Hey, guys. I've been looking to use Tasker for awhile now but, it's just been laying dormant in my app drawer because I was too overwhelmed by all the options. Anyway, I finally got around to using it when I discovered a Domo-kun wallpaper that I just had to use and customise. And what I've got is in this post.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=14898952&postcount=33983
In this tutorial we will be trying to understand how to use Tasker's Minimal Text Widget Plugin and Variables. So, let's get down to it.
Objectives
Get Domo-kun to "say" stuff based on various events on the phone.
Get Domo's messages to cycle based on a preset time period.
Variables
These are basically empty labels that you must direct Tasker to fill. You can fill them with a string of characters, or with numbers and you can also perform basic math functions on them.
Minimal Text Widget Plugin
This enables Tasker to display stuff via Minimal Text Widget.
What we need
We will need a way of keeping time, so that messages will change after a specified time.
We will need a way of setting a preset message that corresponds to the battery state.
We will need a way of setting a preset message that corresponds to the wifi state.
We will need a way to tell Minimal widget when to display a message.
We will need a way to tell Minimal Widget what message it should display.
Setting a timer that will change the message after preset time.
The context for this is obviously every 'x' minutes. So we start a new profile with a Time context, and set that to repeat every 'x' minutes.
Now, we need a variable that will change after every 'x' minutes(y+1), this will eventually tell our widget when it's time to change the message. So, this will be the action for this particular context. Add a new task to the context, select Variable>>Variable Set. Let's name our variable, I will call mine %SET. The necessary action after every 'x' minutes is '%SET + 1' so this is what we will put in the "To" field. Remember to check the box "Do Math", this will treat the variable as a number, and enable us to perform the required math on it.
Let's take a look at what will happen, when this profile is active.
Every 'x' minutes, the Variable %SET will be set to %SET + 1. So, if %SET starts at 0, after 'x' minutes it will be 0 + 1; it will be 1; after another 'x' minutes it will be set to %SET + 1, 1+1; it will be 2, and so on.
You now have a variable that changes every 'x' minutes.
Setting a preset message according to the battery state.
I want to make Domo tell me how my battery is doing when it's at four different states (100%-75%, 75%-50%, 50%-25%, 25%-0%).
So, now we have four different contexts(battery ranges) in which Tasker needs to perform certain actions(Domo will say something). Let's start creating them.
For the first context(battery level 75-100) we want to display "Your battery is good". So, we will first define the context. In this case the context is a "State" in which the phone is in. Therefore our required context is in the "State" category>>Battery level, choose the range, I will choose 75 - 100. Since the message changes based on the level, we will need to set a variable here. I will call mine %BATTSTAT, and set it to "Your battery is good".
We have to repeat the steps for the other 3 battery levels. So, we create new State>>battery level profiles but, we use the SAME Variable(%BATTSTAT) for the message.
(50-74) - set %BATTSTAT to "Your battery is OK"
(25-49) - set %BATTSTAT to "Your battery is low"
(0-24) - set %BATTSTAT to "Your battery is going to die"
What is going to happen when this profile is active?
When the battery level is between 75-100 the %BATTSTAT will be "Your battery is good", when battery level hits 74, %BATTSTAT will immediately change to "Your battery is OK", and so on.
We now have a variable(%BATTSTAT) that holds a message depending on the battery level.
Setting a preset message according to wifi state.
This is pretty much the same as setting the message for battery level. The only difference is we will use a an exit task for when wifi is not connected. An Enter Task are the actions that take place when a state is entered, an Exit Task are the actions that take place when a state is exited.
So, new profile, State>>Wifi Connected, set %WIFISTAT to "Your wifi is connected", now if we don't set the %WIFISTAT Variable to change when the wifi is disconnected, it will always hold the message "Your wifi is connected". So we set an exit task for the variable %WIFISTAT to say "Your wifi is disconnected".
Okay! We now have,
%SET - A Variable that increments every 'x' minutes
%BATTSTAT - A Variable that holds a message corresponding to the battery level
%WIFISTAT - A Variable that holds a message corresponding to the wifi status
Getting tasker to communicate with Minimalistic Text Widget
This is fairly simple, all we need to do is define a variable for MTW, and set to what we want to say, in this case the message within the tasker variables (%BATTSTAT or %WIFISTAT). So, the action would be within "Plugin">>Minimalistic Text Widget. You have a field for Minimalistic Text Widget's Variable and you have a to field.
Now, we need a way to send our messages to Minimal Text Widget at the right time.
