Database Users

A truckload of questions

Long post - To help you understand where I am coming from and my situation to better assess what I'm looking for
I've read pretty much all the stickies, and the newbie section regarding questions but I didn't really get answers. Though I did learn a lot, but I'm still a little confused. I find some threads messy, in terms of instructions, and descriptions. Not forgetting the existance of compilation threads. Of course, kudos to everyone here for making awesome apps and roms.
I'm a student from Singapore, and I finally got my dream phone, which is the X1, my first smartphone, from a friend. Barely a few months old and still under warranty. So I'm pretty much a newbie in terms of smartphones, firmware, apps and all that. Been using it for about a month now, got a few minor scratches from wear and tear so it's no biggy, but the keyboards a lil faded, peeled. I'm not sure how to describe it, some letters are just a blob without the 'paint' on to denote it, and the slide-up screen's a little loose.
I started off getting apps like PockeTwit for Twittering to play around. Then I stumbled upon XDA forums. I started off 'boosting' my phone's capabilities with TuneUp, XperiaTweak, VModeSwitch, SKTools, R3A Camera Update, SRS WOW sound thingy. Probably the same way you would do to a PC with certain OC programs and whatnot. Then I installed that Manilla program thing, and now my UI's pretty much like a HTC. Which is awesome might I add. A little laggy, may not be perfect, but it's still great. Thereafter I found out about firmware, WinMo 6.5, issues with it, custom ROMs. Read about how to flash, break it down before flashing custom ROMs into it, which is easy actually. I'm deciding between the Touch-It ROM and the SE-X1 xPERT one because it already has all the goodies in it. More inclined to Barebone one even, then later installing the goodies I want.
I'm looking for one that would look great, with minimal lag, with all the goodies to help me keep it in check and upgrades. (I do understand that there will definitely be a little lag in smartphones due to it's hardware and how we upkeep them as owners.)
Here comes the questions.
1. I would like to change the keyboard to a new one and tighten the sliding-screen. Would SE do that? And would it be free due to warranty?
2. If I were to flash a custom ROM in, would it void my warranty? (Assuming I do it before sending it to SE to fix above problems)
3. Which ROM should I get? I like the goodies that come in the xPERT ROM, but I also like the HTC UI from the Touch-IT ROM. Is there a way to maybe integrate the two? (I'm assuming it would lag less if the UI was integrated into the ROM rather than having it as a seperate installation like I have now)
4. Which would be after the first three are settled, is with games. I've seen the phone's capabilities and what not around, with emulators for the PS1, fullscreen games like Palm Heroes, PDiablo and all that. I've tried them all but I just can't seem to get them all to work, am I doing something wrong?
5. Panels, the whole point of the X1 would be its panels. But I just can't seem to find any. I've searched google, lists, pretty much everywhere. All I see are the official released ones from SE. The most I found, being custom, was the Youtube panel which I got to work. Is there really a lot of panels out there?
[Edit - More questions in Post #5]
That's all the questions I can remember for now, it's pretty late. I'll put up more in the thread or post if I can remember.
Thanks in advance!

keiitastrophic said:
Long post - To help you understand where I am coming from and my situation to better assess what I'm looking for
I've read pretty much all the stickies, and the newbie section regarding questions but I didn't really get answers. Though I did learn a lot, but I'm still a little confused. I find some threads messy, in terms of instructions, and descriptions. Not forgetting the existance of compilation threads. Of course, kudos to everyone here for making awesome apps and roms.
I'm a student from Singapore, and I finally got my dream phone, which is the X1, my first smartphone, from a friend. Barely a few months old and still under warranty. So I'm pretty much a newbie in terms of smartphones, firmware, apps and all that. Been using it for about a month now, got a few minor scratches from wear and tear so it's no biggy, but the keyboards a lil faded, peeled. I'm not sure how to describe it, some letters are just a blob without the 'paint' on to denote it, and the slide-up screen's a little loose.
I started off getting apps like PockeTwit for Twittering to play around. Then I stumbled upon XDA forums. I started off 'boosting' my phone's capabilities with TuneUp, XperiaTweak, VModeSwitch, SKTools, R3A Camera Update, SRS WOW sound thingy. Probably the same way you would do to a PC with certain OC programs and whatnot. Then I installed that Manilla program thing, and now my UI's pretty much like a HTC. Which is awesome might I add. A little laggy, may not be perfect, but it's still great. Thereafter I found out about firmware, WinMo 6.5, issues with it, custom ROMs. Read about how to flash, break it down before flashing custom ROMs into it, which is easy actually. I'm deciding between the Touch-It ROM and the SE-X1 xPERT one because it already has all the goodies in it. More inclined to Barebone one even, then later installing the goodies I want.
I'm looking for one that would look great, with minimal lag, with all the goodies to help me keep it in check and upgrades. (I do understand that there will definitely be a little lag in smartphones due to it's hardware and how we upkeep them as owners.)
Here comes the questions.
First, I would like to change the keyboard to a new one and tighten the sliding-screen. Would SE do that? And would it be free due to warranty?
Secondly, if I were to flash a custom ROM in, would it void my warranty? (Assuming I do it before sending it to SE to fix above problems)
Thirdly, which ROM should I get? I like the goodies that come in the xPERT ROM, but I also like the HTC UI from the Touch-IT ROM. Is there a way to maybe integrate the two? (I'm assuming it would lag less if the UI was integrated into the ROM rather than having it as a seperate installation like I have now)
Fourthly, which would be after the first three are settled, is with games. I've seen the phone's capabilities and what not around, with emulators for the PS1, fullscreen games like Palm Heroes, PDiablo and all that. I've tried them all but I just can't seem to get them all to work, am I doing something wrong?
That's all the questions I can remember for now, it's pretty late. I'll put up more in the thread or post if I can remember.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Just ask Sony Ericsson
2) You can send it back unless you flash to any of the Official Roms and you have to flash the default spl so they don't find out that you flashed your phone.
3) I don't get your questions. If you install a ROM that has Touch Flo 3D then of course you get Touch Flo 3D (aka manilla 3d)... therefore you can delete the the Touch Flo 3D cabs...
4) Xperia sucks with games... btw what is Pdiablo? Link please?

