Hey all -
My wife, deep in the midst of pregnancy-brain, washed her beloved Fireball a couple weeks ago. Long story short, she tried to power it up too soon, and now the LCD backlight is dead.
Everything else seems to function fine, so I decided to see if there was something obvious that could be fixed. Sure enough, at one of the connections between screen and mainboard, there looked to be some small electrical POOF type scarring. One of the traces on the ribbon cable is missing a chunk of conductive material right next to the connection, so it would seem replacing the whole assembly (digitizer/LCD) should restore function. Except - right next to that spot on the mainboard is what looks like it might be a diode that might have seen better days. I'm not sure, and I haven't been able to find any closeups of the inside of the phone to verify what it's supposed to look like.
So what I'm wondering is if anyone here can take a peek at these pics, note the potential damaged area, and tell me if that little bit of badness means I have to toss the phone.
Thanks!
Related
My battery has gone to hell. After getting it down to 5% one day, it just would not hold a charge long. Then I got it down to 10% a week later, and it really got bad. Life is about 1/3 what it used to be. I also have some dust and even small hairs or flecks in the screen.
So...I ordered a new advance replacement unit from T-Mobile, and it just arrived. Simple enough? Well, I have the memory upgrade in mine, so I need to do some component swapping. What's the best way to go about this? What parts can be disconnected easily (or more importantly, reconnected)? Where is the damn battery (didn't see it in the disassembly photos on the site)?
Hi,
Carlos said:
So...I ordered a new advance replacement unit from T-Mobile, and it just arrived. Simple enough? Well, I have the memory upgrade in mine, so I need to do some component swapping. What's the best way to go about this? What parts can be disconnected easily (or more importantly, reconnected)? Where is the damn battery (didn't see it in the disassembly photos on the site)?
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Please specify 'component swapping' in more detail... Are you actually thinking about swapping the memory upgrade??? You do know that that would mean desoldering the 2 big memory chips on both boards, cleaning them and the boards, and soldering them back... How good are you at smd soldering??? We haven't dared doing that, yet... (some pics of upgrading memory of an iPaq are available at http://www.linearlogix.com/ipaq/upgradereview.html
There are commercial services doing the upgrade (32 -> 64 mb), if I were you I'd contact one of those.
Other than that, we're currently swapping lcd screens, touchpanels, mainboards from 3 broken units to create 2 working units and 1 very broken one. So, what do you need to know exactly?
BTW, the battery is stuck on the inside of the back cover.
XDA developer bigmac (taking pictures of the open units right now...)
No, no, I can solder normal stuff, but not that. I mean, I assume what I need to do is keep my own motherboard. I'd like the screen, case, and battery from the new unit. On the radio section, I suppose it doesn't matter either way. So I incorrectly said "component" when what I really meant was "board," and desired advice on doing that.
The hazards of posting in the middle of the night after too much work.
Carlos said:
No, no, I can solder normal stuff, but not that. I mean, I assume what I need to do is keep my own motherboard. I'd like the screen, case, and battery from the new unit. On the radio section, I suppose it doesn't matter either way. So I incorrectly said "component" when what I really meant was "board," and desired advice on doing that.
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Ok, so you want to use the screen/touchpanel/backlight assembly from the new one (smart move, not taking that apart; besides the fact that it's glued together and you need to separate it on the correct separation, that also leaves the risk of forgetting the correct orientation of the glass panel with little dots on it, used to distribute the backlight evently onto the lcd; and, there are slightly different assemblies out there which need slightly different panels...). You should keep all boards from the old unit (old mainboard including old radio unit, use the new screen/touchpanel/backlight assemly, and the new case (which includes the new battery).
You could consider swapping IMEI numbers on the units... Although _shops_ never register the numbers when they give out units, service departments might. You know where to find the tool to do that...
The screwing around of the parts should not take more than half an hour if it's the first time you take apart this unit (but have taken apart small electronics before) and less if you've done it before.
Beware of the really thin clear plastic rings used under the screws to screw down the display...
We won't be publishing a very detailed 'how to swap your screen' instruction any time soon but do have some raw unedited pictures of the operation. I'll see if we can get them online any time soon.
Have fun,
XDA developer bigmac
I ended up doing the change and ran into a snag--the plastic pin that sticks out of the top power button was loose or broken (probably happened in one of the many drops the unit has experienced). When I opened the case, I lost that. Had to send it to PPC Techs to have them solder in a new power switch.
Other than that, disassembly is pretty easy and straightforward. You mentioned you won't publish a how-to...is that because of not wanting to have it on the site, or that nobody wants to write one? If the latter, I'd be happy to write it up and include my detailed pics.
If you want to make a detailed howto on how to open and close the unit, and how to exchange certain parts, we will gladly put it on!
Do make sure to stress that people need a certain level of experience or be willing to risk losing the device though...
