Database Users

(2010 JAN 05 UPDATE) Thin layer of coating coming off the HD2 hardware buttons edges

Please look at the photo.
I just wonder is this just the protective layer of paint or some coating that I should peel off, any other user's experience the same ?
i have reported to HTC, waiting for reply... But I m not in the country that I ve bought the phone now... I wonder can I swap it like 6 months later if it's manufacturing defect.
Update 03/01/2010:
I got a reply from HTC:
__________________________________________________________________
According to the picture you provide, there should be slight appearance abrase in the button. Taking of this small layer of plastic would not affect the function of the phone. you may either leave it as it is or take it off. Thank you for your cooperation.
__________________________________________________________________
Update 04/01/2020:
I follow HTC instruction and peel/scratch away the coating of the HOME button only with finger nails.
The metallic effect's gone, and become just a normal black plastic key.
There are lots of micro lines on the button which cannot be seen on the photo.
It is still acceptable, just that I m not happy about a flag ship device's paint/coating came off so easily.
These are the photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/uccoffee.forum/20100104#
The button actually look nice without the coating in the photo comparing with the one next to it which the coating is coming off.
I m thinking should/can I ask for buttons replacement, or it is just a waste of time cos those buttons coating will eventually come off after excessive use.
i still love my HD2 , just a bit sad about so many problems
Update 05/01/2020:
i got HTC reply, nothing much they can help since I m not in Hong Kong.
Anyway, the girl from HTC said there was no one complain about the key's paint coming off.... I just wonder can those people who 's got problem and voted yes, would you mind at least send a complain letter to HTC please.
http://www.htc.com/hk-en/CS_Mail.aspx

yep my button is peeling too I had it 4 2 weeks

no problems here. hd2 is 6 weeks old ...

It's the metallic coating, if scratched away, it looks very plastic. ...

Simililar things have happened to my keypad in less than 2 weeks, and I always put it in its pouch. Guess we aren't lucky

not yet
I only use my HD2 since ~10 days, and do not have this exact problem, yet.
With my previous device (HTC Touch Pro) however, I had a lot of problems with peeling off coating (in TP case it was the plack paint peeling off the housing).
I also have the problem, that I use to buy my devices in Europe with WWE roms, and then take them with me to Japan, where I currently live.
This constellation is a nightmare for warranty return/repair with HTC, as they ask you to sent your device to where you bought it.
To avoid shipping my defect device helf way around the world, I last time decided to send my TP to HTC global repair centre in Taiwan.
They did the repair and they did it quick, but you don't want to know how much that cost me.
As soon as my HD2 starts loosing paint or coating, it will contact HTC global rapair in Taiwan again, but this time I will not accept to pay for the repair but push for good will.
The world gets smaller and smaller, customers do not stay in regions where they purchase devies. It is time for companies like HTC to adapt.
My girlfriend bought an Apple iBook in the US. In the menatime we moved to UK, Belgium and now to Japan.
She had warranty repair done to her iBook in all of those contires without an problem, so it should also be possible for HTC, if they just were a little bit more end customer oriented, but now that they try to market HTC as a brand, maybe it will come.
As a customer paying 500+ EUR for their products, I will not take NO for an answer.

Mine is actually worse than the photo in this post. I thought it was a temporary cover when it started to come away, like some buttons/screens have when a phone is brand new.

max1274, how bad is it? post some pic if possible
I only had my HD2 for 30 days....

I use my hd2 for five weeks, no problems so far. Hope to stay that way.

Its not even that bad, but yes very thin layers go off around the edges

Snap
Same here pal, it happened on my diamond as well.
**** happens i suppose

6 weeks... no problem

Damn.. Seeing things like these makes me want to go back to the shop and return it! Mine doesn't have anything but I am "EXTRA" careful with it but if it has happened to so many people it will probably happen to mine to. I cant stand paying 669€ (Portuguese value) for a phone that doesn't keep it together!
I get mad with these kind of problems!

Mine looks fine, had it since 24/12/09.
Touch wood it stays ok. Hope the guys with problems can get it sorted via HTC without niggles.
Please keep us posted on if you can get HTC to fix it.

Mines fine as well. But you know, the early batches of the HD had surface coating scratch, crack and chip problems. I bought my HD2 a month after they were first offered in the US, hoping to avoid the common problems, which were mostly ROM, but now I think maybe I dodged the bullet on this as well.

aro said:
To avoid shipping my defect device helf way around the world, I last time decided to send my TP to HTC global repair centre in Taiwan.
They did the repair and they did it quick, but you don't want to know how much that cost me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I would like to know.