poetryrocksalot said:
1) Just ask Sony Ericsson
2) You can send it back unless you flash to any of the Official Roms and you have to flash the default spl so they don't find out that you flashed your phone.
3) I don't get your questions. If you install a ROM that has Touch Flo 3D then of course you get Touch Flo 3D (aka manilla 3d)... therefore you can delete the the Touch Flo 3D cabs...
4) Xperia sucks with games... btw what is Pdiablo? Link please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will be asking first thing in the morning regarding that. Just wondering if anyone had the same idea and probably got it fixed.
Regarding 2, if they'll fix it, I'll just wait till I get it back before flashing the ROMs then.
Sorry about the mix up with question 3, what I meant was, in regards to what I expecting from the X1, what I wrote in my first post. I like how the Manila UI looks and feels. But I'd like to have all the goodies or upgrades that are included in the other ROM.
So would it be ideal to flash the xPERT ROM and then installing the Manila UI? Or flashing the Touch-IT ROM and install all the other goodies and upgrades thereafter. Which would have minimal lag as a result, more space etc.
Hope I cleared it up.
PDiablo is a port of Diablo 1 to smartphones or PPCs (Whichever is the term), I read somewhere that it works fine on the X1. Here's the link.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=3836658
Games are not an issue for me, since I have the PC and my PSP for it. I'm happy enough just to have the X1 as a phone, with apps and goodies.

For a properly working TF3D, you need it flashed into the ROM. Even then it'll be a tad slow at times (TF3D was coded horribly), but it'll be loads better than installed through CAB.
Which goodies in the other ROM do you want? Most can be installed anyway.

Angelusz said:
For a properly working TF3D, you need it flashed into the ROM. Even then it'll be a tad slow at times (TF3D was coded horribly), but it'll be loads better than installed through CAB.
Which goodies in the other ROM do you want? Most can be installed anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clarified my thoughts in terms of programming, about flashing > CAB installation. Thank you.
Program wise, preferably those I listed, like the R3A goodies from xPERT ROM, TuneUp, XperiaTweak, VModeSwitch, SKTools, SRS WOW HD I guess. Which I'm assuming shouldn't raise any problems in regards to clashes and whatnot.
I understand the SE-X1 ROMs come with WinMo 6.5, does the Touch-IT ROM come with 6.5 or is it just 6.1?
Is there also a way to increase the volume beyond the given maximum on the X1? Sometimes I can be pretty deaf and miss calls or alarms due to that.
A seperate question. Is there a way to show upcoming appointments beyond the current day and/or the Calendar button on the Home tab in Manila?

You say - "a truckload of question"
I say - Bring them on !!!!!!!!!
Some of them were answered so here are my two cents.
3 - I am using the Generic R3A UK ROM. I find it pretty stable and decently fast. All the tweaks and apps can be done separately, so I don't need a custom ROM. By the way - you can find almost every app or tweak in a cab file.
4 - There are many games that can be played by the X1, but a few made for it . Just search the forum for topics about games. Like this one that I posted (sorry for the shameless self promotion) -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=522761&highlight=games+X1
Most of the problems are caused by the resolution of the games. Not many of them are in WVGA resolution. You need this app: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442426
5 - There are probably a dozen or less custom panels. Panels development = FAIL.
I dislike TF3D, so I can't help you there .

orelsi said:
You say - "a truckload of question"
I say - Bring them on !!!!!!!!!
Some of them were answered so here are my two cents.
3 - I am using the Generic R3A UK ROM. I find it pretty stable and decently fast. All the tweaks and apps can be done separately, so I don't need a custom ROM. By the way - you can find almost every app or tweak in a cab file.
4 - There are many games that can be played by the X1, but a few made for it . Just search the forum for topics about games. Like this one that I posted (sorry for the shameless self promotion) -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=522761&highlight=games+X1
Most of the problems are caused by the resolution of the games. Not many of them are in WVGA resolution. You need this app: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442426
5 - There are probably a dozen or less custom panels. Panels development = FAIL.
I dislike TF3D, so I can't help you there .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your reply and input. I've seen your thread about games and I find it highly useful. I'll be sure to refer to that if I intend to get more games.
Will also look at standard Generic ROMs since you brought that into light. Never really looked into that.
Currently playing with theChanner program now, watching the telly on the X1.
As with games, not really bothered with panels, just find it rather funny how a strong released concept like that would be so under-developed. Guess it'll take time.
Thanks again.

