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Joe Blow's
PHILIPS VELO 1 FAQ
While this FAQ was written for the Velo 1, not all of it is Velo 1 specific. Eventually I'm hoping to put more in here as time allows.
My START menu doesn't cascade like on my desktop computer. How can I fix this?
You can't. Windows CE 1.0 never had this function built in. Windows CE 2.x does. You can however add a program
that essentially does this. Microsoft Power Toys for Windows CE 1.0 has this program. A very worthwhile software
package to install. Check my main page for it.
How do I "right click"?
Hold down the ALT key while tapping on the desired icon. Remember though that this "right click"
feature does not exist in all programs.
How many versions of the Philips Velo 1 were released?
Three models were released. They were completely identical except that they came with 2, 4 or 8Mb of RAM.
Why have I never seen the 8Mb version?
The 8Mb model was only sold online.
What are the dimensions of the Velo 1's screen in pixels?
480 by 240.
How do I perform a soft reset on my Velo 1?
Above the backspace key on the keyboard is a small hole. Take your stylus and stick it down it. By doing so
you are just pressing down on a recessed button.
Does soft resetting my Velo 1 harm it?
Yes and no. It can make your data stored on it unreliable or even delete it if you constantly reset it in a
rapid fire action but generally resetting it every now and then won't do anything wrong.
How do I perform a hard reset on my Velo 1?
Remove all power sources (main battery, backup battery and AC adapter). Wait five to ten minutes and then reconnect
all power supplies.
What's all this talk about Velo 1 hinge problems?
The hinge on the right side of the device gets loose, squeaky or breaks off. This seems to be a very common
complaint from many Velo 1 users.
My hinge is loose. What can I do?
Call up Philips. They've extended their warranty on the Velo 1 hinge from on year to two years. If Philips
can't help you out then try this little "fix" to cure the extra slop. Wedge some tape between the keyboard
section of the Velo 1 and the round part of the hinge. Put enough in that it will stop the slop. Cut off the excess
tape so it doesn't show. Quite seriously this "fix" can (when done right) be done so the tape is unnoticeable.
It doesn't make the hinge stronger though. I've also heard of people applying Loctite. It's your choice. One guy
on a board told me he used superglue to glue back together his hinge that had cracked. Every two months he would
have to apply more but it worked fine during that period.
How fast is the Velo 1's modem?
It's a 19.2Kbps software modem.
For some reason Pocket Internet Explorer doesn't show pages with frames or Java. How can I change this?
You can't. Pocket Internet Explorer does not support frames and Java.
I have a Hotmail e-mail account. I can't check it with Pocket Internet Explorer. Does this mean that web-based
email in general does not work with the Velo 1?
While you are right about Hotmail, I successfully check my Yahoo! Mail account from my Velo 1 on a daily basis.
I'm sure some other web-based e-mail services also work with Pocket Internet Explorer.
How come animated GIF files aren't animated in Pocket Internet Explorer?
Pocket Internet Explorer does not support animated GIFs. It will show the first frame in the sequence though.
I forgot the password on my Velo 1. How can I recover all my files?
You're in big trouble! The only way to recover any info is to remember that password. If you don't remember
then do a hard reset and all your data will be lost but at least the machine will not be useless.
Can the Velo 1's rechargeable battery discharge it's power when left for weeks without use?
Yes it can but this is typical of all rechargeable batteries.
Why do recordings done with the Velo 1's Voice Memo feature seem of terrible quality?
The Velo 1 was never designed to be a recording studio. It was made specifically for voice memos. It's microphone
is designed to be used within a couple feet of the source of the sound. The recordings are not saved in a typical
WAV file format. They are compressed using DSP Truespeech 8.5 sound compression. While technically a WAV file these
files are MUCH smaller saving at a rate of about 1.1Kb per second of sound. The compression makes a lot of sense
when you consider that the Velo 1 with 2Mb of RAM does not have much space. The Velo 1 will play other WAV files
too like:
8 kHz 8 or 16 bit mono
11 kHz 8 or 16 bit mono
11.025 kHz 8 or 16 bit mono
22 kHz 8 or 16 bit mono
22.050 kHz 8 or 16 bit mono
Will to much bass harm my Velo 1's speaker?
Yes it will. That's why my volume is set at 3 (the middle). At this setting I don't have any problems.
Can I change the short cuts my quickstart keys are associated with?
You sure can but I only recommend that advanced users try this because it involves editing the registry. You'll
need a registry editor (I use Tascal RegEdit). Then once you have that open go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/AppLaunchPaths.
From there you'll see in the right-hand window pane the shortcuts' targets which you can edit. Tascal RegEdit can
be can be found on my main page.
How can I speed up my Velo 1?
Once I found out exactly the software I wanted on my Velo 1 I did hard reset. You don't have to do a hard reset
but it's generally a good idea because stray files and registry entries from old uninstalled software can eventually
slow the device down. Then knowing exactly what I wanted to install I put this software on my Velo. I configured
the program memory to take up 3Mb (you only need 1.5 to 2Mb if you're not using Paragraph Calligrapher 5.1). After
doing any major web browsing with Pocket Internet Explorer I delete all the registry entries in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Comm/Tcpip/Hosts
key. These entries are supposed to make web browsing faster but over time the can buildup too much which results
in Pocket Internet Explorer slowing down. To make Pocket Word open up a little more quickly I delete all entries
in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/pwdMRU folder. By doing this you are just clearing the list of recently accessed files
you would see on Pocket Word's "File" menu. And as a final note I only have the cascading menu program
and sound applet from the Power Toys upgrade as shortcuts in my \Windows\StartUp folder. This insures I'll have
lots of system resources for other software programs like Pocket Internet Explorer , Pocket Excel and Pocket Word.
You can also install the Philips Velo 1 Turbo Patch for Windows CE 1.0 which will increase the performance of your
Velo 1 running Windows CE 1.0 (this if not for use with other HPC devices) by at least 15% by allowing the CPU
to access system ROM (Read Only Memory stores the operating system and built-in applications) faster. The Philips
Velo 1 Turbo Patch and Power Toys software packages can be found on my main page.
Can I increase my Velo 1's transfer rate from 19,200bps to something faster?
Absolutely. Click here for more information.
Do I need to install some software for my miniature FLASH card to work on my Velo 1?
Yes. It is commonly referred to as "TrueFFS" among Velo users. On my main
page look for the "Philips Velo 1 Miniature Flash Card Software". TrueFFS is just an alias for this
software package. The Philips Velo 1 Miniature Flash Card Software is only for miniature FLASH cards.
Do I need to install some software for my miniature DRAM card to work on my Velo 1?
No you do not. Only miniature FLASH cards require software to operate.
Where can I get the miniature FLASH or DRAM cards for my Velo?
It's getting a lot harder but it is possible. One place to check is Widget Canada and their Philips
Velo accessories section. They have many accessories including the miniature FLASH and DRAM cards for the Velo.
Another place to get Velo accessories is Ebay. Just do a search
at this auction site for the item you want and it's very likely that you will find what you want. You can also
follow the PocketPCcity Philips Velo board
where many of the remaining Velo users still gather. Someone's is always trying to sell some accessory there.
Are there any "Easter Eggs" in Windows CE 1.0?
Yes there are. Check out my Easter Egg page for more details.
Please email me of ANY troubles you may have downloading software. I will do all that I can to fix any links that become broken. Or you can post a message on the PocketPCcity Philips Velo board where others and myself usually hang out.