I'm a T-Mobile rep and my G1 screen died after about ten days of moderate use. I was at the store doing some web browsing when the screen stopped responding to touch. Closed the keyboard and opened again and the phone froze. Hard reset and phone started up, slip open keyboard and screen went black. Hard reset again, no dice. Tried recovery mode, nothing. Called my phone and it rings and I can answer.
I'm guessing ribbon cable. Played about sliding the keyboard half way in and out, etc and occasionally screen backlight would show for a moment. Investigating further, sliding mechanism had pushed back the "s" ribbon cable causing the problems. The ribbon cable was actually folded back. There is very tight tolerance there. This is probably the reason for our other two G1's returned to our store for screen problems. This is a serious design flaw that will affect many G1's over time. The sliding mechanism will catch the lip of the ribbon.
The good news is that my replacement has a fix to the problem. T-Mobile and HTC has apparently quietly made a revision to the design. My new G1 has some teflon tape running from far left side of the slide channel all the way to ribbon cable. This helps prevent the slide mechanism from catching on the lip of ribbon. Checked co-workers with older G1's and they didn't have the longer piece of tape. Sold one today to customer, checked in the slide channel and bingo, longer teflon tape.
Just a heads up guys. The boxes don't have date stamps like most of our phones so you won't know if it has the fix until you open it.
Kind of a bummer since I got mine on ebay soon after it came out. Is this something I could fix myself by opening it up or do you need an "expert" to do it?
You should be able to be proactive before damage has been done. With phone upside down and keyboard open and facing you look in the groove that the slide mechanism goes. On the side facing you, you will see where the ribbon cable attaches to the wall. It will probably have 1/2" or less of a white teflon tape at that point. On the revised G1, that white tape runs from the ribbon all the way to the edge of the screen width. Basically the new tape is half the screen width wide.
You could probably use a teflon or other slick surfaced tape to cover the area the sliding mechanism tracks. That yellow cellophane-like tape that comes with temp sensors for computer components would probably work good as it is stiff enough to wiggle it where it needs to go without having to take screen apart.
I would take pics but my camera has shot craps.
This?
No, hold phone with screen facing you and upside down so usb port it at top. Open screen. Look down at screen assembly where it looks hollow or a channel. Do you see the slide hinge assembly and ribbon cable now.
Oh like under here? I added a little padding to fix the creek so I think I'm fine.
Wish I had a pic. Take that picture you just posted. Now rotate phone 90 degrees counter-clockwise. USB should be on top. Now tip the phone towards you. You are now looking at bottom of phone, you should be looking directly at the charge port. Look directly left, you'll be looking at bottom edge of the slide out screen, right. Do you see how the bottom of the screen looks hollow, about 1/2" deep channel, inside is the hinge and ribbon cable. Sorry to confuse.
DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!!! Thanks for the picture so others will know what I'm talking about.
Do you see where the ribbon cable is adhered to the inner wall, that is the weak point.
Well I see like a piece of metal with the ribbon sliding back and forth as you open it.
When you barely start to open it you'll see how that "piece of metal" slides over where the ribbon cable affixes. There is a tight clearance there. What can happen is that "piece of metal" starts to get hung up on the edge of the ribbon, eventually peeling the ribbon back. They fixed the problem by placing a tape over where the "piece of metal" tracks thus removing the edge to get snagged on. I suck at explaining things.
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Great picture as it shows the ribbon cable in question. The area in question is where the cable is affixed on the right side as viewed in the above photo.
Hey thanks for the heads up (and the repeated instructions). I inserted a piece of electrical tape over the metal part so it will move more smoothly over.
Hi there i was just wondering what if the damage has already been done. Unfourtunatly the ribbon cable on mine has already been damaged. Now i took it to a repair shop and he said he could not find the part anywhere. I'm wonder can i tape up the old cable and get it to work... or where can i find a new one. Btw I am in Canada i bought the phone off some person so i do not have any warranty. thanks for anyhelp in advance
I've never seen this issue before at my store. I'm sure it could happen but I don't really see this as a huge issue, yet. Our store displays get abused so much and constantly slide open and closed and they show no signs of problems. I will def. keep an eye out for this issue.
