[Q] Screen flicker - suspected hardware problem - Acer Iconia A500

Greetings,
I tried to search for this problem on this forum but I couldn't find anything specific to this device.
The tablet works fine in all aspects, except the screen flickers when the aluminum back is stressed, i.e. when its being held. The tablet screen will flicker in brightness as the back is pressed.
Usually the most reliable way to reproduce the problem is to flex the tablet, as if you were trying to split a piece of plastic into two by gradually flexing it until it breaks.
Therefore, I have concluded it is a hardware problem, but I don't know exactly what.
I apologize if I'm difficult to understand, and if you need any clarification, let me know.
Thank you everyone for your time.
-Kevin

ktong747 said:
Greetings,
I tried to search for this problem on this forum but I couldn't find anything specific to this device.
The tablet works fine in all aspects, except the screen flickers when the aluminum back is stressed, i.e. when its being held. The tablet screen will flicker in brightness as the back is pressed.
Usually the most reliable way to reproduce the problem is to flex the tablet, as if you were trying to split a piece of plastic into two by gradually flexing it until it breaks.
Therefore, I have concluded it is a hardware problem, but I don't know exactly what.
I apologize if I'm difficult to understand, and if you need any clarification, let me know.
Thank you everyone for your time.
-Kevin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Kevin,
Yeah, seems like a hardware issue. But I advise not to "flex" the back too much
Probably could be 2 things.
1. Loose connector for the digitizer
2. Bad digitizer
3. Something grounding out against the case.
So my guess would be to spit the case apart. You can find videos on Google Search showing the procedure at You Tube. Then a good inspection of components, paying attention to connectors and the boards (for cracking).
I saw the other day that there are plenty of parts available for the 500, like digitizers, display glass and several other items. Check E-bay.
MD

Moscow Desire said:
Hey Kevin,
Yeah, seems like a hardware issue. But I advise not to "flex" the back too much
Probably could be 2 things.
1. Loose connector for the digitizer
2. Bad digitizer
3. Something grounding out against the case.
So my guess would be to spit the case apart. You can find videos on Google Search showing the procedure at You Tube. Then a good inspection of components, paying attention to connectors and the boards (for cracking).
I saw the other day that there are plenty of parts available for the 500, like digitizers, display glass and several other items. Check E-bay.
MD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your advice Moscow Desire. I've taken the back off before but noticed nothing unusual. Should I just take every component that can be separated out and inspect it? Sounds like a recipe for disaster for an inexperienced person like me.

ktong747 said:
Thanks for your advice Moscow Desire. I've taken the back off before but noticed nothing unusual. Should I just take every component that can be separated out and inspect it? Sounds like a recipe for disaster for an inexperienced person like me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Moscow Desire,
I have taken my tablet apart with the instruction from the videos but I didn't see anything that is loosen so far. Do you think I will need to unscrew everything until I take out the screen to know what's wrong? My screen keeps flickering with white lines at the edge of the screen and it's really annoying. :crying:
Thanks!