Has anyone had any success fixing the hardware on these units? As I have mentioned elsewhere on these boards, I dropped mine and now two things have happened: Firstly having successfully upgraded the ROM/firmware to XDA, the touch screen has stopped working almost completely. Occasionally it does respond to the touch, and the bits which respond are uniform but aren't the bits where you have touched!
Secondly some vertical lines have started to appear to the extreme right 2-3mm of the screen, indicating that there is some type of chip at the edge of the screen??? (someone suggested the digitiser but when I tried to ask a question about this, no one seemed to know what or where a digitiser was) In addition, when I press on the casing at where the lines emanate, the lines get worse.
I took the back off and found that it does seem very difficult indeed to get at the screen to replace it. Secondly, there are some difficult-to-identify bits floating around inside it (they may be just retaining pieces for the lower left hand case screw which is missing)
As there has suddenly appeared a job lot of 100 of these (obsolete?) screens floating around New York I was wondering whether it was in practice possible to replace one or is the amount of work involved cost-prohibitive?
It would be kinda nice to get this unit operational again (especially now that I have successfully loaded your ROM and unlocked it) if this could be done at not too great a cost.
The digitiser is also known as the glasstop and it's the pressure sensitive cover over the top of the LCD - it is a seperate unit although attached firmly to the LCD it can be replaced.
Try www.ppctechs.com for a price? It's farly easy to remove the screen if you want to do it yourself - I've seen a few guides on the internet.
Richard.
p.s how much / where was the job lot of screens?
china
They seem to be originating in China though I had a disastrous time getting hold of some. I got two. not sure if they are the sony originals but will try to install and report back if I can figure out how to get one in.
Where did you see the instructions on taking this thing apart?
i thought i would post an interesting probelem i have just fixed,
seemingly between text messaging, my screen started displaying what looked like all the colours in negative, after having many years of use out of my device, i though it had finally packed up for good,
everything worked as normal aside from the display of colours, and there was a strange lack of pixels displaying vertically which made certain screens impossible to read,
having pulled the hermes apart on past occasions, i decided that before writing it off i would pull it apart one last time for a squiz
i found some interesting things, i have photographed these things so that if someone else is having a similar problem, it may help them out and save them the cost of a new phone/screen
what i found was a carbon deposit running across some of the connectors which run from the screen to the circuit board, after carefully running a fine grade of emery paper (800grit) over this to clean it up, this had to be done carefully, as the gold layer is microns thin, and the copper layer is revealed within seconds, much more rubbing would probably strip away the copper as well, so it might even be a good idea to try 1200grit
(making sure the carbon bridged circuit was gone) i put it back together and everything works fine)
not sure what cased it, the only thing i can think of might be moisture (it was raining the night before, and a drop might have worked its way just under the screen)
image links:
http://img231.imageshack.us/i/imbroken.jpg/ (photo of working tytn next to broken tytn)
http://img22.imageshack.us/i/fileexplorer.jpg/ (closeup of screen displaying graphical glitch)
http://img19.imageshack.us/i/problemja.jpg/ (closeup of burnt circuit)
http://img19.imageshack.us/i/afteremery.jpg/ (closeup of cleaned up circuit)
If it happens again, instead of an emery cloth, try a cottonbud soaked in isopropyl alcohol. DON'T use metho as this will cause corrosion...
Cheers...
So, about 2 weeks ago, I got my HD2 off of Craigslist with a cracked screen. It worked perfectly fine with the exception of the hardly noticeable cracks. I knew I could get the replacement digitizer/screen for $40-80. I got my screen in the mail yesterday and, following the "YouTube" video tutorial found on this site, I......ugh.... replaced the screen....................I SCREWED UP BIG TIME!
First, I broke the ribbon cable for the Side "Volume Up/Down" buttons. Then, I broke the ribbon cable for the "soft keys." Ah, crap, but oh well. I figured I could use the touch screen for pretty much everything i needed to do. Well, while prying the cracked digitizer screen from the LCD, I went a bit too deep & peeled the tinted film off of the LCD. I thought nothing of it at the time. I'd already done enough damage. So the display would be a bit brighter than normal oh well.......WRONG! I put the phone back together and once I get it to power up, all I get is a white screen. I thought I missed something. So I disassemble & check 3 more times. Still a white screen.
Well, after all of this, the new digitizer/screen doesn't want to stay in place very well. So, being pissed off and curious, I pull it out and away and notice in the backside reflection of the digitizer that I can slightly make out the phone display. So, apparently the "Tinted Film" that I accidentally peeled off of the LCD makes images visible on the phone screen. I kind of damaged this film when peeling it off. Therefore, I am unable to put it back on. Does anyone know of a simple fix without replacing the LCD?
SORRY FOR THE "SHORT STORY LONG."
I was brainstorming and thought that maybe the film was polarized. So, I grabbed my sunglasses, which are polarized, and wearing them, I can faintly see the display. Anyone think maybe polarized window tint might fix my problem?
Hey man I have some electronic devices that need repair, can I send them to you to fix them?
SURE!
You can pay me in HD2 parts.
