[Q] Replacing the screen on a THL W7 series? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi there,
I hope it's ok to post in this subforum, but I'm having a bit of trouble replacing the screen on a THL W7S, an Android phone with a 5.7" screen released in the last year or so. THL are primarily sold in the Chinese market, I think, but I got this from a seller on Amazon UK.
The phone was dropped and the screen has cracked, and I was able to order a replacement screen from an online stored based in China or HK. It arrived a few days ago.
I'm usually quite handy with this sort of thing - I've repaired laptops and iMacs in the past, and they can be quite fiddly and stressful - but I can't see how to release this phone's screen.
I can't find any videos or discussion of screen replacements for the W7S, but I see that some other phones require a hot air blower at 160ºc to heat the glue and allow the screen to be prised off. I think I recollect that iPhone screens must be repaired this way - is that right?
Is a hot air blower likely to be necessary for removing the screen of this THL? There's a silver bevel around the edge of the phone's case, but I don't think that's what's holding the screen down, and after removing the battery cover and then an internal cover behind that, I can see no more screws.

Related

TF201 DIY screen replacement

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.
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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

[WARNING]Broken screens

Okay so I am sharing my experience for everyone. I had recently broken my screen, and I needed to replace the screen. I bought a screen digitizer off of eBay, and....Destroyed the phone sub frame. The reason I am posting is because I am warning all of you, you need to buy a full display assembly online. This includes the whole new display( glass and LCD) wires and bits, and a full subframe. Unless you are superior to an Asian 12 year old working in the factory that made your phone (hint hint, wink wink, you're not) than you need to buy a full assembly, or end up like me an destroy your phone.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HD using Tapatalk HD
+1.
Unfortunately, I saw this post after doing damage to my phone. The plastic housing that the digitizer /lcd sits in is verrrryyy easy to damage around the edges when you try to separate the screen. Heating it with the heat gun to get the separation actually makes it even more fragile and prone to damage. Thankfully I was able to return digitizer/lcd and get full setup from here :
http://www.etradesupply.com/oem-htc-evo-4g-lte-lcd-screen-and-digitizer-assembly-with-front-housing-and-light-guide.html
Hopefully things will go a little better this time.
Wow, that includes the plastic frame? I replaced my screen a couple of weeks ago (glass and LCD), and the edges of the frame did get slightly chewed up. It's not too bad, but I wish I had known abut this item.
On a positive note, I suppose I can get a job in China when the economy completely collapses.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Ya my screen got waterlogged after I got trashed and left it out in the rain. Let everything dry out and thankfully all the boards and connectors work. I ended up going the cheap route and just buying a screen and not the frame. I almost successfully got the thing apart. I do have a small chip in the frame on the left side but my case covers that. I only paid around $50 but I did give myself around $50 in headaches. Definitely spend the extra $50 and just get the whole package.
If you do decide to try and separate the screen from the frame, use a lot of heat. Not necessarily high heat, but for a good duration. Get the adhesive nice and warm. Then pry it loose through one of the holes in the housing/frame (go at it from the back) and slowly work it away from the frame. Once you get it off, heat the adhesive back up and then add some 5 minute quick epoxy to the black adhesive pads in the frame. Then use some clamps and let the epoxy cure. There is a great video I followed below. It took me a while and I will probably ride with this for a minute until it bothers the hell out of me. My gf said she can't even notice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae52Ug8vFwA
case screen cover plastic sheet work?
I'm just wondering how many naked phones get broke compared to well protected?
Gnexd said:
I'm just wondering how many naked phones get broke compared to well protected?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Incipio NGP case on mine all the time and I always have a screen protector installed (usually the cheap ones from Amazon). I have never had a problem with the screen until I left my phone out in the rain. The Gorilla Glass II is decently strong but only to a certain extent. I mainly use the screen protector from scratches if I accidentally put it in the same pocket as my keys.
I was afraid of breaking mine one day, fortunately for me my volume button went out first and I have Best Buys insurance and the replace the phone with no deductible.
Seems like screen issues are pretty common on this model. I'm on my 4th Evo now because the screen kept failing on me. Based on what I read it sounds like I'd never want to have to replace this myself.