We use our Time variable to tell us what's the time. If, %SET = 0 we will send %BATTSTAT to the widget, if(after 'x' minutes) %SET = 1, we will send %WIFISTAT to the widget. Now, our next context depends on the Variable %SET, so this will be the context we coose. Event>>Variable>>Variable Set, enter the Variable(%SET) in Name field and what it will be when we perform our action (sending data to MTW) in this case, '0'. The action to perform will be, Plugin>>MTW set a Variable %DISP to %BATTSTAT.
Now we repeat this for 'x' minutes later when %SET = 1, so a new Event context has to be made, where the variable %SET = 1, and here we will send the wifi status to MTW. So, Plugin>>MTW set Variable %DISP to %WIFISTAT.
What happens here is, when %SET = 0 (at the beginning of our cycle) Tasker will send the message within %BATTSTAT to %DISP. 'x' minutes later, when %SET = 1, Tasker will send the message within %WIFISTAT to %DISP. But, wait! What happens when 'x' minutes later our time variable increments(%SET + 1 ie. 1+1 = 2)? This is a problem because we have not made a profile for %SET = 2, in relaity we don't need one because there are only two kinds of messages we want to send to MTW.
We need to reset our counter. So, we make a new Event profile for when the variable %SET is greater than 1. All we need to do is set %SET to 0.
Displaying our messages on MTW
Create your Minimalistic Text Widget, within it's "Misc" tab find Local Variable and put in the name of your MTW Variable, in this case, it is %DISP. And you're done!
___________________________________________________
This is my first attempt at writing a tutorial and also I've only been using Tasker for a couple of days, so the above procedure might not be completely optimized. Maybe our Dev/Programmer friends can enlighted us. I tried to write this tutorial not so much as a hold your hand and give you a play by play but, more as a I hope you learn something about the way Tasker works and find better uses for it. I hope it was helpful. I don't think pictures are actually necessary if people get their feet wet with Tasker but, if people think it's absolutely necessary, I will post some.
UPDATE [11th September 2011]
Modified the SetCPU profiles:
Removed AC-charging Overclock (subject to temperature warnings mentioned in replies)Reduced some MAX values (has added 5 hours of real-world battery use and makes no noticable difference in performance)Added an optional < 101% profile to default the maximum clock speed to 729MHz (does not reduce performance, adds 2 hours effective runtime)Specified the Priority values (which I had forgotten to mention originally)
Introduction - The Desire S Battery Problem
As a fellow Desire S owner, you no doubt agree that it is a lovely phone: sleek, thin, relatively light, feature-filled... almost everything anyone could ever want from a phone!
However...
As a fellow Desire S owner, you no doubt agree that the battery life (on the Stock Sense ROM, regardless of how strict your PWM settings) is rather pathetic.
I have two HTC Desire S phones (one for myself, one for my wife), and both of them have almost exactly the same runtime (give or take a few minutes) when run in identical test conditions... no more than 18 hours (almost all of which with the display turned off) between charges, and less than 8 hours average with light-to-moderate screen-time when in use.
Bottom line: it's rather pathetic, and unacceptable.
Thankfully, we have options now... and this guide provides you with the option I have chosen for my Desire S phones.
Introduction - The Sacrifice
HTC Sense is (to many) considered a very "pretty" GUI, with nice animated transitions, a rounded feel etc, however it comes at a price: it's a battery hog!
I have played with many Sense 2 and Sense 3 ROMs on the Desire S, all of which share the common result of dimished battery runtime...
Bottom line: The simplest way to get more battery life is to sacrifice Sense entirely!
Just to point out: HTC Sense is the only sacrifice this guide makes in the persuit of optimal battery life! Unlike other guides, this one doesn't compromise any other features, or ANY performance (in fact, I've found performance with the setup described here to be even better than the stock ROM... noticably so!)
DISCLAIMER
I cannot (and will not) be held responsible for any losses or damages resulting from your use of this guide or the materials it contains. If you brick your phone, you've done something wrong and the fault is your own.
You should follow this guide with a fully charged battery, and if possible perform all steps involving a PC from a Laptop, with your phone connected via USB to minimize the risks associated with sudden power loss on your mains supply.
Stage 1: S-OFF
Aside from a lucky few whose Desire S came with S-OFF as a factory default, most of us have S-ON handsets.
With S-ON, you cannot flash a custom ROM onto your Desire S... but fear not, as there is now a FREE (and insanely simple) way to unlock our handsets, giving us the precious S-OFF we require.
