Digitalizer broken or disconnected? - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Good evening!
My S3 has just fallen down. Now only physical buttons, back and menu are working. Screen has no physical damage but the digitalizer is not getting ANY of my touch. This makes me thing that it can be the internal connections. If it was broken I believe some screen zones would be still recognised. Then, I believe (and hope) digitalizer is in a well state. What are your thoughts about this?
Apart from this, how can I open the phone to check the connection. I've seen videos in which they replace the screen but I don't know if I can follow this procedure since, if it is still working, I don't know if I could re-glue it again.
Please, what can I do?
Thanks!

paco_ramirez said:
Good evening!
My S3 has just fallen down. Now only physical buttons, back and menu are working. Screen has no physical damage but the digitalizer is not getting ANY of my touch. This makes me thing that it can be the internal connections. If it was broken I believe some screen zones would be still recognised. Then, I believe (and hope) digitalizer is in a well state. What are your thoughts about this?
Apart from this, how can I open the phone to check the connection. I've seen videos in which they replace the screen but I don't know if I can follow this procedure since, if it is still working, I don't know if I could re-glue it again.
Please, what can I do?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is very possibly your digitizer can be broken but not show any physical damage. If it happened right after a fall then this is a real possibility.
Do not try to pull the screen sections apart you will damage it. Get a new whole screen assembly

Thank you very much for the answer!. Could you please send me a reference of the whole screen assembly I need? You mean digitalizer plus lcd? just digitalizer? Could you provide me a good but cheap one?.

paco_ramirez said:
Thank you very much for the answer!. Could you please send me a reference of the whole screen assembly I need? You mean digitalizer plus lcd? just digitalizer? Could you provide me a good but cheap one?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will need the glass, lcd and digitizer. The term "whole screen assembly" should be enough.

Thanks for the info. I've seen prices of this replacement set and it's about 100$ (80€). I don't think I should pay so much for a 2-year phone. I am thinking about taking a Xiaomi redmi note 4g for 169€.

paco_ramirez said:
Thanks for the info. I've seen prices of this replacement set and it's about 100$ (80€). I don't think I should pay so much for a 2-year phone. I am thinking about taking a Xiaomi redmi note 4g for 169€.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yer it is pricey, atleast in my country almost just as expensive to by a new s3 rather than get a new screen when you way up the aspects of a new phone plus the warranty

Related

[Q] NEWBIE HERE! Really F'd my HD2 up!!! HELP!!!

