Database Users

[Q] Wonky Proximity Sensor?

Hey guys,
I've bought a slightly used myTouch 4G off of Craigslist to replace my Vibrant.
I've rooted and modded the MT4G and I'm currently running CM 7.2 RC0. I followed the step-by-step directions from the CM Wiki.
I've found what I think is a problematic proximity sensor reading. Every time I place or receive a phone call, the screen blanks out. The only way I've found to bring the device back, is to wait for the phone call to disconnect and then receive another incoming call. This _usually_ will reactivate the display. As long as I don't answer that phone call, the display will remain active.
I downloaded a proximity sensor app off of the market and according to the app the proximity sensor is engaged 100% of the time (which explains the behavior a little bit). But I don't know whether or not to trust this app.
I've tried tinkering with every proximity setting I can find, both in the phone's settings and in the extra settings that CM ships with.
Edit: I'm sorry for not mentioning it earlier, but I have done a bit of research on the proximity sensor. I don't think there's any kind of screen protector that might be obscuring the sensor.
What are the chances that the phone's proximity sensor is damaged? Is there any way to spoof that value and override what the sensor is repeating back to the OS?
Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?
For what it's worth, here's some information from About Phone:
Android Version: 2.3.7
Baseband Version: 12.28b.60.140eU_26.03.02.26_M
Kernel Version: 2.6.35.14-cyanogenmod-g295e82f [email protected] #1
Mod Version: CyanogenMod-7.2.0-RC0-glacier-KANG
Build Number: GWK74
Thanks in advance for taking a look

Are you using a case? My wife bought a cheap case that covered the prox sensor and it behaved exactly how you said.
Edit: I found an app in the market called Hardware Disabler. It scans your device for drivers and disables whatever you select. The problem is it only gives you the driver's name, not what it works for. If you can identify the driver (perhaps a knowledgable dev could help) you could kill that baby on startup.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

Yeah, sorry I didn't mention it before. I've got nothing that I can think of that would be interfering with the proximity sensor on the front of the phone; no screen protector, no little case. Nothing at all.
Tonight I've been monkeying around with a few different things, just to see if I got better/different results:
Tried a couple of the different/newer radios from the radios post in the dev forum.
Wiped cache and Davlik partition
Reset phone back to factory defaults.
Flashed back to one of the T-Mobile Froyo ROMs.
None of these helped, but on a lark. I decided to go ahead and shine a big flash light at the phone while I was running the Proximity Sensor Finder application. If I shined the light directly on the proximity sensor, then the proximity sensor would intermittently blink on/off.
It doesn't really help me all that much, but it looks like I definitely have a flaky/bad proximity sensor.
In order to help people down the road who might have the same problem, here's some things I'm going to try:
Deny permissions to the device's file in the /dev directory
Try and use an app like Tasker to disable the sensor.
May flash MIUI, it sounds like it has an option to permanently disable the proximity sensor.
An app on the market called Proximity Screen Off
I'll keep the thread up-to-date with what I wound up doing. It's a bit of a bummer, I got this phone to last me until my contract expires with T-Mobile in a few months. But it was hopefully going to be a definite upgrade over the Vibrant. It's a little aggravating that I'm going to spend the next few months heating the side of my face when I'm on the phone and/or accidentally hanging up on people when on the phone

Last reply to my own thread, I promise. The MIUI's disable proximity sensor setting worked great, although I wasn't really crazy about the look & feel of MIUI (this isn't a dig on the ROM, just a personal preference).
We wound up using a Hex Editor to edit the file /system/lib/hw/sensors.glacier.so, we searched for "cm3602" (the proximity sensor) and changed it to "xxxxxx".
The one downside is the phone doesn't turn off when you hold it up to your face, but that's certainly better than a phone who's display likes to power off when placing/receiving phone calls.

