Issues with New A Series

[tipstir]

Well where should I begin?

WiFi
Major issue is the WiFi it not that great and Archos knows there is a problem with 28, 32, 43, 70, 101 with wireless. I had to switch APNs just to get it to download Android OS 2.2. Now I have 7T/7R by 3x APNs just to keep this Archos up and running without dropping. Of course the WiFi here is over 100% now. PanDigital 9" and Maylong M150 7" both show max signal. Those two never have any issues with the WiFi though now web sites pull up quick. Eventhough I've done this the Archos still manages to drop out and goes off the radar scope.

LockUp
Yes this is another issue it locks up and then I have to press the power all the way down for about almost 10 seconds before Archos reboots.

TS
Very sensitive to me it has a mind of it's own when it auto rotates. Sometimes it upside down even facing me.

Audio
Well there is only one way to hear it is to use the headphones it came with. Or use a portable speaker amp but then it sound awful. Playing the Range Thunder II snow full version (Power 145) very good but the screen is too tiny for me to have fun with it. Sound through the head phones is very good. Angry Birds the audio is better.

Video
Excellent and the 3D GPL is fantastic. It's the text side like when you go into settings is awful if you scroll too fast you can't make out what it said.

CPU
Cortex A8 800MHz but using deep probe software it's shows it 1GHz. Now Archos folks like most tablet makers have this idea to save on the battery it's best to throttle down the CPU. Everyone does it so why not them. I say give us the choice to throttle down just don't implement it without a choice. 800MHz not bad but would be nice to go the extra 200MHz without using Z4root (Power 145) to do a temp root to use SetCPU in the Superuser mode.

Android OS 2.2
Too much help notices I don't need to have the little green Android waving at me giving me hints as Widget. There isn't enough room for him anyway. Each of the other homescreen has a bunch of widgets on it for audio and video. Prior to Android OS 2.2 mine came with OS 2.1 and I installed Launcher Pro on it. Was very quick!

Keyboard
Under Android OS 2.1 the keys kept adding other letters when you press them. Now under Android OS 2.2 not as bad but still present.

GE
Since when you get Android OS 2.2 it doesn't come with GE. Strange but I got it on there using the Slide method. I was able to download at first then time it just hang there on downloads. Internet connect was good. Just Market just hanged. After a few hours later it did tell me the download was completed.

Youtube
Seems once you Update to Android OS 2.2 you need to run Android Emulator to remove it then reboot then use Market to pull down a new version. Then Youtube works.

Memory Free
256MB down to 100MB goes lower also

Wacko Auto Rotate
Unit doesn't know which side is up or down and rotates in the reverse order.

[Sponsors]

[Darkseider]

I can fix all that ails you. Now sit down a spell and listen to the tale that Darkseider has for you...

First thing you need to do is after you update to 2.2 is to do a FULL reset as in wipe it all back to stock 2.2. Then once you do that install the googleapps4.apk which can be found at XDA and follow the instructions post installation for wiping the framework to make it all nice nice. Then download and install z4root 1.3.0 and SetCPU and run z4Root and temp root and use SetCPU and set to 600Mhz min - 1 Ghz max with an On Demand governor. Then Download and install Launcher Pro. Lastly Flash 10.1.

When you are done with all this wizardry, which takes the whole of 20 minutes, you will not even believe the responsiveness and stability. It turns the Archos 70/101 into a beast of a tablet.

Another little tweak you can do after temp root is download and install Spare Parts. There you can do some really nice performance and memory management tweaks that enhance Android's built in system as opposed to using a task killer/auto killer.

EDIT: Seems there may be another little tweak. According to the Archosfans forums by disabling USB debugging after reboot, temp root, setcpu magic a lot of the problems, particularly lock-ups, go away.

[tipstir]

I can fix all that ails you. Now sit down a spell and listen to the tale that Darkseider has for you...

First thing you need to do is after you update to 2.2 is to do a FULL reset as in wipe it all back to stock 2.2. Then once you do that install the googleapps4.apk which can be found at XDA and follow the instructions post installation for wiping the framework to make it all nice nice. Then download and install z4root 1.3.0 and SetCPU and run z4Root and temp root and use SetCPU and set to 600Mhz min - 1 Ghz max with an On Demand governor. Then Download and install Launcher Pro. Lastly Flash 10.1.

When you are done with all this wizardry, which takes the whole of 20 minutes, you will not even believe the responsiveness and stability. It turns the Archos 70/101 into a beast of a tablet.

Another little tweak you can do after temp root is download and install Spare Parts. There you can do some really nice performance and memory management tweaks that enhance Android's built in system as opposed to using a task killer/auto killer.

EDIT: Seems there may be another little tweak. According to the Archosfans forums by disabling USB debugging after reboot, temp root, setcpu magic a lot of the problems, particularly lock-ups, go away.