Ibb1982 said:
Mine looks fine, had it since 24/12/09.
Touch wood it stays ok. Hope the guys with problems can get it sorted via HTC without niggles.
Please keep us posted on if you can get HTC to fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wrong! I checked my phone at night, and guess I couldn't see the minor peeling I have on the home button. Now I've seen in proper daylight I can see mine is peeling.
This sucks big time. Anyone have any feedback from HTC?
I've also sent a support request via email from the HTC website via http://www.htc.com/uk/CS_Mail.aspx , hope they get back to all of us soon.

Got a response from HTC
HTC are quick, within 2 hours I received a response to the peeling issue:
"We are very surprised to hear that you have an issue with our HTC handset.
If you are within 30 days of purchase, you can book our handset for a DOA (Dead on Arrival) via the retailer. Everything that came with the phone including the box will need to be returned. A DOA can only be booked if there is no mis-use or damage found on the handset.
If you are outside of 30 days, please call us in order to book a repair service.
http://www.htc.com/europe/CA_Hotline.aspx
Please note that the repair centre will need to see the device before diagnosing whether the fault is covered by the Warranty or not. We can not specify a cost until the repair centre has seen it first.
Please see full DOA/Exchange Procedure below if you are within 30 days of purchase:
We can have the device repaired for you, however if you wish to exchange the device and it is less than 30 days old, please return it to the point of purchase for exchange.
The retailer may not be willing to exchange your device depending on the terms of sale you have agreed with them, this is their right and HTC cannot intervene on your behalf.
If an exchange is refused by your retailer then we can still arrange a repair for the device, but we cannot exchange it.
In the event that a repair becomes necessary and you do not wish to arrange it with your retailer please call quoting your reference number (e2e ref) if you have one.
Thank you.
-If these steps have not helped, please let me know by responding using the link provided and I will be happy to check again for you.
Best regards,
HTC Customer Support Team "

Why would we want to send our handsets for repair, only to have them fit the exact-same button unit. The same thing will happen again. Once we know HTC have manufactured new non-peeling buttons, that's when the repairs should take place. Painting buttons is stupid, why not just make them out of black plastic and have done with it.

sunking101 said:
Why would we want to send our handsets for repair, only to have them fit the exact-same button unit. The same thing will happen again. Once we know HTC have manufactured new non-peeling buttons, that's when the repairs should take place. Painting buttons is stupid, why not just make them out of black plastic and have done with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until they see them though, they're not going to think its a problem. Catch 22 all the way!

Stuck buttons

Hi
My imagio Start and back keys are stuck!!!
anyone else with the same problem!!!

Stuck Buttons
This is an issue with the Imagio. The only real fix is to have VZ send a replacement.
There has been a discusion on it here at PPC
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=99190
And, if you look on the VZ forums there are more people talking about this.

mally2 said:
Hi
My imagio Start and back keys are stuck!!!
anyone else with the same problem!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah- like the guy said- a whole thread dedicated to the subject. and then you find out that even though you pay for insurance instead of getting a new phone they send you someone else's old phone that was broke and they fixed for you. nice. when my end button got stuck down i ended up ripping it off and fooling with it until it unstuck. had to use a little adhesive (totally lame) to make the cover stay on the actual button. definitely does not work as good. after that i started looking into all the ways i could to avoid using those buttons.
xda shutdown.
volume app's.
etc.

Mine stuck within the first 30 days so I made them give me another brand new one. They tried the certified like new thing with me but I wouldn't accept that. It did take a fair amount of *****ing on my part before they gave in.
Why would I pay for something new that doesn't last a month and accept a refurb?
So my point is, if your phone breaks soon after you bought it, don't accept anything less.
Also, I'm on my 3rd one. Verizon's policy after the 3rd one within a year is to get you into something different that's new and of "equal value" if you want. However, they will not openly tell you that unless you insist on it.

I'm on #2 and I am tossed between using the buttons as little as possible or as much as possible.

Added to Wiki
Hi guys, have just referenced this issue and thread in the Wiki. Hopefully some more travellers will find the info and offer some assistance.

freakin buttons
My wife and I both have Imagios. I have had mine replaced once already the buttons on the replacemnet are stuck and a new one is on the way. The buttons on my wife's are now stuck and she has a replacement on the way.
Verizon is telling me that they no longer let you get a different phone after 3 replacements. I would yell and complain, but what phone do they have thats better?