Thanks for comments mines also have this issue too.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

Nice thread Neckhole. I'm glad you followed up on this and let us know what did and did not work for you. Thanks. I really hate it when people figure something out and never post it. Ha.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

estallings15 said:
Nice thread Neckhole. I'm glad you followed up on this and let us know what did and did not work for you. Thanks. I really hate it when people figure something out and never post it. Ha.
Me too lol
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

I'm glad what I found out has helped you guys too, I posted a blog about it too after a few people found it to be helpful.
MyTouch 4G: Don't Stand So Close to Me

Just a quick update, I've been re-flashing different ROMs and had to re-make this change. Which helped me spot some typos in my blog post (woops) and I took the time to write something more close to step-by-step instructions. Hope this is more helpful:
http://blog.brianmoses.net/2012/01/mytouch-4g-dont-stand-so-close-to-me.html
Get ADB Functioning on your desktop computer.
Download and install a Hex Editor
Use ADB to pull down the file sensors.glacier.so (adb pull /system/lib/hw/sensors.glacier.so)
Open sensors.glacier.so in your Hex Editor
Search for the text "cm3602" (no double-quotes) and save your changes. Please note, case sensitivity is important. If you're paranoid, it's good to check that the file size is exactly the same as it was before your edit.
Re-mount the /System folder as read-write using an ADB Shell (mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p25 /system)
Open up a new command window and use ADB to push your edited file (adb push sensors.glacier.so /system/lib/hw/sensors.glacier.so)
Reboot your phone.

For whatever it's worth, I flashed my first ICS ROM a week or two ago. I totally forgot about my defective Proximity Sensor.
I thought people might like to know that the same steps I used to disable the proximity sensor previously still works in ICS.

thank you thank you thank you for this thread, i have the exact same problem i couldnt answer calls cause i use gv and i cant call where i have to press a number aftewards!
so glad it still works for ics. thank you again! posted this problem in a few forums no one could help

I have a doubt
You said : Search for the text "cm3602" (no double-quotes) and save your changes
what changes should I save? since all I've done is search for a text.

tripi24 said:
You said : Search for the text "cm3602" (no double-quotes) and save your changes
what changes should I save? since all I've done is search for a text.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Change cm3602 with xxxxxx

Thanks for this post. It has been a big help. I was having the same issues.

Did this work for anyone else? It did not for my phone. The phone goes black and can't access the dial pad.

I have the exact same problem after recently i replaced my broken digitizer touch screen & LCD.
I just realized that during the call , when the display goes totally black , if i push the UP-LEFT corner of the screen of my phone (just beside the proximity sensor) , the screen comes back again.
That's because the "adhesive" i used under the lcd screen , is more thicker than the original adhesive.
So the sensor is ok , the distant between the "touch & LCD " and the sensor is the problem.

Oh je baby pussyy
Shaggadelic baby

albi159 said:
Oh je baby pussyy
Shaggadelic baby
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What?

Solved
Well i again diss-assembled the whole phone , and replace the thick adhesive under the Lcd & touch with proper one.
and problem solved as i guessed it's not from the Proximity sensor . no more dark screen

[Q] So ... NFC is basically worthless if you use a case?

So I got some NFC tags, planning to automate some functions for convenience.
One to turn off wifi and turn on GPS, BT and mobile data for use in my car and one to do the reverse when I get home, etc.
I got the things and immediately saw the problem. My S4 is in an S-view case that is not particularly thick.
While in the case, the phone simply does not "see" the tag at all. Out of the case, it does.
So essentially, if I want to use NFC, I have to take the phone out of the case first.
Is that it? Anyone have any ideas?

nunjabusiness said:
So I got some NFC tags, planning to automate some functions for convenience.
One to turn off wifi and turn on GPS, BT and mobile data for use in my car and one to do the reverse when I get home, etc.
I got the things and immediately saw the problem. My S4 is in an S-view case that is not particularly thick.
While in the case, the phone simply does not "see" the tag at all. Out of the case, it does.
So essentially, if I want to use NFC, I have to take the phone out of the case first.
Is that it? Anyone have any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only say that NFC works fine on my s4 with an OBEX case on it. Are you sure you are using the correct tags for the s4?

Nfc works quite a bit of distance away. Mine goes through my spiegen case and my wallet(have a tag to unlock on my bum) and it works flawless.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

It does work pretty well through plastic.... it goes through a friend's otterbox defender case and my spiegen just fine
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Very interesting. I am using brand new Samsung Tectiles, bought from Samsung.
The case is not that thick, but there is a piece of metal stuck to the inside back for my iMagnet car mount.
Could that be the culprit?
That would be a bummer as it is the best mount I have found so far - bar none.

nunjabusiness said:
Very interesting. I am using brand new Samsung Tectiles, bought from Samsung.
The case is not that thick, but there is a piece of metal stuck to the inside back for my iMagnet car mount.
Could that be the culprit?
That would be a bummer as it is the best mount I have found so far - bar none.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would do it.