--------bump.
How do I tell if I have the tape? What color is it?
P.S. I am looking in the right spot so don't tell me where to look
can someone post a picture of the white teflon tape on the original G1 and the revised G1. Here is a picture of my phone, from what I read I am guessing I have the old phone prior to the fix, but I am not sure...
Two more pictures, I guess this is the revised version with the long tape.
Edit: just links to the jpegs: first, second.
Related
I am slightly worried about the mini-USB connector on my QTEK 9100 as it seems to have a little bit of 'play' in it - i.e. it can be moved slightly and so seems loose.
I have read various threads about the connectors breaking and either being pushed into the device or simply falling out. Some people seem to have had some success getting them replaced or repaired under warranty, others haven't. Since I bought mine off eBay last year I think I am pretty much out of luck regarding warranty.
Anyway if I take the stylus or something similar and push the metal edge of the mini-USB connector it moves slightly within the over-sized hole in the plastic case (there is a very slight gap all around the metal outer part of the mini-USB connector and the hole in the plastic case). I am not sure whether it has always done this or it is becoming loose. Can someone else check whether their mini-USB connector moves slightly in the manner I describe or if theirs is solid? It is only a very slight movement but really that is all it has the ability to move since the gap between the metal and the plastic is very small.
The connection seems OK to my PC and I have upgraded the ROM a few times recently but this slight movement is getting me a bit concerned that it is going to break shortly and since this is the only way to charge it I will be left a bit stuck
If it is on it's way out what are my options and what are the likely costs? I don't think I have any warranty case and I am in the UK.
Thanks
Andy
loose mini-USB connector
My MDA also had a loose mini USB connector over time it continued to become loose until it finially brokw. I was forunate that T-Mobile did replace it under warranty.
I did find a company ont he internet that charges $60 to replace the MDA with a new mini USB Connector. It does require the device to be shipped to them.
Here is ther website address:
http://www.pocketpctechs.com/
Good Luck
I have applied a rather crude fix by inserting some small pieces of card (I cut up a business card) around the slight gap between the outer metal part of the mini-USB connector and the surrounding plastic. This seems to have stopped the connector moving, although I still think the damage may have been done
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It's charging and syncing without any issues though so I will see how it goes.
Andy
Loose Stylus & Mini USB inspection.....
My Wizard has recently developed the loose stylus issue outlined here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=247497&highlight=loose+stylus
I have followed the instructions to 'strengthen' the small plastic retention tab using a bit of silicone which is currently drying.....
Whilst I had the back off I decided to take a look at the Mini USB connector and see if there was any damage. Well it looks like three of the four solder pads at either corner of the connector have become 'unstuck' from the circuit board (see attached image). I have some experience of soldering but I am a little worried that I may damage something else with the heat if I attempt to touch each of the pads to re-secure it. The five data pins at the rear all seem OK, it is just these ground/earth ones.
Has anyone else performed this repair successfully?
Andy (slightly worried )
Since the replies were so encouraging I went ahead and re-soldered the pads and it's still working......
The silicone didn't work so I removed it and inserted a small piece of plastic and re-siliconed it in place. It's better than it was originally now
I think I'll take the back off again in a few weeks and see how the mini USB connector is. Any other advice as to keeping the USB connector intact?
Andy
Hi,
I have a post about red/orange light in this forum, do you reckon that the broken usb connector could be whats causing my problem? Do you have a guide to dismantling the MINI?
Thanks
Service Manual on FTP
mrhaddock said:
Hi,
I have a post about red/orange light in this forum, do you reckon that the broken usb connector could be whats causing my problem? Do you have a guide to dismantling the MINI?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the link I posted in the 4th post. There is a service manual on the FTP.