Add me to the list. Windows button decided to get stuck last night. I will say that it was particularly cold (36F) and I had been outside for some time, thus making the device fairly cold. When I depressed the button, I noticed that it was hesitant to move, then made an quiet yet audible *click* and that was that. I have a feeling that the defect lies in the membrane beneath the button and when exposed to cold, it becomes inflexible and cracks. I'm debating whether to actually go to the VZW store or call the customer service. If I actually go to the store, will they likely give me a new device (if stocked) or do they have refurbs in the store? So long as the refurb is in brand-new condition, it doesn't matter to me as I have a feeling this will just happen again. While I love this phone, I'm hoping warmer days will make this a non-issue. In any case, it's a bit of a bummer when virtually every day I have impromptu debates with a droid owner about who's phone is better. Last night, I lost.

gilbenl said:
Add me to the list. Windows button decided to get stuck last night. I will say that it was particularly cold (36F) and I had been outside for some time, thus making the device fairly cold. When I depressed the button, I noticed that it was hesitant to move, then made an quiet yet audible *click* and that was that. I have a feeling that the defect lies in the membrane beneath the button and when exposed to cold, it becomes inflexible and cracks. I'm debating whether to actually go to the VZW store or call the customer service. If I actually go to the store, will they likely give me a new device (if stocked) or do they have refurbs in the store? So long as the refurb is in brand-new condition, it doesn't matter to me as I have a feeling this will just happen again. While I love this phone, I'm hoping warmer days will make this a non-issue. In any case, it's a bit of a bummer when virtually every day I have impromptu debates with a droid owner about who's phone is better. Last night, I lost.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am with you on the debate. I want to yell at Verizon to make them let me get out of this phone, but I wouldn't know what to get. I actually like this phone a lot. I like that I can goof around with it and possibly get android on it in the future.

mikebbass said:
I am with you on the debate. I want to yell at Verizon to make them let me get out of this phone, but I wouldn't know what to get. I actually like this phone a lot. I like that I can goof around with it and possibly get android on it in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would be like able to get replacement buttons on ebay.... so i can fix them myself... LOL i cant send it back to verizon i live in india!!! sis gave me this phone as a gift

mally2 said:
would be like able to get replacement buttons on ebay.... so i can fix them myself... LOL i cant send it back to verizon i live in india!!! sis gave me this phone as a gift
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
any info
can i get replacemnt on ebay

mally2 said:
any info
can i get replacemnt on ebay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
**** my send key is now stuck,..... though it works on pressure!!! damn!!!!! can i get replacement keys anywhre

If you have proof of purchase (IE original packaging,maybe a receipt), it may be worthwhile to contact HTC directly. I would assume that the phone was purchased w/o a plan and/or you're not a current VZW customer anyway. I would assume then that any defect/warranty issues would default to the manufacturer. I believe HTC has a 90-day warranty.

Hi
i tried conatcting local HTC india ,.,.,. they cant help.... can i get replacement on ebay or anywhere ... plssss its urgent

stuck buttons avoidance
I have a solution that seems to have ensured I don't have this problem. I placed a screen protector from my mp3 player across the buttons (since most screen protectors for the imagio only cover just the screen itself), and then using an xacto knife i carefully cut the excess mp3-screen protector around the outside edge of the send and end button and along the bottom of all the buttons such that the remaining film secures all the buttons together.
This seems to have some effect in stabilizing the buttons and making sure nothing snags on them or prys on them and it seems to keep my phone from having the problem reported here. I've had mine on for at least 3 months and not a single button problem.

yatman60 said:
I have a solution that seems to have ensured I don't have this problem. I placed a screen protector from my mp3 player across the buttons (since most screen protectors for the imagio only cover just the screen itself), and then using an xacto knife i carefully cut the excess mp3-screen protector around the outside edge of the send and end button and along the bottom of all the buttons such that the remaining film secures all the buttons together.
This seems to have some effect in stabilizing the buttons and making sure nothing snags on them or prys on them and it seems to keep my phone from having the problem reported here. I've had mine on for at least 3 months and not a single button problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
well thats great!!! not sure what i can do now unless i get replacement buttons on ebay or any online stores

What exactly did HTC say?...They warranty these phones for one year, and they were released in october, so its not out of their hardware warranty period.
Is the ESN on this phone valid? Something isn't adding up here.

gilbenl said:
What exactly did HTC say?...They warranty these phones for one year, and they were released in october, so its not out of their hardware warranty period.
Is the ESN on this phone valid? Something isn't adding up here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
The problem is i got the phone from my sister who lives in US.... i live in INDIA!!! bangalore to be precise!!! So HTC say they wont help.... my sis will be back after 6 months... LOL
Ps whats ESN... is tht the IMEI!!!! well its GSM unlocked thats as far as i know

Here's an idea: Call HTC USA and pretend you're wherever your sister lives in the US. Explain the issue (leaving out the bought as gift, sent to india part) and then when they say they'll fix it (which, if the phone isn't stolen or otherwise they will) send it to your sis in the US and have her send it to HTC from a US address. I'm sure with the large number of questionable phones floating around india/asia they're hesitant to replace it. When in doubt, lie. You purchased a product and you deserve coverage. Don't let their resistance stop you; you're certainly not doing anything illegal, simply circumventing their "security" measures.

Spam taken care of, not linking to topic to help him spread his 'cause'.

