Hi everyone! I just picked up a "reconditioned" Viewsonic G-Tablet from Sears for $279. It looks brand new, but I can tell it's been removed from the box and then re-packed. The prior owner must have decided it wasn't right for him/her after just turning it on! Well, lucky for me.
I'm not liking the Tap N Tap UI much so I'm looking at other ROMs. I've read all the threads here about Vegan, TNT Lite, Harmony, Zpad and CM ROMs but I can't decide. I've ruled out the Zpad and CM ROMs because they don't seem to be as polished/finished and they don't seem to be actively developed. Of the remaining ROMs (Vegan, TNT Lite and Harmony) can anybody tell what the main differences or advantages/disadvantages are between them? I'd love to hear personal opinions about why you chose one ROM over another.
My main concerns are speed, smoothness, stability and app support. Good Flash support is essential. I know I can just install each ROM and try them all myself, but I'm worried that just playing with each ROM for a short time I may not notice/realize each ROMs key features and shortcomings. Any help is greatly appreciated!
The winner for android 2.2 is Vegan 5.11. People just love it and it is in my gtab for personal use.
The winner for android 2.3 seems to be vegan experimentals. Even if it is not fully functional it seems it has catched attention from people around.
Personally i would recomend vegan 5.11 until vegan(android 2.3) comes out or a good rom of Honeycomb(android 3.0) is usable[Maybe tomorrow-maybe in a month].
Vegan 5.11 because it is very stable and performs really fast. Almost no fc in common apps(maybe in some games like those of gameloft) but it is very stable, fast and usefull overall.
You will probably get lots of suggestions as the ROM of the week changes as the Devs make changes or add functionality. For today I think your best choice is Vegan Tab beta 5.1. Unless you have to have cutting edge, I suggest not adding supplement 5.1.1 as some users have had issues, Follow the directions carefully and you will have a tablet that you will be happy with.
You will certainly get quite a few recommendations and such for each of the ROMS, but in the end I think that actually installing each one and giving it a whirl is the best way to see what works for YOU personally. There are plusses and minuses for all the ROMS, but in the end I believe it comes down to what is pleasing and what works for the individual - plus, the more you flash the easier it is
Try vegan first it's my personal favorite.
I highly recommend TnT Lite 4.2.x
A quick read through the VegaN thread will show you that some users have issues, some don't. I woudlnt and didn't take the chance as I'm less about the tinkering and more about the functionality of the tablet.
I've never had issues with TnT Lite. I was on 3.x and I went back to stock for a while but went back to 4.2 and have been with it since.
I'll second the TnT lite. Only issue I've had is market fixes. May not be a fault on our end as it seems alot of folks, tablet and phone owners are having issues with the droid market web page.
I tried Vegan as my first rom and got bored w/ it. was gonna try cyanogen but did the TnT lite rom instead. Haven't look back since.
But Rom's are a personal choice. try all of them and make ur decision from there, as each one has it's pro's and con's.
Casting my vote for VEGAn 5.1 Beta (Without the 5.1.1 supplement)
It will be my daily driver until either the VEGAn/Cyanogen Merge has an RC or until someone puts out a Honeycomb Port since the full system dump was just put out in the wild!!
Thanks a LOT for the replies so far. Seems like Vegan has a slight edge over TNT Lite in the voting so far.
Just curious, for those who chose TNT Lite over Vegan (or vise versa) after trying both, what were your reasons? Is one faster or smoother or better looking? More stable? I'm probably going to stick with 2.2 until the 2.3 ROMs stabilize.
Some said they switched to TNT Lite after using Vegan because they got bored with Vegan... why?
I've used both and lean towards VEGAn over tnt-lite. My reasons...VEGAn is closer to stock android and tnt-lite had too much stock tapntap still there.
Both are great but I had more market issues with tnt-lite.
Sent from my Viewsonic 10" GTab...
Running TnT Lite 4.23 here. Have used VegaN in the past as well as trying out CM7 and earlier versions of TnT. I'll agree with the other posters that you need to try them out for yourself, either VegaN or TnT should make you VERY happy. One of the biggest differences between the two is that TnT is a modified version of stock software, taking out most of the TnT UI. VegaN on the other hand appears to be based on the phone version of 2.2 but does open up the settings menus as well as other things associated with 2. that in TnT Lite might not be accessible, more of a "pure" 2.2.
Thanks for all the replies! I'm reading this forum even as I'm working to root my new GTab! But I've run into a problem. I hope I'm not thread-jacking my own thread, but I'm having trouble installing Clockwork Mod Recovery.
