Hi,
It seem like there are a lot of people that has TF201s with broken screens, but very little information about how to DIY screen replacement, so I wanted to post my bad experience here as a warning to people, so that they know what they get into.
The screen on my TF201 cracked (dropped on the floor - only the screen was damaged, the LCD and digitizer still worked) so I searched around the web to find ways to replace the screen - without luck
I did find instructions on how to open the device and I also found original glass/digitizer replacement parts on eBay originating from China at about $100 so I took the chance and ordered a new screen. It arrived 2 weeks after and looked good.
With the instructions on how to disassemble the TF201 posted on this forum, it was quickly open and the glass/digitizer/LCD is one subassembly connected to the mainboard with two flex cables - one for the LCD and one for the digitizer.
Next step is to power off the system internally. There is a small internal switch in the lower left corner that you should switch to the off position. The LCD and digitizer cables can now be disconnected from the mainboard. The connectors open easily by putting a nail under the white frame of the correctors and pulling the frame up and then pull out the flex cables. You now have the glass/digitizer/LCD separated from the mainboard.
The LCD has a few screws to hold it to the plastic frame - these should be removed at this step. Mine only has two screws mounted although there is room for more (bad assembly quality or a fix for screen bleeding???)
Now comes the hard part and the part where I failed! There is a plastic frame around the edges of the glass that you need to remove and mount on the new glass. This plastic part holds all the taps that keep the tablet together and it is taped to the glass with some VERY sticky tape!
I used a scalpel to cut between the plastic and the glass with the result that the glass broke in tiny pieces as I went around, but as I saw no other way I kept going... It might have been better to use a heat gun or a hairblower to heat up the glue before trying to remove it, but I was worried that the LCD might be damaged by the heat.
The plastic frame has to be removed first to have access to the foam tape that is used to tape the LCD to the glass/digitizer. Once the plastic frame was off, I again used the knife to gently cut the foam tape (around 1 mm thick) all around the LCD screen so that this can be removed from the glass.
Here I might have made my second mistake. I was worried that I would cut too deep into the foam and hit the LCD screen, but the foam at the bottom of the screen is a little wider than the rest and as I tried to remove the screen I used too much force and might have damaged the LCD - the end result was that also the LCD was damaged in the process. The damage might also have been caused by me pressing too hard on the screen during the removal of the plastic frame (might actually be more likely as the glass was broken across the screen and the damage I was seeing when I turned on the screen was following the same line as the crack).
Well, I got the LCD off the broken screen and though I had been successful even thought it had taken a couple of hours to get there (I could not visually see that the LCD was damaged at this point).
Then on to the assembly with the new screen/digitizer! I had some double sided tape that I used to tape the screen to the plastic, but decided to do a quick test before I fully assembled the unit and this turned out to be a good idea!
I mounted the LCD screen with just the screws and connected the flex cables back into the connectors (these can be a little tricky to get in, so just be patient and keep wiggling them in and close the latches). I enabled the power again and pressed the power button and: DAMM - THE LCD IS BROKE!!!!
After wiggling a little with the LCD cable I was able to get a partial image, but it was evident that I had mishandled the LCD screen during the disassembly and I needed a new screen to get my tablet working again - now I was glad that I did not glue the LCD to the glass, so that I needed both a new LCD and a new glass/digitizer!
Off to the web to search for a replacement LCD screen... Hmm, lots of ebay listings for TF201 replacement LCDs, but none of them looked like the original I had... Then I searched for the partnumber on the LCD I took out (Hannstar HSD101PWW2 rev. 0-A00) and I did find a few items priced around $100.
Before I started to spend more money on the device I wanted to check our if the digitizer was actually working, so I connected the tabled to my TV using the HDMI output to test...WHAT?? THE X-AXIS ON THE DIGITIZER WAS REVERTED!!!
I double checked the flex cable connections, but everything was in order. I then compare my broken screen with the replacement part and noticed that the signal routing on the flex cable for the new part looked quite different than the original.
I emailed the company that sold me the screen and he replied back that they JUST heard that some other customer have had the same problem - there might be different versions for the digitizer used in the TF201 (perhaps depending on production time)!!!
