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I dropped my xda 1 twice and had to get it repaired. For my xda2 I tried to get a good, secure solution to cover it.
Proporta seems to have a perfect alu case, but I heard that there is a problem with the gsm/gprs connectivity in the closed case.
After getting the info, that there is no cutting in signal strength, I ordered a propota and got on saturday. It does really cut minimum two bars of signal strenth, that means in some areas there is no more signal at all ( in my home for example) and the xda is constantly searching a connection...
But there is a whole in the back beside the camera whole. This is meant for the connection of an external anntena.. So would it be possible to get a connector for that anntena and ad a selfmade thin anntena on the alu case from proporta. I´m absolutly double lefthanded concerning technical things: can anybody tell me if this might be possible and get a good signal in the closed alucase???
Link to proporta case
Do you have the link to the web-site- I have been looking for a secure case
Thnks
never had a prob with signal on my properta aluminium case for xda 1 :\
That's because the XDA I has a dirty great external aerial, whereas the XDA II has a built in one. Hence when you completely enclose it in aluminum it kills the signal.
i dont think it kills signal they wouldnt design a case that does that...
you can put a 3310 inside a metal tin and still ahve signal so it shouldnt effect an triband phone
Have a look at the many posts on these forums, and over at Tekguru, from people who own the Proporta case, including myself, and most say that it definitely does reduce signal strength. It doesn't actually kill it, but it reduces it by a good 2 bars, and lets face it if you're with O2 that's enought to kill it in most circumstances.
I can only report my own findings, but as far as I'm concerned it DEFINITELY reduces signal strength.
Rogh Case for XDAII
I only have an XDA I, but:
Send me a few XDA IIs and I'll make a super tough custom case for you. The material will be Kevlar* fiber reinforced plastic with a little carbon fiber reinforcement here and there. A case like that would cut absolutely no signal stength but withstand your girl stepping onto it with the heel of her stilettos or dropping it on the floor. For a few more XDA IIs I'll make it withstand driving over it in your car as well.
How much would you be willing to pay for such a case, in case you don't have any surplus XDA II to send me?
Martin Kopplow
* similar to the stuff they make bullet proof vests of, but not as flexible.
I have the proporta alu case for both my XDA and XDA II - no signal problems on either devices when in the closed case.
Jon.
These cases are now being sold through o2 store's.
We got 5 in today and there great well reccomended
What price, they are selling for 19.99 on ebay UK.
There going for £24.99 and there the same ones they eb=ven have the company name properta on the insdie.
We only got them today so I doubt any store has them on the shop floor so go in and ask for them
The manager did our ones for £10 so i'm happy.
I just received a message that Innopocket will do the aluminum case for the MDAII/XDAII as well. they will add them to their website today.
My XDA II Porporta Aluminium Case does not reduce my radio signal strength at all either.....Bluetooth remains the same.... :roll:
One thing to note about the Proporta Aluminium Case, the screw which goes onto the caseing itself for usage with the belt clip losens over a period of time casing the unit to drop off from your belt. Do take note of that. I had mine dropping off even though i was sure i had the screw really tight in the case itself :lol:
Hi,
I´ve cut a windows in the case to see who is calling. Signal strenght now is as good as w/o case.
regards
Wolfgang
Nice work
I also have to do some modification on the proporta case, because if you want to use the headphone, the plastic cover is in the way. so i have to make it a bit bigger in the cover
xtac said:
My XDA II Porporta Aluminium Case does not reduce my radio signal strength at all either.....Bluetooth remains the same.... :roll:
One thing to note about the Proporta Aluminium Case, the screw which goes onto the caseing itself for usage with the belt clip losens over a period of time casing the unit to drop off from your belt. Do take note of that. I had mine dropping off even though i was sure i had the screw really tight in the case itself :lol:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have put a drop of Loctite on the threads so when tightened it will never come loose.
But I never use the darn thing now as it kills off the signal completly. 2 bars at the best of time round here.
Might be interested in the kevlar idea if it looks cool. Thats the reason I have an Alu case cos it looks cool.