The trickiest bit it unlocking the hooks on the back panel - it feels like you are going to snap the thing
ftp://ftp.xda-developers.com/Wizard/Docs_Tutorials/
HTH
Andy
ADB100 said:
Whilst I had the back off I decided to take a look at the Mini USB connector and see if there was any damage. Well it looks like three of the four solder pads at either corner of the connector have become 'unstuck' from the circuit board (see attached image). I have some experience of soldering but I am a little worried that I may damage something else with the heat if I attempt to touch each of the pads to re-secure it. The five data pins at the rear all seem OK, it is just these ground/earth ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had a MP3 player which has the same problem with the output jack (for the ear phone). The solder became loose and I get irritating silences during the music play back. I solve the problem by applying superglue on top of it because the circuits there are just way too small for my (or any other human) soldering skill.
Anyway, for this case, it seems that the ground is large enough to withstand minor heat from the solder. And, chances are, since it ground, in most cases thick/wide enough most of the way (as to absorb any 'distrubances') before it reaches any IC which is what you need to be really careful of.
First, it'd like to thank
MikeChannon
for pointing out something important that narrowed down my testing.
Now, onto the problem Symptoms :
- D-Pad, IE and Email buttons cease to work
- Screen fades to white or comes back from standby as white
- Display is slight disaligned to the side, 1mm of left appears on right side.
- Randomness in all above symptoms.
Cause : It is the D-Pad connector.
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Yes, the D-Pad connection DOES cause the whitescreen. It's odd and illogical, but this is the conclusion I have reached.
ALL the previous guides, such as sliding plastic between the screen and casing, were randomly moving things inside.
By CHANCE ONLY it'd affect the D-Pad connector positively. That is why such solutions only worked for a few people temporarely.
SOLUTION :
You will need to try variants of the following things :
- Tightness of the screws over the connector
- Disconnecting the plug and reconnecting it very carefully
- Pressure over the bibbon between the D-Pad connector and the screen.
- Pressure over the D-Pad connector itself
- Tightness of the screws over the D-Pad PCD
- Tightness of the screws closing the plastic casing of this part of the phone
To stress-test the variants, I ran a D-Pad intensive game (Skyforce) for 30 minutes or until the symptoms came back.
I've played around with all those, giving mixed results, but definitively making a difference.
My final and best result was by putting a thin foam piece over the blue parts in the picture below. (Ignore the red circles, original picture is taken from a website)
The foam I used was the typical foam sheets you find in packaging for fragile electronics such as motherboards, hard drives, graphic cards etc. It has to be super thing in other to close the casing without buldges.
There isn't a specific thing you can do that will make your D-Pad be reliable and the whitescreen to go away. You'll have to do several tests, so I recommend you keep your phone disassembled while testing. The connector is VERY VERY SENSITIVE. That is why I cannot be any more precise in how to fix this. However, you NOW KNOW what causes the screen to freak out and buttons to stop working.
What I did for testing :
I have tested my phone while it was completely disassembled. Meaning I had the back of the monitor open, as seen in the picture above.
That way, I could fiddle around and instantly test the result.
I've fiddle with the cables, the screen pressure, everything. Nothing returned the screen from being white or becoming white.
Putting pressure D-Pad connector's ribbon or actual pin caused the screen to either turn on white, or fade to white. (Results often noticed only after going in & out of standby)
It also caused my D-Pad buttons and the top 2 buttons (IE & Email) to either work or not work.
Oh and this is my testing setup. Elastic band to hold the battery in place, everything else opened. However, I had to place/remove the backcover of the screen part of the phone to test as it affects the pressure put on the connector.
wow. I don't have balls to break apart my 8525 like that.
mutantblack said:
wow. I don't have balls to break apart my 8525 like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well this fix is for those who got a big enough problem and can't return it under warranty.
Anyhow, taking apart the TyTN is quite simple, and the thing is sturdy.
Only and only the D-Pad connector is tricky. The big ribbon connecting the two halfs of the phone is quite solid and never caused problems.
guys... what/where can i get the screw driver to open this mofo... it looks like a hex allen wrench but that doesnt work...
i have had this issue for months now and will try anything to fix it but i need to know where i can get this screw driver and fast!!!!
So it is a problem with the connector itself or cause by flex in the cable?