He suggested that I tried a hard reboot and a system reset to default and I tried that without luck.
I also tried to find a way to do a 5 point screen calibration, but this does not seem to be supported.
Does anyone know of a way to revert the x axis by modifying a configuration file - and can that be done without rooting the device??
Have anyone successfully replaced their screen - if so, could you reply with the partnumber listed on the flex cable? Mine is: 3KA12-5SCA01, 18100-10180100.
They did offer to refund the price of the screen if I shipped the screen back to them, but I will most likely damage the screen when trying to remove the plastic frame and it will cost me shipping the part back to China. After a few mails exchanges they offered a $82 refund and I accepted that.
I now have a TF201 with a working touch screen that has the x-axis inverted and no LCD...
Continued...
SUMMARY/LEARNING:
- IF YOUR SCREEN ONLY HAS A SMALL CRACK - LIVE WITH IT OR TRY TO FIX IT WITH AUTO GLASS REPAIR GLUE
- IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO FOR DIY SCREEN REPLACEMENT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET A DIGITIZER THAT WORKS WITH YOUR UNIT!
- WHEN REMOVING THE PLASTIC FRAME FROM THE GLASS BE VERY CAREFULL NOT TO DAMAGE THE LCD SCREEN BY PRESSING ON THE BROKEN GLASS AND TRY TO USE A HAIR DRYER TO HEAT UP THE GLUE (NOT TRIED THIS MYSELF)
- WHEN CUTTING THE FOAM TAPE BETWEEN THE LCD AND THE SCREEN BE VERY CAREFULL TO CUT THOUGH ALL THE TAPE BEFORE TRYING TO REMOVE THE LCD
I now have a TF201 with a working touch screen that has the x-axis inverted and no LCD... Unless I get the touch screen issue resolved I most likely will get a TF700 instead of my broken prime - I really loved the prime for the 4 months I had it working...
Happened to me too!
Bought a prime with an already cracked glass with the hope to fix it, as i do with most higrer-end devices (phones in particular)...
I intended to pass it on to my mom as her first tablet. When i bought it, it was fully usable and after two weeks (before the digitizer got delivered) my mom got addicted to it.
Then i got the digitizer in the mail... I cracker the tablet open, unhooked the front assembly and started going at it. First i tried removing the screws in the hope that the lcd would easily seperate from the digitizer. Sadly that wasn't the case so my next action was to try and seperate the lcd and digitizer from the plastic frame... i broke off a piece of black glass that was over the frame and started working my way arround the gap with small but tough shears so that i would brake the glass off from the frame, working my way arround the screen and digitizer, while removing any broken glass from the frame at the same time. Took two hours and the two were seperated. Tried to connect the lcd to the tablet to see if it still worked, and it did. So i was left with what i thought was an easy task of seperating the lcd and digitizer by lifting the adhesive. Top, left and right went rather easily. I added thin plastic mediator-like opening tools arround the edge so that the lcd wouldn't get stuck back to the adhesive (was trying to preserve the adhesive stips for re-installation). When only the bottom one was left still attached i went with the experience/common-sence approach to start prying the lcd away from the digitizer where i thought the adhesive strip would be the same size and would easily give way... That's probably when the lcd couldn't take it and cracked.
Had i used a scalpel all arround- i would have been left with a perfectly working tablet, but all i had was a tablet with a cracked lcd. So i gave up on this not wanting to crack another (costly) lcd and sold it on ebay. That, and because it was a little too big and heavy to use on the train every day going and from work.
So what have i learned from this?
1. For tablets with glue-stripped-on LCD's ALWAYS break the glass arround the frame (with high caution) to seperate the digitizer+LCD from the frame
2. ALWAYS use a scalpel in between the adhesive and digitizer (making shure that when you insert it, you can see it infront of the LCD and behind the digitizer. If needed, angle the scalpel so that it rests on the digitizer and not the LCD. (LCD pannel edges ussually have a strip of metal or plastic arround the edge, so you won't damage them if you use light force on that area, as opposed to the glass itself.)
Hope people who do break their primes get to see these posts before attempting any repairs.
ThomasKJ said:
Before I started to spend more money on the device I wanted to check our if the digitizer was actually working, so I connected the tabled to my TV using the HDMI output to test...WHAT?? THE X-AXIS ON THE DIGITIZER WAS REVERTED!!!