I'm following the sticky How To Guide and I've unzipped the "internal" version of the CWM to the root of the internal SDCARD. When I hold the power and volume + button to boot into recovery I get the Viewsonic splash screen with "Detect a recovery key pressed" and "Booting recovery kernal image" in the upper left corner. But then nothing. It just stays on this screen forever. I waited for 15-20 minutes just in case.
Any ideas?
Neoprimal said:
I highly recommend TnT Lite 4.2.x
A quick read through the VegaN thread will show you that some users have issues, some don't. I woudlnt and didn't take the chance as I'm less about the tinkering and more about the functionality of the tablet.
I've never had issues with TnT Lite. I was on 3.x and I went back to stock for a while but went back to 4.2 and have been with it since.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you go back to stock, I was thinking of that to see the fixes that Viewsonic has put out there. I am using TnT lite as well and like it except that my browser keeps closing.
fireheatfrank said:
How did you go back to stock, I was thinking of that to see the fixes that Viewsonic has put out there. I am using TnT lite as well and like it except that my browser keeps closing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a CWM friendly official VS update, I can't remember which one it is now.
I'd really have to go back and look into it. I flashed that through CWM and got stock and it did not overwrite CWM or affect anything in a negative way. I updated through the OTAs and they did not overwrite CWM either. Some people remove a line from the script but there's 1 version that doesn't attempt to even touch CWM....it's either 3053, 3316 or 3389. I'm really sorry that I can't remember which one.
I haven't experienced any force closing, I use Dolphin HD.
Also, the dev. that author's TnT Lite (Roebeet) I believe bases it on the newest stock releases according to the info, so you're getting any fixes offered in the stock with TnT, plus extra ones that are tried and true created by other devs.
Wtang:
If I remember correctly, you have to have that update and also a recovery directory....so if you just have the update.zip maybe you're missing something.
This is from the How to install Clockwork, Mods etc. thread:
"Step 1.
Download ClockworkMod v08 (This version has been found to work best...the newer version causes some issues with some ROMs.) There are two versions available; one for installing ClockworkMod from the internal memory, one for installing it from external memory (microSD/microSDHC card).
Step 2.
Unzip the file you chose (cwmod_internal.zip OR cwmod_microsd.zip) to the root folder on the storage option of your choice.
So, for example, if the storage option you chose has the drive letter “F:” assigned to it when hooked up to your computer, you would want it to look something like this…
A folder located at “F:\recovery”
A file located at “F:\update.zip”
Note that it's probably best to unzip this to your desktop and then manually copy them over to the tablet. That way you know everything is there.
Also, regarding preferring TnT Lite, for me personally I didn't bother with VegaN at all because of the sheer number of issues and problems I've read occurring with it in the VegaN thread. As I mentioned, maybe some people are lucky and it's flawless or some are unlucky and have issues. I don't want to risk it. Since I never had ANY issues with TnT Lite, it's what I prefer. While "close to stock" is nice, we have to consider that 2.2 was never meant for tablets. There's the pro that you get to more settings (like accounts and sync, for eg), but the con that it's an interwoven framework where there are now extra files and processes running that aren't necessary for a tablet at all, but necessary for the OS in general. That's how software works, process A is unnecessary for anything else than for phone use, but process F may depend on it somehow, and the OS may need process K which requires F to run a program you DO use on the tablet.
Since I don't find TnT Lite lacking in any way, I stayed with it. VegaN may full well be 'better' in some way, I just decided to stick with what works and has worked for me.
machine73:
For some reason the market is flawless on my Tab and I did nothing special. I even successfully send installs to it from the market. It doesn't show up as compatible for some, that's understandable though.
wtang said:
I've unzipped the "internal" version of the CWM to the root of the internal SDCARD....Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always used the "external" version on a microSD and never had a problem so that might be worth a try.
Also for what it's worth, I've been using the G-Harmony ROM and loving it. It is very nice and peppy. Everything works like it seems it should. I would very highly recommend it. I had put it on a couple G-Tabs for people who have asked after they seen mine and they love it as well. And after just watching the review of the Xoom on Engadget with HoneyComb, I don't think I'm in a hurry to upgrade to HC just yet especially since Flash is working just fine on my G-Tab right with G-Harmony.
Got CWM installed... what a pain.
Thanks for all the replies and help! What a bunch of friendly and helpful people here!
I tried both the internal and external SD card versions of CWM with no luck. I also made sure I had both the update.zip file and the recovery folder with the command file. The problem was something totally different.
I finally fixed the CWM problem. I think whoever owned my GTab before did some hacking on it... I see that superuser.apk was installed. Anyway I think the previous owner must have deleted the recovery image by accident. There was no recovery at all on my GTab, so that's why I couldn't boot into recovery to flash CWM. I had to use nvflash to install CWM over an APX connection from my PC. Pain the *ss but it worked!