Related

Digitizer Non Responsive

Hey guys.
Owned the phone for a few months now and have started to notice a really odd problem. For a while the screen was being fairly unresponsive to touches and I couldn't figure out why. Taking the screen protector off fixed it temporarily but now the issue is back.
I finally realised that the issue was a black smudge that would appear whenever I pushed too hard on the screen. I'm assuming this registers as a touch on the screen and prevents it from working. Rubbing the stylus over the area usually makes it dissipate and the screen becomes responsive again, but it would come back not long later after general use.
Also there's some fairly odd rainbowing underneath the digitizer that moves around when you press on the screen. It circles around the smudges when they appear.
I know that all sounds fairly vague, but any help on the issue would be great. Is a new digitizer in order or could it be fixed by just dissassembling it? I've tried using a suction cap to make the problem go away, the rainbowing disappears but slowly comes back again. Also I haven't dropped the phone, left it near anything etc, besides the digitizer problem the phone works fine.
Thanks in advance!
(On a side note, I bought the phone off eBay and had to use a serial number locater to determine the region of the phone. Found out it was destined for India when I'm in Australia. Fairly odd, but what are the warranty implications? Is it still covered?)
Same problem here!
I've sent it to HTC for repair, since my Diamond2 has 1 year warranty and I only bought it in May/09. HTC said that screen issues are excluded of the warranty and that I have to pay about €70 for the screen repair, because, they say, the problem is due to misuse - wich I don't think is true.
Daisjun said:
Hey guys.
Owned the phone for a few months now and have started to notice a really odd problem. For a while the screen was being fairly unresponsive to touches and I couldn't figure out why. Taking the screen protector off fixed it temporarily but now the issue is back.
I finally realised that the issue was a black smudge that would appear whenever I pushed too hard on the screen. I'm assuming this registers as a touch on the screen and prevents it from working. Rubbing the stylus over the area usually makes it dissipate and the screen becomes responsive again, but it would come back not long later after general use.
Also there's some fairly odd rainbowing underneath the digitizer that moves around when you press on the screen. It circles around the smudges when they appear.
I know that all sounds fairly vague, but any help on the issue would be great. Is a new digitizer in order or could it be fixed by just dissassembling it? I've tried using a suction cap to make the problem go away, the rainbowing disappears but slowly comes back again. Also I haven't dropped the phone, left it near anything etc, besides the digitizer problem the phone works fine.
Thanks in advance!
(On a side note, I bought the phone off eBay and had to use a serial number locater to determine the region of the phone. Found out it was destined for India when I'm in Australia. Fairly odd, but what are the warranty implications? Is it still covered?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have collapsed your layers between lcd and digitizer.
Some folks here use duct tape to repeatedly pull the layers apart and it fixes their issue for a while.
Thought it'd be something along those lines. I'll give the duct tape trick a try, can you point me to some other threads? I tried searching but was probably using the wrong terms.
Also vasco that's complete bollocks. I've kept my phone in its case the whole time I've had it, never put any pressure on it or had it in a rough environment. I'd throw a few customer complaints their way, especially if other people have had the same issue. Nice to know I'm not alone at least.
Daisjun said:
Thought it'd be something along those lines. I'll give the duct tape trick a try, can you point me to some other threads? I tried searching but was probably using the wrong terms.
Also vasco that's complete bollocks. I've kept my phone in its case the whole time I've had it, never put any pressure on it or had it in a rough environment. I'd throw a few customer complaints their way, especially if other people have had the same issue. Nice to know I'm not alone at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
search for "newton rings"
Daisjun said:
Thought it'd be something along those lines. I'll give the duct tape trick a try, can you point me to some other threads? I tried searching but was probably using the wrong terms.
Also vasco that's complete bollocks. I've kept my phone in its case the whole time I've had it, never put any pressure on it or had it in a rough environment. I'd throw a few customer complaints their way, especially if other people have had the same issue. Nice to know I'm not alone at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue is being discussed here:
http://forum.xda-developers...522813
I've already filed a complaint to the comm's regulation office. I'me presently waiting for their response.
had the same issue.. I just replaced the digitizer, it's a bit tricky but certainly possible.. yours is not that old so it should be repaired under warranty if you can have that done (have no clue about your situation there..)
digitizers are cheap on ebay
disassembly:
http://www.pdacenter.ru/razborka/htc-touch-diamond2/
Daisjun said:
Thought it'd be something along those lines. I'll give the duct tape trick a try, can you point me to some other threads? I tried searching but was probably using the wrong terms.
Also vasco that's complete bollocks. I've kept my phone in its case the whole time I've had it, never put any pressure on it or had it in a rough environment. I'd throw a few customer complaints their way, especially if other people have had the same issue. Nice to know I'm not alone at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is my thread about this.
I am in the same boat as you - phone was destined for somewhere in Asia, and I am in Australia. I contacted HTC, and they also told me that the problem could be caused by misuse, even though I KNOW it wasn't, as my phone is always in it's case unless being used, never dropped etc. It sucks, but I think I will just replace the digitizer myself.