You will require the Android SDK to be installed on your system, as well as the USB drivers for the HTC Desire S (these are installed as part of HTC Sync, though you should close HTC Sync from the system tray before proceeding as the S-OFF process will refuse to run with HTC Sync running at the same time)
Head on over to http://revolutionary.io/ to download their tool. This guide presumes you are using Windows, though it should be easy enough - if you're a Linux user - to adapt this information for your Linux platform.
Once you press the link to download Revolutionary, you will notice that a form appears asking for certain information. You'll see a screenshot of this below, but before we get to that there's something you must do...
Open a Command Prompt window from the Platform-Tools directory of the Android SDK.
From that Command Prompt window, type adb devices. Presuming you have the HTC Desire S drivers installed correctly, and your handset connected to your PC via USB, you should something like this:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
LEAVE THIS COMMAND PROMPT WINDOW OPEN, WE'LL NEED IT AGAIN SHORTLY
The third line of text begins with your handset's serial number.... you will need to enter this into the form on the Revolutionary website in order to generate your Beta key:
Once the Revolutionary zip file has downloaded, extract its contents into a folder on your PC (doesn't matter where, so long as you have access to that location).
Run revolutionary.exe following the instructions provided (it's a very quick and simple process... the automated portion of which shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 minutes to complete)
When it prompts you to install the Recovery mod, do it! You will need it for the next stage of this guide!
Your HTC Desire S now has S-OFF, is equipped with a version of ClockWork Recovery, and is ready to recieve the custom ROM! (All is good with the world).
Stage 2: The Custom ROM
IMPORTANT - THIS WILL FACTORY RESET YOUR PHONE (UNAVOIDABLE) SO DON'T FORGET TO BACK UP WHATEVER YOU NEED BEFORE YOU PROCEED WITH THIS GUIDE! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
NOTE You will either need a spare MicroSD card, or to back up your existing MicroSD card and make it accessible to have files written to it from your PC (I use a card reader, but you can always use the USB Mass Storage feature of the phone itself to access the SD card in your phone from your PC)
The custom ROM of choice is NeoLojik's CyanogenMod 7, lovingly and paintakingly prepared especially for our HTC Desire S handsets, with quite probably the most prompt and spectactular support from NeoLojik himself.
I have chosen NeoLojik's CM7 ROM because it has proven (after exhastively testing other ROMs for the Desire S) to provide me with the very best battery performance, as well as all of the settings you will tweak as part of this guide.
Download (from the ROM's thread linked above):
The latest version of his ROM
The recommended Tiamat Kernel
The recommended version of the Google Apps package
To save time later, download The Android Market 3.1.3 APK
(You can download the APK from your phone directly after you've completed this portion of the guide, if you prefer)
Place the three ZIP files, as well as the Android Market APK, on the root folder of your MicroSD card (by "root" I mean the initial path of the SD card, which is whatever drive letter it mounts as on your Windows PC - e.g. "H:\")
Now, with your phone still connected to your PC via USB (and the SD card put back into your phone, if required), return to the Command Prompt window we used earlier and type adb reboot recovery
Now direct your attention to your phone
Once the Recovery Menu has loaded (should take about 30 seconds) we will follow some simple instructions below... but first, a few points on how to use Recovery:
Use the Volume Up and Down buttons on your handset to highlight one of the displayed options
Use the Power button to trigger the highlighted option.
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
apply update from sdcard
choose zip from sdcard
update-cm7.1.0-RC1-DesireS-Nexx-signed.zip (or whatever the ROM's filename is at your time of downloading... it will change as the ROM evolves)
apply update from sdcard
choose zip from sdcard
Tiamat_Saga-v1.1.2.zip (or whatever the filename is for the recommended Tiamat kernel at your time of downloading)
apply update from sdcard
choose zip from sdcard
gapps-gb-20110613.zip (again, filename might be slightly different for you)
Remembering with each selection to navigate to the "YES" option in the confirmation menu (this exists to prevent you from accidentally flashing the wrong file onto your phone)
Now, from your PC (or from the Recovery menu... doesn't matter which), you want to reboot your phone! To do this from the PC, you will just type adb reboot into the Command Line window we used previously.
Your phone will now boot with the new ROM (CyanogenMod), and has been factory reset (so you'll have to run through the first-run configuration wizard).
NOTE: Don't be scared if (after the boot animation disappears) the screen remains black for a minute or so! The first boot of the new ROM (especially with the Tiamat Kernel) does take a bit longer than every subsequent boot there-after. Just give the phone a few minutes, and press the Power button. You SHOULD see the Lock screen once the device is ready!
