HTC, and ive been conditioned now to not use my phones camera.

Other then that, whatever apps you want is whats on the phone, theres a good abundance of them out there.

breeno

T-Square wrote: »

The Emergency Calls Only issue is likely a firmware problem.

HTC Hero users with problem handsets...

1. T-Square
2. YenWod
3. StinkyFish
4. dloob
5. docentor updated the radio rom and flashed custom MoDaCo rom
6. breeno (maybe)
7. ptashek (maybe)
8. IrishDudeDave

As a reminder, if you get the phone back to the store within 14 days, money back, if you get back within 30 days, an exchange, if after, then two weeks without phone while a phone-jobber tries to fix it.

I bought mine in Meteor Blanchardstown around the start of Nov.

Scratch me off the list. It seems to be a problem with the 'EU' radio. I rooted the phone and upgraded to the rom and the radio and the issue is no more. Also, finding the battery life better since too.

Shane O' Malley

Black_Knight wrote: »

Dont get a HTC if your buying a phone to use the camera with. Im on my 2nd HTC, and ive been conditioned now to not use my phones camera.

Other then that, whatever apps you want is whats on the phone, theres a good abundance of them out there.

Depends what you want out of the camera.

I find it fine. Never going to get much out of a lens that small and there are apps available to improve the functions of the camera.

I use a tip that someone gave earlier about increasing the ISO setting and i find it fine.

There is no flash but i never liked the results with flash anyway.

All in all, the good things about the phone vastly outweigh the issue with the camera.

dloob

breeno wrote: »

Scratch me off the list. It seems to be a problem with the 'EU' radio. I rooted the phone and upgraded to the rom and the radio and the issue is no more. Also, finding the battery life better since too.

I rooted and upgraded to the latest JU radio, now the problem is much worse it barely goes an hour or two with out losing connection.

docentore

dloob wrote: »

I rooted and upgraded to the latest JU radio, now the problem is much worse it barely goes an hour or two with out losing connection.

did you try to revert to previous version? did you do nandroid backup?

Bluefoam

I'm using a stock meteor hero and sound quality is great, if not the best of any phone I've used. No dropped network so far.

Zagato

breeno wrote: »

Scratch me off the list. It seems to be a problem with the 'EU' radio. I rooted the phone and upgraded to the rom and the radio and the issue is no more. Also, finding the battery life better since too.

I bought my Hero unlocked from online store in the UK. I have the EU radio, and over the last 3 months I've never had the sim card problem.

Zagato

rizzee wrote: »

I've a ringtone I want as my SMS done and set through ringdroid, but when I recieve a message it's still a stock sms tone instead of the one I made? :S And in settings its clicked as the one I made too. Any ideas?
Confused.com

I'm using handcent too, and I've just discovered that I can set different notifications for different contacts, by going to the settings menu while in that contacts thread.

dloob

docentore wrote: »

did you try to revert to previous version? did you do nandroid backup?

I have the nandroid backup but for now I've gone back to a slightly earlier radio.
So far so good, I'll see how it goes tomorrow.

docentore

also check once again the sim card lock, it is really hard to get it to lock sometimes

IH77

IH77 wrote: »

I am on Meteor and having problems syncing contacts with Google Contacts (and Calendar but not worried about that for now). The message says "sync is currently experiencing problems. It will be back shortly".

I have tried for a few days to sync but to no avail, same message appears. Have tried clearing data (from Applications settings) and restarting the phone, but nothing works. Haven't done a factory reset yet.

Been trying over Meteor data connection, must try with WiFi to see if makes a difference.

I saw some others had this problem, anyone get it resolved?

Was able to sync over WiFi no probs

For anyone else having this is problem, it is a known issue that Calendar and Contacts cannot sync over Meteor's data connection. There is a thread about it on the Meteor forum and Meteor are currently investigating it.

iknorr

Has anyone noticed a difference in image quality/focus when taking a picture with the trackball button compared to touching the screen and holding?