[Q] My HTC HD2 is going berserk

Since about 2 months, my HTC HD2 sometimes runs into a strange behavior.
It's like some invisible fingers are touching the screen very quickly, triggering apps, menus, and sometimes calling people!
The only way to stop that is to restart the phone (but when the HD2 starts to behave that way, it's difficult to restart it, as these "invisible fingers" are still competing with MY fingers!).
I don't know what caused the problem in the first place, and I don't know what triggers the problem when it happens.
Is my HD2 out of order?
Thanks
Gz
It could be that your touchscreen is too sensitive and your sweat from your fingers is triggering it; Did you try cleaning the screen, your hands and using a screen protector?
your digitizer is going to die very soon
By "digitizer", you mean the touch glass?
Did it happened to you before?
Why so many of your phones had their glasses cracked?
Thanks
adempozhari said:
your digitizer is going to die very soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very probable to happen...
Try to massage the screen around the corners especially above the buttons.
There is some kind of "glue" to prevent contact with metal but if its old or used it could make this problem.
Maby you can trigger it or at least find the point where to press to make it stop.
=> using a heating fan (warm not hot!) to vaporize water could help too maby. No warranty here!
dertester123 you may have found the real cause of the problem, but I'll have to test more before I can confirm.
Cheers.
Gz
i have been having the same problem lately and i must say, i'm pretty sure it's about the sweaty fingers! i have read on other sites that the capacitive (?) screen is too sensitive and that many are experiencing these problems, especially during summer!
JimWest7997 said:
i have been having the same problem lately and i must say, i'm pretty sure it's about the sweaty fingers! i have read on other sites that the capacitive (?) screen is too sensitive and that many are experiencing these problems, especially during summer!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just place some waterdrops on the display or use it with fingers that you put some lotion on....
Problem is when it gets under the display, but thats rather uncommon i hope;D
I case its just just sweaty fingers, what are pants for?
I have the same problem but it only happens in my music app. Could this be causedby a virus of some sort?
vietnameseJames said:
I have the same problem but it only happens in my music app. Could this be causedby a virus of some sort?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you running android ics? In ics they changed the input slightly i heard, and maby its not ported correctly...
When using another music app or switching to generally other apps while music plays everything is okay?
I dont think its a virus or something, most of them want to spy or change userdata and not annoy you
I thought I had found the cause of my problem, but I can't confirm it, as this problem hasn't appeared since the middle of May, when I followed dertester12's advice to massage the screen on the corners!
But I noticed a spot in the middle of my touch screen where the "glass" seems to "touch" or to be glued to something underneath it. This spot is till here today, but despite of that, the problem is not occuring now. I'll try to attach photos of that.
So to sum it up, I'm still not sure about what caused the problem...
grendizerus said:
I thought I had found the cause of my problem, but I can't confirm it, as this problem hasn't appeared since the middle of May, when I followed dertester12's advice to massage the screen on the corners!
But I noticed a spot in the middle of my touch screen where the "glass" seems to "touch" or to be glued to something underneath it. This spot is till here today, but despite of that, the problem is not occuring now. I'll try to attach photos of that.
So to sum it up, I'm still not sure about what caused the problem...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you disassemble your screen before?
Sent from my T9193 using xda premium
Nope. You think something got under the touch screen?
hengsheng120 said:
Did you disassemble your screen before?
Sent from my T9193 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll dig out the topic.
Hangsheng I have the same problem as described at the beginning, but mine handset had replaced touchscreen with lcd panel.
What it could be the cause of this behaviour?
fikthor said:
I'll dig out the topic.
Hangsheng I have the same problem as described at the beginning, but mine handset had replaced touchscreen with lcd panel.
What it could be the cause of this behaviour?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the touchscreen must be isolated from the display. Therefore they put some blue glue at the area over the buttons where the HTC logo is. For me I used alcohol to clean the touchscreen as I replaced it and had the problem that when pressure was added the layer of glue was to thin to isolate and gave me fake inputs.
You can test by massaging this area.
Also the contacts on the backside of the screen must be isolated to the housing and the screen. I could think that when you soldered the stock isolation thinned out too..
Last but not least touchscreen, display and housing must be grounded correctly. Therefore all parts are wrapped in metallic foil at the edges... To connect them..
As the touch screen is very sensitive to even little currents its often hard to find the problem as it could also be a totally different cause.
All the above mentioned points should be checked and are relatively easy to fix. But it needs total disassembly what - especially to old devices- has a risk.
Risks are:
That damn flex cables are old and tend to break. The buttons have small tapes on top that come off easily and never go back again... And many more things that break when dis- and reassembled to often.
Sometimes it's cheaper to sell defect HD2 and buy new/used one..
On eBay you often get very good prices for defective HD2..
Gesendet von meinem HTC HD2 mit Tapatalk 2
Odp: [Q] My HTC HD2 is going berserk
The thing is every issue dissappear when it's on WinMob. I cannot pass this behaviour so decided to switch handsets. HD2 was very good phone.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

Potential Nexus 7 Touch Screen Fix?