Run through the first-run wizard following instructions provided (fairly strait forward), though keep in mind that (at the time of writing) the wizard does not prompt for a WiFi connection until AFTER it attempts to log in to your Google account! Fear not, though, as when it fails to connect to your Google account (presuming you don't have Mobile Data available to you), it'll then prompt for a WiFi network and repeat the Google account login afterwards.
Once you have completed the first run config, open the "File Manager" app included as part of the ROM.
Navigate to /sdcard and run the com.android.vending-3.1.3.apk file. You'll be prompted to allow unknown sources, you want to tick that box and click on the APK again.
Once you've installed this, you will be running the latest (and greatest) version of Android Market, which (amongst other things) enables you to use a different Google account for your Apps (very useful if you want to install your paid applications on your wife's phone, as I have)
Welcome to CyanogenMod!....
Stage 3: Battery-saving Mega Settings [Menu-by-Menu]
The Settings I'm providing you here are the results of countless hours of experimentation (as well as logic and common sense). They have proven to provide the best degree of battery runtime with absolutely no performance or feature sacrifice!
If a menu or entry within a menu isn't mentioned, it's because it has no bearing on power saving!
Wireless & networks
Wi-Fi settings
Network notification = OFF
Press the Menu button, then Advanced
Wi-Fi sleep policy = NEVER
Call settings
Vibrate on answer = OFF
Vibrate every 45 seconds = OFF
Vibrate on hangup = OFF (NOTE: I leave this ON as my one concession as it's the only way you will know if a call drops out on you unexpectedly!)
Vibrate call waiting = OFF
Always use proximity = OFF
Enable sensor rotation = OFF
Voicemail notifications = ON (it doesn't save power, but seriously... you want it on!)
CyanogenMod settings
Display
Automatic backlight
Light sensor filter > Enabled = OFF (If enabled, unnecessarily drains more battery life! The feature itself is pointless as there is no difference to the UX with it Enabled or Disabled!)Light levels
Use custom = ON
Screen dim level = 14
Allow light decrease = ON
Edit other levels...
This is what I consider to be the most optimal set of levels:
Lower | Screen | Buttons
0 | 21 | 2
160 | 31 | 2
255 | 35 | 2
320 | 40 | 0
640 | 50 | 0
1280 | 75 | 0
2600 | 90 | 0
5800 | 130 | 0
8000 | 200 | 0
10000 | 255 | 0
Press Save & apply (scroll to the top to find the button)
NOTE: You may want to play around with some of the values in this table, as screen brightness is not a "one size fits all" affair, and what I can see clearly might not be so clear for you (or vice-versa). Basically, use those levels as a starting point, and tweak them from there until you find the best settings for you in various lighting conditions.
I will say this, you don't want to set the Buttons value above 0 if you can see the buttons even faintly at a given light level. The backlighting for the buttons is a surprising battery drain (it's calculated as part of the Screen's power consumption in the Battery Usage menu). Bottom line: if you don't need any lighting on the hardware buttons in order to use them even in pitch blackness, then set the value of Buttons for each set in the table to 0 and squeeze more life out of your battery!
Performance (press OK when the warning is displayed)
CPU settings
Available governors = SMARTASS ("SMARTASS" has been designed specifically [and brilliantly] to scale the CPU frequency with such a perfect balance of performance-on-demand versus power saving... it's the perfect choice!)
Min CPU frequency = 192
Max CPU frequency = 1036 (We'll be using SetCPU [full version, bought from the Market] to set up some magical CPU profiles later in this guide, saving us LOTS more battery life!)
Set on boot = ON
Sound
Haptic feedback = OFF (Remember: The phone's vibrator consumes more power than playing a beep or other short tone through the speaker at even the highest volume!)
Accounts and sync
Auto-sync = OFF (Auto-sync being disabled saves both battery power, as well as bandwidth on your Mobile Data tarif [2G and/or 3G dependant on carrier]. Really, you should just "sync on demand" as and when you want/need to!)
This concludes the Settings portion of the guide!
Stage 4: SetCPU (for ROOT users) configuration
SetCPU for ROOT Users is available for on the Android Market for just £1.25 (or $1.99 USD). Not only does this program enable you to overclock/underclock your phone's CPU, but more importantly it enables you to provide Profiles, to scale the CPU based on the operational status of your phone.
This is well worth the infintismal pricetag, as the potential power savings (at no performance cost) is more than significant!