Also, where are you putty pressure on the connector? Are you saying if the screws are too tight this is a problem as well.
jwagman1 said:
guys... what/where can i get the screw driver to open this mofo... it looks like a hex allen wrench but that doesnt work...
i have had this issue for months now and will try anything to fix it but i need to know where i can get this screw driver and fast!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a TORX No6 screwdriver you need. Available online or from stores like Maplin who sell Phone screwdriver sets.
Check out links in the Wiki here or in my signature for internal pics, dismantling guides and to download the service manual (that also has a dismantling walkthrough)
Mike
Vasichko said:
So it is a problem with the connector itself or cause by flex in the cable?
Also, where are you putty pressure on the connector? Are you saying if the screws are too tight this is a problem as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to me there may be a bit of trial and error regarding the fix. The service manual points out that the d-pad connector must be precisely inserted and absolutely level. So both under-tightening the screws or over-tightening could distort the connection. If you have it apart, take out and reconnect the push in connector several times This helps to ensure there is no oxidisation on the contacts.
(PS. this is not my fix so I cannot testify that it will work for you, though I believe it is on the right track, at least for some cases of this problem)
Mike
It's really intersting to know I'm not alone to have this issue ...
Do you have a site who describe how to open the Hermes ?
Thanks
mikechannon said:
It's a TORX No6 screwdriver you need. Available online or from stores like Maplin who sell Phone screwdriver sets.
Check out links in the Wiki here or in my signature for internal pics, dismantling guides and to download the service manual (that also has a dismantling walkthrough)
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU!! amazon.com overnight!!! woooo
I tried this diy.
I didnt have a small enough phillips to remove the screws from the connector on the D-Pad.
Know where I can get one?
So I took all the connections, put some automotive electronic connection cleaner on a q-tip and cleaned all of the other ones.
I used some automotive light double sided adhesive that you can get at Auto Zone instead of form. I only used 1 side of the adhesive and didnt peal the other side off, if it doesnt work, its easily removeable, just wanted to make sure it stays in place when I re-assemble the phone.
I also added some in a place you didnt which I show in yellow on your photo.
So far so good after 5 minutes.
Mine PDA was also totally disassembled and atleast in my device the problem wasn't a faulty connector.. I had the front panel off and when I squeezed the Xilinx fpga-chip(black square on d-pad circuitboard) the the screen worked fine -when i took my fingers off it faded back to white. Earlier I also tried re-soldering the connector but it didnt work on my device.
marciton said:
It's really intersting to know I'm not alone to have this issue ...
Do you have a site who describe how to open the Hermes ?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dismantling guides and the service manual:
www.mikechannon.net
Mike
Hermes / TyTn / 8525 White Screen
Hey guy,
Nice write-up.
Good that someone has taken the time to experiment with different procedures.
I gave up on mine, after taking it apart time and time again.
-Reseating the cables and completely disassembling the unit was a tempereary fix, so I sold it on eBay for a parts / repair.
I just purchased another on eBay.
This time, instead of getting worked up about the white screen of death, I had purchased a warranty from www.squaretrade.com.
I am not an AT&T customer, so I unlocked the phone.
Neither AT&T or HTC can help when you dont have their service , or it's a branded phone.
Keep up the good work.
So far since my post before lunch today. No problems at all.
It used to white out when taking a picture with the camera, randomly when sliding out the keyboard, randomly when using the D-Pad.
No problems at all today after doing this fix posted here and adding the extra pad that I did.
im gonna have to try this when i get my new housing....anyone know where i can get a front camera?
Just giving another update. So far so good, no problems at all.
DPad no longer has the issue of not working here and there.
White screen issues appear to be gone.
Hopefully for good.
I will still post updates so you all can know the status.
Thx again for the right up. I will post some pics of the type of tape I used as well.
I have the rest of december left on my warranty. Do you guys think PPCtechs will know how to fix this? i don't want to send it to them and have it sent back with the same probs (like they did last time i sent it in to get my scroll wheel and camera lense repaired).