I have the proporta Al case and it drops at least 2 bars when it is enclosed too. I also had the idea of a flexible thin antenna attached to the back of the case but I can't seem to find the details on the external antenna connector.
If the external antenna connectors are proprietary, why doesn't O2 release the connector? How can a company advertise having the ability to connect to an external antenna if the plug is not available to fit the socket? Does anyone know if the antenna connectors are the same between xda2 and iMate?
It gets even more annoying when it has been out of range for a few minutes and it gets lazy and decides to stop trying to reconnect to GSM and seems to crash the radio stack.
snowdude said:
I have the proporta Al case and it drops at least 2 bars when it is enclosed too. I also had the idea of a flexible thin antenna attached to the back of the case but I can't seem to find the details on the external antenna connector.
If the external antenna connectors are proprietary, why doesn't O2 release the connector? How can a company advertise having the ability to connect to an external antenna if the plug is not available to fit the socket? Does anyone know if the antenna connectors are the same between xda2 and iMate?
It gets even more annoying when it has been out of range for a few minutes and it gets lazy and decides to stop trying to reconnect to GSM and seems to crash the radio stack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too have been looking for the connector for months now, with no luck.
I have also noticed once the phone is out of range for a few minutes, it never bothers to try and reconnect. I am hoping the new firmware will fix this.
I have just installed the new radio stack et al. It may lower the chances of the stack crashing or giving up trying to connect, but I doubt it will provide greater coverage.
it's a nice case mod that one though i would prob put in some windowish thing to protect the screen if it fell on a sharp corner
:?:
I don't know if Telstra is having a bad week or if my metal case is reducing signal strength.
Does anyone else have a metal case for their XDAII and has noticed poor coverage?
Thanks..
ps. yeah I am normally with Optus, I'm using a work sim card while on call.
I will be recieving my metal case this week, so il keep u posted. Got a program that shows the network coverege in %, so il use it to check.
I have read in several posts that the signal strength is weakened up to 40% using the Proporta metal case.
skenliv said:
Got a program that shows the network coverege in %, so il use it to check.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you share the name of this software with us?
I have very bad reception at home. I wish to check the coverage around here.
Yes, i can confirm that it does reduce strenght. This is the reason i have order the new vaja case (www.vajacases.com)
This is an interesting question? I've just purchased my XDA II with some accessories including the metal case - with a Proporta.com label inside. Not sure if this is the one you are referring to but last night I went for a drive in my car. The XDA II was sat in a car holder back to front because the nob that connects to your belt gets in the way. Anyway, my wife called me 5x times whilst I was driving and the phone did not ring at all!
Having said that, I have just come across this forum, read your comments about this and done a test - testing signal strength before and after the case was fitted.
No case: signal strength 2/3
with case: signal strength 2/3
So I don't really know if the case is reducing the signal strength at all, but last night was wierd to say the least! Anymore comments about this would be appreciated.
I was going to use My|Phone´s signal function, and then remotely connect to the XDA II and see what the signal is when the case is closed, and then compare it to when i have it taken out of the case.
I used My|Phone for a bit, and there was a difference between out of the case, in the case and with flap open, and in the case with the flap closed.
Strangely the signal strength was all over the farm, but on the whole i would ahve to say it appeared to be lower in the case.
I love the security the metal case gives me, but I hate how i always have to open the flap to see what is happening with my call etc.
I'm going to look at getting a clear hard plastic case when they are available locally.
How have you all found using the leather case that comes with the XDAII ? I used mine for a day or so but liked the look of the metal one more. My only concern with the leather case was the locking clip, it looked like it could snap off easily?
Yes it does reduce the reception.
I have the proporta aluminium case and it does, but not too much.
Unless you are in a really bad reception area, it shouldn't effect you.
Before I bought it (ebay) I made sure with the seller that if it was going to effect my reception bad enough to miss calls or something I would get my money back.
I'm happy with it.
Yes the case reduces the reception a bit. But not that much. I have "the other" metal case. Not the one from Proporta but I can't remember who made it....