keiitastrophic said:
Program wise, preferably those I listed, like the R3A goodies from xPERT ROM, TuneUp, XperiaTweak, VModeSwitch, SKTools, SRS WOW HD I guess. Which I'm assuming shouldn't raise any problems in regards to clashes and whatnot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, shouldn't be a problem at all. All those things are available in CAB format. SRS WOW HD doesn't work properly on the X1 though, so I don't know what that chef did.
keiitastrophic said:
I understand the SE-X1 ROMs come with WinMo 6.5, does the Touch-IT ROM come with 6.5 or is it just 6.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Touch-IT has a WM 6.1 variant (10.3) and a WM6.5 one. The WM6.5 one is pretty old though, and if you use TF3D, having WM6.5 isn't that big a bonus.
keiitastrophic said:
Is there also a way to increase the volume beyond the given maximum on the X1? Sometimes I can be pretty deaf and miss calls or alarms due to that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SRS WOW HD is the only method I'm aware of - which, like I said earlier, doesn't work.
keiitastrophic said:
A seperate question. Is there a way to show upcoming appointments beyond the current day and/or the Calendar button on the Home tab in Manila?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many people have asked this, none have found out how so far. I think the best person to ask this is "Rotastrain" - he does a lot of Mode9 editing.
keiitastrophic said:
Will also look at standard Generic ROMs since you brought that into light. Never really looked into that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although a possibility, do keep in mind that Generic roms might lack some tweaks that you require for some things to work properly. I'd recommend a stripped down and tweaked ROM instead of generic. Often chefs make these as well, since it's the first thing they do before adding in new stuff.
keiitastrophic said:
As with games, not really bothered with panels, just find it rather funny how a strong released concept like that would be so under-developed. Guess it'll take time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't take time, it'll take a miracle. The X1 has been released more than eight months ago. The peak interest in the device has come and gone, panels have failed.

To increase the volume, you can try what you can find here
A new version of touch-it with WM 6.5 should come shortly (it is in betatesting)

Angelusz said:
No, shouldn't be a problem at all. All those things are available in CAB format. SRS WOW HD doesn't work properly on the X1 though, so I don't know what that chef did.
Touch-IT has a WM 6.1 variant (10.3) and a WM6.5 one. The WM6.5 one is pretty old though, and if you use TF3D, having WM6.5 isn't that big a bonus.
SRS WOW HD is the only method I'm aware of - which, like I said earlier, doesn't work.
Many people have asked this, none have found out how so far. I think the best person to ask this is "Rotastrain" - he does a lot of Mode9 editing.
Although a possibility, do keep in mind that Generic roms might lack some tweaks that you require for some things to work properly. I'd recommend a stripped down and tweaked ROM instead of generic. Often chefs make these as well, since it's the first thing they do before adding in new stuff.
It won't take time, it'll take a miracle. The X1 has been released more than eight months ago. The peak interest in the device has come and gone, panels have failed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, so much for panels. I'll be sure to ask Rotastrain regarding that, I most definitely prefer seeing a list of upcoming appointments rather than seeing it a day before or having to go into the somewhat confusing calendar to look for stuff.
ROM-Wise, I guess I'll be going for the Touch-IT v10.3 one till the beta one is done.
Looks like I'm pretty much done, unless I can think of any more questions I likely forgot.
Thank you for answering all my questions.

Mopral said:
To increase the volume, you can try what you can find here
A new version of touch-it with WM 6.5 should come shortly (it is in betatesting)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That .CAB file works perfectly! Loud and clear!
Thank you so much.

Why the need for dozens of ROMS?

My understanding is that a cooked rom is a rom that has lots of bit's taken out and then cabs etc put back to make the HD2 run with better performance etc.
But there are so many roms on here, that it has become confusing as to which rom to put on my device. Also what happens when a new legit rom from HTC comes out - doesnt that mean that all the cooking starts again and we end up with thousands of roms?
I would have thought that the additional software installations after installing a new ROM to get the phone in a decent state would put most people off lol.
This is not a dig btw - i have installed a cooked rom, but i think the forum needs to be maybe reshaped a little more i.e. another category with each rom version.

Agree. Would like to see some kind of categories, maybe one for "Featured ROMs", they are cool, gives a hint of what will come, but they might be unstable. One category for ROMs really close to stock, but with minor changes...

i totall agree.. i am a new member as you can see on my number of posts.. i would really like to get to know which rom update is for what and which works best with htc hd2.
need help.

Just do some more research and find what you like.. and use it very often.
Custom Roms are for everybody and each chef has his own kitchen.. and receipe. Someone goes for speed the other for stability.. and some other chef again for a better layout.
I agree sometimes it is difiicullt to see what features are added and to compare which rom suites your needs best, but you could filter it all for you self. Select all Roms that have your interest and filter down to 2 or 3 Roms... then flash those 2 or 3 roms and try them for a few days. You will able to tell which one is best for you
It's up to you which one you choose.. so for lazy people who do not want to search.. stick to the shipped Roms

Bouloama said:
Just do some more research and find what you like.. and use it very often.
Custom Roms are for everybody and each chef has his own kitchen.. and receipe. Someone goes for speed the other for stability.. and some other chef again for a better layout.
I agree sometimes it is difiicullt to see what features are added and to compare which rom suites your needs best, but you could filter it all for you self. Select all Roms that have your interest and filter down to 2 or 3 Roms... then flash those 2 or 3 roms and try them for a few days. You will able to tell which one is best for you
It's up to you which one you choose.. so for lazy people who do not want to search.. stick to the shipped Roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for this one.
It's ur own thing!