Miguel- said:
Mine PDA was also totally disassembled and atleast in my device the problem wasn't a faulty connector.. I had the front panel off and when I squeezed the Xilinx fpga-chip(black square on d-pad circuitboard) the the screen worked fine -when i took my fingers off it faded back to white. Earlier I also tried re-soldering the connector but it didnt work on my device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes indeed, re-aligning and reconnecting the connector works for many but will not work for all. There are, as you say instances where it is a chip connection that's at fault. There is little if anything you can do with that problem other than board replacement unless you have the correct tools - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1724236&postcount=66
Mike
It looks to be a design flaw. I dropped my maybe 3ft on the carpet yesterday and got the white screen issue. I took apart and looked at the connector in question. Even with it screwed in you can unplug it half way. So I added some more padding.
I think part of the problem is that coming from the back of the LCD to the DPad board or whatever you call it, the angle of the ribbon cable declines.
I have some debris under my screen cover and want to remove those, so want to find some instructions on how to disassemble and reassemble it. I'm not sure if I can do it myself without damaging the device. =(
Port covers are ordered already.
I've found some info myself here.
So I disassembled my and managed to assemble it back successfully =)
Do not try described below if you are not absolutely sure what you are doing, as it may damage your device and will void your warranty.
Here is my quick guide:
1. Remove rubber pads covering the screws on the back. Pay attention, that they are not same, two closer to the battery are not flat.
2. Remove the screws. My were really well tightened
3. Now you should remove the decorative rubber battery covers. The are fixed with a number of plastic latches on the upper (screen) side. Bottom side is placed on a number of forks (small cylinders), so the bottom side wont go, start with the top. I used a small screw driver and a hard-plastic card (like credit one). Be careful, as the latches can be easily broken, don push too hard.
4. Now you are good to go with the case itself. You can start from the left corner (closest to the camera). I used my fingers to pull up the top cover (with the glass) and inserted the card in the gap, then moving it vertically (perpendicular to the screen) unlocked the side latches. There are 4 of them if I recall right. Just shake the card and it's done. Then proceed to the right side th same way. It is harder to pull the cover there, but with a little help of a small screw driver it went quite well. After the right is unlocked, I moved the card horizontally around the corner of the screen, so it was still in the gap, and then vertically unlocked the bottom side latches. You are done.
5. Be careful when removing the screen as it is wired to the mb by 2 wires with small connectors and a flat cable on the bottom side (opposite to the battery side), also with a connector. Those connectors are easily unplugged and plugged back.
6. If you want to remove the screen, it is attached by 4 side screws to the metal frame (ye, Adam has quite tough metal frame inside). Though be careful, as the lcd is wired to the glass with a touchscreen flat cable, I did not try to disconnect it.
To assemble Adam, perform the actions in reverse:
1. Attach the lcd to the frame with the screws
2. Connect the screen cables to the mb
3. Put the screen on the back part and push those together firmly, to lock the latches
4. Insert the rubber covers. Mind the placement, though the won't fit wrongly. I used the card to push the latches to insert them.
5. Tighten the screws and place back the small rubber screws plugs, mind the correct position for the top two, as they are not symmetrical.
So what was my goal? I just wanted to remove debris from under the glass, those were very annoying. If you have those, you may try my way, but be sure you are doing it in dust free environment, or you'll just make things worse =) I used photo lens cleaning kit, to blow them away, but high pressure air can (those are sold to clean electronics), but it was about 25$ at my local store =(
As for the debris reason, I think it is not because of ports or other gaps in the case, it seems, that it comes from the lcd panel itself. Seems like panel manufacturer does not pay enough attention to dust-free conditions, so although Adam seems to be assembled in clean conditions, this debris falls from the gaps between the lcd frame and panel itself right to the gap between it and the glass. The screen and glass have some perimeter foam stripes, so the dust from outside can hardly get there.
All in all, I was impressed, how Adam is built, I would say it is of great quality, not perfect, but anyway. Comparable to Apple products, imo. It will surely survive quite a number of disassemble-assemble cycles.
And yes, there is enough room inside for modding, but I can't imagine what else would I've wanted to add to it. Maybe just external GPS antenna port or inner fixed sdhc card for extra space.
Feel free to ask, if you have any questions.
And do not try described above if you are not absolutely sure in what you are doing, as it may damage your device and will void your warranty.