[Q] How brittle are the displays?

Okay. I'm on my second Z Ultra in the past 9 weeks. The first freezing and dying after 28 days.
The replacement appeared and I've been using it the past 5 weeks.
This morning I went for a walk with my dog and put the phone in the front pocket of my jeans. There was nothing else in the pocket; coins, keys, etc. to ensure the soft scratchable coating of the phone wasn't affected.
Came home 20 minutes later and received a call. When I retrieved the phone from the pocket there were cracks all across the front screen starting from the edge of the glass beside the on/off button.
Whilst the display lit up as normal behind, the phone functions; answering, etc. were inoperable.
Now it's galling that this phone has NEVER been dropped. I never had ANY impact on the phone; knocking into a doorway, etc. during my walk with my dog. So how come it just seemed to 'explode'?
Have sent it off to Sony's repair hub in the UK in the hope that they'll repair under warranty as there was NO accidental damage and the case around the point of where the screen breakage - like the rest of the case - doesn't have a scratch nor mark.
The Sale of Goods Act in Scotland states:
Customers do have a legal right to a refund, repair or
replacement if an item they purchased
• does not match the description
• is not of satisfactory quality
• is not fit for purpose
Fit for purpose surely includes phones that can be carried in a pocket without a screen cracking?
Opinions please...
NoBetterWords said:
Okay. I'm on my second Z Ultra in the past 9 weeks. The first freezing and dying after 28 days.
The replacement appeared and I've been using it the past 5 weeks.
This morning I went for a walk with my dog and put the phone in the front pocket of my jeans. There was nothing else in the pocket; coins, keys, etc. to ensure the soft scratchable coating of the phone wasn't affected.
Came home 20 minutes later and received a call. When I retrieved the phone from the pocket there were cracks all across the front screen starting from the edge of the glass beside the on/off button.
Whilst the display lit up as normal behind, the phone functions; answering, etc. were inoperable.
Now it's galling that this phone has NEVER been dropped. I never had ANY impact on the phone; knocking into a doorway, etc. during my walk with my dog. So how come it just seemed to 'explode'?
Have sent it off to Sony's repair hub in the UK in the hope that they'll repair under warranty as there was NO accidental damage and the case around the point of where the screen breakage - like the rest of the case - doesn't have a scratch nor mark.
The Sale of Goods Act in Scotland states:
Customers do have a legal right to a refund, repair or
replacement if an item they purchased
• does not match the description
• is not of satisfactory quality
• is not fit for purpose
Fit for purpose surely includes phones that can be carried in a pocket without a screen cracking?
Opinions please...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Feel for ya man, that sucks. Worth reading the following thread:
http://www.xperiablog.net/2013/11/...ays-for-xperia-z-series-suggests-leaked-info/
It seems Sony is prepared for this and acknowledges it may be an issue. I wonder if there was an existing defect in your screen cos that shouldn't happen without dropping it.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Sorry man
In the first week that I had mine I managed to drop it from about 1.5 m out of my pocket while climbing on to a platform on to the concrete floor with no case, end result just the smallest of marks on the aluminium case on the bottom left. All in all I was impressed at how strong it was - seen a S4 dropped at work from the same hight, didn't fare so well.
I guess Xperia Z, Z Ultra and probably Z1 isn't a perfect match for pockets?!
Opinion
Hi, I have most of the smart phones & tablets that were produced since the early i-Mate until now and i keep them all, The best for me is the "Note III" but i can't hold only 1 cell phone as i need another phone number for work so i got the Z-Ultra
until now it has only a little scratch on the back glass but the point is that i used to get Samsungs for my wife and by the same week of purchase they fell either on floor, asphalt or anything and their screens(Digitizer or Panel) gets cracked easily, Since the release of the Z i liked it so i got it for her and i must say it fells on the floor at least 3 times a day and guess what, the device has nothing but little scratches on the side frame, It has a great build and quality, I will stick with Sony for my wife as its the only phone we have tried that can resist this much

Tab4 10.1 Battery Cover / Back Cover Replacement

Hello all,
I have my Tab4 10.1 for some 4 months now, generally pleased with it but i noticed that my screen started to show some color leakage when pressed at certain places on the digitizer and from the back.
Sure enough i took it in for repair, got it back brand new but the leaks continue even on the new screen.
When i hold the tablet sideways i can see that the plastic along with the screen is forming sort of a curvature along the longitude of the tablet.
I took the cover off just to find out that the plastic somehow twisted and deformed (home use plus hardcase only!) and once taken out the screen wasnt leaking when pressed anymore and its straight when looking again from the side.
So my question is, does someone know where can i get a replacement back / battery cover, or maybe one thats a lot stiffer, and did someone else have this kind of situation?
Cheers
Most parts are usually available on eBay. They generally ship from China, so the ship time is often 2 or 3 weeks.
flip360 said:
Hello all,
I have my Tab4 10.1 for some 4 months now, generally pleased with it but i noticed that my screen started to show some color leakage when pressed at certain places on the digitizer and from the back.
Sure enough i took it in for repair, got it back brand new but the leaks continue even on the new screen.
When i hold the tablet sideways i can see that the plastic along with the screen is forming sort of a curvature along the longitude of the tablet.
I took the cover off just to find out that the plastic somehow twisted and deformed (home use plus hardcase only!) and once taken out the screen wasnt leaking when pressed anymore and its straight when looking again from the side.
So my question is, does someone know where can i get a replacement back / battery cover, or maybe one thats a lot stiffer, and did someone else have this kind of situation?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont recommend buying new backcover, because it wont solve problem. Problem is that backcover dosent fit well and by holding it you are forming that curves. I had same problem on my two t535 tablets before i got new one from seller, and this new isnt much better. Problem is chassis or frame, depend how you call it. Simply quality control is bad and thats it. Im sure many others have same problem, but many of them dont care about that.
Thnaks Nemanja, it is the low QC afterall, got my replacement but still the same :|

Cracked screen under warranty or cheapest repair in the UK?

I've just dropped my three month old Honor 7 and the screen is cracked from the bottom right corner. I bought it new from Amazon UK (sold by Amazon EU S.a.r.L.), it wasn't through Vmall. Is the screen covered under any form of warranty? If not, where's the cheapest place to get it fixed in the UK?
GrandMasterPlank said:
I've just dropped my three month old Honor 7 and the screen is cracked from the bottom right corner. I bought it new from Amazon UK (sold by Amazon EU S.a.r.L.), it wasn't through Vmall. Is the screen covered under any form of warranty? If not, where's the cheapest place to get it fixed in the UK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the screen is guaranteed against manufacturing faults, but not the glass against accidental damage.
When I trod on mine in the back of a car, I called Hihonor support and they quoted me £70-80 + £15 inspection and postage charge, which I thought was reasonable, however when calling their repair centre to book mine in they laughed and said it would be at least £130 for Honor 7 screen replacement - they can't do just the glass as it's all bonded to the digitiser and screen.
I decided to buy a new screen (with glass, digitiser and interior frame attached) from eBay for about £40 and fitted it myself. Not as easy as the videos on youtube make it look - it is very difficult to get apart for a start, then the battery is hard to remove. Also, various parts (including all the buttons, vibration motor etc have to be heated with a hairdryer to separate them from the old screen frame and re-installed into the new frame.
Luckily mine is working perfectly now, although I think the screen may not be quite as bright as the original one was.
I wouldn't try to buy just the glass, or even the glass and screen (without the frame) - you'll never get it to look as good as new.
Good luck and let us know how you get on with having it repaired or doing it yourself.
You can PM me if you need any advice
honorable said:
I think the screen is guaranteed against manufacturing faults, but not the glass against accidental damage.
When I trod on mine in the back of a car, I called Hihonor support and they quoted me £70-80 + £15 inspection and postage charge, which I thought was reasonable, however when calling their repair centre to book mine in they laughed and said it would be at least £130 for Honor 7 screen replacement - they can't do just the glass as it's all bonded to the digitiser and screen.
I decided to buy a new screen (with glass, digitiser and interior frame attached) from eBay for about £40 and fitted it myself. Not as easy as the videos on youtube make it look - it is very difficult to get apart for a start, then the battery is hard to remove. Also, various parts (including all the buttons, vibration motor etc have to be heated with a hairdryer to separate them from the old screen frame and re-installed into the new frame.
Luckily mine is working perfectly now, although I think the screen may not be quite as bright as the original one was.
I wouldn't try to buy just the glass, or even the glass and screen (without the frame) - you'll never get it to look as good as new.
Good luck and let us know how you get on with having it repaired or doing it yourself.
You can PM me if you need any advice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude, much appreciated. I was into it until you started mentioning removing parts by heating them up then thought I'll leave it to the experts. :laugh: Honor UK have quoted me £80 as it's a pretty clean break so I'm going to give them a go and see what they say. If they do the same as they did for you, which they said they wouldn't!, then I'll go with that. Will let you know.
I'm surprised their aren't more threads on hear about replacing screens because this phone does feel fragile despite being reasonably weighty so I'd have thought there'd be loads of cracked screens out there. I dropped my old S5 a couple of times from higher up and the screen survived both times. Am now thinking a tempered glass protector might be in order for the 7 :fingers-crossed:
Mine had a glass protector, but I guess they don't cope with treading on! I've put one on the new screen too.
I also have an S-line gel case which acts as a bit of a buffer against drops.
Let us know if you get yours done for £80
honorable said:
Mine had a glass protector, but I guess they don't cope with treading on! I've put one on the new screen too.
I also have an S-line gel case which acts as a bit of a buffer against drops.
Let us know if you get yours done for £80
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After reading reviews of the official Honor repair company, SBE Limited, and how they appear to be happy to scam people I thought I'd have a go myself. So I bought a replacement front glass and thought I'd give it a go.
Dissembling the phone is really easy, once you've got the hang of the clips holding the back on, and taking it all apart was easy. What wasn't so easy (read nigh-on impossible) is separating the front glass from the digitiser. I tried and tried and in the end the touch screen just split into a number of layers so I'll need to order the complete screen assembly. My concern is you mentioned you bought one off ebay and it wasn't as bright as the original. From this I'm guessing it wasn't an original screen? I'd like to get an original if I can. Do you have a link to the one you bought? How long did it take coming from China?
Don't know if this is relevant but under the hicare app it allows you to price up replacement parts. Could not find any mention of the Honor 7 but it did list the Honor 5X as £35 so might be worth trying this way to see if they do have the Honor 7.
I got mine from eBay seller called bestsellstuff.
£35.27 at the moment and mine came quicker than expected with 2nd class delivery free.
I don't think any of the eBay sellers will say they are genuine screens, but I think they probably all are - I can't imagine they would be cheap to replicate. Maybe they are seconds or find their way out of the factory somehow....
boroleigh said:
Don't know if this is relevant but under the hicare app it allows you to price up replacement parts. Could not find any mention of the Honor 7 but it did list the Honor 5X as £35 so might be worth trying this way to see if they do have the Honor 7.
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Thanks for the nod. Tried it but no joy. For some reason they don't support the Honor 7. Very Huawei tbh, they're left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. A bit all over the place.
honorable said:
I got mine from eBay seller called bestsellstuff.
£35.27 at the moment and mine came quicker than expected with 2nd class delivery free.
I don't think any of the eBay sellers will say they are genuine screens, but I think they probably all are - I can't imagine they would be cheap to replicate. Maybe they are seconds or find their way out of the factory somehow....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great stuff, have just ordered the last one they had in stock in they're in France also, so should be quicker than coming from Hong Kong. Funny thing is I hadn't seen their add before, it hadn't come up with my ebay search for 'Honor 7 replacement screen'. Without having the name I'd not have found it and paid more so thanks again! :good:
Here are a few tips for when it arrives:
Don't peel off any of the blue plastic film until you're ready to do each part - it's very sticky underneath.
Take photos as you go along incase you need to go back a astep.
I'm not sure if you got to the stage of removing the battery before - it is stuck down very strongly. I just gradually prised mine out, but you might find heating it a bit will release it easier. There aren't any cables underneath it (as some other Honors have).
When heating (with a hairdryer) the small bits of circuit board and components that need to be transferred to the new frame, only do it for long enough to get them to peel off (I used tweezers to do this).
When you come to install each part, there are very small bumps in the frame that you need to line up the equally small holes on the part - makes positioning them easy! Then use a plastic tool to press them firmly onto the frame.
When you come to put everything back, make sure that the very small narrow ribbon cable that goes under the tiny flip-up bracket (the connection to the smart key) goes in fully until it stops. I didn't put mine in completely and the smart key wouldn't work until I re-did it properly.
You may notice that there is a square-ish hole and some slots in the frame (under where the battery goes?) on the new frame which aren't on the old one. If so, you might want to cover them up with some black gaffa tape or thin card - I suspect they are the cause of some light areas at the very sides of my screen, but I don't want to strip mine down again.
honorable said:
Here are a few tips for when it arrives:
Don't peel off any of the blue plastic film until you're ready to do each part - it's very sticky underneath.
Take photos as you go along incase you need to go back a astep.
I'm not sure if you got to the stage of removing the battery before - it is stuck down very strongly. I just gradually prised mine out, but you might find heating it a bit will release it easier. There aren't any cables underneath it (as some other Honors have).
When heating (with a hairdryer) the small bits of circuit board and components that need to be transferred to the new frame, only do it for long enough to get them to peel off (I used tweezers to do this).
When you come to install each part, there are very small bumps in the frame that you need to line up the equally small holes on the part - makes positioning them easy! Then use a plastic tool to press them firmly onto the frame.
When you come to put everything back, make sure that the very small narrow ribbon cable that goes under the tiny flip-up bracket (the connection to the smart key) goes in fully until it stops. I didn't put mine in completely and the smart key wouldn't work until I re-did it properly.
You may notice that there is a square-ish hole and some slots in the frame (under where the battery goes?) on the new frame which aren't on the old one. If so, you might want to cover them up with some black gaffa tape or thin card - I suspect they are the cause of some light areas at the very sides of my screen, but I don't want to strip mine down again.
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Great tips, thanks again. I'll be sorting it as soon as it arrives. Will report on how I get on.
honorable said:
Here are a few tips for when it arrives:
Don't peel off any of the blue plastic film until you're ready to do each part - it's very sticky underneath.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorted!! Thanks for the advice, was really useful. Took it all on board, took my time (about 1hr) and fitted the new screen. Clipped it all back together and worked perfect first time. £35 to get your screen fixed, amazing. I'll always fix a cracked screen from now on, these repair companies are just profiteering.
Thanks again.
GrandMasterPlank said:
Sorted!! Thanks for the advice, was really useful. Took it all on board, took my time (about 1hr) and fitted the new screen. Clipped it all back together and worked perfect first time. £35 to get your screen fixed, amazing. I'll always fix a cracked screen from now on, these repair companies are just profiteering.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great news!!
Did you have to cover the square hole and slot to stop light leakage?
Also, is there any light bleeding at the sides and is there any difference in brightness from the original screen?
honorable said:
Great news!!
Did you have to cover the square hole and slot to stop light leakage?
Also, is there any light bleeding at the sides and is there any difference in brightness from the original screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen and housing isn't original Huawei, it's a pattern unit but tbh it looks totally identical in use, no less dim than the original screen. There's also no bleed at all. There weren't any hollows and slots to fill with card under the battery. The only hollow was at the base of the battery as it sat slightly higher up (towards the top of the phone when laid flat) in the casing so I filled that with folded card.
The only slight issue is that the screen shape (rounded corners of the glass) when looking at the phone from the front doesn't fit into the corners of the casing absolutely perfectly. Tbh only a phone nut would notice it, wouldn't be an issue to anyone else.

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