Now on to installing some ROMs!!!
Related
For anyone using tnt or tnt lite I pity you... Vegan tab is so superior... No more slowdowns, lost data, random FCs... To anyone out there on the fence about gtablet, try vegan, you wont regret it...
I've done both, but there are thing I like about TnT Lite better. So I think it comes down to a personal preference. The only for sure answer though is to root the g Tablet and let this thing fly.
Yeah I've tried both and at the moment tnt lite is running better for me. Just a couple things I like better about tnt lite. I'm sure once Vegan Tab is out of beta it will be stronger than ever ;-)
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
It'd be interesting to have a features comparison of the main ROMs and a comparison of the things they add. I realize it's mostly personal preference, but it still would be a big help.
For me vegan tab rocks and thanks to the people here at this forum that have worked out the kinks and this thing is awsome.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0b4 using Tapatalk
I wouldn't go so much and say I "pity" people who have tnt or tnt lite. I like the Vegan ROM because it resembles more of stock android. Both ROMs are awesome.
I guess it's a matter of opinion what you think is a better ROM. I'm just glad we gtab owners have choices so early in the development.
I've used both as well. Started with TnT version 2.x, moved to VEGAn beta 3 and was very happy and stable there with only minor occasion screen noise issues - Moved to Beta4 and had nothing but problems so I decided to tried TnT again and now am on Ver 3.0.
Question if anyone knows the answer: Is there a "lock" function in TnT? Can't seem to find one... one more question, is there a way of accessing account sync for Google in TnT? Cant seem to find that either. One observation, VEGAn had superior settings options it seems. Thanks
I like the feel of VegaN better than tnt lite. I also like the ability to change the keyboard but beta 4 has some issues with performance so I moved the tnt 3.1.2 for now. I can say it has been performing flawlessly since installed, I just wish I could find an easy way to swap keyboards.
I'll tell you, TNT Lite 3.12 is fraught with peril IMO... I had the following issues all fixed with Vegan tab:
1. Could not side load apps (kept saying it was blocked and directing me to settings that were not available in TNT lite 3.12... The setting is there in Vegantab. Load apps from unknown sources something or other...)
2. Reboot loop after resetting user data / clearing cache..
3. Unexplained slowness after and hour or two of use... (That hour or two included sleep)
4. Unreliable video / audio playback. Sometimes it worked great other times static / choppy playback...
5. Wake from power button resulted in dialog to sleep, power off, etc... Vegan tab wakes to a nice lock screen. Slide to unlock LOVE IT!
6. Google apps provider FCs all the freakin time... (Never seen one FC on Vegan tab)
I don't mean to besmirch anyones hard work or good name, but Vegantab is the superior option.. I pity the foo that is using TNTLite 3.12
I tried Zpad, TnT Lite and Vegan 3. The only place I experienced slowdown after wake up was Vegan 4. I liked Vegan ROM better of course then TnT lite but this slowdown after wake up is deal breaker for me.
I've messed around with both over the past couple of days.. I can see pros and cons for each, but I do like the UI of VEGAn a little better.. more like my Droid
Can anyone point me to the installation directions? Thanks.
vegan + smartkeyboard pro!
+1 more for Vegan. For me it is more stable and just works better all around the main thing no aps disappear like in TNT. Don't get me wrong "Props" to all the ROM developers and please keep going!
astevens54 said:
Can anyone point me to the installation directions? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=884103
Actually Im experiencing the sleep, power off etc dialog box appearing after trying to wake the system on vegan 5.1...is anyone else?
purduecmpe said:
I'll tell you, TNT Lite 3.12 is fraught with peril IMO... I had the following issues all fixed with Vegan tab:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you 12? To say that "you pity" someone who does not share your opinion is just juvenile. Then you post a second time just to say the same thing all over again:
"I don't mean to besmirch anyones hard work or good name, but Vegantab is the superior option.. I pity the foo that is using TNTLite 3.12"
The developers have all worked so hard on both of the roms to help the gtablet community while never asking for a thing in return. The things you listed above that make TnT lite "fraught with peril" have not been a problem with all users and do have fixes for those who have experienced one or more of the same issues as you.
I have both ROM's running, one on each tab in my house and each one serves a person differently. TnT lite is on my wifes machine because she is not as technically inclined as I am and does not want/need all of the features that VEGAn offers and it has been a rock solid ROM. I have VEGAn on my tab because of features that are available in that ROM. Each ROM offers a different experience based on user preference, wants and needs.