Open SetCPU, go to the Profiles tab:
Enable = ON
Notifications = ON (Really this is up to you! I like to have notifications for when the profile is changing to ensure that the CPU is scaling properly, and to ensure that my profiles are the best they can be for performance/battery balance)
Add Profile
Profile = Charging AC
Max = 1036800 (Potentially, you could set it up to 2GHz, but I have stability (and heat) concerns, and I can't possibly see any circumstance where 2GHz would be remotely useful! If you do elect to overclock (particularly whilst charging), you will need to add a profile (with 100% priority) to drop the Max value if the temperature exceeds 45 C)
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Add Profile
Profile = Charging USB
Max = 1036800 (Basically 1GHz [original] CPU clock. We don't want to bleed into the minimal input of power provided by USB, so this is the best setting to use)
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Add Profile
Profile = Battery <
Battery < = 75%
Max = 652800
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Add Profile
Profile = Battery <
Battery < = 50%
Max = 576000
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
B]Add Profile[/B]
Profile = Battery <
Battery < = 30%
Max = 422400
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Priority = 80
Press Save
Add Profile
Profile = Screen Off
Max = 345600
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Priority = 60
Press Save
Add Profile
Profile = Time
Time = 01:00 - 08:00 (NOTE: Substitute the given range with whatever your daily sleeping hours are!)
Max = 345600
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Priority = 70
Press Save
The following profile is optional... and (if used) would specify your default clock speed
Add Profile
Profile = Battery <
Battery < = 101%
Max = 729600
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Feel free to experiment with other profiles as well! Perhaps you may want to procedurally reduce your CPU speed based on Battery % in a more gentle way... this is certainly possible, and would squeeze even more life out of your battery.
You should also feel free to use lower MAX values for each setting (I would strongly advise against higher values) if you feel that the lower clock speed makes little-to-no noticable difference in performance as you use your phone.
Personally, I notice no difference between 729600 and 1038600!
Stage 4: Recalibrating your Battery
Install the Battery Calibration app (FREE on the Android Market).
If your phone isn't charged, charge it up so that it is showing 100% (with the Green LED lit).
Run Battery Calibration and press the Battery Calibration button. Immediately unplug the power/USB cable from your phone, and allow it to run (as normal) until fully discharged.
Once the phone has switched itself off, plug it into the AC cable (using the mains charger).... and LEAVE YOUR PHONE SWITCHED OFF until the LED indicator is lit green!
You may want to repeat the discharge/recharge cycle one or two more times (as many people claim that this provides a better calibration)... though really that just entails running your phone on the battery until it is fully discharged, then allowing it (whilst switched off) to fully recharge on the mains adapter (AC)... which is not what most people would normally do as a routine.
Potential Stage 5: Tasker
Tasker (£3.99 on the Android Market) enables you to create profiles which automatically change various settings based on one or more given criteria. This even includes the ability to switch on and off features of your phone such as WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, GSM, Mobile Data and Airplane Mode.
By creating suitable Tasker profiles, you can squeeze even more battery life out of your phone!
If it's of benefit to people (let me know in the comments) I can expand this guide to include step-by-step instructions on creating the various profiles I would recommend in order to squeeze more battery runtime out of your phone without sacrifising features/functionality.
General Battery Storage/Maintenance Advice (Applies to all Lithium-Ion Batteries, including those used in Laptops)
To prolong the operational lifespan of your battery, you should not really allow your battery to run for very long below 50% charge, as "topping up" a half-charged battery generates less wear and tear on the battery, prolonging its overall lifespan.
NEVER leave your phone fully discharged for more than an hour, or the LiIon cells will begin to degrade, meaning your battery will never be able to physically hold as much charge. Indeed, the longer you leave a discharged battery, the less overall capacity your battery will retain.
NEVER store your battery (even if the phone is running at the time) in cold conditions! As a general rule of thumb, if it's "a little chilly" for you, it's unhealthy for the battery!
Both of the above tips form respectively the Number 1 and 2 causes of battery death! Don't let your battery become another statistic!
If - like me - you have one or more "spare batteries", you will likely be tempted to store them when they are fully charged (100%). This sounds like a good thing to do, but actually it can have (to a slightly lesser degree) the same damaging effect on the battery as leaving it fully discharged for any prolonged period of time!
The absolute best level of charge at which you should store a battery is at 50%, or as close there-to as possible!
Dependant on how often you find yourself recharging your battery, you should recalibrate it between every 3 to 6 months (the more often you discharge/recharge, the less often you should recalibrate).
Also, you should ALWAYS recalibrate after having flashed a new (or updated) ROM and/or Kernel!
My results using the exact configuration [excluding Tasker] detailed in this guide...
As I stated above, with the way I use my Desire S, I was lucky to get 8 hours of what I would call "light-to-moderate" use whilst running on the battery!