So, about 2 weeks ago, I got my HD2 off of Craigslist with a cracked screen. It worked perfectly fine with the exception of the hardly noticeable cracks. I knew I could get the replacement digitizer/screen for $40-80. I got my screen in the mail yesterday and, following the "YouTube" video tutorial found on this site, I......ugh.... replaced the screen....................I SCREWED UP BIG TIME!
First, I broke the ribbon cable for the Side "Volume Up/Down" buttons. Then, I broke the ribbon cable for the "soft keys." Ah, crap, but oh well. I figured I could use the touch screen for pretty much everything i needed to do. Well, while prying the cracked digitizer screen from the LCD, I went a bit too deep & peeled the tinted film off of the LCD. I thought nothing of it at the time. I'd already done enough damage. So the display would be a bit brighter than normal oh well.......WRONG! I put the phone back together and once I get it to power up, all I get is a white screen. I thought I missed something. So I disassemble & check 3 more times. Still a white screen.
Well, after all of this, the new digitizer/screen doesn't want to stay in place very well. So, being pissed off and curious, I pull it out and away and notice in the backside reflection of the digitizer that I can slightly make out the phone display. So, apparently the "Tinted Film" that I accidentally peeled off of the LCD makes images visible on the phone screen. I kind of damaged this film when peeling it off. Therefore, I am unable to put it back on. Does anyone know of a simple fix without replacing the LCD?
SORRY FOR THE "SHORT STORY LONG."
I was brainstorming and thought that maybe the film was polarized. So, I grabbed my sunglasses, which are polarized, and wearing them, I can faintly see the display. Anyone think maybe polarized window tint might fix my problem?
Hey man I have some electronic devices that need repair, can I send them to you to fix them?
SURE!
You can pay me in HD2 parts.
Sir i can only say 1 thing. search ebay and replace everything you damaged. only that way you will get your hd2 in perfect state.
keesmathot said:
Sir i can only say 1 thing. search ebay and replace everything you damaged. only that way you will get your hd2 in perfect state.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd go one step further and say bin it and get a new one!
You sound just like me. That is why I never try things like that anymore. Hope it gets sorted but might be better looking for a used one.
I've got it functioning...
I found the film that I ripped off, put it over the screen and........I CAN SEE! However, the top half has lines through it. So, I must've damaged the LCD. The good news is that my phone is useable again. I just have to do everything via the touch screen and can't let the screen hibernate unless I have my charger close by. I'm just gonna keep my eye out for a cheap busted phone and eventually have a 100% phone again...
I sympathize with you. I broke HD2 while I was trying to check for loose WiFi card cable(cuz i was getting weak WiFi signals). The cable turned out to be fine but the external speaker stopped working. I opened it up again and adjusted some parts and it just got worse. the HD2 didn't power on at all. I tried fixing it but to no avail. I ended up sending the HD2 to a repair shop and was charged $170 for the repair. the repair guy said i messed up the power IC and the connector for the external speaker and he had to replace the power IC and resolder the connector.
I think I'm gonna stop trying to open up expensive phones. i was stupid thinking that since I have successfully replaced digitizer for my previous Palm T3, E2 and T5, opening up HD2 wouldn't be a problem. Should have known HD2 components are really fragile...
mmarkk said:
Hey man I have some electronic devices that need repair, can I send them to you to fix them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
made me laugh.......
The best topic ever Thanks, dude!

[q] need help fast, lcd looks as if its broken???

I just recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy S2 from eBay, the seller stated that the LCD screen was "very dark" and not quite working right. When I received the phone it was far more then "very dark", half of the screen looks as if the LCD is leaking out or has been broken? The digitizer is mint and works and the phone its self is in AMAZING shape. NO scratches or chips or anything. It honestly looks brand new. I even tested the battery for usage and its showing up that this battery IS indeed brand new. Like I said it is mint so there is no possible way this phone was dropped. My first guess was a ROM issue, but I just noticed you can see the screen defect without the phone even being turned on. So what I am thinking is water damage. I read all over online about people having problems with there screens going black, this might also be the case. If it is water damage, does anyone know EXACT locations of indicators on the phone? I looked in the battery compartment and found nothing what so ever. I want to sell this thing today, (just received it in the mail) I need the cash so I was hoping someone would be able to point me in the right direction?? I uploaded photos below, the second one is with the phone turned off, the reflection is from my computer. For reference, it is the Samsung Galaxy SII 19100, with Bell Canada. Thanks in advanced!
I'm no expert but does not look like something you can fix yourself I'm afraid.
Send it back I say.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
send it back to whoever sold it
you kinda got scammed there, imho
See Im trying to figure out if the LCD was broken by physical damage or if this has happened before to people, because if its a manufacturing issue I can just send it back to Samsung and they will fix it no problem as long as this was caused on their part. If it WAS broken by the ebay seller, I might be better off buying a new lcd and installing it myself. I only paid $200CAD so it would be worth keeping if all thats wrong is the LCD. But like I said I would rather Samsung do it, lol its free.
Galaxy19000M said:
See Im trying to figure out if the LCD was broken by physical damage or if this has happened before to people, because if its a manufacturing issue I can just send it back to Samsung and they will fix it no problem as long as this was caused on their part. If it WAS broken by the ebay seller, I might be better off buying a new lcd and installing it myself. I only paid $200CAD so it would be worth keeping if all thats wrong is the LCD. But like I said I would rather Samsung do it, lol its free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Scratch that, the LCD is almost $200. Not worth buying and fixing. But does anyone know if this could be classified as a manufacturing issue? I can just send it in if it is?
anybody at all?? I just want to confirm that this could be a manufacturing issue, theres no water damage and the screen is not cracked from a drop any ideas would be awesome. I might just try to send it in to Samsung just to see what happens.

[Q] Screen Freeze when Hardware Keyboard Slides Out (sk17i)

Hello XDA Community!
I seem to be having a serious issue with my phone and cannot seem to find a solution online, so I am hoping that someone here will be knowledgable enough to assist me!
When I slide my keyboard out on my sk17i, my screen refuses to change orientation or respond to my touches. Having tested this further, it seems that it is the screen itself that will not change, but keys pressed and touches are registered. I have figured out that I can slide the keyboard out about 40% (just over the bottom row of letters) and the screen seems to change orientation to landscape AND responds visually to my touches. Any more than that and it just stops.
I looked online and someone suggested passing a magnet (fridge) over the keyboard. I did that and it worked once for about a minute. After that it returned to this state and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it. I have just put in an order for new facias and a new hardware keyboard to repair it as I have had it since the day it was released and some components are getting on a bit.
Does anyone know what the issue is? I only can think of one thing and that is a flex cable issue, but I cannot be sure at all...
I'd appreciate any help that can be given!
At first glance, yes, seems like a flex cable/ribbon issue. You screen will remain frozen when the keyb is completely open because the framebuffer stops receiving signal from the motherboard. It wont take long until your screen shows artifacts or goes completely blank even when the keyb is closed. Your touch digitizer might also be affected by a bad flex cable.
I suggest you replace it as soon as possible, but don't try to do it yourself unless you have experience repairing phones. I tried to do mine and ruined the LCD display, making my repair cost three times as much
PD: magnet over the keyb? never heard of that.
Pixelado said:
At first glance, yes, seems like a flex cable/ribbon issue. You screen will remain frozen when the keyb is completely open because the framebuffer stops receiving signal from the motherboard. It wont take long until your screen shows artifacts or goes completely blank even when the keyb is closed. Your touch digitizer might also be affected by a bad flex cable.
I suggest you replace it as soon as possible, but don't try to do it yourself unless you have experience repairing phones. I tried to do mine and ruined the LCD display, making my repair cost three times as much
PD: magnet over the keyb? never heard of that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks for that! The flex cable is out of stock right now, so that is quite worrying, I hope it lasts the next month or so! I think I should be okay with repairing it, since I've worked with very small and delicate electronics before in Engineering. Just will have to be super extra careful! Any advice about what to watch out for?
And yup, magnet seemed to work once, I saw it on a very old thread, but that was the only advice given there.
Well, good luck! Be extremely careful with the display though, the original display assembly has unprotected corners and borders on the LCD so it's very easy to break it, especially on the lower side near the softkeys. Replacement parts often come with plastic and/or metallic protectors on them, which help keeping the LCD safe. Guess SE never meant for people to crack the phone open hehe.
again, good luck with that.
Pixelado said:
Well, good luck! Be extremely careful with the display though, the original display assembly has unprotected corners and borders on the LCD so it's very easy to break it, especially on the lower side near the softkeys. Replacement parts often come with plastic and/or metallic protectors on them, which help keeping the LCD safe. Guess SE never meant for people to crack the phone open hehe.
again, good luck with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aah okay! I guess I shouldn't bother replacing the facia then, don't want to break the screen! Thank you once again!
Well, all my parts have now arrived, so tonight I'll be attempting this! Hopefully this goes well and fixes the problem!
ECGadget said:
Well, all my parts have now arrived, so tonight I'll be attempting this! Hopefully this goes well and fixes the problem!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best of luck to you, mate.