Dead/Black Stuck Pixel

Hello,
I recently bought a Desire HD, because my Hero's screen got unresponsive, because of a hardware fault of the screen.
I had a real nightmare with my Hero with the repair center. I had to send it 3 times to them in order to actually accept the problems and to partly fix it. About 2 months after I got it back from this almost 2 months horror the screen became unresponsive and I had to ditch my beloved Hero.
I decided to give HTC one more chance and bought a Desire HD and I was really happy with the device until yesterday when I found out that I have a dead/black pixel on the upper left side (left side of the HTC weather and time widget).
I already tried JScreenFix and another app from the market to fix it and had my phone running on it for more than an hour. But unfortunately this didn't fix anything.
I really like this phone and I decided not to get a Samsung Nexus S. But now I have to say that I am more than disappointed that I didn't.
I called my dealer and he said that he can only exchange the device within 7 days of purchase and that I have to send it to the repair center. I'm so frustrated right now that I am really playing with the idea of selling my Desire HD and get any other phone except an HTC.
If someone can help me, I would be more than happy, because I don't know what I can do anymore.
Thank you in advance!
Cheers!

Best way to remove dead pixels (this might be difficult due to the uni body design) is to take apart the phone leaving the SLCD bare and lightly (I normally use a cotton bud to avoid finger prints and avoid excess pressure) massage the effected area.
Attempt this when powered off first, if that unsuccessful do so when powered on (Boot cycle if necessary).
-Source:
Works in the laptop repair industry.
wikihow.com/Fix-a-Stuck-Pixel-on-an-LCD-Monitor

Most phones have a zero dead pixel warranty just check htcs policy on dead pixels then rma it you should receive a new unit
Alternatively if HTC do have a zero dead pixel policy then kick up a stink to the store manager that according to HTC the manufacturer its faulty and unfit for sale. Complain enough you will be surprised what happens
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Ok, thanks for the swift response.
If I take the phone apart I'll lose my warranty right?
I purchased the phone on 07.12.2010 and I never took any of those apart.
To be honest I'm a bit afraid I might screw up ending with a broken/inoperable device.
Do I also need any special tools to do that? And if yes how much do I have to pay for those?
I really don't want to sell my Desire HD so I am open for any suggestions.
Thanks.
P.S.: What do you think of those pixel repair programs on the market? Are they actually working at all?
Edit: Thanks for the hint, I'll check out their policy asap. I already called my dealer and wait for his call back. I will definitely "kick his ass" when he tries to bulls*it me. Thanks!

I have a dead/stick pixel too. I got it quite a while back and i even made a thread about it here. It was a real annoyance for me but now i just learned to live with it. Mine is right at the bottom center of the screen. I really don't have the patience to send it back to england for repair, and i don't have any confidence in taking it apart so i'll just have to live with it :/
I also tried that Jscreenfix app as well and it did nothing. I really doubt the success rate of those type of apps because my laptop has a dead/stuck pixel too and running a program like jscreenfix did nothing on my laptop either.

Yeah, I've read your topic and I tried to live with it too, but my device is like brand new and I paid a lot of money for it so I see no argument for accepting a faulty part tbh. I didn't buy it from a carrier it's unlocked and has no branding at all.
It's like my company/boss pays me for 1 day less a month just because his pc was broken on that day.
I also don't have any patience at all with the european service center anymore. The experience I made with my Hero was so horrible you can't imagine. I don't wish this even to my worst foe.
I also doubt the success of those apps, but I gave it a try so I can't say that I didn't try as much as possible.

i was just like you dude. bought it unlocked sim free no carrier, and only a few days after owning it the problem showed up. Its a real shame that LCD's suffer from this type of fault.

Yeah and I just called HTC to find out what their policy is, but the guy on the hotline told me that I got blablabla days where I can exchange it and after it I have to send it in for repair.
I'm so pissed now that I'm going to literally kill my dealer on the phone when he calls me back.

Glad I could help and thanks for the "Thank".
Unfortunately the Desire HD is a troublesome device to take apart and I wouldn't recommend doing so unless you have a through understanding of electronics and Uni-body casing, if you do plan on going ahead then your best bet would be to look at this:
http://www.htcphones.net/htc-evo-4g-teardown/
this is an similar phone to the Desire HD that uses a similar layout but different components, a full Desire HD tear down from a reputable website isn't available at this moment.
Depending on the warranty of your device then it may breach the warranty.
The best way to check if it breaches your warranty is to ask the manufacturer about the "conditions of the warranty" or not to break any Warranty Stickers.
As for returning the product, you probably have a better chance in saying the phone doesn't meet the aspect of quality you though it would, your more likely to get a return that way because the dealer isn't taking back a faulty product (Its unlikely they will check the product).

