Wear And Tear Hardware Failure/Build Quality Issue

[phreck]

Ok, so here it goes....

First and foremost, i am a huge fan of this phone, and the idea as a whole of the N900, and Maemo5. By giving us a phone that is largely developed by the community and unlocked we have many doors already open that the other platforms struggle to either open, or continue to try to keep open. Nuff said about that.

Now onto my problem, which i have several ideas as to how to fix (but am too nervous to try). over the past few weeks i have noticed that call audio while using the handset will cut out, or volume will decrease severely to where the call is either inaudible, or barely audible. I have found that by pressing the device firmly to my ear in a certain manner, that the audio returns, sometimes to the quality and volume i expect, sometimes to lesser degrees.

Obviously i am having a hardware issue. Some ribbon cable in the slider, or possible the speaker built into the slider itself. Does anyone have any ideas as to how to fix, or has anyone had a similar problem? Im all for getting my hands dirty and tearing this thing down to its naked bits to diagnose, but i figured i would ask the community for advice, tips, and tricks before doing so.... After all thats what the community is here for right =P

Thanks in advance for any help or speculation, and have a great day!

[slender]

Hmm. Are you trying to say that if speakers little hole doesnt point directly to your ear then it goes almost silent. If so then it completely normal :). I have to at least be careful how i keep my phone while speaking.

[phreck]

nope, its nothing, then if i squeeze the slider against the main body volume improves. i realize the ear to phone calition must be spot on for good use =P. there is something wrong, applying different amounts of pressure yields different results.

[phreck]

has anyone disassembled their N900 before?

[buxz777]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8&feature=related

good luck mate :-)

[bushi]

There's a clip on youtube... Hang on.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8

[unkno]

If you're going to disassemble your N900, please take lots of high-res pictures :D Especially of the USB port since that part seems to be the most filmsy (whole thing ripping off when unplugging the phone).

Thanks

[bushi]

Oh bum! Beaten!

[nintendogs]

i have noticed there might be some sort of built in echo cancellation that could have this effect. when talking in loud places the volume of the earpiece varies quickly. in quiet places the sound is perfect. so, your problem might not be a hardware problem, but your side OR the other side's echo cancellation.

[lohiaprateek]

well i have scrateched my screen because of the damn stylus...ordered the clarivue screen protector..

[wigglemeyer]

I just started having the same audio problems. It started after the FW upgrade so I was wondering if that caused it. It is very frustrating as I use this as my primary phone. I was consistently asking people to speak up (it sounds like people aren't speaking directly into their phone) before I realized the problem was on my end.

[davidennis86]

Had this problem since the start, but only ocassionally. And adjusting volume on the phone seems to fix it (even if I click to turn volume down, seems to return to normal level).

[aironeous]

I am also scratching my screen with the stylus (very small faint). I rarely use my finger so i know it is the stylus and i always keep it in a silk pouch when it is in my pocket.

[ABerri]

Phreck: You aren't alone. My wife and I both have the same exact problem. Different amounts of pressure yields different results and it's as if there is a loose wire somewhere in the phone. I still don't know what to do but I've gotten used to it to the point where from now on I'm always making sure I press super hard while taking calls. My wife on the other hand has given up and just uses speaker phone from now on.

I don't know if this noise cancellation has anything to do with it. Here is a link where someone else talks a little more in depth about it:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=37590&page=2

Let me know if you find a solution to this. I have yet to reflash my phone but I doubt that will fix the problem as others have said it didn't help them and some have said the problem went away after doing a fresh reflash with the new firmware update.

[davidian]

Ok, so here it goes....

First and foremost, i am a huge fan of this phone, and the idea as a whole of the N900, and Maemo5. By giving us a phone that is largely developed by the community and unlocked we have many doors already open that the other platforms struggle to either open, or continue to try to keep open. Nuff said about that.