Now Listen to the old tipstir tale as I spin my magic yarn at you..

Done pretty much everything prior to your post, don't get me wrong I know you're helping.. But I have spare parts loaded and that USB debugging an on/off still does it'.. So it's either the unit or something else. I'll do a 5th time and see but still the unit has been off since Sunday. What magic can be made after that who the heck knows.. But let's see Did that Wipe so many times like I was clean bad sectors off the HDD in this case NAND.

[papahood]

Already sent mine back...will wait for something more stable in the near future. Just don't have the time to make it work like it already should!

[gurgle]

I think there is a QA issue. I am having closer to Darkseiders experience. Except for screen sensitivity, mine is a killer. I have been monitoring it on this and other forums. Some people are getting wonderful, others are getting not so much. I have two concerns. One which I think FW update will assist. the other is a learn to live with.
My home WLAN is B/G primarily not B/G/N. Work is A/B/G/N. I have the greatest performance drop when on N, Least on G. In a prior post I listed my performance. I am getting a drop in performance at about 15ft LOS no matter what. N=84Mbit G=48Mbit. Non-LOS at 10ft (Sheetrock wall) N=76Mbit G=40Mbit. What is more of a concern is at 30Ft LOS I am down to 36Mbit on G and N. I should not have that much of a drop on either in a LOS scenario. As a comparison, my A81-E is just B/G and is down to 40Mbit at 30Ft LOS.
My other minor frustration is the screen lateral visibility. It has a 30-40 degree angle of view. I would like closer to 45-60, but can live with it.

For reference I am using Cisco 1140 for APs -Work / Linksys-WAG54G and WAP610N-Home

[tipstir]

Already sent mine back...will wait for something more stable in the near future. Just don't have the time to make it work like it already should!

Amazon gave me the mailing labels and such and told me I had until Jan 31st 2011. But I wanted to see if this could work. I've tried everything under the magical cape. But your right it should work as promise but in life nothing works as promise.

[tipstir]

I think there is a QA issue. I am having closer to Darkseiders experience. Except for screen sensitivity, mine is a killer. I have been monitoring it on this and other forums. Some people are getting wonderful, others are getting not so much. I have two concerns. One which I think FW update will assist. the other is a learn to live with.
My home WLAN is B/G primarily not B/G/N. Work is A/B/G/N. I have the greatest performance drop when on N, Least on G. In a prior post I listed my performance. I am getting a drop in performance at about 15ft LOS no matter what. N=84Mbit G=48Mbit. Non-LOS at 10ft (Sheetrock wall) N=76Mbit G=40Mbit. What is more of a concern is at 30Ft LOS I am down to 36Mbit on G and N. I should not have that much of a drop on either in a LOS scenario. As a comparison, my A81-E is just B/G and is down to 40Mbit at 30Ft LOS.
My other minor frustration is the screen lateral visibility. It has a 30-40 degree angle of view. I would like closer to 45-60, but can live with it.

For reference I am using Cisco 1140 for APs -Work / Linksys-WAG54G and WAP610N-Home

Smart man! Using one for G only and the other for N only. Still the way these devices work it's best just to use the mix mode. I have two EnGeinus ESR-9850 both use Ralink RT3052 WPN SoCo @ 384MHz, 32MB RAM. Gig Controller 832KB packet buffer and 2T/2R design. I've added a pair of TP-LINK 5dBi SMA ANT. Seems to hold their water. But new router finally came from CA which has taken 14 days on the old wagon stagecoach to get here. Slap on cross-over cable to the WAN to LAN port invoke IP without typing it in and bang! I can configure this new puppy. I hope the 20dBm ERP paired with 3x 5dBi I'll add to it will be enough to blanket 90% of the dwelling as APNs?

[gurgle]

I should mention I changed the default omnidirectionals to +5dB Bi-Directional paddles. My logic is control the signal such that the signal ring is overlapped loops for each channel. Using A as well but only when testing.

[papahood]

Amazon gave me the mailing labels and such and told me I had until Jan 31st 2011. But I wanted to see if this could work. I've tried everything under the magical cape. But your right it should work as promise but in life nothing works as promise.

For me personally when i spend 275$+ on something i expect it to do what it is supposed to do. For it not to be able to connect to a simple encrypted home network is ridiculous in my opinion. I also experienced the upside down screen as well where it wouldn't turn back to normal at all. For you guys out there trying to get this thing to work...props to you!. Hope you get it going!

[bejnarowiczd]

Have to say, I'm liking this thing. I've not had any of the problems outlined above; just followed the instructions on the Archos Fans forum and got 2.2 with flash. Clip on lancher pro, andt this thing does very well indeed.