Sigh, I got 2 stuck pixels too... One is at the top left corner (red) and another in the middle region (blue)... Just bought for less than 7 days and they are already there... Stupid HTC policy of more than 3 closely pixel sh*t doesn't help at all... I had been using so many HTC phones and it seems that only DHD gave me stuck pixels... What is wrong with their QC? Damn it... Well, i gave up looking at it and learn to live with it... The only thing that is keeping me with HTC is due to Android + 4.3"... There isn't any other phones providing such luxury... its really pathetic...

LittleMerc said:
Sigh, I got 2 stuck pixels too... One is at the top left corner (red) and another in the middle region (blue)... Just bought for less than 7 days and they are already there... Stupid HTC policy of more than 3 closely pixel sh*t doesn't help at all... I had been using so many HTC phones and it seems that only DHD gave me stuck pixels... What is wrong with their QC? Damn it... Well, i gave up looking at it and learn to live with it... The only thing that is keeping me with HTC is due to Android + 4.3"... There isn't any other phones providing such luxury... its really pathetic...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you bought it over the phone or online and are in the UK then you can return it within 7 days for a refund if it is faulty or not. Distance selling rules cover this option.
As for stuck pixels my understanding is that HTC policy is "any three pixels" or "any two joined pixels".

When buying a phone, we often skip the step by step test because we are too eager for the phone that we expect long. Examine the steps necessary minimum:
* LCD Screen
- You for startup phone, startup screen is white color. You look at the different angles to see what is not normal ?
- When the phone was running, you turn on the camera application. You use hand lens cover>>> screen is black. You can observe different colored pixels that do not? if it occurs, it is dead pixels
*Speakers and external speakers (Make a call, listening to music at a volume level to maximum)
*Wireless connections and to try a few sites....
*Squeeze the cover slightly to see if sure?
*..................
Hopefully my experience was helpful for you and sorry for my poor English

Get insurance put up with it for a while and drop it in the sink. Get new one. Your bound to break it at some point in the future.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I also have one dead pixel mid-right colored green. When I first got it i checked well and it was not there. After a few days it is there.
I bought mine during my business trip to Hong Kong. I went to the shop and asked my dealer to change vthe unit but they said there should be at least four dead pixels in order to change within 7 days. Also they told me to call the htc office but it was weekend and i will be leaving HK on the folllowing monday. so I had no chance but to live with it. I will send an email to Htc to check what they will say.

Guys,
Sorry to sound obvious but have you tried the jscreenfix app (there is an Android version in the market) or similar in order to make sure the pixels are actually dead and not simply stuck? If they are stuck this should repair it. I ran their software via my PS3 after picking up a couple of stuck pixels on my LCD TV and it worked wonders.
Not promising anything but it must be worth ago before resorting to taking it apart/ sending it back. From the comments you do have to let it run a while and maybe on a few occasions, however it should certainly help with coloured pixels (ie green)

To add my 2 cents, when ever i have some kind of issue, i will always make it over the top and add some juicy details when calling any company. For example i will say that my screen starts to loose colors after being on for more then an hour. I know it's not good in a sense, but when something costs 500+ euro, it should work fine for more then few month. In 10 or so years, my stuff was always replaced with a brand new one.
Regards.

Tezray said:
Get insurance put up with it for a while and drop it in the sink. Get new one. Your bound to break it at some point in the future.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is insurance fraud, its illegal, classed as theft and is causing insurance premiums to raise for the hardworking Joe who legitimately pays for his insurance.
Lankius Maximus said:
Guys,
Sorry to sound obvious but have you tried the jscreenfix app (there is an Android version in the market) or similar in order to make sure the pixels are actually dead and not simply stuck? If they are stuck this should repair it. I ran their software via my PS3 after picking up a couple of stuck pixels on my LCD TV and it worked wonders.
Not promising anything but it must be worth ago before resorting to taking it apart/ sending it back. From the comments you do have to let it run a while and maybe on a few occasions, however it should certainly help with coloured pixels (ie green)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to hear jscreenfix helped your problem but...
DaMastachief said:
I already tried JScreenFix and another app from the market to fix it and had my phone running on it for more than an hour. But unfortunately this didn't fix anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Hello Folks,
sorry for not being able to answer quicker, but I came back late from work and couldn't access the site due to overload until now.
My dealer called me back and I explained everything to him and also told him that I won't send it in for repair again as I had a nightmare with him already with my Hero. He spoke to his boss, called me back and told me that they will make an exemption and change my phone. I am getting a brand new one, I am really excited and very happy and satisfied.
On the other hand I hope that this pixel issue won't happen again.
Lucky me I always keep everything in the package and take care about my gadgets very nicely. I already did a reset, cleaned it and put everything in order into the package like I got it.
I also don't do any insurance fraud and I am also exaggerating on the phone, but tbh honest guys: You can say whatever you want and try whatever is possible, but those guys at the HTC hotline don't give jack **** about your problems. Their answer is always the same and their flexibility in terms of problem solving is literally zero.
About that JScreenFix, I think it might work with stuck/coloured pixels. But dead black pixels can't be repaired with it. The program seems to cycle and cycle through all colours and tries to somehow calibrate the screen/pixels again. But dead pixels seem to be dead. At least that's what I can say about trying it and another application from the market.
But I will definitely check my phone very closely tomorrow upon receipt and will also do this in the future, because it takes like 1% of the time I need compared to waiting in line at any hotline.
Thanks again for all the hints and also for the link how to take it apart. Tbh I got a bit too much respect to do this and also because my phone is 14 days old and got 11,5 months warranty.
Wish me luck that the new one will be flawless and without any problems.
Cheers!