Now onto my problem, which i have several ideas as to how to fix (but am too nervous to try). over the past few weeks i have noticed that call audio while using the handset will cut out, or volume will decrease severely to where the call is either inaudible, or barely audible. I have found that by pressing the device firmly to my ear in a certain manner, that the audio returns, sometimes to the quality and volume i expect, sometimes to lesser degrees.

Obviously i am having a hardware issue. Some ribbon cable in the slider, or possible the speaker built into the slider itself. Does anyone have any ideas as to how to fix, or has anyone had a similar problem? Im all for getting my hands dirty and tearing this thing down to its naked bits to diagnose, but i figured i would ask the community for advice, tips, and tricks before doing so.... After all thats what the community is here for right =P

Thanks in advance for any help or speculation, and have a great day!

I had the same problem. Took it to a repair center and they changed the speaker. Just got my phone back today, seems to be working. Still haven't made many calls so can't be 100% sure. I had a similar issue with my Nokia 5800 and changing the speaker helped on it.

[phreck]

Phreck: You aren't alone. My wife and I both have the same exact problem. Different amounts of pressure yields different results and it's as if there is a loose wire somewhere in the phone. I still don't know what to do but I've gotten used to it to the point where from now on I'm always making sure I press super hard while taking calls. My wife on the other hand has given up and just uses speaker phone from now on.

I don't know if this noise cancellation has anything to do with it. Here is a link where someone else talks a little more in depth about it:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=37590&page=2

Let me know if you find a solution to this. I have yet to reflash my phone but I doubt that will fix the problem as others have said it didn't help them and some have said the problem went away after doing a fresh reflash with the new firmware update.

yep, something is loose in there. a reflash will not fix it, i reflashed last week and then did ota updates to current fw version and same probleem is still there =(

[phreck]

I had the same problem. Took it to a repair center and they changed the speaker. Just got my phone back today, seems to be working. Still haven't made many calls so can't be 100% sure. I had a similar issue with my Nokia 5800 and changing the speaker helped on it.

where are these mythical repair centers. dont have aclue how to find one...

[ABerri]

Ya and if we do find one, do we pay the costs or does Nokia cover the costs since it's still under warranty? I would love if Nokia would just send me a new phone and I can send this one back but I'm sure they want you to go through the whole schmeel of the phone being sent in to their repair center and I know for sure who ever the tech is that will look at it, will do one of those quick glances over the phone and see that everything is "okay" and just send the phone back to me with the problem still there.

That's why I don't wanna send it in and be without my N900 for WEEKS!

[alexreed88]

Crap. I just started having this problem yesterday and figured all i needed to do was restart the phone. Didnt help. Confirmed that its a hardware fault because pressing the phone further on my ear enables me to hear a bit clearer. Whelp, guess its time to send it in...have a bright area on my screen thats bugging me anyway

REALLY disliking the somewhat shoddy build quality of some of the earlier units..from usb to mic to this..kinda reminds me of the pre.

[squirreluk]

Hi, i got this exact problem too, so i think i will try to get it repaired.

[ABerri]

Crap. I just started having this problem yesterday and figured all i needed to do was restart the phone. Didnt help. Confirmed that its a hardware fault because pressing the phone further on my ear enables me to hear a bit clearer. Whelp, guess its time to send it in...have a bright area on my screen thats bugging me anyway

REALLY disliking the somewhat shoddy build quality of some of the earlier units..from usb to mic to this..kinda reminds me of the pre.

So the earlier units have less build quality than the later units coming out today?

Should I sell my phone on Craigslist and just buy a new one? Hmmm......

[sadfist]

I've had weird low call volume issues a couple times. I never tried applying pressure like the OP described, but I've had the volume kick back in without doing anything. It didn't seem like a clearcut HW issue. I also don't use the phone function very much though. I'd be curious to know what NokiaCare has to say about this issue.

