Screen goes black during call

[gathome]

I've had my Bionic for a week. For the past two days, my screen keeps going black when making a call. Note, it goes black when I hit connect while the phone is in my hand, not when I put it to my ear so I'm sure it's not a proxmity sensor issue. I have to hit the power button to get it to come up again. Also, when I pull the battery cover off, there's a white circle with a red X over the SD card. Does this mean the phone somehow got wet? I've had it NO where near anything liquid but I did install a Skinomi screen protector (wet install.) I pulled the battery first and left it out overnight. I'm thinking of returning the phone due to multiple issues (mainly the crappy camera and camcorder) but I don't want Verizon saying I got the phone wet! Help! Anyone else experiencing black screen issues when placing calls or know what the red X means? It also seems difficult to disconnect a call and I can't make Skype video work. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[charlie310]

I've had my Bionic for a week. For the past two days, my screen keeps going black when making a call. Note, it goes black when I hit connect while the phone is in my hand, not when I put it to my ear so I'm sure it's not a proxmity sensor issue. I have to hit the power button to get it to come up again. Also, when I pull the battery cover off, there's a white circle with a red X over the SD card. Does this mean the phone somehow got wet? I've had it NO where near anything liquid but I did install a Skinomi screen protector (wet install.) I pulled the battery first and left it out overnight. I'm thinking of returning the phone due to multiple issues (mainly the crappy camera and camcorder) but I don't want Verizon saying I got the phone wet! Help! Anyone else experiencing black screen issues when placing calls or know what the red X means? It also seems difficult to disconnect a call and I can't make Skype video work. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Red X means no water damage. As for the black screen, make sure you are not in a dark room and you don't have the light sensors covered (light sensors located directly right of the ear speaker).

 

[gathome]

Thanks! The "red X-thing" is a relief but the phone is in my hand, not near my ear, not shadowed and happens in every kind of light. I have to hit the power button to make the screen reappear and it's difficult to disconnect calls. It's only been happening for the past two days...wait a minute! This has only been happening since I put the Skinomi screen protector on it! There's a cut out for the speaker and front-facing camera but no other cut-outs. Could this be the problem? Does anyone know where the proxmity sensor is? It doesn't explain why Skype video doesn't work, though.

 

[charlie310]

Red X means no water damage. As for the black screen, make sure you are not in a dark room and you don't have the light sensors covered (light sensors located directly right of the ear speaker).

 

[gathome]

Thanks, again. Would a screen protector interfere with the light sensor? It's completely clear.

 

[redspawnsilver]

There is also a tilt sensor on it, it might be the way you are holding the phone, like straight up (as if you are holding it towards your ear). Try wiggling the phone a little bit so it is not vertical or holding it flat, this should help a little bit with the black screen issue.

The screen protector most likely has nothing to do with the issue unless you placed the edge of it directly over the light sensor, then you might have issues... but I am betting on the first issue being your main problem.

Oh, one more thing... you might have a screen timeout on your phone set to 30 seconds or something, so if you are holding it flat and the screen is working... but after 30 seconds it goes out, that would most likely be your issue at that point... just trying to throw things out there.

 

[King Howie]

i seem to recall having read that most screen protectors do, in fact, interfere with the light sensor operation.

edit: there was a version of the user manual floating around days before the phone's release which read "Note: Your touchscreen might stay dark if the sensor just above it is covered. Don't use covers or screen protectors (even clear ones) that cover this sensor." on page 4.

edit2: oh, and the white circle with the red X pretty much turns red when wet. or when slobbered upon by the most beautiful granddaughter in the world, as i found out a couple phones ago. fortunately, the phone was slobber-proof

 

[csimme01]

Thanks! The "red X-thing" is a relief but the phone is in my hand, not near my ear, not shadowed and happens in every kind of light. I have to hit the power button to make the screen reappear and it's difficult to disconnect calls. It's only been happening for the past two days...wait a minute! This has only been happening since I put the Skinomi screen protector on it! There's a cut out for the speaker and front-facing camera but no other cut-outs. Could this be the problem? Does anyone know where the proxmity sensor is? It doesn't explain why Skype video doesn't work, though.

The proxmity sensor is just to the right of the ear piece. Download androsensor from the market. The sensor should report a value around 39 inches when the phone in not close to something. If it reports a smaller value then the protector is causing problems. It could also be your skype problem. If the phone thinks you have it against your head it might turn off the camera.

 

[gathome]

Haha! I know what you mean! I have two under the age of three but they haven't been allowed to play with this one...yet! So, thanks, much! I'm going with the screen protector being the culprit here because the screen goes black whether I'm placing a call or receiving one and it doesn't matter at what angle I'm holding the phone or what light I'm in. AND I didn't have these issues prior to installing it. I'm not sure what to do about this, I really like Skinomi protectors. Maybe I can just cut that corner off (sigh........)

 

[gathome]

Downloading AndroSensor now. Will let you know the results. Thanks!!!

 

[gathome]

Wow... It's reporting 1.2 in.! Time to get a new screen protector. Any ideas on one that won't interfere with the proxmity sensor? Thank you!!!

 

[csimme01]

Downloading AndroSensor now. Will let you know the results. Thanks!!!

Looks like if you sliced off the top of the protector just below the word Motorola it would uncover all the sensors and the camera.
Also check out the phone info in androsensor, some good info there.

 

[csimme01]

Wow... It's reporting 1.2 in.! Time to get a new screen protector. Any ideas on one that won't interfere with the proxmity sensor? Thank you!!!

Might be a good thread to start...
Im not a screen protector user, sorry.

 

[perkdog65]

If it turns out to be a screen time out issue you can go into your Settings->Accessibility menu and there is an option to use the power button to end a call when you are in "call".
Mine was timing out because i have it set to like 30 secs for the screen to go black during inactivity but it was while i was using the speaker phone so I had to unlock it and then end the call until I changed the setting.....Just a thought.

 

[McGyver777]

I also have the skinomi screen protector. Yes it does cause proximity sensor problems. Amazon reviews say as much. Not while it is on phone, You can get a sharp razer and make a very small hole for the sensor or get dramatic and trim the entire upper portion of the cover. The sensor is to the right of the "A" in motorola at about the one o'clock position.

 

[gathome]

Thanks, everyone! Cutting a notch out of the screen protector where the proxmity sensor is fixed the black screen while placing calls problem. Ran AndroSensor again and my proxmity measure is 39.4 in.. I will now contact Skinomi to tell them they need to make adjustments for this problem!

 

[ghstinson]

Thanks for the tip. AndroSensor showed me that the proximity sensor was being fooled by dirt on the OtterBox cover. The sensor value never goes over 2", even with the phone out of the case, but it's enough to turn the screen on. Don't ever buy a Samsung phone. It's been nothing but trouble.

 

[ktandel]

See i have got a Solution for the Phones goes blank during the calls.

First of all open the phone dialpad, and than click the options buttons and go to Call settings option, there you will get a option telling auto screen off during calls. From there it will be ticked from first, remove this tick from it.. Thats it..You are done now your screen will not get blank when you call.

i even have a screen protector but it doesnt affect the sensor.

 

[skipatrol]

Haha! I know what you mean! I have two under the age of three but they haven't been allowed to play with this one...yet! So, thanks, much! I'm going with the screen protector being the culprit here because the screen goes black whether I'm placing a call or receiving one and it doesn't matter at what angle I'm holding the phone or what light I'm in. AND I didn't have these issues prior to installing it. I'm not sure what to do about this, I really like Skinomi protectors. Maybe I can just cut that corner off (sigh........)

There's no need to use a screen protector on the Bionic. Gorilla Glass is a beautiful thing.

 

[sruddinvds]

Dear Friend

I am also facing the same problem, I am very happy if any body can help us out.

Regards

Rafeeq Uddin