I double checked the flex cable connections, but everything was in order. I then compare my broken screen with the replacement part and noticed that the signal routing on the flex cable for the new part looked quite different than the original.
I emailed the company that sold me the screen and he replied back that they JUST heard that some other customer have had the same problem - there might be different versions for the digitizer used in the TF201 (perhaps depending on production time)!!!
He suggested that I tried a hard reboot and a system reset to default and I tried that without luck.
I also tried to find a way to do a 5 point screen calibration, but this does not seem to be stouchscreenupported.
Does anyone know of a way to revert the x axis by modifying a configuration file - and can that be done without rooting the device??
Have anyone successfully replaced their screen - if so, could you reply with the partnumber listed on the flex cable? Mine is: 3KA12-5SCA01, 18100-10180100.
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Click to collapse
I have exact same problem with the touchscreen. X-AXIS is reverted but not fully, touchscreen works off pressing like a mirror on the left to the right.
I'ts video youtu.be/XUN_0q5I4ng
my touchscreen partnumber is same.
Сould you upload photos of the touchscreen cables differences between what you had originally and those that worked not correctly?
Where did you find the part number for the digitzer? Is it near the tiny QR code, or on it?
I have the same problem x-axis is reverted. Still wonder why? The original broken glass/digitizer was working fine.
Please share if you guys found the solution. I will do it too.
Thank!
Theres a vid about this. i will post it soon. i'm only using my phone. my prime is with my dad in china. i dont know when i'm getting it back in 2 or mor week i guess? surely i'll be noob again when i get it back.
I have the same problem too. Broken digitizer & lcd.. Got a replacement digitizer and the x-axis was inverted, sent it back and got the full refund.
After that i texted a few mails with another seller that knows the problem, he told me there are two versions of digitizers for the tf201. He sent out the (i hope) right one today, I will post the seller if this one works (takes about two weeks to get it..)
OP started this thread in another forum I found via google search where some guy figured out how to fix the x-axis problem by changing something in the source.. however I think he will release a patch after some more testing but he can't test right now because he has no lcd atm. Here's the thread:
bit.ly/OXx6us (hope it's allowed to post this)
same thing
I have exactly the same issue: axis-x is inverted.
I got it, thought it's broken or fake or whatever and sent it back. Bought another one from a different seller. Same problem.
I'm not a programmer, but I feel it can be fixed easy on a software level (just don't know where to look for it)
Here is my video:
digitizer on the way from China
Any one find a solution for this yet?
I have a digitizer on the way from China.
Just a bump to catch someones attention I hope.
I'm waiting to hear from someone if they found a supplier that will send the right screen, or if they know how to compile the kernel to make the screwed up screens work right.
Kind of holding off ordering mine at the moment.
All of a sudden there are a lot of these for sale on Ebay.
And there hasn't been much chatter on defective ones lately.
Makes me wonder if it was just a specific seller that had a bad batch.
Caught a guy trying to sell his TF201 with a broken LCD that he claims broke while replacing the digitizer.
Turns out he is trying to sell his with one of the inverted digitizers and not stating so in the auction.
I ordered a replacement from New Jersy and canceled the one from china I will see what happens when it gets here.
I will definately test it before I tape it down.
If it works let me know. I'm in Canada and would rather pay a bit more for a properly working one than some knockoff that I have to be a programmer to get working.
Any news on your replacement yet?
Nightpath said:
Any news on your replacement yet?
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Click to collapse
I got my second replacement-digitizer and it's inverted too.. so frustrating!
As there are so many people with this problem I hope some expierienced guy will take a look at the touchscreen-driver and post a little workaround. It is possible to fix this problem by editing the driver but I don't know how it exactly has to be done.
I will share my problem.
My screen broke, however, the LCD and touch still worked.
I ordered a new screen for ASUS authorized service, because using a tablet with a cracked screen is horrible.
I thought it would be posted only the digitizer, but no, the Asus offers LCD screen with digitizer, it is not necessary to work to separate the two parts.
A professional did the replacement.
The problem is that the new set is crazy.