Well, All these roms are the personal preference of the maker with some feedback and input from the users. The only way is to decide is read the descriptions and perhaps see what apps are included and mainly, which version of windows mobile (all 6.5 but some the newer 6.5.3(?) version with the taskbar at the bottom and some fingerfriendly stuff), which version of manilla (2.5.1922 is the newest with a document tab but some bugs), etc.
The rest is just a matter of personal preference and trying.

It has always been like this and it works wonderfully... newbs that come here and say this kind of stuff should first try to understand how this forum works and WHY there are so many roms..

Like i said - i agree on the principle of it - but why not create sub forums with rom versions etc so the layout is easier. Being called a newbie because i havn't posted many threads is rather insulting

I really love the way it is now. It gives you freedom to choose, and make your device more custom. I would however like to see alot of cooks go together and create "the perfect rom".. Some cooks go for stabillty, others for speed, someone for visuals. Combine all those chefs recepies and you would have one fantastic rom i believe

I agree with Da9L!
If you spend more time with xda-devs you will see a structure. If i need a WM 6.5.3 ROM i search only for the Sys.Build (28xxx). Very easy.

1. I like having the choice between many different ROMs..you simply have to see what fits your needs the best.
2. Most people stick to their favorite cook because they have similar "taste" and usually you stick with it.
we have many 5-star cooks here and its hard to single out ONE great ROM. There is no universal solution so take a close look at the ROM description and see whats added and removed, look at the bugs and changelogs, the builds and decide if it might be your taste.

i love changing roms in search of features speed and new layouts.. but i always forget which rom was on which version when i last tried it . and now especially with new and different versions of manila and htcsense it is getting a bit of confusing...
I wish if there is a single chart of all roms where they keep atleast some basic information...
like
Name of ROM -- LAST UPDATED-- OS VERSION-- MANILA Version -- Changelog etc
something like this (except its for ANDROID ROMS)
http://db.androidspin.com/android_build_information.asp
tell me what you guys think of this....

Variety
That's like walking into a restaurant and saying, 'why all the different meals?' Or a bar and, why all the different girls? Or why all the different cars? It's the whole point of this site. Viva la difference!

Xaddict said:
That's like walking into a restaurant and saying, 'why all the different meals?' Or a bar and, why all the different girls? Or why all the different cars? It's the whole point of this site. Viva la difference!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True...
But with a menu, you have categories. "Main meals" (full featured rom?) "starters" (clean rom without manila or any addons?)

You just have to have a look at this forum
TheDynamo said:
My understanding is that a cooked rom is a rom that has lots of bit's taken out and then cabs etc put back to make the HD2 run with better performance etc.
But there are so many roms on here, that it has become confusing as to which rom to put on my device. Also what happens when a new legit rom from HTC comes out - doesnt that mean that all the cooking starts again and we end up with thousands of roms?
I would have thought that the additional software installations after installing a new ROM to get the phone in a decent state would put most people off lol.
This is not a dig btw - i have installed a cooked rom, but i think the forum needs to be maybe reshaped a little more i.e. another category with each rom version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just had to read and learn

the thread title is very misleading based on what the TS has to say
in any case, the current layout is fine. i do not think it is very "efficient" to keep going down sub-menus

It would be nice to have a XDA market were al ROMS and stuff can be rated, that would certainly sort things out

Personally I wish there were more ROMs! Like someone said, this is how its always been, this is how it is, and this is how it will always be.
It would be good if the chefs stuck to the official thread naming scheme.
I was gonna provide a link to it, but cant find it now

Rated by who
nwolsink said:
It would be nice to have a XDA market were al ROMS and stuff can be rated, that would certainly sort things out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only one that can rate the best rom for you is you

What might be the case
Many of the ROM's have no layout customizations and vary
often only a little in included applications, tweaks/driver patches.
If a new user installs a couple of ROM's , chances
are differences aren't all that big, and the question arises, what's the point ?
If one looks at the older devices, one can see an almost vulgair
choice of styled, tweaked and pimped beyond recognition ROM's.
I mean the ROM's where you open the default games folder and there's 10 games, 19 great themes to choose from, 6 clocks, and what's more.
The fact those ROM's aren't available (yet) could be strange to people relatively new to XDA.
Maybe it's something all different
Edit : forgot to mention Xanitechs Pandora ROM which has "styling" (works like a charm for me)

Far too many ROM’s released far too quick!!