I can recommend a glass-mount base of for example a navigation holder stefan
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strahl said:
I can recommend a glass-mount base
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good idea, will try it next time. This one was actually my first experience with any capacitive-touch device.
I don't remember where I heard this but I like the idea. Is it possible to replace the screen with a screen from a zoom or an Acer or Asus? I don't like some of the qquirkier things of the screen so. I would appreciate your opinion and thanx for this guide!
Sent from my Adam using Tapatalk
craby1925 said:
Is it possible to replace the screen with a screen from a zoom or an Acer or Asus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It totally depends on the lcd panel you wont to exchange current with. It is not totally impossible, I think, but it's certainly a challenge for a pro.
I've also performed some for-fun modding to my Adam, to make activity/power leds more visible and less 'disco'.
Used two pieces of optical cable to route light where it should go and not highlight everything around. Also had to cover the leds with adhesive tape and covered the gaps around the cable and case with sealant (from inside of course) for better exterior. Also, charging (violet) state is clearly visible now.
(Clickable for fullsize)
Also, you may notice a strange inner button in Adam(top of the first picture), but it does not seem to perform any action (at least on home screen, where I tried).
PsychodelEKS said:
Also, you may notice a strange inner button in Adam(top of the first picture), but it does not seem to perform any action (at least on home screen, where I tried).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that this the "recovery button" as described in http://developer.download.nvidia.com/tegra/docs/harmony_hw_setup.pdf. I once managed to make my bootloader crash and with this button I was able to flash my Adam again (see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11769749&postcount=56).
stefan
strahl said:
this the "recovery button"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Luckyly for me it was not "wipe all" button =)
Cool! I opened it up and fixed my battery charging issue!
Thanks.
craby1925 said:
I don't remember where I heard this but I like the idea. Is it possible to replace the screen with a screen from a zoom or an Acer or Asus? I don't like some of the qquirkier things of the screen so. I would appreciate your opinion and thanx for this guide!
Sent from my Adam using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@craby did u ever happen to find out an alternate screen that goes well with the adam
i broke mine when trying to open, and my adam lies waste witout a screen
i would like to get hands on some sort of patch to allow me replace this screen with another keyboard or joystick ..
anyone who has such a patch already ?
I was hoping to find any information at all that might suggest that the ZE551ML screen can be used on the ZE551KL. I haven't wanted to disassemble my phone, in case I decide to opt for an official screen replacement. Unfortunately, I haven't found any disassembly guides or photographs or videos yet.
Thanks!
psi_star_psi said:
I was hoping to find any information at all that might suggest that the ZE551ML screen can be used on the ZE551KL. I haven't wanted to disassemble my phone, in case I decide to opt for an official screen replacement. Unfortunately, I haven't found any disassembly guides or photographs or videos yet.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I started my repair of the ZE551KL today. After you remove the user replaceable battery and the screws that allow you to take off the plastic shell, it appears quite different than the inside of the ZE551ML as seen in this video: youtube.com/watch?v=5X0dkhKNqm4
There's a coaxial cable in the same spot as it is in the ZE551ML, and two ribbons pulled through the top portion of the motherboard which are presumably the display cables.
But how one would go about removing the mother board to gain access to the display assembly and metal backing plate I have no idea. I suppose I have no choice but to poke and prod at it a bit, same goes with removing the ribbons before I attempt to remove the motherboard. Is there even a separate daughterboard at the bottom of the phone like the ZE551ML?
Another thing I can already see being an issue is that the display seems to be fused to the frame of the phone with something incredibly strong. They appear to be just one solid piece of metal/plastic. I guess I'll cross that bridge if I ever get to it.
Attached image: Phone with broken display assembly still attached, next to replacement display assembly sitting face down.
The replacement part that I bought: ebay.com/itm/272208004464 (NEW ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser 5.5 ZE551KL LCD Display Touch Screen Digitizer Assembly) by seller: wwon_one
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OK, that ended up being pretty easy. There's no difficult battery removal like with the ZE551ML, the motherboard is one solid unit, and the top speaker does not need to be detached and glued back into place. Also, the coaxial cable disconnects with a user friendly plug made for human fingers, although my memory is fuzzy on whether you actually need to disconnect it at all, but that will all be self evident as you take the phone apart.