When the tablet is horizontal | === |,
* think that is vertically
| = |
| = |
* and otherwise also.
I think I was unlucky.
* I'm about to order a new set, this time, buy direct from asusparts.eu
Hmmm...where exactly did you order your first digitizer (touchscreen)? And that site you linked sucks, no pictures of any of the items to make sure you're getting the right one.
Received mine yesterday, [email protected]#$** piece of crap!!
It is inverted,it is going back.
First they wanted to give me a discount to keep it, idiots!
Then theyy want to send me another in exchange, they don't seem to understand the problem is they are all going to be the same if they are from the same batch.
Any one found a source for a good one yet?
I am going to try and see if Asus will sell them directly to the end user.
They sell laptop parts, so maybe they will do a digitizer.
I'll post my findings.
Cool. I work long days here in Canada (military, sigh) so I don't get much of a chance to do anything. Let me know as soon as you find out TRJ
About a month ago, my fiance dropped his phone from the work truck (about seven feet) and of course, the screen cracked and had a big spider web on the upper left portion. Oddly enough, the touch screen still worked fine. While functional, the spider web annoyed him greatly, so we got a new glass screen for the phone.
We originally purchased the wrong model (he has a r530). When the screen wasn't working I took the phone to a repair shop and the guy said I very well could have gotten the wrong model screen for the phone. So we bought the correct model screen for his phone and the same thing happened. The soft buttons are working, the noise works and it lights up just fine. The LCD screen is in perfect condition and the guy at the repair shop said I replaced the screen perfectly (I used the plastic tools and a blowdryer and kept the heat away from the center of the phone and took my time. The original screen came off in one piece and I didn't run into any problems during the replacement.)
We recently ordered a new screen, thinking the last one we received may have been defective. However, after placing the new screen on the phone, the same exact issue arises where the soft keys work but the actual screen did not.
So...I was hoping for some help/advice. We really don't want to have to buy the LCD/Screen/Digitizer combo cause it's soo expensive. Could the digitizer have somehow been ruined during the replacement?
Thanks for any input you have. It is greatly appreciated.
well, did you replace the digitizer? if yes, then the issue is in the motherboard
Glebun said:
well, did you replace the digitizer? if yes, then the issue is in the motherboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't been able to figure out how to replace just the digitizer, nor have I been able to find where to buy just a digitizer. Do you have any suggestions?
From what I understood, the digitizer was integrated into the LCD screen but I may be mistaken.
It's not the motherboard because if I take the motherboard from his phone and put it in mine everything works fine.
Search for the screen replacement how to and also you tube video .
jje
touch is the digitizer's responsibility
My Nokia Lumia 920 Glass shattered after it was dropped from 2.5 feet, it landed on the glass and shattered, the touch is working fine and the display is also fine, no leaks and displays everything properly. When I took the phone to Nokia Care they informed that the whole glass, digitizer and LCD has to be changed even though the latter two were working fine and asked me around Rs.15000 (approx 280 USD) to fix it. Is it possible just to replace the glass. I recently ordered a digitizer in ebay and it was shown with glass and when I received the package it just had the digitizer without the glass and it didnt look like OEM at all. Am planning just to order the glass and use my existing Nokia digitizer that came with the phone if there is a way to separate the digitizer and shattered glass. Please let me know what I will require to fix.
theonlyremedy said:
My Nokia Lumia 920 Glass shattered after it was dropped from 2.5 feet, it landed on the glass and shattered, the touch is working fine and the display is also fine, no leaks and displays everything properly. When I took the phone to Nokia Care they informed that the whole glass, digitizer and LCD has to be changed even though the latter two were working fine and asked me around Rs.15000 (approx 280 USD) to fix it. Is it possible just to replace the glass. I recently ordered a digitizer in ebay and it was shown with glass and when I received the package it just had the digitizer without the glass and it didnt look like OEM at all. Am planning just to order the glass and use my existing Nokia digitizer that came with the phone if there is a way to separate the digitizer and shattered glass. Please let me know what I will require to fix.
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Click to collapse
I broke mine recently too and after calling several local phone repair places (got similar quotes), I was convinced that the best bet was to order the whole screen assembly (including the LCD, digitizer and flexible key ribbon) and then do it myself. the assembly cost me just under $100 and was easy to replace with the help of the video on ifixit (here).