[phreck]

Well, here is the deal, im taking the phone to our workshop today and will do a proper teardown for troubleshooting purposes. i most likely will not be able to take any pics due to not having my camera here at work, but i will give a detailed decsription of what i find, if anything....

wish me luck =P

[davidian]

Ya and if we do find one, do we pay the costs or does Nokia cover the costs since it's still under warranty? I would love if Nokia would just send me a new phone and I can send this one back but I'm sure they want you to go through the whole schmeel of the phone being sent in to their repair center and I know for sure who ever the tech is that will look at it, will do one of those quick glances over the phone and see that everything is "okay" and just send the phone back to me with the problem still there.

That's why I don't wanna send it in and be without my N900 for WEEKS!

It didn't cost anything and it took 2 days.

[squirreluk]

Hi, i have mic problem also two big bright spots and i cant get gps lock, i bought from mpd but have went throught nokia site for repair as you get freepost, anyone know how they will fix the screen, mic and gps? how long do they take? and is there any chance of them just giving me new phone as its only 7 weeks old.

[alexreed88]

i have those same bright spots. i hope they fix it..

[phreck]

Ok gents,
I fixed my device. It was all fairly simple through the tear down, since i did'nt go into the lower half, and only took apart the screen/slider. Basically all that i did was take apart the slider and re-seat all the ribbon cable and make sure everything was snug, hand cleaned the connections/speaker and made sure i torqued down the screws appropriately.

The end result of this was that the sliding mechanism is now more snug and feels like new, and the phone works flawlessly, no more audio cutting out, and everything is hunky-dory.

In a nutshell something came loose either via sliding the devices screen up and down over time, or just randomly.
If you have a small amount of mechanical skill, steady hands, and a couple small screwdrivers you can most definitely do this.
note- i don't recommend you do this if you are unsure or unprepared to pay for a new device i YOU mess it up further.

-phreck

[ABerri]

I guess I would give that a shot but not sure how to start by taking the top slider/screen part off? How long did it take you?

[zwer]

I don't have trouble with volume, but I can always hear those scratch-buzzing noises that are caused by the cell radio as if the speaker is not properly shielded (the stereo speakers don't have that problem)... It's not loud enough to be a problem, but it definitely is an annoyance. Apart from that, I have no other hardware issues whatsoever.

[bitziz]

what you're saying may not be a hardware issue, look at this bug here. i'm having this issue myself also and i doubt it's hardware...

https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6063

[danielz000]

I'm having the exact same problem... I was wondering if it wasn't the pressure that was making the difference but something to do with the proximity sensor...

I started this thread, http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=42227, just now and then saw this one...

It's too much of coincidence for it to be a HW problem... Must be that damn new firmware! :(

[Flynx]

Yup, same problem here. Of course, the first time it happened it was because I cut a custom screen protector and didn't leave a hole for the speaker. :rolleyes:

But since adding the speaker hole, I still have a sound drop-out problem. Usually I just switch to speaker-phone. I'll see if pressure makes a difference.

Anyone notice a correlation between screen backlight and sound drop-out? That might indicate a prox sensor issue.

Looking at it closely, I'm guessing the prox sensor is just an infrared led/sensor. I'll try putting my finger over the prox next time it happens.

My N95 was unbelievably rugged. I'm hoping the N900 has the same build quality.

[danielz000]

It's sort of hard to look at the screen when it's next to your ear... ;-)

I think you might be on to something though... I notice that not only pressing it against my ear makes a difference but removing it from my ear does too...

I don't know whether it's worth posting in the fremantle board too...

[Brank]

I'm having this problem too. It started after latest firmware update. Sometimes it works perfectly, sometimes not. Someone said something about if there's a lot of noise around you the sound will be choppy, and I think that might be the case. Haven't noticed anything when making a call in a silent place.

This should be looked at quickly by Nokia.

[danielz000]

Hi Brank...

From a previous post of mine...

It's probably worth any one with the problem registering on https://bugs.maemo.org/ and voting for https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6063 I suspect that the more votes an issue has the more likely they are to look at it...