"IMO" is just that, it is an opinion and sometimes opinions are just better kept to yourself. What we don't need is a "fanboy" war, appreciate everything all of our developers have contributed and remember that without them the G Tablet would basically be a crippled bunch of electronic parts that none of us would be enjoying right now.
Mikeg1969 said:
"IMO" is just that, it is an opinion and sometimes opinions are just better kept to yourself. What we don't need is a "fanboy" war, appreciate everything all of our developers have contributed and remember that without them the G Tablet would basically be a crippled bunch of electronic parts that none of us would be enjoying right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought he had that covered when he said "I don't mean to besmirch anyones hard work or good name" .. ?
Obviously the "i pitty the foo" was a play on the ol' A-Team..
And his post was obviously his "IMO" It's a forum, not wikipedia .. We already know some people have unfounded opinions.
Besides, when did a little friendly competition hurt the consumer..
</early_morning_rant>
aaron19953,
"I like this or that is an opinion."
The language used in the original post was disrespectul, childish, and demeaning.
It may be true that we have "freedom of speech" to say what we want -- but that doesn't mean it is either helpful or appropriate. I vote for helpful and appropriate in this forum even if it means limiting things a little.
Not trying to flame anyone or start any wars. And I hope if posts like this become the standard here that the moderator will use his good judgement to keep this forum a constructive place.
IMHO.
Rev
I tried both roms on my G Tab.. personally I like the feel and smoothness of Vegan right now.. but as each one is improved upon.. I am sure I may change back and forth.
Either way....thanks for all of the Devs. hard work...
From what I've seen there are 3 devs working on Vegan and 1 on TnTLite. There also seem to be a ton more adopters of Vegan.
Currently I'm running TnTLite 3.1.4 because the first root/mod thread I landed on pointed toward 2.2.0. Is Vegan a better system though? Why is it garnering all the interest?
cnathanw said:
From what I've seen there are 3 devs working on Vegan and 1 on TnTLite. There also seem to be a ton more adopters of Vegan.
Currently I'm running TnTLite 3.1.4 because the first root/mod thread I landed on pointed toward 2.2.0. Is Vegan a better system though? Why is it garnering all the interest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Longs story short... they are all working together. Rothnic, Roebeet, and GoJimi are all working on the VegaN together. When these tabs were first released (early November) and all the Hype started I believe that Roebeet was the first to successfully rip TNT apart to develop a more 'vanilla' version, hence the TNT Lite. About the same time Rothnic got a hold of the ZPAD (international version on GTab) firmware and started making it work here. I don't have all the details about where GoJimi came from but I think that he was working in quietly in the background with both of these guys (ahhhh the rumors). When the Advent Vega firmware came out they all decided to collaborate together to help develop a ROM based on that. I think that each has their own 'talent' and decide to work together to provide yet another option.
At, least I think that's how it all came about?
Between the three available ROMS it's all about personal preference. Like buying a car; it's just what suits you. The nice thing about the way all is set up is that technically you can test drive all three of them within an hour and decide for yourself.
Good Luck!
I personally, use TNT Lite. I went over to Vegan Tab for a short bit, then went back to TNT. I think I just got used to TNT and that is why I went back. There was nothing wrong with Vegan Tab, as it had a few different enhancements. However, TNT, felt like "the one" for me. We have been married for a month and a half now and couldn't be more happier.
I use TnT Lite myself. I tried an early build of Vegan, but TnT for me just seems to feel right for the GTab. But I agree with it2steve, both are excellent and it just comes down to personal preference. I suggest trying them both out, as well as CyanogenMod 6.1, and see which is right for you.
I guess that it is a very popular question for new Gtablet owners. there are several threads discussing the Pros and Cons of each ROM and there was a poll for it as well.
I like Tnt Lite for some features and I also like Vegan for the general UI. Just wondering will we see a hybrid version of TntVegan.
Actually, I am finding more fun to switch from one ROM to another ROM in a few weeks to try something new. I was on tnt lite 2.2, Vegan beta3, tnt lite 3.1.3, Vegan beta5.1 and then I am back to tnt lite 3.1.4.
I backup through CWM each time and I use Titianium backup to back up every apps I use.. (and it takes about 1 hour for me to switch ROM and restore most of my apps).
I have an N1, it is my first Android phone. I've been using plain old stock Android since the 2.1 days. I was convinced by users at another site I frequent to get a GTab.
Personally thought it'd be fun to play around with the GTab and make it function correctly through rooting (I had never done it before). I heard it was a great piece of hardware with a substandard operating system and purchasable at a great deal. Since purchasing it, I've been reading about development focused on GTab at XDA developers forums. The GTab is a very nice piece of hardware and I enjoy seeing the potential of it being unlocked day by day.