There motherboard is one solid unit with an L shaped arm extending towards the bottom of the phone. It's merely snapped in place with a few plastic tabs that are stretched outward or pushed inward to release the motherboard from the the frame below.
The coaxial cable's connections are NOT removed at the positions I have highlighted, instead there is a user friendly plug that you can almost make out in the photo which resides to the left of the bottom (non-removable) coxial connection point I previously pointed out in the diagram. To reiterate, I'm not sure whether the coxial connection requires manipulation or if it just sort of pops in and out of place on it's own as you take the phone apart. Unlike the ZE551ML, the top speaker will remain attached and doesn't need to be refastened with adhesive.
At the bottom left of the phone there is a soft, black rectangular rubber module which disconnects that is either the speaker or the vibration motor. At any rate, it's easy to reconnect when you reassemble the phone. Pulling the two display cables through the bottom of the motherboard is essentially the same as you'll see in a ZE551ML repair video. Prior to that, disconnecting the old display ribbons took a surprising amount of force, but since they are part of the broken part of the phone you are replacing, there isn't much to lose.
The most challenging part of the repair is separating your old broken screen and display assembly from the frame of the phone without breaking that thin, plastic frame. You'll need something that can function as a plastic spudger tool to pry the screen free and something to apply heat to the edges of the phone to make that possible in the first place. I used a hair dryer that was disappointingly hot at maximum heat. As a result, I probably used excessive force and created a small break in the thin plastic frame of the phone in the process of removing the old screen, but it's really no worse for the wear. Contributing to my minor error was the fact that I used a plastic cake knife that I imagine had a thicker taper and larger initial contact point than the ideal plastic prying tool.
In order to secure the new display assembly in place, you'll want to buy double sided adhesive tape made for phone repair as suggested in the youtube video for repairing the ZE551ML. From the research I did, it seems well worth the 6 to 10 dollars instead of trying to use super glue or the existing adhesive left behind (what's left behind won't be strong enough to seat the display assembly perfectly, which is supposedly what you need for the phone to survive minor falls in the future, as well as perhaps for the touchscreen to function perfectly.)
Here is a partial disassembly video I found.
It's actually more like a motherboard teardown, but you can follow it up to 1:20. After that, peel away the top-left display cable. Then heat up the edges of the screen from the front side, while using a tool to pry the glass screen from the plastic housing.
So I dropped my phone and broke the front glass. LCD works but not touch-screen so pretty much useless. I decided to take it apart first to see how hard it would be to replace the screen as I could see screens can be bought from AliExpress for about 65 USD or 99 USD from elephone.hk.
Took some pictures along the way as I couldn't find any images of the internals of this phone online so this might help someone trying to replace their screen or just thinking about it.
1) Back cover - this comes off rather easily once you get something between the edge and start nudging the clips to open. Notice that the whole back cover is glued a bit to the battery so even after getting all the edges open I still had to use some force to remove it from the battery. PS: The side-buttons are attached to the cover also so try not to hurt those while removing the back.
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2) Next I removed the bottom half cover to see if I could access the screen cables from there. Notice that the black ribbon that goes to the screen is the home button LED light and cannot be removed without unsoldering it!
3) I took off the top cover and unhooked the battery.
4) The battery - It's glued to the metal frame using 2 strips of glue and it took me 10 minutes to get it out safely without damaging it (it's soft so you can probably easily make it explode in your hands).
5) Took me some thinking but I removed the whole main board. The bottom side is glued and I had to break some black "paper" to get it out.
6) Screen - After getting the main board out I had enough room to force the screen out. Notice that the screen is glued from the top and bottom but sides are not glued. Some sensor cable from the front panel is glued to the camera's LED lights. The speaker was a bit hard to take out and I managed to break one of the soldered cables for that :S The bottom of the screen was glued on extremely hard.