Maybe it’s just me but I wanted air my views on current crop of cooked ROM’s. I have been an avid flasher since the glory days of cooked ROM’s from the Hermes (TyTN) era but recently I no longer feel the urge to flash, I guess the novelty has worn off me or I’ve just become a boring old fart whatever but to me it seems that a lot of talented chef feel the need or urge to release a ROM every other day with all the bells and whistle i.e. latest drivers, builds etc…. Quantity rather Quality!! The latest and the greatest does not always mean it’s the best!!!
Initially it’s great to have that choice and flash the ROM of the day until the next, just like a kid in a sweet shop all that choice but surely is it not better to release a ROM a few weeks or month down the line then to release it almost on a daily basis? At least that way one would be able to see significant improvements on the ROM!
I would like to make it clear there are very good cooked ROM’s here that would put some stock ROM’s to shame and with the recent advent of the 576 RAM hack it’s just another valid reason for novice to flash, all I’m saying is can we have more Quality ROM’s then Quantity it’s getting to the point “Too many cook spoil the broth”

well, there are many broths out there, not only 1 broth. So it doesnt matter to me.

i am inclined to agree, up to a point.
I used to cook firmware for LG phones (Viewty / Renoir) and often got accused of releasing too many, sometimes just days apart. My arguement then, and now, is that nobody if forcing you to upgrade.
However, the choice of cooked roms is mind-boggling, and there seems to be no definitive comparison table to easily show the differences between them, and the information supplied with each one is not always accurate. I have only had my HD2 for a week now, (and still loving it ) and i have flashed about 5 different roms, and keep going back to the same one, Leo Lite, by Mr Vanderlay. For me it is the best. And so far, seems to be the fastest for my own useage.
I do think there needs to be some collaboration between cookers to make comparisons easier. And perhaps slowing down releases, just a bit would make a world of difference.
Not naming names or ROMS, but some i have tried are indeed the latest and greatest, but some fundamental things remain broken and are therefore not useable in an everyday situation. This is a PHONE after all, and whats the point of reinstalling everything evry single day?
Find something you like, and stick with it

I think the section should be more organised, e.g. a WM6.5 and 6.5.x subsection with WM build and Manila build specified in tags.

g.lewarne said:
i am inclined to agree, up to a point.
I used to cook firmware for LG phones (Viewty / Renoir) and often got accused of releasing too many, sometimes just days apart. My arguement then, and now, is that nobody if forcing you to upgrade.
However, the choice of cooked roms is mind-boggling, and there seems to be no definitive comparison table to easily show the differences between them, and the information supplied with each one is not always accurate. I have only had my HD2 for a week now, (and still loving it ) and i have flashed about 5 different roms, and keep going back to the same one, Leo Lite, by Mr Vanderlay. For me it is the best. And so far, seems to be the fastest for my own useage.
I do think there needs to be some collaboration between cookers to make comparisons easier. And perhaps slowing down releases, just a bit would make a world of difference.
Not naming names or ROMS, but some i have tried are indeed the latest and greatest, but some fundamental things remain broken and are therefore not useable in an everyday situation. This is a PHONE after all, and whats the point of reinstalling everything evry single day?
Find something you like, and stick with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course no one is forcing anyone to flash! and yes I do have a preferred ROM, my own custom ROM!

Jack E said:
I think the section should be more organised, e.g. a WM6.5 and 6.5.x subsection with WM build and Manila build specified in tags.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Great idea. I'd love something like that as well. I feel overwhelmed trying to swim through all the choices sometimes.

Hi !
I think some chefs should work toghether creating the best rom ever ;-)Collaboration is the best !!

not wishing to sound elitist, cos im pretty noob at the whole cooking game, but do you not think the lack of a super simple join the dots scheme actually helps prevent accidents by forcing people to do a little investigation themselves?
if it were boiled down to "click here for best rom" people with zero idea what they are actually doing would be flashing like crazy, then complaining when they get a brick.

samsamuel said:
not wishing to sound elitist, cos im pretty noob at the whole cooking game, but do you not think the lack of a super simple join the dots scheme actually helps prevent accidents by forcing people to do a little investigation themselves?
if it were boiled down to "click here for best rom" people with zero idea what they are actually doing would be flashing like crazy, then complaining when they get a brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think you misunderstood, what we have said is some sort of comparison chart / better named and layed out ROM section would make it easier for everybody. Nobody has stated they want a "click here for the best ROM" system.
eg:
ROM SECTION
--------------------WM 6.5
-----------------------------"Freds rom v1.1" 21889 Manilla 2.5.2010 WWE
-----------------------------"Marys rom v4.5" 21890 Manilla 2.5.1922 GER
--------------------WM 6.5.x
-----------------------------"Andys rom v1.0" 25315 Manilla 2.5.1921 WWE
-----------------------------"Janes rom v2.3" 24001 Manilla 2.5.2010 ITA
whats so wrong with that sort of layout? at least it makes it easaier to find the type of ROM you want rather than trawling through 3 or 4 pages of highly confusing rom names that get all muddled up. Its even worse where some chefs have WM6.5 and 6.5.5 roms with similar names.

Since Leo is currently the most powerful WM device, most cooks definitely would get one, and is understandable lot more cooked roms would be available.
You folks should feel lucky for that. (man, I am still waiting for the NA version...)

jackleung: import one from Australia! 850 3G compatible!
Also, someone tried to create some 'sense' of the ROMs by making www.xdaroms.com but it comes a bit short.
The concept is sound but some things need to happen to make the site great. Namely:
1) Chef support: Dedicated accounts where they can upload freely, add details, etc.
2) UI revision: It looks like the same damn mobile oriented sites we've seen for the past decade

I like the fact that there are many releases and so quickly. I also like the fact chefs are pushing the latest tech to us so quickly even if the rom is not perfect. release early get bug reports release fix etc.. its moving the platform forward and keeping it interesting imho. sure some better organization would be nice but the changelogs on the chefs pages for me do a good job of telling me what's inside the latest creation.
now I have just cooked my own rom I want more faster latest releases of dev branches to play with

I think too that there are too many choices without clear layed out differences between them.
I hope that there were some comparasion but I think its just a matter of variety

There is no substitute for real-life usage bug discovery, so I think releasing newer tech as soon as possible (letting people know that it is sort of beta and will contain bugs) means those bugs can be found and resolved quicker.