I've used both TnT Lite and Vegan. I only briefly played with stock TnT and almost immediately learned how to flash TnT Lite. In my opinion, it was alright, definitely better than TnT, but not what I was expecting when I first bought the GTab.
Since it was quite simple getting TnT Lite on the GTab, I considered flashing Cyanogen, but the lack of consistent updates made me reconsider, especially with the constant updates to TnT Lite and Vegan.
I've since moved on to Vegan which more closely matches stock Android in comparison to TnT Lite and I am quite happy with it.
My girlfriend was using my GTab while her piece of junk 1st gen MacBook was being worked on. Since getting it back, even after a complete data wipe and new OS install by a friend who works at Apple, it still doesn't function correctly, so now it just sits in the corner of the room and she uses my GTab when browsing the web and watching streaming video.
To my understanding, the XDA GTab community has just accessed the second core of the GTab's processor, so for me at least, these are exciting times indeed. The GTab has preformed better than expected and now, someday soon, it'll only get better.
If only there was a way to port over or convert iOS apps and games, I know my friends would all jump ship from iPad...well, I guess that kinda goes without saying.
I am a relative newbie to the gtab scene. I waited on the stock rom for the update from viewsonic, but due to many ongoing stability issues i decided to root and rom my tablet. I personally enjoy switching and updating, but i have tried both vegan and tnt lite. I really enjoy tnt lite, but its a personal choice. I just constantly check back, awaiting more updates and to see this tablet get faster and more "tablet like."
Both are good, take a look to a small poll that I create some time ago. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=894578
I like Tnt lite, but I think Vegan is a hair more stable.
I get less FC from Vegan.
But I like the features of Tnt lite.
BTW, which one is closer to stock android?
ive tried tnt and vegan and prefer vegan... but maybe thats because it works like id expect? not different and "tablet like". works almost as good as my phone! lol.. i wish we could get some of the phone guys over here to make roms! my phones rom is light years ahead of vegan...(pheonix) i wonder if those lil perks just cant happen on this tab? like power control in the drop down notification area.. seems like a no brainer if your making a rom? but vegan does work well, and fast... not a fan of the tnt look, reminds me of the nightmare stock set up!! i hated it...
but hopefully the roms get better and this tablet really shines!
Thanks for the backstory! I had been dying for an iPad but knew I really wanted something I could use cards/usb to get stuff in and out. I HATE being locked in like they do. But while the EPAD APAD stuff on ebay doesn't sound bad for $200 I wanted more and I didn't want to have it shipped from China. I was holding out for the NotionInk Adam but who knows if that'll ever happen.
With the stars aligned and all bills paid just after Christmas I had enough sitting there to do something. Just by chance I came across a link to the gtablet on sale at SEARS. I'd come across one in Office Depot a week before but dismissed it after seeing the stock TNT. Once I saw all the rooting/moding I RAN to Sears.
Purchase made I went for TnTLite 2.2.0 first cause that's the link I found, ran that way a while and then jumped to 3.1.4 about 2 days before jumping to Vegan51. I still have the backup of Lite 3.1.4 but I don't think I'm going back to it. I've already begun learning the interface and altering the icon spacing and all that fun stuff.
Just updated the kernal mod from cygna(sp)...today. It just seems to move faster and I actually like the front screen lock. Anyhow, very happy to have found the forum and that the devs are creating something we can actually USE with this hardware. Stock TNT = no purchase. I'd already walked away.
Glad I found that Sears ad
Tried both tntlite and vegan....prefer vegan..
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk
First flash was TnT-lite 2.0, right after I unpacked it and let it fully charge. Second tab, bought about a week later, went thru zPad and VegaN, a couple of days on each Rom, but eventually ended with TnT-lite. I prefer the "tablet like" feel of it. The other Room's are pretty solid, but reminiscent a phone too much.
Sent from my gTablet-TnT-Lite-4.1.0 using TapatalkPro
OK, I've ordered my G Tab and expect it next week. I also ordered a docking station, a screen protector and leather case w/keyboard. All of these were recommended by XDA members on this site.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to technical knowledge. I have never owned an Android product, either. I've read and read and read the various posts in preparation for receiving my G Tab. I know I want to Root my Tab (probably with TnT Lite) and I know to install the ClockWorkMod V.08. Here are my questions:
1. When I get my G Tab, should I even turn it on or should I insert the MicroSD card with the CWM on it and then turn the G Tab on?
2. If I turn it on first, will it automatically connect to WiFi thru my router and start downloading the Viewsonic update?
3. Is it OK to install the Viewsonic update BEFORE I root it?
4. I have noticed that a lot of the users who use TnT Lite, are running the 2.1 or 3.1 versions. Why aren't they using the latest 4.1 version? Should I start with an earlier, more stable (proven) version?