[Flynx]

OK, I have had this problem again, only now it is getting worse.

I have verified it has nothing to do with the prox sensor or the volume control.

The last call was so bad I had to connect headphones. Applying more pressure to the phone against my ear made the sound crackle in and out. It sounded exactly like it should sound if there was a loose wire.

I will be disassembling my N900 tonight. I'll post pictures if I find anything suspicious.

[Flynx]

After dis- and re-assembling my N900, and reseating all the ribbon cables, I made a call and the audio sounded very good. Hopefully the problem is gone.

[lscpike]

I had the same problem as everybody here. Nokia wanted me to send it in, which is a royal pain, so I decide to have a go at fixing it myself. It worked!

I'm not an electrical engineer or anything remotely qualified, but my diagnosis is that this is a hardware flaw. The speaker in the ear piece makes contact using 2 pins. These pins are at an angle. If pressure is put on the speaker (bottom left in landscape) the pins will be pushed in. When the pressure is released the pins don't return to the original position meaning there is no longer contact. This is fitting to my and other peoples reports that applying pressure returns the sound.

I couldn't take pictures as I didn't have another camera about. However, I made a pretty diagram to help others if they want to do the same. The process doesn't require breaking anything or removing warranty stickers, but it's likely to leave a scratch or two and some worn screw heads.

Disclaimer: It's your own fault if you break your phone. This process most likely voids your warranty if they notice you took your phone apart.

You'll need a phillips screw driver and a flat head to leaver off the front frame. Removing the frame is the most complex part and took some time to figure out.

http://imgur.com/M1MZf.png

Good luck :)

[pelago]

Excellent post, although I agree people will need to beware that this will void your warranty.

I wonder if using something plastic like an old credit card might be better (less scratchy) that something metal like a screwdriver for levering off the front frame?

[lscpike]

I wonder if using something plastic like an old credit card might be better (less scratchy) that something metal like a screwdriver for levering off the front frame?

I'm sure there's a proper tool or at least correct way to do it that doesn't cause any damage. I'd love to know, if there's anybody who's worked in electronic repairs out there. Would come in handy for all the things I've screw drivered to death.

Forgot to mention also I did the diagram from memory, so there might be some slight differences. You should get the gist anyway.

[wigglemeyer]

$600 phone with a HUGE design flaw like this? I'm starting to become a N900 hater. I've been pimping this phone since I got it but I'm starting to become disenchanted with this thing...

[mu_mind]

lscpike: after I got the first four screws off, there was a strip of plastic between the bottom 2 screws that wouldn't separate easily. Does that just need to be forced?

[lscpike]

lscpike: after I got the first four screws off, there was a strip of plastic between the bottom 2 screws that wouldn't separate easily. Does that just need to be forced?


I don't remember any specific strip of plastic. The only thing I can think of is there is a metal flap from the slider bracket that sticks under the plastic at the top of the keyboard. This should just come out gently in the upwards direction. I didn't have to force anything until the outer frame.

[pelago]

Although this thread is about a different problem, you might want to take a look at the disassembly pictures and text linked from http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=45385 by cr0c0.

[mu_mind]

Yeah, I think the plastic I mentioned is part of the rim around the keyboard.

[dyoon16]

Wow! Just did this today and It works! Bye bye warranty, but I didn't buy this from a store anyways. Process took me about 10 minutes because there were a couple screws that were being stubborn, but other than that it was simple. I may be a noob with maemo, but I got cell phone repairs down ;)

[rayman2k1]

i don't know how you guys unscrewed the last 6 screws but i feel that if i persist with this, i'm going to break something.
they are not budging and i've already done some damage to a couple of the screwheads. the problem is that there is no phillips drivers that fits into the damn screw head. the #0 driver is waay too big for it and a 1.4mm flat cant get enough traction.
i'm "screwed", so to speak.