Some notes: You definitely need to remove the battery as the screen cable runs underneath it. I'm not certain you need to remove the main board as it seemed you might be able to replace the front screen without taking that off. There's a lot of glued stuff in there so you better have good tools to pull things apart without breaking it.
So finally after having taken it apart enough and asserting a few things I decided that replacing the whole screen and re-building it will take too much time. I just saw a deal for $199 with wireless charger included. So having a choice of $65 new screen + 4 weeks of waiting and then spending 2 hours trying to replace it or buying a new one for $199 and getting a wireless charger + extra USB-C cable - I just ordered a new one. Plus I get to keep the old phone parts around for spares in case any of the side-buttons or front-speaker etc break
Just a note - my phone was in the official flip-cover when falling and got hit into the bottom right front corner and the cracks went all over the screen. I'm rather certain now that the phone's front glass panel is rather fragile and while having the silicone enclosure would've saved it in my case it's still a bit easy to break.
PS: Just wanted to add that I was actually genuinely impressed by the overall quality of the phone and Elephone in general for providing decent updates and support and assembly quality was good so while the glass panel is fragile I still decided to order a new phone from them!
Hi, I also had to replace the screen, so I tore down the phone before I ordered the new screen to see if I could do it safely. And I did (I didn't have to remove the main board, I just removed the screws and left it loose so I could remove the flat cable from the top. The problem is the screen took a couple of weeks to arrive and now I don't remember where a couple of small metal pieces that looks like contacts go. One is golden and the other is silver, both very small, looks like they fit in something similar to the antenna connector. Do you have any ideas of where are they supposed to go?
llucax said:
Hi, I also had to replace the screen, so I tore down the phone before I ordered the new screen to see if I could do it safely. And I did (I didn't have to remove the main board, I just removed the screws and left it loose so I could remove the flat cable from the top. The problem is the screen took a couple of weeks to arrive and now I don't remember where a couple of small metal pieces that looks like contacts go. One is golden and the other is silver, both very small, looks like they fit in something similar to the antenna connector. Do you have any ideas of where are they supposed to go?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot remember exactly either, but I think there were two of them.
One of them was visible on this pic in the top right area, above the cable that goes under the LED lights.
The other one I remember had a similar purpose, but since I packed the parts away already I cannot remember where and it would take too much time to re-piece it together to figure it out.
(Exactly the reason why I decided to go for the new one instead of replacing the screen).
xataxxx said:
I cannot remember exactly either, but I think there were two of them.
One of them was visible on this pic in the top right area, above the cable that goes under the LED lights.
The other one I remember had a similar purpose, but since I packed the parts away already I cannot remember where and it would take too much time to re-piece it together to figure it out.
(Exactly the reason why I decided to go for the new one instead of replacing the screen).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I finally figured it out. Yes, I saw the one in the pic, and the other one goes in the bottom part, on the right, just below the top right screw to hold the plastic bottom part. I finally managed to assemble everything back with the new screen and it works perfectly. Thanks!
i also have to change my display screen hopefully new arrives soon and the change is not to complicated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irDOXh1QoKE
And last few minutes of this showing how to remove the back cover
Hi,
I'm thinking of taking my back panel off for the purposes of fixing the GPS connections as advised here: http://bbs.elephone.hk/thread-11201-1-3.html#.V9SPfygrKM9
Now the op talks about aligning the springs with the backpanel connectors. Can someone take whichever picture is above and highlight which springs they mean?
i broke my screen on this phone, i have horizontal lines appearing on it, have tried three new screen and all display the same, i think there is a problem with mainboard after it was dropped so i am going to buy a new mainboard, anyone else experience this issue, when i wake it up its fine but after a second the lines come up, im pretty sure the screens are fine but something comes up and makes the lines
I've got this phone. I kept it in a safe place disassembled and at that time it was working, some days ago when reassembling the device, it shows no sign of life whatsoever, nor power up or charging battery; I thought the battery was completely dead, bought a brand new one but same situation... Do you think is possible that some kind of oxydation prevents the phone charging and power up? If connected to PC via usb cable, it shows Mediatek Preloader, so I think the phone is not dead.... Thank you all for answering, regards.