5 When should I install the "Enhancement" pack? After the CWM or after I install TnT Lite?
These questions may be somewhere on this site, but I can't find them. Thank you in advance?
Dawg Fan said:
OK, I've ordered my G Tab and expect it next week. I also ordered a docking station, a screen protector and leather case w/keyboard. All of these were recommended by XDA members on this site.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to technical knowledge. I have never owned an Android product, either. I've read and read and read the various posts in preparation for receiving my G Tab. I know I want to Root my Tab (probably with TnT Lite) and I know to install the ClockWorkMod V.08. Here are my questions:
1. When I get my G Tab, should I even turn it on or should I insert the MicroSD card with the CWM on it and then turn the G Tab on?
2. If I turn it on first, will it automatically connect to WiFi thru my router and start downloading the Viewsonic update?
3. Is it OK to install the Viewsonic update BEFORE I root it?
4. I have noticed that a lot of the users who use TnT Lite, are running the 2.1 or 3.1 versions. Why aren't they using the latest 4.1 version? Should I start with an earlier, more stable (proven) version?
5 When should I install the "Enhancement" pack? After the CWM or after I install TnT Lite?
These questions may be somewhere on this site, but I can't find them. Thank you in advance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still using stock TNT, but:
Re. 1) I would turn it on, even if you're planning to go to a different ROM, to at least make sure that it's working, before you try anything else. That way, in case there's a hardware problem, you haven't done anything to it yet, so it's factory condition. I don't know what stock firmware it will come with, but when I got my Gtab, it was like 3389, and there was a known thing with it, when you powered on the first time, a lot of stuff would force close. Rebooting (power off then power on) fixed that for me.
Re. 2) Assuming your WIFI is secured (WPA, etc.), the Gtab will try, but won't be able to connect successfully, since it doesn't have your WIFI router/access password. You'll need to go to Settings==>Wireless, and configure the password, and then it should connect after that.
Re. 3) Yes. That should be fine ...
Re. 4) I don't know...
Re. 5) The enhancement pack is INSTEAD of TNT lite, and is a patch for stock Viewsonic TNT. Conversely, TNT lite contains the stuff in the enhancement pack, plus more. So, they're kind of mutually exclusive. If you want to stay stock, but get the enhancements, install the enhancement pack. If you want a non-stock ROM, to replace the stock TNT, install TNT lite (or one of the other ROMs).
Jim
Thanks Jim! So, you are running the stock TnT 3452. Do you have the Enhancement pack installed? Did you try one of the new ROMs and then go back to stock?
No, I didn't install the enhancement pack, but rather, I've been installing things manually. The reason is that though I have a bit of experience w Linux, this is the 1st time I've had the chance to work w Android, so doing things manually is a kind of learning opportunity for me.
I haven't tried any of the other ROMs yet, but I might have to once they have CM7/gingerbread. It's tempting ...
In the meantime, this is OK for me.
Jim
Wax it with Mothers FX Make it shine
Wax it with Mothers FX Make it shine
Hey Dawg,
You know what I think happens a lot is that people get everything running pretty smooth on a particular ROM version (ie: TNTlite 2.1 or 3.1), and then they don't necessarily see anything compelling enough in the upgrade to go through the hassle of backing up, wiping, flashing...Especially the first time or two you do it, it can be a little daunting. (Or maybe they forget to update their signature?)
I like to goof around, so I've flashed mine about 8 times or so. I'm on TNTlite 4.1 and it is a great ROM. Very stable, very fast. I would encourage you away from 3.1 because that's based on a version of the kernel that came from Viewsonic that had issues with performance lag and some media disappearing from the SD card. There are fixes for both issues, but that's even more that you have to install.
4.1 is based on an updated kernel, and both issues are fixed.
I also spent some time with the Vegan ROM and it's pretty slick too. I had an issue with it sporadically shutting down. Others have experienced it too, but certainly not everybody.
Both of TNTlite 4.1 and Vegan 5 have been in the wild for a long enough amount of time for us to have heard about any major issues. I'd say go for the latest and greatest.
nbowes said:
Hey Dawg,
You know what I think happens a lot is that people get everything running pretty smooth on a particular ROM version (ie: TNTlite 2.1 or 3.1), and then they don't necessarily see anything compelling enough in the upgrade to go through the hassle of backing up, wiping, flashing...Especially the first time or two you do it, it can be a little daunting. (Or maybe they forget to update their signature?)