Sir i can only say 1 thing. search ebay and replace everything you damaged. only that way you will get your hd2 in perfect state.
keesmathot said:
Sir i can only say 1 thing. search ebay and replace everything you damaged. only that way you will get your hd2 in perfect state.
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I'd go one step further and say bin it and get a new one!
You sound just like me. That is why I never try things like that anymore. Hope it gets sorted but might be better looking for a used one.
I've got it functioning...
I found the film that I ripped off, put it over the screen and........I CAN SEE! However, the top half has lines through it. So, I must've damaged the LCD. The good news is that my phone is useable again. I just have to do everything via the touch screen and can't let the screen hibernate unless I have my charger close by. I'm just gonna keep my eye out for a cheap busted phone and eventually have a 100% phone again...
I sympathize with you. I broke HD2 while I was trying to check for loose WiFi card cable(cuz i was getting weak WiFi signals). The cable turned out to be fine but the external speaker stopped working. I opened it up again and adjusted some parts and it just got worse. the HD2 didn't power on at all. I tried fixing it but to no avail. I ended up sending the HD2 to a repair shop and was charged $170 for the repair. the repair guy said i messed up the power IC and the connector for the external speaker and he had to replace the power IC and resolder the connector.
I think I'm gonna stop trying to open up expensive phones. i was stupid thinking that since I have successfully replaced digitizer for my previous Palm T3, E2 and T5, opening up HD2 wouldn't be a problem. Should have known HD2 components are really fragile...
mmarkk said:
Hey man I have some electronic devices that need repair, can I send them to you to fix them?
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made me laugh.......
The best topic ever Thanks, dude!
About six months ago, I decided (foolishly) to try my S5's water resistance by taking it into the pool and taking some underwater pics and videos of my kids. They turned out great. My phone, however, was not happy. I didn't notice it until about 15 minutes after I took it out of the water. I turned it off, removed the battery, let it dry out for a few days, etc.
After that, it seemed to work again, with a few small problems. The first was that it started shutting down all my apps because it thought it was overheating. I installed an app that monitored the temp, and the numbers it was reporting were obviously wrong (way too high). The second problem is that it would no longer charge. It would either warn me that the battery was too hot, or too cold, to charge.
After some googling, it sounded like the problem might be the USB charging port daughterboard that was the problem. I took a look at the inside, and it did look like that was the only part that got wet. So I bought a new daughterboard and replaced it. I ended up destroying my screen in the process, and only just now was able to afford a new one, hence the six-month lag time.
So I finally have my phone back with a new daughterboard and new screen..... and I'm still seeing the temperature issues
Is there any way in the software to install a "hack" or anything to tell it to ignore those warnings, so that I can actually charge my battery and stop the OS from shutting down all my apps constantly? Could the problem be somewhere else besides the daughterboard? I'm really hoping that my phone isn't just dead, is all
If the back cover and/or usb cover were not securely in place when you took the device underwater, then something other than the usb port is most certainly the problem. That, or you had the phone under water for too long. The S5 is water-resistant, not water-proof. I think IP67 rating is less than 3 meters for less than 30 minutes exposure, or something. When you had it apart, did you look at the board? If you didn't, I think you can remove most of the board pieces from the back. Them them out, inspect them for oxidation, and give them a cleaning with a gentle toothbrush and rubbing alcohol. If you put it back together and you still get problems, there's nothing else you can do to fix it. It might be possible to make the hack you want, but I'm not aware of anyone having made one. Maybe you'd have to find someone who could do it for you, or learn yourself.
I also exposed my phone to water, but the microphone went out. That part is not shielded against water for obvious reasons. I guess Samsung expected the mic to handle more than just a little exposure. But mine failed. So I just warrantied it. None of my water stickers were set off. For you, I'd recommend just getting a new phone if you're with T-Mobile. $0 down on something newer. If you really love the S5, maybe just pay the insurance deductible.
I used to actually fix phones for a living, but I never do just glass on Galaxy phones bc IMO it's just not worth doing. So I would've replaced my own usb port/mic if it didn't require removing the glass.
I wouldn't recommend trying a free warranty even if your water sensors are white, because they'll probably be able to tell the screen was replaced... if they check. Will they? I dunno.
I'd sell you my new warranty but you've already invested a lot in to an aging phone, so I think it's better to cut your losses. I think I have around 300-400 left on it. It'll be unlocked and come with a case and glass screen protector, but it's still a lot on top of everything else.
LucentPhoenix said:
It sounded like the problem might be the USB charging port daughterboard that was the problem. I took a look at the inside, and it did look like that was the only part that got wet.
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I know for a fact that in the S4 the daughterboard with the USB also has this battery temperature sensor in it because this was a repair I performed many times. Just change the board and the phone will charge and function correctly again.
I, however, have NO idea if it's the same on the S5. And apparently not, judging by what you experienced. I'm sorry you had to go through that and I know how much you had to spend on a screen. That sucks.
Good Luck!