Actually, most chefs do tag the topics with WM6.5 or WM6.5.3 and mostly even include the Sense version.
After a while you realize what rom offers what. Personally, i stick with one rom that i am happy with, until the cook changes something that doesn't fit my needs anymore.
Also generally there are concepts to rom design: Some chefs cook roms with particular flavor, i.e. tweaks, hacks, design changes (such as custom task bar, backgrounds, boot splashes), and some just create "stock rom like" roms, that mostly offer either a stock rom with removed junk, or a stock rom with updated components. I prefer the latter.

gfreek said:
Maybe it’s just me but I wanted air my views on current crop of cooked ROM’s. I have been an avid flasher since the glory days of cooked ROM’s from the Hermes (TyTN) era but recently I no longer feel the urge to flash, I guess the novelty has worn off me or I’ve just become a boring old fart whatever but to me it seems that a lot of talented chef feel the need or urge to release a ROM every other day with all the bells and whistle i.e. latest drivers, builds etc…. Quantity rather Quality!! The latest and the greatest does not always mean it’s the best!!!
Initially it’s great to have that choice and flash the ROM of the day until the next, just like a kid in a sweet shop all that choice but surely is it not better to release a ROM a few weeks or month down the line then to release it almost on a daily basis? At least that way one would be able to see significant improvements on the ROM!
I would like to make it clear there are very good cooked ROM’s here that would put some stock ROM’s to shame and with the recent advent of the 576 RAM hack it’s just another valid reason for novice to flash, all I’m saying is can we have more Quality ROM’s then Quantity it’s getting to the point “Too many cook spoil the broth”
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Click to collapse
I feel the same, in fact my new years resolution this year is to only flash stock ROMs!. My HD1 was the worst for it, every other day I would be flashing a new ROM, the pattern would normally go something like this:
Week 1
"Steve" finds a new way of improving speed and creates a ROM including the fix, I flash it but find that a few other things are broken.
Week 2
"Sam" then builds a ROM with the new speed improvement and nothing broken. So I flash it. But then realise that its blisteringly fast, because the ROM has nothing in it!
Week 3
"John" then builds a ROM that looks beautiful and has many applications, but lacks the new speed improvements. I flash, and am back to square one! And the cycle continues...
I don't think its anybodies fault, and I don't want anything to change, but I think that perhaps some of the more experienced users are feeling a little jaded now. Whereas the newer users are still in the honeymoon phase of being able to flash new, varied ROMs! I also think that there is more competition between chef's these days, and users demand the new discoveries in their favourite ROMs. (576mb / 1gz for example), meaning that the cycle is becoming ever shorter, as people are discovering new things almost daily!

it is very hard to flash rom every day this way you cannot keep any data on deice you need to inistall programms every day apply tweaks every day so so hard

Schooleydoo said:
I feel the same, in fact my new years resolution this year is to only flash stock ROMs!. My HD1 was the worst for it, every other day I would be flashing a new ROM, the pattern would normally go something like this:
Week 1
"Steve" finds a new way of improving speed and creates a ROM including the fix, I flash it but find that a few other things are broken.
Week 2
"Sam" then builds a ROM with the new speed improvement and nothing broken. So I flash it. But then realise that its blisteringly fast, because the ROM has nothing in it!
Week 3
"John" then builds a ROM that looks beautiful and has many applications, but lacks the new speed improvements. I flash, and am back to square one! And the cycle continues...
I don't think its anybodies fault, and I don't want anything to change, but I think that perhaps some of the more experienced users are feeling a little jaded now. Whereas the newer users are still in the honeymoon phase of being able to flash new, varied ROMs! I also think that there is more competition between chef's these days, and users demand the new discoveries in their favourite ROMs. (576mb / 1gz for example), meaning that the cycle is becoming ever shorter, as people are discovering new things almost daily!
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Click to collapse
Well said, I couldn't agree more!

All true and all the different choices don't make it easier but I do notice I usually stick to a few cooks having my favorite roms...
I mean, I like a certain windows build, certain looks (default white clock, no transparent stuff), some basic apps and functionality, no need for a document tab, etc...
As a result I stick mostly to the Miri roms (and every now and then I try another, now running energy since I really liked that on the touch pro) so once you have your mind made up about what you want in general a number already drops out of the picture.

Wouldn't it be better to ask some of this enthusiastic "chiefs" to help developping Android instead for developping redundant versions of windows mobile in different "flavours". It is just waste of time. We need Android, where the real fun is!

Life after EnergyROM?