Don't forget that reception will sometimes change depending from the place were you are. There are several places on the road were reception is bad and sometimes I can be sitting at one place and have good reception and suddenly it is almost gone . This is the providers fault :evil:
Wouter
Well I went for a drive in the car today and my wife who was sat next to me rang my phone - Virgin to O2 network. I had the music on and the ring tone I set was too quiet. She rang the phone again, whilst the phone was in the metal case, and sometimes the phone would ring and other times not within a space of a few minutes or so. Upon taking the XDA out of the metal case and putting it back in the phone holder there was no problems!
It's a real shame as I like the case. I am considering taking it back now and using my leather case instead Plus, I can see the metal case getting marked very easily!
Im going to remake my aluminium case as i recieve it. Cut a hole får the screen and put in a plastic window.
I have made more than 40 tests with and without the metal case at several places.
I am using phonedashboard to show the signal level in %.
The metal case is ALWAYS reducing the signal level 15 to 30 digits.
In example I have placed my xda on a table without metal case and the signal level is 80%. Than I have placed the xda again with the metal case on the same place (i have marked the place) and the signal level ist 65 %.
I have made this procedure again and again to get enough data to compare.
Now I have a vaja case and no signal problems any more.
Frank
I wonder if removing some of the case near the antenna would help...
hmm.. I think I'll just get a plastic case...
where do you say that antenna is placed ?
i mean you could think that it's where it was on xda1 but
from this i cant say for sure
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/HimalayaHardwareOverview
not sure if you are talking about the external antenna connector but that would not help unless you connected an antenna to it
the antenna is inside the xda2 and is as long as the device
to 100% free it you would have to cut the case in 1/2
Now i recieved my Aluminium Case for the XDA II. Looks nice, but its very much more bulky than i thought. And the beltclip is a big JOKE, it hangs loose and bad! And besides, there is a belt clip included with the Proporta Alu Case. Just incase you are going to place an order...
Umm, im not shure if i am gonna be satisfied with it, dont quite like it.
One disadvantage of having an internal Phone antenna is that it is easily blocked. The aerial is inside the black plastic at the top.
If you put it in a pocket then it is important that you place it with the screen towards your body so the aerial is unobstructed for receiving calls.
When holding it during calls,it is important not to let your fingers cover the aerila if you are in a weak signal area.
Mike
Sydney Australia
One disadvantage of having an internal Phone antenna is that it is easily blocked. The aerial is inside the black plastic at the top.
If you put it in a pocket then it is important that you place it with the screen towards your body so the aerial is unobstructed for receiving calls.
When holding it during calls,it is important not to let your fingers cover the aerila if you are in a weak signal area.
Mike
Sydney Australia
well the antenna are never fully external
like on the xda1 only some of the antenna is external
it would most likely be internal aswell
for better reception
Hello to everyone,
I recently found a piece of hanging tape on my Ozone. I attempted to stick it back but it wouldn't stick - so I took it off since the back wouldn't fit on the phone afterward.
Since I live in a rural area, the tape seemed to have completely degraded my signal coverage! I have no verizon signal, only when I put my finger on the taped off areas. The moment I remove my finger, signal is lost.
Anyone know what type of tape this is and what I can do to replace it? Does it like... contain some strip of aluminum to strengthen signal coverage?
I'm disappointed in the ozone now, very very cheap.
The tape is located around the camera lense and extends around the speakers to the top of the device.
With all due respect-
Tomi
I just took a look at the back of my Ozone, that tape you are referring to is attached pretty snug like. As many times that I dropped my phone and that back cover pop off, there appears to be no wear or tear.
In hindsight, probably would have been better to have left the tape alone or smoothed it out so that the cover would close. It can only be assumed that the antenna is somehow meshed in that tape as it appears to be the only logical place for it to be due to the overwhelming size of the battery. Your loss of signal confirms this.
I hope you got insurance on your phone. Pay the $50.00 and have it replaced.
jtraveler said:
I just took a look at the back of my Ozone, that tape you are referring to is attached pretty snug like. As many times that I dropped my phone and that back cover pop off, there appears to be no wear or tear.