Sview n auto brightness problem after replace USB port

The Sview function were totally fine before I send to repair USB charging port.
After I got the back from USB charging repair, the Sview function were totally not usable.
And I found out that the auto brightness is not working either although the proximity sensor is working fine when I check using *#0*#.
Using stock 5.1.1, tried factory reset too..
Please let me know if u hv any idea what seems to cause this problem.
Thanks

Send it back and tell them to fix what they broke

Sure I will send it back, but before they do anything, I would like to know what happened.
rhey might just give me crap excuse or ask me to pay extra to fix those problem...

Guys, any idea?
Like how does the phone detect sview cover?

ronald_loulan said:
Guys, any idea?
Like how does the phone detect sview cover?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think something magnetic, I was able to activate it without the back part even snapped on, it's something in the 'spine' part afaik.
Sent from my Galaxy S5 using XDA Labs

Rakuu said:
I think something magnetic, I was able to activate it without the back part even snapped on, it's something in the 'spine' part afaik.
Sent from my Galaxy S5 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The magnet were located at the bottom left of the flip cover...
I think there's a magnetic sensor at that location but I nvr saw how it looks like before...

The longer you wait messing about with it, the more likely they're going to think you broke it because you didn't send it back immediately

Samsung Galaxy S5 autorotate problem found.

So after weeks of trying to figure this out I've found what's causing the problem. Not sure how to fix it. When the phone stays on the charger the rotate will stay on. If your rotating stopped before plugging your phone or the charger then simply plug in ur charger and then restart and once ur charger stays plugged in then it should auto rotate some people my need to restart more than once. So in my view I'm thinking there is some electrical problem or lack of power or some how it's linked to the USB port. Please try it and report if u get the same result. Hopefully this will lead to someone finding a solution. Maybe someone can change their USB port and let us know if that solved the problem.

mickiemas said:
So after weeks of trying to figure this out I've found what's causing the problem. Not sure how to fix it. When the phone stays on the charger the rotate will stay on. If your rotating stopped before plugging your phone or the charger then simply plug in ur charger and then restart and once ur charger stays plugged in then it should auto rotate some people my need to restart more than once. So in my view I'm thinking there is some electrical problem or lack of power or some how it's linked to the USB port. Please try it and report if u get the same result. Hopefully this will lead to someone finding a solution. Maybe someone can change their USB port and let us know if that solved the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
most of auto rotation become malfunction is because lib file missing. especially if u're in custom rom or stock but doing some debloat.
check in your system/lib folder for file libgnustl_shared.so.
if missing, then auto rotate will not work. but in your case maybe hardware/sensor related problem.

an-_-dro said:
most of auto rotation become malfunction is because lib file missing. especially if u're in custom rom or stock but doing some debloat.
check in your system/lib folder for file libgnustl_shared.so.
if missing, then auto rotate will not work. but in your case maybe hardware/sensor related problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would seem like hardware because the file is there.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

Ok. So I can say for sure my rotation issue is related to the usb port. At the begining when I plugged in the usb cable and restarted my phone the rotation would continue working until I removed the usb cable and even for a few minutes after removing it would still work
So what I did was get a very small piece of paper and made it into a little ball and push it under the contact of the usb port right up to the back so that the usb cable could still fit properly. The paper is just to brace the usb connection upwards a little and in doing do so my phone even charging better seeing I had charging issues so I guess it's part of the issue. Now I have normal rotation for weeks.
If rotation stops it's because the usb cable has crushed the paper too small so I just replace the paper but so far it's all good. I just dnt have the interest to do a usb port change but I think that would be a more permanent solve. Hope this helps. Just sharing my experience to those of you who have the same issue and can't find a fix.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

Usb port changed and rotation working flawlessly. I even recorded over 6000 steps and more than 12 minutes walking. Notified by S health, haven't seen that in a long time
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