With the configuration detailed in this guide, I have now had a successful "100% to discharged" usage of 46 hours (under the exact same usage conditions as when I was using the stock ROM factory-installed on the phone (and updated OTA ~ a week ago).
This is a VERY significant improvement, though I must stress that results will vary heavily based on how much (or what) software you're running on the phone, how often you're interacting with it, how long you spend in calls etc.
Basically, every phone is different, and every operator (me, you, everyone) is different.
Please also keep in mind that your phone won't "settle in" to the new settings in terms of battery runtime until you've done 2 or 3 discharge/recharge cycles (as explained in the Battery Calibration portion of this guide)
Conclusion
There are plenty of third-party ROMs out there, and (obviously) I can't physically test them all! I have tested what I believe anyone would consider to be a perfectly suitable number (more than a dozen now), and have found the exact combination detailed in this guide to provide the very best battery runtime for me.
I understand that some of you will likely have your own ROM preference (for various reasons), but I hope that at least some sections of this guide will be useful to you.
If you just want to get the very best battery performance out of your Desire S, and either don't particularly care what ROM you use, or (like me) happen to love Cyanogen anyway... this guide will fit you like a glove!
Need any more advice?
No problem... post your comments and questions as a reply to this guide, and I'll answer anything I can, as promptly as possible (please consider that I have a company to run, and a life beyond the Internet... so replies might not always be "instant")
I hope you like this guide, and more importantly... I hope you enjoy your new-found battery runtime!
Unfortunately, I'm a Sense fan. ...so will take persuding to move away from the interface, as been using it for many years, but, I still appreciate a piece full of insight and advice written for the communities benefit. Well done and thanks for sharing.
I'll reference this in the development INDEX next to CM7 ROMS
ben_pyett said:
Unfortunately, I'm a Sense fan. ...so will take persuding to move away from the interface, as been using it for many years, but, I still appreciate a piece full of insight and advice written for the communities benefit. Well done and thanks for sharing.
I'll reference this in the development INDEX next to CM7 ROMS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I can understand why so many people strictly adhere to Sense ROMs... for me the "slight prettiness" of Sense doesn't justify the hammering of the battery... especially as I actually preffer the L&F of Cyanogen anyway
If I have gotten 18 hours with almost always screen off I returned the phone. With nomal usage my phone last more than one day. Keeping the screen almost always off last almost 2 days with wifi and sync turned on (to be honest, never reached that again). ROM is whether LBC or rooted stock whith stock HTC kernel. So I can find any problem there. Nevertheless, this is a smartphone, and I always have a charger with me
I will try CM and what the battery life is like.
Profile = Charging AC
Max = 157440 (Potentially, you could set it up to 2GHz, but I have stability concerns, and I can't possibly see any circumstance where 2GHz would be remotely useful!)
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Fried CPU kgo. Overclock + Charging = Excessive heat being generated.
zeekiz said:
Profile = Charging AC
Max = 157440 (Potentially, you could set it up to 2GHz, but I have stability concerns, and I can't possibly see any circumstance where 2GHz would be remotely useful!)
Min = 192000
Scaling = smartass
Press Save
Fried CPU kgo. Overclock + Charging = Excessive heat being generated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tested this setting with my own phone, and the heat increase was LESS than 1 Celcius (infintismal)... sure, if you wanted, you could use a lower value.
Its your call, your thread, I just feel that it isn't a good idea. At least even consider placing a warning adjacent to it.
LaKraven said:
I have tested this setting with my own phone, and the heat increase was LESS than 1 Celcius (infintismal)... sure, if you wanted, you could use a lower value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could add a setcpu profile for limitting the temperature. I dont overclock, but when im using my phone while charging, it gets hot, so I limit the temperature at 41.1 C , so 768mhz - 245mhz , on demand.
lbc ROM, stock kernel
zeekiz said:
Its your call, your thread, I just feel that it isn't a good idea. At least even consider placing a warning adjacent to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've updated the guide (see the update notes at the very top of the post). The on-AC overclock setting has been removed, and I have placed a warning about overclocking next to it.
Updated the post to address a typo in one of the SetCPU profiles (I missed a 0 from the end of 345600).
I will have done this process by tomorrow, I'm sure - even bought Tasker. - Hoping I wont damage something in the process since I've never dealt with an HTC phone before. :/ Since my mom bought it to me as a present, she just peeks in from time to time to check wth am I doing with it - gotta keep a satisfied grin on my face all the time while I'm figuring how to fix this problem lolz
Really you just need to follow instructions (read everything through at least twice before you begin), be patient... and double-check everything you're abuot to do before you do it.