Don't worry, NRGZ28 has no plans to retire yet (I hope ). This thread may get closed or may only get a few replies, but your feedback is appreciated if you would be kind enough to post a few words...
It's not one of the usual "which ROM should I choose threads". I'm experienced here enough not to annoy you all that much!
The problem is that since I flashed my first EnergyROM on my Diamond or TP (can't remember which), I can't divert from them. Great for NRGZ28...that's obviously the desired effect, but I see so many other ROM threads in these fora, and it's obvious so many people choose them over EnergyROMs for one reason or another. Basically, I like the fact that they look great and come "fully-loaded", and a big thing for me is that the latest WM build (currently 23563) is used to cook from. A "stock" or "lite" ROM isn't much good to me as I would just fill it with all the same stuff anyway, only not being cooked in it probably wouldn't all work together so well.
What I'm asking for is what others are using instead of EnergyROM and why.
What I'm most worried about is that I'm so stuck on EnergyROMs that I might be missing something else. I recognise completely that all of the ROM chefs are super talented in what they do and I wouldn't know where to begin in cooking myself. I mean I like to think that I'm pretty well techie-minded, but the thought of ROM cooking hurts my head! All those XIP and SYS and pagepools, lua script & manila files, all the ExtROM stuff that gets constantly updated that I wouldn't be able to get hold of, not being in the right circles. I just can't bring myself to try because I know it could always be better.
But also, I don't like to constantly flash all the time, once a week is enough I think and this is what keeps me from testing other ROMs.
Thanks for reading and I hope I didn't just waste 2 minutes of your life and a few kilobytes on the xda server! I'm sure there are more "EnergyROM addicts" out that are wondering if anything else compares.

Whatever ROM you choose you will be missing something. The right question is:
Can I live without that feature/application/tweak/theme/etc?
Choosing custom ROM over stock has its obvious advantages. Using stock has its advantages also: warranty is not violated, you have support from manufacturer etc.
Custom ROMs are different story. They are made by individuals according to their taste: from eye-candy (or lack of it) to choice of apps and tweaks.
EnergyROMs have nice eye-candy, they are nicely optimized with good app choices. There are ROMs that are faster. There are ROMs that are close to stock look, so you can modify it according to your own taste. There are ROMs with no additional apps so you can install exactly what you need. Some chiefs refresh their ROMs more frequently than NRGZ28, so you get new build faster.
Personally, I stick to the "good old" 21XXX builds and flash only when there is important update in newer build. Something like improvement in speed or some feature that is important to me (battery life, newer Office build, or fix for something that was not working as it should).
EnergyROMs are used by many so bugs and problems are found much faster and, consequently, fixed faster.
I have tried almost all other ROMs but for some reason, EnergyROM on HD2 presents for me, personally, perfect combination of looks, features, stability and battery life.

You make some very valid points...am I right in considering you an EnergyROM addict too?
In fact all of what you have said is completely my way of thinking. Although I use the 23XXX builds. For some reason I have some (un)healthy compulsion to have the latest of everything, which is one of the main reasons I use EnergyROM in the 1st place (and I also why I bought a HD2 when I had a perfectly good TP2, much to my wife's dismay!
)
I couldn't go back to having the "Start" and "X" buttons at the top. That's SO 4 months ago!
Anyone else wanna throw anything in?

Admire al chefs but..
Yes, I admit I have a NRG addiction as well.....
I do try other chef's cooking as well, especially because NRG takes the time to release new builds, and others come out with theirs earlier. I find myself time after time going back to his, either 'downgrading' or flash one of his as soon as they come out.
What other ROMs I try?
I would categorize them like this:
1. Eye candy - Some chefs here are extremely talented is combining their own looks, or co-operating with people with high skills of developing beautiful looking screens.
2. Performance - I always look for a ROM that will have no lag , be memory efficient (not that the HD2 lacks any) , and one without bloating.
I think the appeal NRG ROMS has on me (at least) is the combination of the Italian beauty (see the cars they make) and the German precision. On top NRG is here in the US, and it gives him another advantage for me. Not sure if he is on AT&T or not, but until now any recommendation he has (like going back to 2.07 radio) was a great advice.
I try from time to time Miri's , Tom Codon's , IT's (sorry, not on this forum any more, but still a great chef) and Dutty's, even some others. All are great piece of work, and I do want to take the opportunity and thank all of them, but as stated - NRG's are always the ones I finally keep on my phone, and dare travel with..

i think there are some fundamental differences in chefs way of thinking.
I for one (and i know a few others who have stated as much) are cooking primarily for ourselves. we just choose to share the work. I will listen to requests, and if it is valid that it gets taken care of. Of course bugs affect everyone, so they take a priority.
Many other Chefs seem to "cook for the masses" and therefore appeal to a wider audience.
I dont think it is any any way fair to consider one chef over another by something as simple as post count on their rom thread (not saying you do this its just an observation).
If you feel comfortable with a style of rom, there is nothing wrong with sticking to it. but as you say, it never hurts to look, and so you have.
Going back time and again to one chef is more a compliment to that person, and nothing to be concerned over.

matmaneyre said:
But also, I don't like to constantly flash all the time, once a week is enough I think and this is what keeps me from testing other ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flash every morning (atleast)...sometimes even before taking a crap
Anybody knows any bone diseases I may end up with, please warn me !

On the better side of the thread intention , I for one personally end up with a Clean rom with no extra apps so I can make it my 'own'.
Always two sides to a coin... or many sides to a paper note if you fold it

LeeDroid VS Revolution

What are your thoughts on the best sense roms at the min?

