Troubleshooting - Alphasmart AS 2000 User Manual

NiCAD Rechargeable Battery Pack
This pack eliminates the need to buy batteries. It is installed
in the battery compartment and replaces the three AA batter-
ies. With normal use, you will need to recharge the battery
pack only once a week, using the AC adapter described
above. When the AlphaSmart is either plugged into the AC
adapter or attached to the Macintosh, it is recharging the
battery pack.
Parallel Printer Cable
A special cable that allows you to connect an AlphaSmart to
a printer with parallel interface.
Serial Printer Cable
A special cable that allows you to connect an AlphaSmart to
a printer with serial interface.
AlphaSmart Training Video
A specially designed video to show you how to use the
AlphaSmart and Classroom applications.
IR Module
This infrared module, when installed in your AlphaSmart,
allows you to transfer text via infrared from the AlphaSmart
to a Mac or PC which has a built-in transceiver.
Infrared Pods
If the Mac or PC does not have a built-in transceiver, the
infrared pods are required to send text from an IR-enabled
AlphaSmart to the computer or printer.
T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G
The following is a list of difficulties you may encounter
while using AlphaSmart, and the solutions to these common
problems.
When a file is transferred to the Macintosh, some of the char-
acters do not show up or appear not to have transferred.
• Disconnect the AlphaSmart from the Macintosh and check
the file transfer speed by pressing Option-
AlphaSmart to a slower setting (speed 1 is the slowest).
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AlphaSmart 2000
• Try using a different word processing program. Some pro-
grams allow the AlphaSmart to transfer data faster than
others. (AppleWorks allows faster sends than MS Works
and MS Word.)
• Adjust the keyboard control panel in the Macintosh system
to a faster speed to maximize the file transfer speed.
My PC beeps at me when I send text to it.
• Make sure you have a word processor file open on the PC.
• Try changing to a lower send speed by disconnecting the
AlphaSmart and pressing Option-
When I transfer text to my PC, only the first one or two
characters of my text show up.
• Make sure your regular PC keyboard isn't connected. Dis-
connect your keyboard and try resending your text.
Nothing appears on the AlphaSmart screen when I turn it on.
• Check your batteries. Plug your AlphaSmart into the AC
adapter—if it turns on, your batteries are discharged or
have been improperly inserted. Make sure the batteries are
oriented as indicated in the battery cavity.
• If the screen is blank, except for a flashing cursor in the
upper left corner of the screen, then you are simply in an
empty file. Start typing and characters should appear on
your screen.
When I attach my AlphaSmart to my computer, I can't send
any data and my AlphaSmart screen shows my file instead of
the "Attached to..." message.
• Check the cable connections. One may be loose.
• Check each end of the cable for bent or broken pins.
Note: We suggest having a few spare cables on hand. Schools
have told us that the younger the student, the more often the
pins will get bent.
AlphaSmart 2000
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