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Psion Revo

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Psion Revo
A Psion Revo
Specifications
DeveloperPsion
ManufacturerPsion
TypeClamshell palmtop / PDA
ReleasedNovember 1999
Discontinued2003
CPUARM710T @ 36.864 MHz
Memory8 MB RAM; 8 MB ROM
StorageInternal RAM disk only; no memory card slot
Display480 × 160 greyscale LCD with reflective backing, touch-sensitive; no backlight
SoundLoudspeaker, ½ W 8 Ω
Power2 × internal AAA NiMH rechargeable cells (650 mAh); 6 V DC mains adaptor
Dimensions157 mm × 79 mm × 18 mm
Weight200 g
OS / FirmwareEPOC Release 5 (Symbian)
PredecessorPsion Series 5mx
SuccessorConan (prototype, never released)
Model no.Psion Revo Plus; Diamond Mako; Chinese-market 618C and 618S

The Psion Revo is a clamshell palmtop computer released by Psion in November 1999. It runs EPOC Release 5 on the same 36 MHz ARM710T processor as the Psion Series 5mx and runs the same software, in a case of 157 × 79 × 18 mm weighing 200 g, against the 5mx's 350 g.[1][2][3] Compared with the Series 5 and 5mx, the Revo has a smaller 480 × 160 screen, no memory card slot, no backlight, and two internal rechargeable NiMH cells in place of user-replaceable AA batteries.[1][2]

History

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The Revo was launched in November 1999 with 8 MB of RAM, and was followed by the Psion Revo Plus with 16 MB and a larger battery. SONICblue sold the Revo Plus in the United States and Canada as the Diamond Mako, and Psion and Enfour made two Chinese-market versions, the 618C (traditional characters) and 618S (simplified characters).[1]

A successor, codenamed Conan, was close to completion when Psion left the consumer PDA market. It ran EPOC Release 6 and was to have Bluetooth and a backlight, although Bluetooth did not work in the development builds.[1]

The OpenPsion project (formerly PsiLinux) ports Linux to Psion machines including the Revo, and Revol is a version of OpenPsion optimised for the Revo.[1]

Specifications

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Psion Revo specification[2]
Item Specification
Processor 32-bit ARM710T core, 36.864 MHz
ROM 8 MB (Psion's handbook gives 8 MB or 16 MB depending on model)
RAM 8 MB (16 MB on the Revo Plus)
Display 480 × 160 greyscale, reflective backing, 125 × 48 mm viewing area; touch-sensitive, with 9 program icons and 5 command icons beside the screen. No backlight.
Keyboard 53-key QWERTY
Sound Loudspeaker, ½ W, 8 Ω
Storage Internal RAM disk; no memory card slot
Communications RS-232-compatible serial link through the docking station, up to 115,200 baud; infrared
Batteries Two internal AAA NiMH rechargeable cells, 650 mAh
Mains adaptor 6 V DC ±10 %, 500 mA
Size and weight 157 × 79 × 18 mm, 200 g
Operating temperature +5 °C to +40 °C
Storage temperature −10 °C to +40 °C
Operating system EPOC Release 5

The Revo is software-compatible with the 5mx and has office and communications programs in ROM. Other programs are installed from a desktop computer through the docking station.[1]

Battery and charging

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The Revo's two AAA NiMH cells are inside the case under the lid nameplate, not in a battery compartment. They are charged from Psion's 6 V mains adaptor, either through the docking station or through the power socket at the rear of the machine.[2][4]

Charging, as Psion describes it:[2]

  • The Revo fast-charges to 85 % in about 1½ hours from empty, with the red light below the Esc key lit, then trickle-charges with the red light off.
  • The first charge, and the first charge after a hard reset, should be a full one, which can take up to 6 hours. It sets up the battery gauge.
  • Once fully charged, the Revo does not start charging again until it is disconnected from the adaptor and reconnected.
  • A full charge gives typically 12 hours of continuous use. Switched off, the Revo uses about 1 % of its charge per day and keeps its data for up to 6 weeks. When the battery has run down there is enough left to keep the data for about 2 weeks.

The charge controller finds its calibration point by detecting a thermal change in the cells at about 84 % of indicated capacity. Kevin Millican's charging notes advise against putting a Revo on charge above about 84 %, because the charger may then fail to drop to trickle charge; any level between 10 % and 80 % is fine.[5] The cells are NiMH, and nothing else is recommended as a replacement.[1]

A small number of 8 MB Revos had battery packs whose cells were a loose fit and could shake loose, resetting the machine and losing all data. Psion's fix was to replace the undersize cells and glue the new ones in place.[5] On older machines the battery connection cable can wear and develop a high resistance, which switches the machine off under heavy load even with the gauge above 50 %.[5]

The replacement procedure, including the full recalibration charge afterwards, is on the Psion Revo Battery Replacement page.

Backlight pads

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The Revo has no backlight. R3UK's David Savery, taking apart his Revo Plus, found pads marked EL+ and EL− under black tape on the screen PCB, but measured no voltage across them, AC or DC, with the machine on or after pressing Fn+Space, the Series 5 backlight key combination.[4]

Documentation

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  • Psion Revo Handbook, version 1.1, February 2000 (PDF): Psion's user guide, with the charging instructions, care and safety, troubleshooting and reset procedures, and the specification.[2]
  • Psion published no service manual or schematic for the Revo.

General maintenance

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Main article: Psion Revo General Maintenance

Cleaning, charging practice and storage. See the Psion Revo General Maintenance guide.

Troubleshooting

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Main article: Psion Revo Troubleshooting Guide

Charging and battery faults, resets and other symptoms. See the Psion Revo Troubleshooting Guide.

Battery replacement

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Main article: Psion Revo Battery Replacement

Opening the case under the nameplate and replacing the two AAA cells. See Psion Revo Battery Replacement.

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Psion Revo", Wikipedia.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Psion Computers PLC, Psion Revo Handbook, version 1.1, February 2000, part no. 6070 0001 01: "Getting started" (pp. 14–18), "Care & safety" (pp. 196–198), "Troubleshooting" (pp. 200–203) and "Specification" (p. 206). Hosted on this wiki as File:Psion Revo Handbook (February 2000).pdf.
  3. ↑ Psion Computers PLC, Series 5mx User Guide, version 1.1, October 1999, p. 191 (specification). Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion Series 5mx User Guide (October 1999).pdf; see Psion Series 5mx User Guide.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 David Savery, "Psion Revo/Diamond Mako Disassembly & Battery Replacement", R3UK, 9 August 2004.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kevin Millican, "Revo Battery Information", 25 May 2003.


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