Threads about what is the better ROM are not liked much on XDA. This is because the quality of a ROM is about personal preference.
Also, debating what ROM is best can discriminate some developers that are working hard, just because some people like their ROM less. Other people won't try it out then, while maybe the ROM suits them best.
Besides that, it's just not nice towards the devs. It's like having two artists both comming to you with a painting and then telling to one his/her painting isn't good and to the other his/her painting is much better, while your knowledge about art isn't even so good (at least not so good as the artists).
I do get you want to know what ROM (if that is the case) to choose, but then just look at what the devs say about their ROM and the recent reactions from users. Then you get an idea what to expect. Also, it can't hurt to try them out .

Speaking honestly, when I first joined XDA, I too used to ask questions like the OP. However, my views have changed. Each "Chef" cooks his own rom in a different way, as their roms are aimed at different target groups. Thus each rom will have its own advantages, disadvantages and more, making each rom taste "unique". The only way you know what you like is by trying something new everyday or when the opportunity arises. The same goes with flashing. Download both roms (and more) flash them, spend a few days and see how it feels for you. If you like it, keep it. On the other hand, if you can't be bothered to even flash...why are you on XDA?
Good day, and I don't want to see another post where flaming could occur.

Agreeing with both of the guys/girls..presuming guys, while your intentions are good, its all personal preference.

So people won't answer because its not fair on the dev? I hardly think so, basing a question on personal preference wouldn't harm any support a dev would get from followers
If anything its a positive being compared
Its not like I'm asking for faults, one will have different features not necessarily better just different, all I wanted to know is what made people choose the rom

Maybe a better question would be - what are the main differences between LeeDroid and Revolution? Then you could make an informed decision as to which to try (or which to try first at least).
I'm using LeeDroid now, but I'm curious as to how Revolution differs and if I should give that a shot as well. Doing a bit of a scan of the Revolution thread doesn't show anything obvious, but I'm sure there are differences.

I myself have been browsing both threads as just rooted my DHD & unsure which to give a try first.
Gonna wait for their next updates & see which appears to be the most solid.
Not to sure if I wanna go Sense or NoSense, possibly the latter.

Yes please, i do agree with the comparison making devs feels bad and stuff...
But all some of us wants to know is what are the differences? like lees is targeted at what kind of users? Revolution is more for who... and stuff like that...
Its like some likes the PSP and some the NDS... PSP for more mature and action gamers while NDS is more for the kids and ladies... and of course there are exceptions and thats where flashing both roms comes... but first we just wanna know, what is what?. . .
Pretty please ?

LEEDROID no doubt about it

So what's better? Big Mac or Quarter Pounder? Well it depends who you ask.
Anyway you left out RcmixHD. Which is an equally good rom just different. Some people prefer vanilla ice cream.
Leedroid and Revolution are the most popular but that isn't strictly the same as being the best.
Someone swyped my idea.

Anyone who can explain what the main differences are between the 2 roms?
I am about to flash a custom rom for this phone (first time flash on my dhd)
And i looked at the threads but i dont see the differences.
though here i see there are differences but they arent mentioned.
anybosy wanne explain them?
(not looking for a "who is better" answer, just to know the differences so i can deside what would suit me better)
Thanks!

There is no major differences between ARHD and Leedroid because they both support the ideea of "close to stock as much as possible" ideea but with many optimizations and custom kernels which also gives more battery life and a very smooth experience.
The only thing i would say that differs is the kernels but no major differences i would say because ARHD uses Apache kernel and Leedroid uses his own kernel which has some things from Apache kernel but Apache has some things from lee`s kernel and so on.
Personally i am with Leedroid since 1.1 version and i`m more than satisfied, i found him more experienced but it`s just matter of prefference.

You're best bet is really just to test them
Flash one, make a backup in recovery, use it for a few days and see how you like it.
Flash the other, make another backup, use it for a few days and see how you like that one.
If you like 2nd one best you don't need to do anything else, but if you decide you like the 1st one best just restore the backup.
No one should ever feel tied into one ROM as it's so easy to flash and test others. I used to try 3 or 4 a week on my Hero back when chef's were knocking them out in quick succession
Personally I've only ever used ARHD on my DHD but am keen to try LeeDroid and VillainROM too (I was a big Villain fan on Hero). Problem for me is finding the time!

thanks!
i think i will go with revolution first because i found everything i need for that.
the site for leedroid is a little unclear to me..

I've been using Leeroid for a couple of days. I was hoping for better battery consumption over stock, but the difference isn't substantial. I also find that the auto-brightness is too low for my liking. And there seems to be a couple of transition glitches, as far as I can tell. I plan to use it for a week before trying out Revolution.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Definitely Shadowline ROMS.
Wait, is this the Topaz forum?

DeathJester said:
Definitely Shadowline ROMS.
Wait, is this the Topaz forum?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, 2009 just called and said hello

LeeDroid it s better for the look but Revolution it s faster than LeeDroid

I have tried LeeDroid only once and it is crap..
I really recommend Android Revolution HD 2.0.12, it is REALLY fast! And ARHD's developing speed is fast. You will get updates almost every week, some times twice... It will include much themes and if you don't like Sense, you can install NoSense mod. I recommend!
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Question answered as far as I know.....thanks you for participating.
Thread closed....and, please...do not re-open
Regards,
M_T_M