Replacing a flex ribbon/cable on the mini pro is no easy task, requires patience and steady hands when sticking the big square part onto the metallic slider while making sure all of the other components (home button, camera, led and sensors) keep aligned in place. Do it wrong and you're in for an even more tedious mission haha.
PD: here's a crappy pic from when I did mine
Pixelado said:
Best of luck to you, mate.
Replacing a flex ribbon/cable on the mini pro is no easy task, requires patience and steady hands when sticking the big square part onto the metallic slider while making sure all of the other components (home button, camera, led and sensors) keep aligned in place. Do it wrong and you're in for an even more tedious mission haha.
PD: here's a crappy pic from when I did mine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that! I was just struggling to take the motherboard off, and looking at the picture helped me see where I could try to pry it open!
Yeah, the mobo can be a b*tch to take off. Glad I could help. Be sure to tell us how it goes.
Pixelado said:
Yeah, the mobo can be a b*tch to take off. Glad I could help. Be sure to tell us how it goes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, after a cracked front facia (thanks to the previous repair that I had on it two years ago), and my temperamental lights, my phone works a charm! Replaced the flex cable, motherboard mount and hardware keyboard. Once again, thank you so much for your advice, I have decided to hang around this place much more often!
Repaired two years ago? Wow, your phone is kind of a veteran haha, mine is about to turn 2yo in about two months. Gotta get a birthday cake.
Good to know everything went fine. See you.
Pixelado said:
Repaired two years ago? Wow, your phone is kind of a veteran haha, mine is about to turn 2yo in about two months. Gotta get a birthday cake.
Good to know everything went fine. See you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had my phone since two weeks before it was released in 2011 xD
I'm sure your phone will love the cake
Noticed a new glitch with my phone though... the softkey and keyboard lights start to light up when I switch the screen on, but as soon as the screen switches on the lights switch off?
Never heard of such problems. What rom are you on?
I am running a stock gingerbread 2.3.3 rom, just rooted it a year ago. No other changes, apart from shoving CWM onto it for backup/restore
Hey guys, I just saw this post after hours of frustration!, I recently changed my damaged slider mechanism on my sk17i and I had to transfer the ribbon cable from the one mechanism to the other but I glued it with 2mm adhensive that is used for screen, and the problem is when I open the phone it is always on landscape mode, like the phone thinks the keyboard is always out! Before I tried this repair
everything worked perfect
How the phone understands if the keyboard is out or not?
Please tell me what I could have done wrong, I would appreciate your help here!
Sorry for my bad english
Thank you in advance!!!
I've been trying to figure that out myself too, it seems to be some kind of optical sensor. Whatever it is, it just works for me hehe.
Pixelado said:
I've been trying to figure that out myself too, it seems to be some kind of optical sensor. Whatever it is, it just works for me hehe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you dissasembled it and re-assembled with no problems?
r3izor said:
And you dissasembled it and re-assembled with no problems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to XDA.
Like Pixelado said, it is probably an optical sensor. My advice would be to disassemble the phone again (without unsticking the flex cable though) and make sure everything is back in its correct place. It make just be something is a little out of place, which is very easy to do! Good luck!
r3izor said:
And you dissasembled it and re-assembled with no problems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes sir. I have never re-used a flex ribbon though. I removed the broken factory ribbon and stuck a new one in. No problems.
Pixelado said:
Yes sir. I have never re-used a flex ribbon though. I removed the broken factory ribbon and stuck a new one in. No problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then as long as I dont know where the sensor is in order to find out my mistake, I am afraid my phone will be permanently on landscape :crying:
Thank you for your replies guys!