OK guys sad to say I'm bk on this because after awhile my rotation stopped again. I don't know if the replacement USB port is going bad again as it was a Used USB port or its something else but I have found another fix which seems to be working a few days now.
So this fix will require disassembling your phone again.
What I did was disassemble my device and when I reached to the main board I used a little screw driver to pry off the shine piece of covering that covers some of the chips which includes the gyroscope chip. U guys can google to see where the chip that controls the gyroscope is on your s5.
Then I folded a piece of tape and placed it on top of the gyroscope chip just thick enough so the metal covering when place back on it will squeeze the tape down on the chip. After all that is done reassemble ur device and try it out.
On a side not my proximity sensor was not working properly either and I did the same thing. Folded a piece of tape and place it behind the proximity sensor it will be tight again when phone is reassembled. So far its been working for me so I hope this helps.
I know its an old device and most of u might not see the need to fix a device this old but for those of you who like tinkering with ur device like myself u should try and let me know if it works for u.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

i have samsung SM-G906S. lately i have been facing the problems with auto rotation, proximity sensor and auto brightness adjustment. All these have stopped working. These problems are not with hardware because they vanish when i factory reset the phone of reinstall OS using samsung smart switch. but these problems occur again after some time (a month or two). seems like some problem with samsung firmware. too bad the official support from samsung has stopped for this phone.

Has anyone got the GPS on this tablet to actually work properly and precisely?

I remember trying to use this tablet solely as a GPS for my car, it never quite worked alright, I thought it was the Lolipop upgrade then I thought it might be something wrong with the antenna hardware.
It finds my position, with approximately 100 meters precision then it keeps jumping around up to 300 meters, things gets better while moving but it has no clue what direction I'm going when I come to a stop.
I have tried many apps and tweaks to fix the GPS, none have worked. I remember the GPS working once when this tablet was new,
that's it, or maybe I was hallucinating?
In all these cases the tablet was using a stable internet connection in my car.
Tried Kitkat, Lolipop, custom and stock kernel :crying:

nitzero said:
I remember trying to use this tablet solely as a GPS for my car, it never quite worked alright, I thought it was the Lolipop upgrade then I thought it might be something wrong with the antenna hardware.
It finds my position, with approximately 100 meters precision then it keeps jumping around up to 300 meters, things gets better while moving but it has no clue what direction I'm going when I come to a stop.
I have tried many apps and tweaks to fix the GPS, none have worked. I remember the GPS working once when this tablet was new,
that's it, or maybe I was hallucinating?
In all these cases the tablet was using a stable internet connection in my car.
Tried Kitkat, Lolipop, custom and stock kernel :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So true. Gps sucks. Not accurate and takes long time to get the position.
Now i am not even able to use my tab. It always freezes within few seconds after i turn on the tab. Tried every possible solution. Used custom rom, stock rom, stock kernel, custom kernel, flashed fresh rom via apx mode nv flash. :crying:
My tab even freezes in recovery and had to hard reboot it.
Even posted a thread in xda but no solution given by ny1.

It's not so bad with Kitkat, after uninstalling everything leaving the rom completely naked with the barely essentials to not leave it glitchy the performance is acceptable.
Got 41k on Antutu, the lowest score was memory which scored 57 lol.
I suspect this tablet does not have a proper compass sensor, I've changed and resoldered the antennas but it hasn't changed anything.
Seems like a problem with drivers or hardware level.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Lol I finally sorted it out.
Who would put a compass between a couple of magnets?
Exactly, it's the magnets for the flip cover making the compass sensor utter useless.
Removing them fixes the GPS issue. They're actually inside the tablet near the upper bezels where holds the pen.

nitzero said:
Lol I finally sorted it out.
Who would put a compass between a couple of magnets?
Exactly, it's the magnets for the flip cover making the compass sensor utter useless.
Removing them fixes the GPS issue. They're actually inside the tablet near the upper bezels where holds the pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to remove compass

fu24 said:
How to remove compass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must take the magnets off, the compass is needed in order to make the GPS to work properly, get a metal object and stick it to the tablet.
That's exactly where the magnet for the flip cover is located, just carefully pry the tablet open and remove them.
There's two of them.
Please note you must take off the pen, the SD card and the flip cover to open the tablet.
You shouldn't have problems to open it up using ordinary tools such as plastic pry tool or even a credit card.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro