Replaced my Thunderbolt Screen - now menu buttons not working

[bigberries]

Hi,

I replaced my screen/digitzer today and on startup everything looked terrific except that the menu buttons are not responsive. Anyone know if maybe the part is defective or I did something wrong? Probably me, but I don't know what to adjust. All ribbon cables seem fine and secure.

 

[yodatom10]

sounds to be user error somthing did not conect right. making the buttons not functional

 

[bigberries]

sounds to be user error somthing did not conect right. making the buttons not functional

I'd be certain its got something to do with what I've done - but being that the soft 'buttons' on the screen, why would they or that section of the screen not work and the rest of the screen behaves fine?

 

[willymakit]

I'd be certain its got something to do with what I've done - but being that the soft 'buttons' on the screen, why would they or that section of the screen not work and the rest of the screen behaves fine?

You are much braver than I to do that change.

 

[jdk2]

+10000 ^^ This ^^
Something has to connect to the digitizer/scrren to power it. Perhaps you didn't make a clean connection somewhere along the way. Can you retry the installation? (Not that I'd ever be able to begin to try it)

 

[jcdrepair]

Hi,

I replaced my screen/digitzer today and on startup everything looked terrific except that the menu buttons are not responsive. Anyone know if maybe the part is defective or I did something wrong? Probably me, but I don't know what to adjust. All ribbon cables seem fine and secure.

I'm not 100% sure about the Thunderbolt but I've replaced screens on a lot of other phones and can offer two options if you do have all the connections securely in place.

1. If the digitizer (which senses your finger touches) extends over the whole screen, then you got a bad screen. It happens. There's a ton of variance in the quality of touchscreens on the market. This is how most of the screens work.
2. Some phones, like the the Samsung Galaxy S phones, have actual sensors under the navigation buttons. If that's the case, you may have damaged those sensors.

I actually have a couple of Thunderbolt replacement screens in my office so I'll try taking a look in the next couple of days and see if I can figure out for you whether option 1 or 2 is more likely.

 

[bigberries]

I'm not 100% sure about the Thunderbolt but I've replaced screens on a lot of other phones and can offer two options if you do have all the connections securely in place.

1. If the digitizer (which senses your finger touches) extends over the whole screen, then you got a bad screen. It happens. There's a ton of variance in the quality of touchscreens on the market. This is how most of the screens work.
2. Some phones, like the the Samsung Galaxy S phones, have actual sensors under the navigation buttons. If that's the case, you may have damaged those sensors.

I actually have a couple of Thunderbolt replacement screens in my office so I'll try taking a look in the next couple of days and see if I can figure out for you whether option 1 or 2 is more likely.

Thanks for this feedback. I had ordered the entire screen/digitizer assembly. So, the menu buttons on the screen are 'fixed' to the digitzer. It does not rest over any sensors. I think I'm concluding that, even if you know how to do this kind of repair - it hasn't yet gotten to the point where it is feasible for the general end-user to deal with. I had to wait a week for the part and now have to consider waiting more to return what might be a defective part - IF the company will take the return.

For the most part, the process of replacing the digitizer was not complicated - I think either the device is too damned sensitive to be touched or the part I bought was screwy. The prices and accessibility to repair really has to improve in this industry. If I crack the windshield in my car, it's not going to cost me 20% of the car's retail value to repair. why should this crap!?

 

[inthruoutdoor]

If I crack the windshield in my car, it's not going to cost me 20% of the car's retail value to repair. why should this crap!?

Well...I hope this was sarcastic because I don't think your analogy makes any sense. When you consider what the parts do with respect to their respective devices, replacing the windshield on your car is like replacing the screen protector on your phone, which does not cost 20% or the retail value. You replaced nearly the entire user interface (minus a couple hardware buttons) and display of this phone...is 20% of the cost unreasonable for that??

 

[FrankXS]

...it hasn't yet gotten to the point where it is feasible for the general end-user to deal with

Exactly. Insurance can be a wonderful thing.

-Frank

 

[yodatom10]

If worse comes to worse u can sell it for parts. Or send it over to a online repair shop