Lines all over the screen and it flickers

Hello guys, I hope for you expert opinion here. Yesterday I picked up my beloved Note 4 Global version and saw lines all of the screen, and it flickers all the time. It is definitely a hardware issue because the lines can be seen on the boot and in the TWRP. Also if I apply a bit of pressure on the phone on different sides, sometimes you can see the lines changing, ones they diapered for 5 minutes completely. I have dropped it a day before, from my trousers pocket, but it was fine for a while after that...
I bought this phone from www.gearbest.com and I live in Germany. After reading all the reviews about the warranty procedure I decided that I don't want to send it back to gearbest, because in the best case scenario I will get the phone in half a year, in the worst I won't get it at all.
My question is, do you think the fault is in the motherboard or LCD screen itself? I could buy a new LCD for 25 euros and replace it myself.
NiKiToS-04 said:
Hello guys, I hope for you expert opinion here. Yesterday I picked up my beloved Note 4 Global version and saw lines all of the screen, and it flickers all the time. It is definitely a hardware issue because the lines can be seen on the boot and in the TWRP. Also if I apply a bit of pressure on the phone on different sides, sometimes you can see the lines changing, ones they diapered for 5 minutes completely. I have dropped it a day before, from my trousers pocket, but it was fine for a while after that...
I bought this phone from www.gearbest.com and I live in Germany. After reading all the reviews about the warranty procedure I decided that I don't want to send it back to gearbest, because in the best case scenario I will get the phone in half a year, in the worst I won't get it at all.
My question is, do you think the fault is in the motherboard or LCD screen itself? I could buy a new LCD for 25 euros and replace it myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
from the teardown video, the screen removal is not that hard but not sure if you can get the screen for 25 euros tbh. Best of luck~
asusm930 said:
from the teardown video, the screen removal is not that hard but not sure if you can get the screen for 25 euros tbh. Best of luck~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know it's not hard, I've done it to other phones as well. The question is if it's the screen, or the motherboard.
Found a screen here, as far as I know, the 4X screen is compatible with Global version.
https://www.amazon.de/HYYT-Touchscr...30886&sr=8-1&keywords=xiaomi+redmi+note+4+LCD
NiKiToS-04 said:
I know it's not hard, I've done it to other phones as well. The question is if it's the screen, or the motherboard.
Found a screen here, as far as I know, the 4X screen is compatible with Global version.
https://www.amazon.de/HYYT-Touchscr...30886&sr=8-1&keywords=xiaomi+redmi+note+4+LCD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yweah ur concern is more on wether its a motherboard problem or screen problem right? gotta be tough buying a phone from china @ your place
asusm930 said:
yweah ur concern is more on wether its a motherboard problem or screen problem right? gotta be tough buying a phone from china @ your place
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct, I don't want to buy a new LCD to find out that some controller somewhere on the motherboard is dead.
Actually buying the phone was very easy. Having any kind of service is much harder. And you can't buy this phone in Germany. They don't sell them here.
NiKiToS-04 said:
That is correct, I don't want to buy a new LCD to find out that some controller somewhere on the motherboard is dead.
Actually buying the phone was very easy. Having any kind of service is much harder. And you can't buy this phone in Germany. They don't sell them here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can You Tell how the issue got resolved? Did replacing the LCD Work for You? I have the Same issue....
grc_king said:
Can You Tell how the issue got resolved? Did replacing the LCD Work for You? I have the Same issue....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, replacing the LCD did the trick, except I got my new screen cracked and have to replace it again :cyclops:

Mate 10 pro touch screen not responding.

Hey guys,
Just a quick question. I've got one of the first release Huawei mate 10 pros. Dropped it from about a hip height onto tile, no visible crack or damage to the exterior or screen but since then I haven't been able to use the touch screen.
I get a bit of the slide from the bottom and everything else works but I can't actually use the screen because I can't swipe patterns or type in, it's basically a dead screen, but if the whole screen was out of commission I wouldn't get any slide action at all.
Need the phone for work, any quick responses with experience in the area would be much appreciated.
Cheers.
I'd say its definitely hardware related, as in broken.
You'd have to get it replaced.
Even if you get no cracks the digitizer can be broken.
Aw man, I was really hoping there was some sort of software bug that was causing this, well I'll stay hopeful that this has happened to someone else until I have to claim the warranty
ericthenguyen said:
Aw man, I was really hoping there was some sort of software bug that was causing this, well I'll stay hopeful that this has happened to someone else until I have to claim the warranty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has happened to me (sort of), but I got a crack and the touch screen below the crack didn't work at all, top part worked fine. Or vice versa, can't remember but one part was still working. This was on a Samsung though.
And on an iPhone the screen completely shattered, but touch was working fine. So the digitizer wasn't hurt there, but it still required a touch + digitizer replacement as they are glued together.
If there's no crack, then it might also be a loose connector.But even so, you would need technical assistance.
If the warranty is still valid and there are no visible signs or scratches from that fall, maybe Huawei will repair it for free.
Yeah I'll be following it up with optus because it's still on a plan. I shattered and bent my mate 9 and as soon as there was a crack the digitizer went. Might as well use the warranty because if I open it up myself it'll void it for future use.
Thanks for your input guys.

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