You can't do any more than that!
I've flashed both of these phones so many times now, and the only mistake I ever made was forgetting to clear the cache (Which results in an infinite boot loop or "soft brick", easily recovered by constantly typing "adb reboot recovery" in your Command Prompt, which will eventually make the phone re-enter recovery mode (exiting the infinite boot loop), at which point you can wipe, clear cache, reflash, and relax!
LaKraven said:
Really you just need to follow instructions (read everything through at least twice before you begin), be patient... and double-check everything you're abuot to do before you do it.
You can't do any more than that!
I've flashed both of these phones so many times now, and the only mistake I ever made was forgetting to clear the cache (Which results in an infinite boot loop or "soft brick", easily recovered by constantly typing "adb reboot recovery" in your Command Prompt, which will eventually make the phone re-enter recovery mode (exiting the infinite boot loop), at which point you can wipe, clear cache, reflash, and relax!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny, so true, in fact, did just that myself about two minutes ago while testing another ROM, meant trip to PC, plug in, power on, and then sorted adb reboot recovery
Swyped from HTC Desire S using XDA Premium
ben_pyett said:
Funny, so true, in fact, did just that myself about two minutes ago while testing another ROM, meant trip to PC, plug in, power on, and then sorted adb reboot recovery
Swyped from HTC Desire S using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know I'm not the only one! It's such an easy step to overlock... just a good job it's also the least fatal mistake to make!
and then this
.. Ther is no Path in User, but there is in System...Geez, so tired..What do....:/ I'm all set to flash, just this thing I think...
You need to reinstall Java JDK.
This has happened to me before!
LaKraven said:
You need to reinstall Java JDK.
This has happened to me before!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx man I did that, I also don't have any command prompts in here :
C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
Bombastc said:
Thx man I did that, I also don't have any command prompts in here :
C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
Hold down SHIFT and RIGHT-CLICK in on that folder
Click "Open command line window here"
You're then ready to start using ADB commands
LaKraven said:
UPDATE [11th September 2011]
Potential Stage 5: Tasker
By creating suitable Tasker profiles, you can squeeze even more battery life out of your phone!
If it's of benefit to people (let me know in the comments) I can expand this guide to include step-by-step instructions on creating the various profiles I would recommend in order to squeeze more battery runtime out of your phone without sacrifising features/functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would really like that. Yesterday followed your guide and learning new things as i went about the CyanogenMod. I'm curious now how far my battery will bring me :-D.
At the moment i'm using the trial version of phoneweaver and automateit, which are nice programs, but if tasker is more efficient although having a steeper learning curve, i will switch in an instant.
shizuku said:
I would really like that. Yesterday followed your guide and learning new things as i went about the CyanogenMod. I'm curious now how far my battery will bring me :-D.
At the moment i'm using the trial version of phoneweaver and automateit, which are nice programs, but if tasker is more efficient although having a steeper learning curve, i will switch in an instant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a tasker convert myself, I can also say that you'll read a great review of some of its functionality and a slightly biased review of the product by wnp_79 as part of his [GUIDE] Update 28/06/11: HTC Desire S Guide (V1.03) For Newcomers to Android which is in a sticky at the top of the forum.
Do u know how battery efficient ur smartphone is?
How is the battery efficiency of kernel X compared to that of kernel Y?
Is there an objective way to work out battery efficiency (ie. other than appealing to ur subjective impression)?
Below is my tentative solution to the above questions
Requirement:
1. You need to be able to bootup into recovery mode where u can wipe the battery stat (e.g. CWM Recovery can do that. In most cases, u need a rooted phone to obtain CWM Recovery);
2. You need to be able to take screen shots;
3. CPU Spy (by storm717, free from Google Play. Disclaimer: this author doesn't have any affiliation with the app or its creator )
4. Know the total capacity (in mAH) of ur battery (can be read from the face or the back of ur battery)
Procedure
Step 1. Calibrate the battery level indicator of ur phone
Concerning the battery level, theoretically only two points can be certain: 100% (when the battery is fully charged) and 0% (when it is totally depleted). All in the middle are extrapolations based on either the 100% or the 0% point.