You can do just the digitizer, but its risky. The digitizer (the glass) is adheared to the LCD screen, and as I learned with my HD2, its very easy to ruin the LCD when separating the two. Within the guide posted above, there is a seperate guide for doing this (the link appears at about the 17:50 mark), you just have to be very very careful.
One last tip! The flex ribbon for the volume, power, and camera keys is very fragile and can easily tear when you're assembling/disassembling. I ended up ruining the original one when disassembling, then despite being extra careful, ruined the one on the new screen when reassembling, then had to wait a week for another new ribbon that I ordered off ebay. Watch out for the little plastic nub on the inside of the casing by the camera button. It sticks straight out towards the key ribbon and cuts it like a knife. That's what ended up tearing mine both times.
Good luck!
Hamburg said:
I broke mine recently too and after calling several local phone repair places (got similar quotes), I was convinced that the best bet was to order the whole screen assembly (including the LCD, digitizer and flexible key ribbon) and then do it myself. the assembly cost me just under $100 and was easy to replace with the help of the video on ifixit (here).
You can do just the digitizer, but its risky. The digitizer (the glass) is adheared to the LCD screen, and as I learned with my HD2, its very easy to ruin the LCD when separating the two. Within the guide posted above, there is a seperate guide for doing this (the link appears at about the 17:50 mark), you just have to be very very careful.
One last tip! The flex ribbon for the volume, power, and camera keys is very fragile and can easily tear when you're assembling/disassembling. I ended up ruining the original one when disassembling, then despite being extra careful, ruined the one on the new screen when reassembling, then had to wait a week for another new ribbon that I ordered off ebay. Watch out for the little plastic nub on the inside of the casing by the camera button. It sticks straight out towards the key ribbon and cuts it like a knife. That's what ended up tearing mine both times.
Good luck!
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Click to collapse
XDA doesn't have a specific forum for the 1520 and XDA needs one. I bought my wife a 1520 and dropped it the first day (slippery case). Broke the glass in two corners and really doesn't effect anything and you can barely see the cracks. But, I too would like to replace it. Haven't tried to get an estimate and I am very capable of replacing myself. I have the insurance but that will cost $200.
Ideas or suggestions, other than don't drop your phone!
I dropped my LG G2 in December, screen was partially shattered but it was working fine. Then I went to Gophermods to get it repaired, they changed the screen 4 times because it was showing grey lines either instantly or few days after each repair. I told the manager to be careful with the ribbon cable as that might be causing the problem after the third repair. He repaired it and this time he didn't even glue the screen properly it popped out held only by connectors, and the back cover clips weren't all locked in with gaps showing, frustrated I glued the LCD myself with epoxy worked fine for a month then same problem occurred (vertical grey lines and shadows of previous activities). Then he repaired it again tested for a week and then suddenly he said same problem occured right before giving it back to me and offered a refund. I returned home and ordered a white G2, eventually as usual screen popped out because he didn't glue it in properly and the lines eventually dissapeared and is working fine ever since as long as screen is not fixed fully into the front housing. I went to some sites selling replacement screens and they said be very careful with the ribbon cables or the previously mentioned problem occurs. I don't know what this guy did but I cant even put the screen back in to the housing all the way like before without getting the previously mentioned problems.
I would just like to tell everyone here to avoid Gophermods, the guy (manager and only worker in his store) was nice but he clearly had little experience repairing phones. The day I took my refund, a lady with a "repaired" iPad screen came in with problems apparently this was her second time there.
So my phone had a faulty digitizer, ghost tapping almost all the time, so I ordered a new digitizer and replaced it myself. So, now the ghost tapping is gone, but a part in the middle of the screen doesn't register touch. (well, it does, it just registers it either above or below that area.)
imgur.com/goQpEX4 picture of the area
First thing i did was open it up again and check the connection of the ribbon and blow any dust away. That didn't work.
So, is there anything I can do or is it just a botched job?
it is most likely a faulty digitizer. especially if you got it from china. i had to get a few replacements from the same dealer over the course of a few months due to various defects on the digitizer. considering just sending it to an official service center