I like to goof around, so I've flashed mine about 8 times or so. I'm on TNTlite 4.1 and it is a great ROM. Very stable, very fast. I would encourage you away from 3.1 because that's based on a version of the kernel that came from Viewsonic that had issues with performance lag and some media disappearing from the SD card. There are fixes for both issues, but that's even more that you have to install.
4.1 is based on an updated kernel, and both issues are fixed.
I also spent some time with the Vegan ROM and it's pretty slick too. I had an issue with it sporadically shutting down. Others have experienced it too, but certainly not everybody.
Both of TNTlite 4.1 and Vegan 5 have been in the wild for a long enough amount of time for us to have heard about any major issues. I'd say go for the latest and greatest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! That is very useful.
I wish I understood all of this technical lingo. I'm 56 years old and love playing around on computers, but I have a brain fart when it comes to HOW they work. I guess it is just my generation. My father was a HAM radio operator and heavy into electronics. I didn't inherit any of that.
Here's my suggestion:
1) While waiting for the gtab, read the first page of the TnT Lite thread two or three times and download the files you will need to your PC. Then read the Clockwork Mod and Market Fix thread the same amount
2) Play with the gtab just long enough to verify it is not defective, damaged or DOA.
3) Transfer over Clockwork files via USB, restart
4) Install Clockwork, and then repartition to 2048,0 (will wipe your internal memory)
5) Mount USB, copy over TnT 4.1 file and install
6) Configure wireless, setup google account, market fix, flash
7) When everything is working, restart and backup with Clockwork
8) Download Titanium Backup for your apps and learn how to use it. I think this is the best app I have purchased so far and well worth the money.
Well I don't know your android experience level but there a few thing I would look into first your comfort level of installing bekits clockwork.08 based in my experiences this works better than other versions of recoveries. I would also look into nvflash just in case you run into trouble. There is no need for nvflash unless you run into trouble Choose the rom you want to use and read the instructions many times before trying to flash. And if you decide to use rom manager app you can download the roms from it but for now do not use rom mananger to flash to new roms or make backups only do it from clockwork recovery. With all that being said have fun it is not as diffcult as you might think
Thanks for all of the help/recommendations. I have to admit that I am so afraid that something will go wrong while trying one of these things. I'm telling you, I really don't understand any of this. I can follow instructions, so if that is all it takes, then I can do it. But I think I will first install the Viewsonic update and play around with that for a few days before I decide to root it.
Just so you know you don't have to root seperately anymore when you flash a rom it will automatically root for you
I have not seen any threads on this yet but thought I would post it. I am new to the GTablet but have an android cell so I am not new to ROMs. So lets see who has some great feedback about there favorite stable ROM.
TNT Lite is probably the most stable, since it's a fixed stock with Gapps added and TNTcrap removed. It's the one I go with because the tablet has become integral to my work, and I want it to work as much as possible.
I haven't tried Vegan, but I've heard with the supplements that it's a very fast, very stable ROM. I don't know about the Ginger variants (as the posts say, they're experimental), haven't tried gADAM, and the reports of market issues have kept me away from Bitrix's work.
+1 for TnT Lite.
I'm also new to the grab and have been experimenting with the different roms. Currently I'm using vegan, but I do miss some if the tablet customized elements of tnt lite. The reason I changed over was because I wasn't able to use a third party keyboard. Is there a work around for this? In terms of stability, they both seem very good.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk
I used tnt and now vegan. Tnt ran fine..only problem i had was music and videos on sd card wouldn't be found by players. Switched to vegan and really haven't had any problems.
I have a gTab on the way. I want to be able to use a keyboard and mouse with it while at home. I take it Vegan would be the best option for this? I greatly appreciate any input. Thanks to everyone that develops for the gTab. I can't wait to get it.
In terms of stability, TnTlite and VEGAn are pretty much on par, no random FCs from just about anything I use, except for Colorize Widgets on TnTLite, so I use VEGAn 5.1.1 for now, also because I prefer the status bar of VEGAn.
All the gingerbread ROMs have a fubared market (No "My Apps", Can't purchase, Maps fails). And for me, I regularly get FCs on a bunch of things. But they do have teh snappys, scrolling is super smooth, and things load up really fast. In addition, the gingerbread ROMs are clearly marked as Experimental, so you kind of expect things to break in them.
Hope that helps
Have been using Vegan for a month after stock TnT started FCing.
Other than a flaky market, all has been OK
tnerb123 said:
I have not seen any threads on this yet but thought I would post it. I am new to the GTablet but have an android cell so I am not new to ROMs. So lets see who has some great feedback about there favorite stable ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please use the Search as I did and look what I found...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=957174&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=946705&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=942105&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=922702&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=911749&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=906272&highlight=ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=895647&highlight=ROM
Thread closed. Please see the links above. Thank you.