Practically, the 100% point is the only point against which the battery indicator can be accurately calibrated. Below is the how:
1a. Fully charge ur phone. Switch it off when the fully charge indicator is on BUT leave the charger connected to it at this point;
1b. Half an hour later, with the charger still attached, boot up into recovery mode;
1c. Choose "Wipe battery stat" from the recovery menu: (for CWM Recovery) scroll to "advanced", then "Wipe battery stat", then scroll down to highlight "yes, wipe battery stat". When it is highlighted, WAIT FOR 1 MORE MINUTE before u press the Home button to activate it (the wait will make extra sure ur battery level is truly, totally, and absolutely 100% )
1d. When that extra 1 minute is over, press the Home button to activate "yes, wipe the battery stat" --- now, the battery level indicator is accurately calibrated to 100%. (U now can see why u can never totally accurately calibrate against the 0% point: as soon as u reach the true 0%, ur phone is out and u can't reset the battery level indicator to zero when ur phone is out. That's why )
Step 2. Monitor ur battery consumption
2a. With Step 1 completed, reboot ur phone;
2b. From this time on, DO NOT ATTACH UR PHONE TO UR PC VIA USB OR SWITCH OFF OR REBOOT UR PHONE until the whole monitoring process is over;
2c. U may then use the phone any way u wish (with exception 2b above applied), but from time to time (say for every 4 or 6 hours), run CPU Spy and take a screen shot of the results it obtains each time (see for e.g. the pictures attached);
2d. The monitoring should continue until the battery level is around 10%
Step 3. Calculate the rate of battery consumption
After Step 2, u will have multiple screen shots showing ur battery consumption at various levels of battery discharge. U may use the data obtained to calculate the rate of consumption of ur device. Below is how:
3a. Take my own consumption (battery: 2,500 mAH stock battery, phone: Samsung Galaxy Note) as an example --- see Fig 1 attached.
When the battery level is 74%, the CPU stats are as followed:
Deep Sleep: 15h 22m 55s, 90%
200Mhz: 1h 13m 21s, 7%
etc.
Understandably, the rate of battery consumption is different at different CPU frequencies. So, we will calculate the respective rates one by one (when the data obtained permit so).
3b. To calculate the rate of consumption (in mA/sec), when the phone is in Deep Sleep, C(Deep Sleep):
Amount of battery used = 2,500 mA * (100 - 74)% * 90% = 585 mA
= C(DS)*(15*60 *60 + 22*60 +55)sec
Thus, C(DS) = 0.0106 mA/sec ---------------------------------------(1a)
Similarly for C(200Mhz) (rate of battery consumption when CPU is at 200Mhz)
C(200Mhz) = 0.0103 mA/sec ----------------------------------------(2a)
In theory, we can similarly calculate the rates C(500Mhz), C(800Mhz), etc. However, becoz the consumption % for those frequencies are below 1 and CPU Spy rounds all decimals to the nearest digit, so in practice the figures obtained cannot be used.
3C. Now, let's look at Fig 2, when the battery level is at 47%. The data obtained are:
Deep Sleep: 19h 29m 27s, 81%
200Mhz : 3h 15m 1s, 13%
etc.
Thus, C(DS) = 0.0153 mA/sec ----------------------------------------(1b)
C(200Mhz) = 0.0147 mA/sec -----------------------------------(2b)
Hence in my case (Samsung Galaxy Note, GB 2.3.6, Kingdroid v5.4 ROM, Speedmod K1-5 kernel, 2,500 mAH stock battery) the rate of battery consumption is around 0.011 to 0.015 mA/sec.
Limitations
1. The results obtained from the above method to calculate rates of battery consumption is system-dependent, meaning that meaningfully comparison between results can only be made for the same combination of phone + battery (system). Say u obtain C(Deep Sleep) for certain phone, OS, ROM, kernel is, for instance, Z mA/sec, this doesn't mean that for the phone model having the same OS, ROM, kernel, C(Deep Sleep) must be Z, becoz even for the same models the hardwares may be different and the battery may also be a bit different (different batches may behave slightly differently; and more importantly, the AGE of a battery can have significant effect on its performance, so batteries of the same model and the same batch may perform different owing to their different age). Nonetheless, u may make meaningful comparison when u compare results obtained for different OS's, ROM's, or kernels u install to ur system (phone + battery).
2. The rate of battery consumption with CPU at higher frequencies may not be derivable owing to the rounding of figures by CPU Spy.
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Pls click "Thanks" if u find this makes good sense
reserved for possible future use.
Interesting post!
What do you say if I only charge my phone to full, use Battery Calibration, reboot the phone. Will the phone still be 100% charged? Also, I think randomly using your phone between a certain range of battery levels, say 100-10%, doesn't really guarantee exact data for calculations. Maybe a stress-testing app will do a better job. Have you tested My Battery Drain Analyser and compared your results to its reading?
Please correct any technical fact if needed!
Your info is interesting but you may post it on the battery thread already is placed in general