After reading this thread I decided to look and found one , it is purple so does that mean Jscreenfix should hopefully work?

Jscreenfix is absolutely bullsh*t in my opinion. Mine is definitely 2 stuck pixels as they are coloured red and blue, not black... But running it for more than an hour and not helping really makes my hopes dashed...

Digitizer Replacement saga- I bet this is how all refurbs are done

Earlier this year I got an Evo (HW 004, Epson screen) off eBay, no contract, no TEP, no ERP, and have used it pretty hard for a few months now. I have already cracked and replaced the camera lens glass cover disc of glass thingie with a kit also bought on eBay, so when the digitizer started getting progressively worse in recent days I basically said fine I'm perfectly willing to go DIY again.
Everyone says just replace the LCD screen and digitizer together as a unit so you don't fiddle around separating the bad digitizer from the good LCD screen and all that adhesive drama. Let's say approx $30 for just the digitizer, $80 for both, these days. To me, if the phone costs $2000 to own over two years, I don't really care about a few bucks here and there, so either method would work for me.
But while researching this issue on XDA I found quite a few people who persuaded either Sprint ($35) or HTC ($6 S&H) to do it for them.
So I figured why not drop in to the nearest Authorized Sprint Repair Center which happens to be very near where I live.
I get to the repair tech window and tell the guy I'm just asking him for advice. I say right up front this phone is rooted, I got it off eBay, I got no insurance of any kind etc. I just ask him what are my options?
He offers to replace both digitizer and LCD screen for $35. On the spot. Only I'll have to pay in cash because "their computers are down".
I say right on let's rock. His methodology is very straightforward. In plain view of God and everyone he just turns around to the counter behind him and starts rooting through all the returned phones lying around (they're all in these big envelopes, like in the old days of processing rolls of film, yeah i know lol I'm that old whatever) until he finds an Evo that he knows he saw earlier. I guess he's assuming that the Evo he's cannibalizing wasn't being returned because of a faulty digitizer or screen. Real master of probability theory, this guy.
He determines that the screen on whatever Evo he came up with has "the narrow cable" and then he cracks mine open (in like four seconds- I'm pretty sure I would have spent a good 30 minutes making sweet love to my phone with a pry tool to get to the same point- maybe DIY is not really such a bargain after all if your time is worth anything) and determines mine has "the fat cable". So no donor match for me. He puts it back together, hands it back and says to come back tomorrow because he just got ten new Evo's in from the factory for customers who have been waiting to get their phones back. Once they have returned to the store to pick up their replacements he'll have plenty of Evos to work with. He figures at least two of them will have "the fat cable".
I imagine this is how refurbs are done in general: Find out what the customer is complaining about, grab the relevant parts from a phone that a *different* customer was complaining about, and hope they weren't complaining about the same thing.

Given the circumstances (rooted phone bought off ebay) and the fact that he wanted you to pay cash because the "computers were down" I have a feeling this might not be how all repairs are handled... probably just the ones that are done "off the books" by that particular repair guy.

Pretty sure this is how they handle the repairs. I had my screen replaced once, and got it back with a crack by the volume buttons and power button. When I confronted the tech, he told me the screens are not new, but "harvested parts".

I had the same thing done to my phone. I had the "B spot" on my original HW003 and he replaced it with a used screen, which had another small white blotch in the screen. About 2 weeks later he received a brand new screen from HTC and put it on my phone. Been running that screen ever since.

bryank930 said:
Pretty sure this is how they handle the repairs. I had my screen replaced once, and got it back with a crack by the volume buttons and power button. When I confronted the tech, he told me the screens are not new, but "harvested parts".
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Click to collapse
Same thing happened to me when I was going through my "refurb phase" trying to get a decent replacement. Sprint sent me a refurb that the screen was cracked out of the package. I took it to the store, the guy ripped it open in about 5 seconds, rummaged around a box of spare evo parts, and put a new screen on it. He gave it back to me 5 minutes later. This new screen was scratched to hell, the bezel around the screen was scratched to hell from him ripping the phone open, and the volume keys didnt work, I assume because he didnt put it together correctly. He told me that's how they do it, and that even though the "new" screen he put on had scratches, to sprint that was considered a new screen. It then took me about 4 hours arguing with the manager and on the phone with retentions to get them to get me another device.