I just wanted to report on a possible fix to touchscreen issues. While this may, or may not, work for you, it is what I did, what I have done on three(3) total devices & it is what has eliminated touch screen issues for myself & two other individuals.
This is a work in progress & I will be adding pictures & more detailed instructions, along with progress updates as I use the device going forward. This modification (though it really isn't a mod) requires no tools & while it does entail some light dis-assembly, it did NOT require breaking any seals that would void the warranty outright. Doing this however, may very well void your warranty, I am not an attorney, I am an engineer & taking things apart is what I have been doing since before I could even crawl nearly forty years ago.
To begin, I will go into my Nexus 7 story, which may allow you to identify similar symptoms.
My Nexus 7 device worked well out of the box, with only occasional multi-touch issues. As time progressed, the issues got worse & at one point a couple of weeks ago, even single touch event started to lag or not register. My Nexus 7 is a batch from July of 2013 & I purchased it in August of 2013, so it was still under warranty. Asus issued me an RMA number, however, I hate broken things, knowing darn well that 99% of the time I can fix them myself far faster than the total time it would take an OEM to get my device back to me. At any rate, after the 4.4 update, my touch issues got even worse. Aside from missing even simple gestures & taps, occasionally the screen would look funny & once it even had a sttatic "snowy" screen that was remedied by a factory reset.
After reading a few complaints from people about screen separation & investigating the device via the ifixit tear down, I decided I would take a look before committing to the RMA process. I gently slid my thumbnail under the bezel & slowly worked it around. Immediately I could feel the clips giving way & I eventually had the back cover off. Once the back cover is off, you will notice that the screen & digitizer ribbon cable runs across the battery, pinned in between the battery tray & the inductive Qi coil on the back cover of the device. I found it is easier to ease all the sides up slightly, then remove the back by gently lifing from the sides & upper portion, with the bottom, where the USB port is, being lifted up last. Once I removed the cover, I disconnected the battery terminal clip. After disconnecting the battery, I then followed the screen ribbon cable to where it is clipped into the screens board contacts with a plastic stay. Immediately upon applying pressure to the cable ribbon stay I felt & heard a faintly audible "click" sound. On closer inspection, I discovered that poor contact was being made by the ribbon cable & furthermore, the flex in the battery tray over time, when coupled with the heat generated at that location (due to the battery & the inductive Qi coil) can slowly loosen the ribbon cable stay & affect the quality of the connection. I used a thin piece of composite material to reinforce the cable ribbon stay & used a piece of vinyl along with a non-conductive adhesive to better secure the cable ribbon & stay. I only used a tiny amount so as not to affect the ability to safely disconnect the ribbon cable without destroying it. I also did not want a bunch of adhesive heating up & spreading to other areas. Before I performed the following step, I decided to test out a few thoughts. What I discovered is detailed in the next paragraph. So, after letting the adhesive dry overnight, I reattached the battery terminal clip & started the device. It has worked flawlessly since, without any touch issues.
While I had the back cover off, I carefully reattached the battery terminal clip & while wearing Nitrile gloves & standing on a wood floor to minimize the risk of static discharge, I would turn the device on with the display ribbon cable in various states of connection. They ranged from being angled so that the far contacts would make little or limited connection, to a full connection with varying degrees of pressure applied, to simulate a good or bad connection. Sometimes the device would not boot. Other times it would boot & have a static or "snowy" screen. Sometimes it affected all touch, from single finger events to multi-touch. It also surprisingly affected the system response. Things would freeze up & apps would FC or ANR. Again, once I improved the connection, everything was back to normal & functioning perfectly. In fact, it is functioning better than it did out of the box.
While I am sure Asus would argue that this voids the warranty, I did not break any seals. No tools were needed, just the materials I chose to use & had lying around. As I also mentioned in the opening, I did this on another household members device, that only had multi-touch issues, not all the issues I had, & their device has now been functioning wonderfully for the last several days. The display ribbon clip in their device was not completely detached on one side like mine, but it was fairly loose all the same. The third device was a friends & it was having mostly single touch issues, though he said multi-touch issues would come & go. We ran through the steps on Hangouts & his ribbon cable was in its place, but as he removed the back, the stay clip fell out. His device is also functioning normally now & he has not reported any further touch screen issues.
Since the problems people are having are oftentimes different & not consistent, it very well could be that this is exactly the issue. I would surmise that it could be the very reason why Google & Asus have been VERY, VERY quiet about the issue, since it would require returning the device for a fix, not simply a software fix.
If you try this, I urge you to be patient & use the utmost care when removing the back. While there are no cable attached to the back, you never want to force things. Be gentle & when you find the right spot for lifting, you will know it. It is not difficult & it is relatively harmless. I would caution you to use gloves & minimize the risk of discharging static electricity. I also recommend using gloves because copper sheeting is used in a couple spots & if you have ever worked with copper sheeting in electronics, you know that stuff grabs oils from your skin like crazy & you will end up leaving evidence in the form of an ultra-clear fingerprint that almost no solvent will remove. (Don't use solvents in your device unless you are a daredevil or know what you are doing).
So, that is my story & what worked for me & my small group. Ultimately, these devices are ours & it is up to each of us individually to pursue the fixes or mods that suit us best. That also means that the responsibility & consequences belong to each of us as individuals. What steps you are willing take to remedy any issues you may have with your device are decisions you need to weigh. This is XDA, where people take risks, assume that the are eventually going to brick their devices & make real modifications to devices (which this really is not). If you break something because you needed every single little detail & step spelled out for you, that's not my problem. Again, this is XDA, not some ragtime blog & anything you do here usually requires you to be able to think for yourself at some point.
Lastly, I will try to get to a step by step with pictures as soon as I can. I am not a developer, I am not a student & I don't have a ton of time to devote to answering questions. I will do what I can, when I can, but between the holidays & my job as a mechanical engineer (two large hospital projects are going on right now that take up 95% of my day), I have very little time right now. This post is the result of a large lunch review meeting, not free time, so it will probably take some time to get everything up. I have to recreate most of it, since I really figured on RMA'ing my device. I never expected this to work as it has for me.
Thanks.
Thanks for the post! If I know the issue I don't mind taking it apart to fix it.
I RMA'd it once as I didn't feel I should have to fix it, but it was such a pain jumping through all the hoops only to get it back with docs stating "OS reset" and finding the problem 30secs after resetting up my account.
I have another RMA but have waited shipping it for an update to KitKat in the hopes that it would help. It hasn't. I'll have to see if I feel up to trying your fix.
Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
No one else tried this?
I barely have screen issues, but I am curious to know if this works, after replacing my N7 2013.
Thanks and regards,
Video tuto
Need a video tutorial. I have both touch and multi reboot issue. sometimes there are 2-4 reboots occur during rebooting of system. problems persist even after kitkat update. I think this is the cause that causing me such multireboot issue.
Hope this will solve my problem. i am out of USA country so i cant give for a RMA. But need a solution look like that.
Thanks gsleon3. It always sounded like a hardware bad connection type of issue so I'm not surprised.
The problem with rma is that I'm not sure their repair techs would really fix anything. The cause may not have been made known even to their own techs because it would leak out and might start a class action law suit. My 2012 nexus 7 never had any of the touch issues my 2013 version is showing. Quality control has slipped with the 2013 version.
Any lawyers here?
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
GSLEON3 said:
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After what you shared with us, please DO enjoy your 3D simulcast of THE Doctor. We will be patienly waiting for your video.
Regards!!
nearly an inch long strip at the top of my screen stopped responding to touch i sent it back only had it for 6 days..
Tried this out. My clips were seated properly but I can see the reasons why they pop out.
Took about 5 mins from start to finish to test. Good job.
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
ibebyi said:
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if it is pressure, I've found on past devices, sometimes batteries start expanding over time, like they have a fat belly.
Touchscreen possible fix
Started reading a bit on Google Products Forum and found a guy who said that the touchscreen problem can't be fixed by software.
So he took the back of the tablet off and found that the problem lies on the screen digitizer cable not being clipped to the connection port correctly. He disconnected the cable and connected it back again, and now his touchscreen is working perfectly.
I do not want to try it because I don't want to risk anything, but can anyone brave enough try this?:fingers-crossed:
Here's the guy's profile: http://productforums.google.com/for...ioWy9HdPwsowoDCuOz8SS9uR9nzVnPi6g2kSAInwwCj94 (it's the post form Nov 19)
LittleConfucy said:
Started reading a bit on Google Products Forum and found a guy who said that the touchscreen problem can't be fixed by software.
So he took the back of the tablet off and found that the problem lies on the screen digitizer cable not being clipped to the connection port correctly. He disconnected the cable and connected it back again, and now his touchscreen is working perfectly.
I do not want to try it because I don't want to risk anything, but can anyone brave enough try this?:fingers-crossed:
Here's the guy's profile: http://productforums.google.com/for...ioWy9HdPwsowoDCuOz8SS9uR9nzVnPi6g2kSAInwwCj94 (it's the post form Nov 19)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The author of that post is the op of this thread.
sfhub said:
The author of that post is the op of this thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoops, sorry, didn't realize:silly:
ibebyi said:
OP, during your disassembly of the device did you notice any random internal parts that could possibly be applying pressure to the screen from behind it? I ask because my otherwise perfect nexus 7 got a random blue dot in the middle of the screen and I know from past experience that that's typically the result of pressure physically warping the lcd panel.. otherwise the only other thing I can think of is that the lcd is being permanently damaged by the on/off case magnet but that's unlikely. or maybe heat that's causing the battery to flex into the screen. It's extra frustrating because I've had the nexus in a loose fitting hard case and the hard front flap should prevent the kind of pressure damage that would cause those blue marks... sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive disassembled the device too and it has nothing specials with exception that few flex cables located right unddr the cover. Not sure if one of them is belongs to touchscreen though
Also i got this blue dot too,and one pink as well. In middle of screen.
Tim4 said:
Ive disassembled the device too and it has nothing specials with exception that few flex cables located right unddr the cover. Not sure if one of them is belongs to touchscreen though
Also i got this blue dot too,and one pink as well. In middle of screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a blue smear too, but near the edge of the panel but since it's not very visible..I'm just gonna ignore it..
GSLEON3 said:
Video might be tough, but I'll try to get to it. I will try to dedicate some time this weekend. I was thinking Saturday night, but I just learned that the Day of the Doctor is being simulcast in 3D near my house. So it may have to wait till Sunday so I can let my inner geek out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely no problem, GSLEON3, with profound gratitude I assure you that we really appreciate your engineering work discovering the problem. Take your time and we will patiently wait until you have the time to prepare a more complete review.
Wow! If it is so easy, I don't understand what the Asus support makes everyday.
Thanks for sharing it.
Sound really greate and promising. If you could, a tutorial video would be perfect for us, please
sfhub said:
Well if it is pressure, I've found on past devices, sometimes batteries start expanding over time, like they have a fat belly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If higher amperage is used there is an increased risk of expansion due to the higher excitation in the Li atoms. You will increase the wear of it too.
So if possible always use lower amperages to charge batteries(preferably around 500mA), you can limit the charging IC using a lower output charger or your computer's USB port.

Really strange screen issue

Hi all
So I just installed a few games on my Nexus 4 this evening and noticed some areas of the screen not responding. Its isolated to about a 1cm from the left on my screen. When I enable the "show touches" option under developer options I can see the ball jump when I move my finger over the area. Whats odd is that the very edge reports OK and I can swipe to Google Now without issue.
I was using PA with Franco and just as a test revered to stock and it seemed to work however after about 5 mins it went back to the same behaviour. Once again I installed my stock nandroid and now its just jumping like it was. So confused!
I guess some software is running and causing issue or the screen is over sensitive in that area me touching it is causing issue. Its worth noting that I changed the screen a few days ago so it could be the connectors but could it be isolated due to a connection?
bert682 said:
Hi all
So I just installed a few games on my Nexus 4 this evening and noticed some areas of the screen not responding. Its isolated to about a 1cm from the left on my screen. When I enable the "show touches" option under developer options I can see the ball jump when I move my finger over the area. Whats odd is that the very edge reports OK and I can swipe to Google Now without issue.
I was using PA with Franco and just as a test revered to stock and it seemed to work however after about 5 mins it went back to the same behaviour. Once again I installed my stock nandroid and now its just jumping like it was. So confused!
I guess some software is running and causing issue or the screen is over sensitive in that area me touching it is causing issue. Its worth noting that I changed the screen a few days ago so it could be the connectors but could it be isolated due to a connection?
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Ok so I was able to use the old screen (cracked) in a frankenstein fashion and it works 100% of the time. The current seen seems to work for a while and then goes back to missing that area.
Will try and return for a replacement.
bert682 said:
Ok so I was able to use the old screen (cracked) in a frankenstein fashion and it works 100% of the time. The current seen seems to work for a while and then goes back to missing that area.
Will try and return for a replacement.
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Update 3
So the issue has progressed to being intermittent. It will be broken for a few hours, then work OK for a few. This can happen at random,so, not plugged in as I suspect heat was an issue. I can get a text, its broken, pocket the phone and in 5 mins when I get the reply it can be working again.
Ive made a video of what its doing, notice the white dot "jump" when compared to the right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0i6bdx3f4lWd3VmTWZXM0tjMTQ/edit?usp=sharing
Any suggestions?
You need a different screen if you want to fix it.
bert682 said:
Update 3
So the issue has progressed to being intermittent. It will be broken for a few hours, then work OK for a few. This can happen at random,so, not plugged in as I suspect heat was an issue. I can get a text, its broken, pocket the phone and in 5 mins when I get the reply it can be working again.
Ive made a video of what its doing, notice the white dot "jump" when compared to the right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0i6bdx3f4lWd3VmTWZXM0tjMTQ/edit?usp=sharing
Any suggestions?
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Check that the flex cable isn't damaged, dirty or loose before you bother with a replacement. Either way, you probably need a replacement screen
lopezk38 said:
Check that the flex cable isn't damaged, dirty or loose before you bother with a replacement. Either way, you probably need a replacement screen
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Yea I took it all apart and while the new one was connected I was able to connect the old one, upside down etc. It worked OK. Did a bit of a blow and properly pressing down on the connectors.
I could accept the screen is at fault at return it but when the issue is not 100% of the time I know my luck will be that when it gets tested at the sellers end it will work, get sent back to me and be broken again.
Have some monitoring apps running now so I can tell of its heat. Since this side is away from the battery im less incluined to think its heat from that. The motherboard does run down that side so it could be something in that? Ever seen any reports of that getting too hot?
Could even be heat from the antenna cable somehow?
Strange that it spans the whole length though.
Ill risk the return I think, got a video of it being broken so will see what happens.
Run over to Radio Shack (or whatever the equivalent is in what ever country you're in - I don't know where you are) and find a product called Deoxit/Progold. Deoxit cleans the contacts from oxidation, Progold enhances conductivity. Or find something similar.
This stuff is great for blasting inside headphone jacks to get rid of the "scratching" when your plug gets moved around, to fix iffy USB connections, etc. A little goes a long way. I don't know if it'll solve your screen issues, but it's worth a try, and if it doesn't work, you can still use it on other things, so it's not a waste of money.
Planterz said:
Run over to Radio Shack (or whatever the equivalent is in what ever country you're in - I don't know where you are) and find a product called Deoxit/Progold. Deoxit cleans the contacts from oxidation, Progold enhances conductivity. Or find something similar.
This stuff is great for blasting inside headphone jacks to get rid of the "scratching" when your plug gets moved around, to fix iffy USB connections, etc. A little goes a long way. I don't know if it'll solve your screen issues, but it's worth a try, and if it doesn't work, you can still use it on other things, so it's not a waste of money.
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Wow, that stuff isnt cheap. Lets hope a little does go a long way!
Thanks, have ordered a small bottle, will give it a go.
I noticed that my new screen is genuine LG (at least its stamped all over it) but the one I removed seems to be a 3rd party replacement. Its got some areas that "look cheap" in comparison. Its got a small foil coating over the flex cable where as the one I removed didnt. I assume its to protect and move heat away?
Few forum posts mention the use of 3rd party chargers....I have used a cheap one when I am in work. I have used in on my old HTC Desire HD and my Lumia 520 and never had an issue. Do you think it could have damaged the digitiser?
bert682 said:
Wow, that stuff isnt cheap. Lets hope a little does go a long way!
Thanks, have ordered a small bottle, will give it a go.
I noticed that my new screen is genuine LG (at least its stamped all over it) but the one I removed seems to be a 3rd party replacement. Its got some areas that "look cheap" in comparison. Its got a small foil coating over the flex cable where as the one I removed didnt. I assume its to protect and move heat away?
Few forum posts mention the use of 3rd party chargers....I have used a cheap one when I am in work. I have used in on my old HTC Desire HD and my Lumia 520 and never had an issue. Do you think it could have damaged the digitiser?
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Click to collapse
Interestingly enough , the original digitizer is wrapped with aluminum tape. Some knockoffs have a better cover in fact. They use a hard aluminum sheet instead of aluminum tape. Some knockoffs don't have that shielding which is bad because that tape is there to keep the IC from getting spammed with useless data by radio frequencies and such.
If you haven't dropped your device , i don'T think it is likely that there is a problem with the glass. It's most likely the IC.
You could transfer your old flex to your new glass which is easy but you need some seriously steady hands.
When you remove the glass from the frame , you will see the flex cable's contact zone. It's basically the part where it connects to the glass. If you heat that area up with a heat gun it's gonna come right off when the solder beneath melts. Take out the new one and the old one. You need a flathead tip for your solering iron , which is like a flathead screwdriver. Simply take some solder and spread that solder around the contact dots , don't worry it won't stick to the plastic but it will melt if you keep it at the same spot too much. When you're done spreading , there are two dots with which you can align your old flex cable to your new glass. Use some adhesive tape around the alignment dots and Align the dots with your flex cable (you'll know which dots when you see it because it's orange and kinda stands out) press it so the adhesive holds and then use your heat gun and melt the solder to the contact zone.
It's actually easier than it sounds.