Yenwod

iknorr wrote: »

Has anyone noticed a difference in image quality/focus when taking a picture with the trackball button compared to touching the screen and holding?

I actually didn't know you could take pictures using the screen but I imagine you'd be holding the phone with a bit more stability causing better quality pictures!


...although if the better picture is with the trackball, I'm clearly talking rubbish

radiospan

Has anyone been able to view BBC News videos on the phone?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8387423.stm

I can't get these to load.

Dingatron

plazzTT wrote: »

Has anyone been able to view BBC News videos on the phone?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8387423.stm

I can't get these to load.

They may be restricted to UK as with the Beeb iPlayer.

mikesligo

I recently bought a htc hero off ebay, an unlocked black one that was originally locked to t-mobile. Since it's technically for christmas, I was only able to play with it for an hour. The phone worked great (upgraded firmware etc in that hour) but the only thing was 3g didn't seem to be up. I'm currently with 3pay, and use 3g all the time on my current phone with opera mini. Can anyone think of any problems?

radiospan

Dingatron wrote: »

They may be restricted to UK as with the Beeb iPlayer.

No these are the international ones, work in my browser and everywhere. It looks like it's loading on my Hero, but never plays the video.

dloob

mikesligo wrote: »

I recently bought a htc hero off ebay, an unlocked black one that was originally locked to t-mobile. Since it's technically for christmas, I was only able to play with it for an hour. The phone worked great (upgraded firmware etc in that hour) but the only thing was 3g didn't seem to be up. I'm currently with 3pay, and use 3g all the time on my current phone with opera mini. Can anyone think of any problems?

There is an option under Wireless Controls -> Mobile Network Settings, Use only 2G networks. Could that be on?

Easy Rider

I have a T-Moblie HTC Hero unlocked. But I am with Vodafone, no issues with getting 3G+, I have it set to use hs.vodafone.ie and am getting the H symbol no problem...have you gone to wireless controlls > Mobile network settings and entered the APN details?

P.S. Anyone know if I am to upgrade to latest firmware what the best method of back-up is, what do I lose etc by updating the firmware, is using a backup app the best way to do this?

ptashek

mikesligo wrote: »

I recently bought a htc hero off ebay, an unlocked black one that was originally locked to t-mobile. Since it's technically for christmas, I was only able to play with it for an hour. The phone worked great (upgraded firmware etc in that hour) but the only thing was 3g didn't seem to be up. I'm currently with 3pay, and use 3g all the time on my current phone with opera mini. Can anyone think of any problems?

Yes - UMTS/3G indoors is atrocious with 3 in some parts of Dublin, especially on the Hero. From my experience, parts of Goatstown, Kilmacud and Belfield are like the "middle ages": no GSM, no 3G, no UMTS - and the phone is roaming onto (methinks) Vodafone. It's not necessarily their fault. My theory is that those new phones are so restricted on transmitter power to conserve energy, that they require a far stronger signal then the less advanced/older devices.

ptashek

Easy Rider wrote: »

I have a T-Moblie HTC Hero unlocked. But I am with Vodafone, no issues with getting 3G+, I have it set to use hs.vodafone.ie and am getting the H symbol no problem...have you gone to wireless controlls > Mobile network settings and entered the APN details?

P.S. Anyone know if I am to upgrade to latest firmware what the best method of back-up is, what do I lose etc by updating the firmware, is using a backup app the best way to do this?

1. Boot from custom recovery image - Amon-RA 1.5.1 for Hero
2. Do a NANDROID or BART backup to SD card
3. Flash new ROM from SD card
4. Test
5. If required, boot with recovery image again and do a NANDROID/BART restore.

Step 2 will allow you to go back to where you have left, with all apps, settings etc.

Usually you loose nothing by an upgrade, and gain quite a lot. Mostly in performance/responsiveness context. However, some apps may not like the newer firmware (rarely though). Oh, and you should aim at upgrading the radio image along with the ROM - they're designed to go in pairs, according to HTC.