Well, I went back to the guy for the replacement, and at the end of it all, either things got a whole lot shadier or a whole lot *less* shady, I can't tell: after he did the job (10 minutes, while-u-wait), he then wrote down my phone #, MEID and IMSI on a post it note before he gave me the phone back.
But there are a few things he said that make me think I misjudged the guy, like how I might receive a call from Sprint asking if I was satisfied with their customer service etc, how he does actually test the screen before he puts it in to make sure he's not swapping out one bad screen with another, and of course the post-it note ritual itself.
Of course this time there were other customers present, so maybe that was all for show and the post it note just went straight to the bottom of a trash can somewhere.
Anyways I paid in cash as previously arranged and walked out the door one happy person. What he did afterwards I don't know, and hopefully won't ever need to care.
Bottom line, digitizer is replaced (and as a nice side effect i no longer have to live with a couple pretty deep scratches on the old glass, even if the bezel is a little more nicked up than my old one), and the phone has never worked better.
[EDIT : just got a series of automated questions from Sprint via SMS asking about my experience. So I guess this all turned out to be more legit than I had initially suspected...]

Very nice! Glad to see you got a legit operation. As you know, I am in similar process. Getting screen replaced.

NxNW said:
Well, I went back to the guy for the replacement, and at the end of it all, either things got a whole lot shadier or a whole lot *less* shady, I can't tell: after he did the job (10 minutes, while-u-wait), he then wrote down my phone #, MEID and IMSI on a post it note before he gave me the phone back.
But there are a few things he said that make me think I misjudged the guy, like how I might receive a call from Sprint asking if I was satisfied with their customer service etc, how he does actually test the screen before he puts it in to make sure he's not swapping out one bad screen with another, and of course the post-it note ritual itself.
Of course this time there were other customers present, so maybe that was all for show and the post it note just went straight to the bottom of a trash can somewhere.
Anyways I paid in cash as previously arranged and walked out the door one happy person. What he did afterwards I don't know, and hopefully won't ever need to care.
Bottom line, digitizer is replaced (and as a nice side effect i no longer have to live with a couple pretty deep scratches on the old glass, even if the bezel is a little more nicked up than my old one), and the phone has never worked better.
[EDIT : just got a series of automated questions from Sprint via SMS asking about my experience. So I guess this all turned out to be more legit than I had initially suspected...]
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Click to collapse
He used your phone information to put in a trouble ticket with Sprint to show that he did the repair. Standard stuff.

Samsung will not change my back cover!

I have a GS3 for att and a few hours after i bought the phone i noticed the back door cover is not snapping in on the bottom left side. After thinking i might be able to return the phone to the best buy i got it from and exchange it i decided to wait two days. Turns out my only option is returning not exchanging due to the high demand of the phone. I tried to call samsung to see if could possibly send me a back cover since all the hooplah about the back cover recall during production i figured it would not be a problem. I first tried to get this fixed through their live chat system. In the end they told me its not cover because its physical damage. I proceeded to call their support and see if they could give me the same answer. They in turn said I would have to send the phone to them but since I have no oter phone now I could not do that so I politely asked to speak to a manager but there were "on the phones" and "busy" so they took my number and told me they would call me back. Well.... I guess you can figure out what happened with that promise. I called a second time and after a 40 minute call it got me nowhere. They then told me on my second call that the back cover was not covered in the warranty because it was a "detachable part of the phone" and that it was an "accessory". I told them this does not make sense because isnt the battery considered detachable and an accessory? This time i asked for a manager again and I guess the managers were being lazy because not one of them wanted to speak with me because they were on "call" ironically. Can anyone help me with this situation any suggestions anything I can tell them to actually do something about this? I also already told them that all over the internet there were news about defective back covers during manufacturing and how it was pulled to be fixed and how people are posting pics of back cover issues also including on this forum! Im so aggravated with their customer support that i have a headache.

Look up on ebay to find a replacement. I know a lot of sites sell battery back covers and they aren't expensive
sent from my GALAXY SIII

Because of the crazy demand of the phone, you may have to wait it out if you can't be without phone and hope BBY gets some stock in within your 30 day (?) exchange window.
If you absolutely can't wait, you may wanna try ebay for a replacement back, since it's been reported the the international doors work just as well. But that would require you to shell out some dough for something that isn't your fault

Stock back cover is crap, really poor decision from Samsung. Finger print magnet and slippery. Anyways there are tons of 3rd party replacement back covers anywhere from 2$ to 10$, with better decals or nice tactile texture some even metal or leather.
Check amazon or just Google.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

Buy the official flip cover - replaces the back. Use that until you find a replacement back. Can we even get those yet by the way?...

I've read that some of the back covers block NFC. Be careful with what you get.