We just picked up a brand new GTab from a coworker for a steal (he bought it, didn't like it, and is going with a netbook instead). I've done a bunch of reading already, but have a LOT more to read before I do too much.
I do have a question though...
I like the idea of a nice interface, and kind of like the interface of the stock rom, however it's a bit useless without market, etc. However, I don't really want it to look like an over-grown android phone. I'm leaning towards TnT Lite, but so far undecided.
So, my question is... If I just go with the idea of rooting it and adding Market/Flash/Etc, what am I going to miss that I'd get with a new rom? I assume some speed? Noticeable? Anything else?
I haven't seen a lot of screenshots of TnTLite...will I be satisfied with it, or will I just feel like my evo's screen grew even larger? (I know you can't say if I will be satisfied or not, but how is it? is it really much different then a stock Android screen?)
Some people modify theirs to look exactly like their phone, others prefer the different more tablet like interface. I know with tnt lite 4.3 you have the option of using both classic and tap n' tap home screens. The speed is awesome especially with clemsyns new kernel (also fixes power off durring sleep issue) and it gets full market at first boot, no extra tweeks necessary to get it working.
Good luck,
well the market after boot without hassle isn't bad.
But I just read the 3991 thread, which included Roebeet's initial speed test. Still worth going with TnTLite or waiting until/if 3991 comes out?
To ask a bit differently...a) how much speed improvement would I see with TnTLite?
b) how tough is rooting this thing? I've rooted several Evo's and a pair of Pandigitals, so I've done it before, but no idea how the GTab compares. c)how painful is getting the market to work? I don't mind a little work, but I don't want to have to study for a week to get it working...I have enough on my plate already
And finally, c) any other reasons beyond speed to jump to TnTL? (note, I don't mind jumping, but I want to make sure I know what it gains me first)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
This link tell everything step by step. Its really the easiest recovery & rom install I have ever done.
No need to root first and all custom roms come with root/superuser.
Stock tnt has a quadrant score around 1500 to 1800
Tnt lite has a quadrant score around 2300 to 2500
Basically your going to notice a difference in higher end functionality. Video, internet, gaming as well as a mild boost in everyday use.
As far as reasons to jump, I'm the kind of person that always has to see for myself. One of the fist things you do after installing bekits .8 recovery is to back up your current rom. That way if you don't like what you see you can just wipe data/cash and davlic cash, then restore your previous backup no harm done.
Its hard to list all the small improvements with tnt lite over stock. I can tell you though, after using custom roms with clemsyns kernel its almost painful anymore to play with the gtabs at office depot.
Oh and if your going to move to another rom I would suggest you invest in titanium backup as it saves all your apps, app data and user data(wi-fi connections, passwords, account settings) so you can instantly restore them to your new rom. Instead of installing all your apps again from the market and loosing any saved data all you have to do I'd download titanium backup again an run a batch restore and BAM everything is back.
Hope that answers some more of your questions
I am completely biased of course, but I would recommend TNT Lite with one of the custom kernels. I find it to be much better than stock.
But, another item to consider -- you can always backout. There are stock ROMs in one of the FAQ's (look at mine, for example). So, if you play around with some of these mods and don't like them, you can go back. Just read up on the instructions and you should be good to go.
3588 (the latest stock) cannot hold a candle to the other mods here. Viewsonic has a new firmware cooking , but for some reason it's taking them FOREVER to release.
How to install a custom Kernel with TNT Lite 4.3.2
roebeet,
Could you expand on how to install a custom kernel with TNT lite 4.3.2. I couldn't find any instructions on the clemsyn kernel thread.
Thanks
brs330 said:
roebeet,
Could you expand on how to install a custom kernel with TNT lite 4.3.2. I couldn't find any instructions on the clemsyn kernel thread.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's mod agnostic - seems to work on TNT (Lite), VEGAn or zPad. It's in an "update.zip" format, so you'd just need a tool like clockworkmod to install it. That's pretty much it!
You might want to PM clemsyn to confirm (or post to his thread), but from what I can tell it's pretty much an update.zip, nothing more.
Thanks for the help.
I installed 4.30 along with the .32 Supp (or at least I think i did...not sure how to verify that that's installed, but once 4.30 was running, i deleted the .zip and the restore folder, copied over the supp files and power on-vol up again....I *think* it installed things)
First, wow is this faster than stock, even without doing a kernel update.
Second, all I have is the phone-looking interfaec. I went to Home Switcher for Froyo (assumed that was the place to switch?) but in there the only option I have is for the com.android.launcher, so how do I get back to the other home screen?
Again, thanks for the help so far, and the incredible performance enhancement.