In hindsight, probably would have been better to have left the tape alone or smoothed it out so that the cover would close. It can only be assumed that the antenna is somehow meshed in that tape as it appears to be the only logical place for it to be due to the overwhelming size of the battery. Your loss of signal confirms this.
I hope you got insurance on your phone. Pay the $50.00 and have it replaced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure, I called the company but I have already used 2 claims on my older Motorola Q, one time when I lost it in my junior year of Highschool last year and this summer where my replacement fell into a swimming pool and I had to get another one. So I can't use the company anymore.
I ordered one of those "antenna boosters" from amazon, seeing that they are tape too - I''m wondering if that'll work?
I want to figure a solution out to what can be done if this happens to other ozone users who remove the tape from the back of the phone. The fact of the matter is, the ozone is a cheap phone if it has to have tape on the back of it just to sustain signal coverage. It really is a shame. Not only this, the phone overheats so fast when I use wmwifirouter to access internet, it's not even funny. I'm using my old Q now and that doesn't heat up to 25% of what the Ozone got to.
Does anyone know what this material could be and how i could replace it? would putting a copper wire or an aluminum piece help? I miss evdo rev.a, which my Q9m does not have and since I live in the woods with a 1.5 mile long driveway evdo rev. a helped a lot with internet service. Otherwise I have dial-up at home, and evdo rev.0 on the q is a lot slower. So I miss my ozone to a degree..
Thanks -
Tomi
Hey guys, this is my first post here, finally made myself register
So i just bought the nexus one and now i have my old g1 free to be modified.
soon im going on holiday and i know for a fact that im going to have next to know cell phone signal, and no wifi. for some reason its in a 1 block wide dead zone, and t-mobile just cant seem to push through.
Ive taken apart my phone before to replace the digitizer so im fairly familiar with the inner workings, and id like to attempt to make an external antenna for my g1, so i can tether and get a signal when i cant normally find one.
From what i can tell by disassembling the phone is that antenna is basically , lack of a better term, the thin piece of sheet metal along the back of the phone behind the plastic. There are 2 of these pieces, one im assuming for the gps and one for the phone
How much luck do you think i would have if i attached a wire to this sheet, then to a extra wifi antenna i have laying around, or makeshift parabola? i have no inhibitions to tearing the phone apart as its my extra and i like tinkering with it.
any ideas?
You could try a wire, but it has to be coat hanger.
You may be able to increse reception a little by putting the phone at the focal point of a parabola but, then it would be dificult to use the thing.
I think I'd like to see pictures.
Sounds pretty possible, though.
Edit: old thread. -_-
this wiki could give some insight as to how it can be done:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-range_Wi-Fi
but where is the antenna lead on the mobo? I would get some 26 gauge wire and solder it onto the point, and start testing it out with a breadboard or similar connection...
You can't really just attach a coat hanger to a transmitter, you'll eventually burn out the radio. You need to have the proper antenna.
I'm interested in the V20 but I'm hesitant due to the poor signal it has. What I'd like is for some people to measure their signal then take off the rear cover and measure the signal again. I'm thinking the reason the phone is known for poor signal is due what I think it has is an aluminum back cover.
If you can post -dbm before and after, that would be most useful.
On a hardware level the V20 does not have poor signal reception. In fact it's the best fone I've owned in that regard and also the signal does not drop when I hold it in my hand unlike my previous G5 did.
The antennas are located in the bottom and top chins, not the back cover. The bottom one is I read for carrier signal. The chins are plastic which is good for reception.
If you have bad signal if could be for other reasons such as your location, your carrier, the load on the network, bad software setup etc.
and I have just checked - same signal with and without the alu back, in line with the fact that the the antenna for telephone reception is in the bottom plastic - some have added another antenna, in addition to a rubber back with one of the extended batteries, you can search for that. Other with bad signals has added copper or tin foil at the contacts to ensure good contact between the motherboard and the antenna in the top for gps/ bottom for telephone signal.