Ansextra said:
I've read that some of the back covers block NFC. Be careful with what you get.
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Click to collapse
Yeah the metal ones..
Try putting the bottom left in first then bottom right then go up. Mine was like this until I did this.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

you can but on ebay, offical samsung back battery covers in white and blue. They are around $30.00 . I got mine a couple of days ago as I wanted an extra cover.

Wow, this is really poor customer service from Samsung. I had a loose battery door on my Motorola DX. I did online chat with rep, after 2 minutes of taking my info then she sent me a brand new battery door. Received in mail 2 days later.

I would say file a better business Bureau complaint. Everytime I have filed a complaint someone from the executive offices called me back. I filed one against LG and got them to replace my phone after sending it in for repair 3 times and all 3 times didn't fix it. I also had an issue with dell and filed a complaint and the escalation office called me and bent over backwards to make me happy. So I would suggest doing that and you will get a call back within a week guaranteed
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk

Envy718 said:
I have a GS3 for att and a few hours after i bought the phone i noticed the back door cover is not snapping in on the bottom left side. After thinking i might be able to return the phone to the best buy i got it from and exchange it i decided to wait two days. Turns out my only option is returning not exchanging due to the high demand of the phone. I tried to call samsung to see if could possibly send me a back cover since all the hooplah about the back cover recall during production i figured it would not be a problem. I first tried to get this fixed through their live chat system. In the end they told me its not cover because its physical damage. I proceeded to call their support and see if they could give me the same answer. They in turn said I would have to send the phone to them but since I have no oter phone now I could not do that so I politely asked to speak to a manager but there were "on the phones" and "busy" so they took my number and told me they would call me back. Well.... I guess you can figure out what happened with that promise. I called a second time and after a 40 minute call it got me nowhere. They then told me on my second call that the back cover was not covered in the warranty because it was a "detachable part of the phone" and that it was an "accessory". I told them this does not make sense because isnt the battery considered detachable and an accessory? This time i asked for a manager again and I guess the managers were being lazy because not one of them wanted to speak with me because they were on "call" ironically. Can anyone help me with this situation any suggestions anything I can tell them to actually do something about this? I also already told them that all over the internet there were news about defective back covers during manufacturing and how it was pulled to be fixed and how people are posting pics of back cover issues also including on this forum! Im so aggravated with their customer support that i have a headache.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I left AT&T. Their customer service is the worst out of all the top 4 carriers in the US.
Sent from Droid RAZR MAXX

Envy718 said:
I have a GS3 for att and a few hours after i bought the phone i noticed the back door cover is not snapping in on the bottom left side. After thinking i might be able to return the phone to the best buy i got it from and exchange it i decided to wait two days. ... They then told me on my second call that the back cover was not covered in the warranty because it was a "detachable part of the phone" and that it was an "accessory"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, the manufacturing issue had everything to do with the surface quality, not the fit issue.
Second, you need to learn to insert the cover properly. If you insert from the bottom and just press hard around the edge all the way around, it will fit in snuggly.
Third, if you still can't get the cover to assemble or break the cover in the process of forcing it in, just buy a replacement cover. It is not expensive and certainly not worth your time and effort to argue with Samsung over it, imho.
Just trying to be helpful...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

ArborRes said:
First, the manufacturing issue had everything to do with the surface quality, not the fit issue.
Second, you need to learn to insert the cover properly. If you insert from the bottom and just press hard around the edge all the way around, it will fit in snuggly.
Third, if you still can't get the cover to assemble or break the cover in the process of forcing it in, just buy a replacement cover. It is not expensive and certainly not worth your time and effort to argue with Samsung over it, imho.
Just trying to be helpful...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im not retarded I know how to put the back cover on I have already done this and it is not staying. Im one of the few people that read the manuals. I have never broke the cover because it came like that out of the box. I would not be calling samsung or posting on this forum had any of this been my fault at all.

ArborRes said:
First, the manufacturing issue had everything to do with the surface quality, not the fit issue.
Second, you need to learn to insert the cover properly. If you insert from the bottom and just press hard around the edge all the way around, it will fit in snuggly.
Third, if you still can't get the cover to assemble or break the cover in the process of forcing it in, just buy a replacement cover. It is not expensive and certainly not worth your time and effort to argue with Samsung over it, imho.
Just trying to be helpful...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice avatar1 What's the good word?

All that time on the phone and posting on forums, you might as well have bought one off ebay. Unless your time isn't worth anything.

themightycat said:
All that time on the phone and posting on forums, you might as well have bought one off ebay. Unless your time isn't worth anything.
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Click to collapse
My thing is why should I have to spend money on something that was a defect. Thats not right as a company to make a customer do that for a less than a week old phone.

Just return the phone and get a new one.

First world problems suck. Thanks for sharing.
...

Put a case on it, and you'll never notice it again.

Call wherever you bought it, see if someone returned a defective one and have them swap the cover for you.