Pixel 4 - Need Replacement Motherboard

Hi all, was replacing my cracked screen and managed to graze some of the resistors on the motherboard and its possible one was unseated.
New screen and old screen both turn on but the touch does not register. I think I need a new motherboard.
Does anyone know where to get motherboard parts? Does anyone have one for sale as i would love to put this thing back together!
A more likely culprit is that the digitizer wasn't plugged back in properly . I would suggest that you take the phone apart again and make sure all of the connections are seated properly.
I've had a phone with motherboard issues and they generally completely stop working (black screen, no boot, etc). That's why I really don't think the touch screen issue is a result of a loose component on the mother board. That being said, if you really feel like it is a loose connection on the mother board, you can try baking the board in an oven to soften the solder joints which allows them to re-adhere when they cool down. Yes, it can actually work. Take the phone apart and stick just the motherboard (don't put the case, screen, battery, etc in the oven) in an oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. I've always rested the motherboard on top of two wooden spoons that were sitting on a cookie sheet. This keeps the motherboard off the hot metal surface and allows the hot air to get to all parts of the mother board. Remove the motherboard and let it cool down before installing the board.
Thanks Sic for the reply. You made me not give up hope. I will try again and bake some mobo.
But which wire is the actual digitizer. Is it the one on the far right?
The rest seem to attach to bumpers or usbc charger. Thanks again for reply.
Attached 2 photos. 1 is my mobo with red circles around what i think was damaged. I think this is the only connection to the screen digitizer in the phone.
The second is from IFIXIT mobo. it looks a bit different, possibly different revision but showing the same angle. Digitizer connection on top.
Could one of those circles connections cause the digitizer to not pick up finger contact but the screen works perfectly?
Looking at the two pictures, I could be easily convinced that there isn't suppose to my any components where you have your red circles. If you look at the IFIXIT picture, there are three components, then a break, then 6 more components and another break. You red circles seem to correspond with the breaks in the IFIXIT image, although it is clear that the motherboard isn't identical in the two images. Just my two cents.
sic0048 said:
Looking at the two pictures, I could be easily convinced that there isn't suppose to my any components where you have your red circles. If you look at the IFIXIT picture, there are three components, then a break, then 6 more components and another break. You red circles seem to correspond with the breaks in the IFIXIT image, although it is clear that the motherboard isn't identical in the two images. Just my two cents.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.
Well, back to using my Pickle 3 which is still great and my Pixel 4 cupcakes are about ready. Let me check the oven.
Any update? I'm curious to know if baking the motherboard helped at all.
sic0048 said:
Any update? I'm curious to know if baking the motherboard helped at all.
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Update. Phone no longer boots after reinstalling everything.
I pre-heated to 200c ~ 400f and let it sit for 10 minutes and cool before reinstalling all the components. Was a final attempt I know.
ridethasky said:
Update. Phone no longer boots after reinstalling everything.
I pre-heated to 200c ~ 400f and let it sit for 10 minutes and cool before reinstalling all the components. Was a final attempt I know.
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That's too bad. I'm not all that surprised it didn't help, but I am surprised it actually made the problem worse.
Perhaps one of the components was loose and baking it made the connection fail completely. As I noted before, motherboard issues generally result in a no boot situation.
Baking it was a last ditch effort to try to get it to work, but don't feel like you have to quit now. You can try baking it again - perhaps for slightly longer this time. You have nothing to loose and perhaps it will cause a bad connection to re-solidify. Sorry I can't be of more help.
Hello I am sorry that your phone is not working. I was wondering if you do find a new board if you wanted to sell me your old mother board. I want to try a project of replacing the ram chip with a 16gb chip but to do so I need a old board.
Hello, I have the same problem, my pixel 4 XL got wet (I know, it was stupid) it reaches a depth of 2 meters, I opened it to myself if I could save it and it was completely rusty. and several transistors and chips came out. So I decided to look for a motherboard to repair it. anyone know where i can get the replacement? :crying: :crying: :crying:
ridethasky said:
Does anyone have one for sale as i would love to put this thing back together!
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