Tungsten T2 and E Screen Noise Solution

Posted By: Ryan Monday, February 28, 2005 10:28:40 AM

A PDA repair and parts specialist has announced they have come up with a solution to a developing screen noise problem emitted from some palmOne Tungsten T2 and Tungsten E models.

There has been a lot of talk on the PIC forums and around the net regarding the buzzing noise coming from the screens on the Tungsten E & T2. After a number of trials, PDAparts has come up with one possible do-it-yourself solution.

The problem is with the digitizer on top of the LCD. The Digitizer also known as the Glasstop or Touchpanel is the part that sits on top of the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and handles the input from the stylus.

PDAparts writes, The noise seems to only happen on some units. As we have learned from repairing and selling parts for Palm and other PDA units for 6 years that none of the pda manufacturers use only one source for their parts. We have found that by replacing the digitizer on the units that buzz we were able to stop the buzzing noise 9 out of 10 times. The digitizers we had made are constructed from Glass and not from the plastic that the current units use. Now we are aware that using a glasstop does bring up a higher risk of breaking it if the unit is dropped. Basically, it is your call on if you want a hi pitch noise or a higher risk of screen breakage.

Note: If your unit is under warranty please contact palmOne support regarding any issues. This procedure & part will void your handheld warranty.

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Price drops, so does quality

hobbes1257 @ 2/28/2005 1:51:04 PM #

I bought my T|E because it was the first affordable (by me) high-end Palm. After many years of consumer life, I've also found out that high quality -> high price. The inverse might not be true, though.

When I heard the comments about "a terribly humming screen", I didn't gave them much credit... until my handheld started to sound like a Jumbo down in the runway.

This solution will problably work, but one should expect more from palmone or whichever company...

RE: Price drops, so does quality

LiveFaith @ 2/28/2005 2:10:50 PM #

I thot I heard of a workaround where something was placed between part of the screen and th digitizer? Does it work for these and in my case the T3? All my T3s have been hummers.

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

RE: Price drops, so does quality

Frenchie @ 2/28/2005 3:18:20 PM #

Yes Live, i think you might be able to. The reason this works quite well on a TE and a T2 is because of the writing area. The LCD is actually quite small and it is very easy to raise the digitzer till the sound is completely gone. I am not sure it would be as simple to do this on a T3 because of the huge LCD. You would need something very small to raise the digitzer or an entire sheet of glass or plastic. Try to experiment with different materials.

The world will end in 2006. Just as it was predicted in the bible along with the release of Microsoft Longhorn.... :p

RE: Price drops, so does quality

ackmondual @ 2/28/2005 5:15:54 PM #

For a T3, the only other practical approach to reducing/removing buzz is to try a clocking utility and underclock it somewhat until you're satisfied. Else, putting a layer of film or this procedure is too risky for those not comfortable opening their handhelds. PXA Clocker is a freeware app that you should consider trying.

P1 really should take care of these such issues. Unfortunately, they're too small of a company (compared to Dell, HP, Sony, etc.) to deal with these more trivial issues.

[signature0]the secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse[/signature0]
[signature1]My PDAs: Visor --> Visor Neo (blue) --> Zire 71 --> Tungsten T3[/signature1]

RE: Price drops, so does quality

kevdo @ 2/28/2005 6:10:08 PM #

Having experienced this on a Zire 71 (now with my wife) I can honestly say this is the number one reason I would consider not purchasing a PalmOne product.

-Kevin Crossman, Palm Powered Software Champion

RE: Price drops, so does quality

cbowers @ 2/28/2005 6:51:44 PM #

But would you marry your buzzing wife again?

RE: Price drops, so does quality

Wolfgard @ 2/28/2005 10:34:54 PM #

What about the Zire 72 and T|5? The buzzing on my old Zire 72 was loud enough to give me a headache after reading ebooks for an hour!

I won't buy another PalmOne device until they fix this problem, even if this means I'll have to switch to Tapwave or *shock* PPC.

pen & paper -> m515 -> Zire72 -> TH55 & Handera 330

RE: Price drops, so does quality

Gethightech @ 2/28/2005 10:45:50 PM #

Hi Wolfgard,

The digitizer we are refering to in this store will work on the following units: Tungsten T, T2, E, C, W, Zire 71 & Zire 72 Units.

Yes, that one digitizer will fit all those models. We have installed them in all of those units and know first hand that they will work/fit.

Thanks,
PDAparts Service Dept.

RE: Price drops, so does quality

joad @ 2/28/2005 11:50:49 PM #

[QUOTE]P1 really should take care of these such issues. Unfortunately, they're too small of a company (compared to Dell, HP, Sony, etc.) to deal with these more trivial issues.[QUOTE]

I don't know about that... HP refused to offer up a "fix" for the "power-saving feature" that turns off bluetooth on the iPaq 2215 after a few minutes. Not very useful when you bought the thing for use with a BT GPS module... HP made one update, brought out the Darth Vader Pez-dispenser iPaqs and killed off the 22xx series after only 1 minor firmware update.

Seems to me that PalmOne deals with major and minor issues as well or better than the competition.

Problem seems to be that Palm used to be the LEADER of PDAs, and when you are doing just as well as dismal creators such as HP then HP will mow you down with all the $$$ they have to blow on advertising and corporate connections.

PalmOne needs to design better from the beginning, rather than putting out sub-par releases and promising to do better "next time." They had three (3) chances with the sliding Tungsten and the 3rd attempt (!!!) had screws that fell out after a month (and Palm wanted $125 to fix this "user problem"). The Treo 650 is 33-40% LESS usable than the Treo 600... can't blame HP or Dell for cheaping out on the memory. Rampant digitizer issues with Palms have been with us since the original Pilot, and it's really amazing that after 8 or 9 years the most basic of interface issues on the Palm haven't been stabilized in the builds.

A moderate fortune to be made (in the right hands)

hkklife @ 3/1/2005 10:08:49 AM #

Let's face it. With recent P1 offerings being lackluster at best and downright unusable at worst, people are going to be hanging onto their '03 era Palms as long as humanly possible (think T3).

If someone like PDAParts got into the "Palm mod" scene, they could do a knockdown business selling beefier batteries (like the one currently discussed on Brighthand but without the year-long delay in actually getting the batteries into peoples' hands), replacement screens, Sharp-to-Sony screen swaps, slider tightening.

Figure a "T3 overhaul" kit of slider tightening, bigger battery installation, and a thorough internal cleaning for $75ish and you have a goldmine right there (at least for the initial rush period).

Remember the veritable cottage industry that sprang up around Game Boy Advance Afterburner backlight installs from '02 until '03? Triton Labs did pretty for a time and certain garnered a lot of buzz (in itself priceless). I'd still personally prefer a Afterburner GBA classic than the cramped formfactor of a GBA SP.

RE: Price drops, so does quality

Altema @ 3/1/2005 2:15:34 PM #

"The digitizer we are refering to in this store will work on the following units: Tungsten T, T2, E, C, W, Zire 71 & Zire 72 Units."

I assume this is replacing just the digitizer and not the complete screen, correct? Not a bad deal, considering it would save the cost of replacing the PDA. BTW; how long before the T3 screen and the T5 battery are available?

And since I'm unloading all my questions, did you determine if the actual buzz is caused by sympathetic resonances between the digitizer and the LCD high voltage circuit?

65 dollars.

scaught @ 2/28/2005 5:34:32 PM #

yowza.

do Treo 650s use this same screen? will i have the same issues if i decide to use this as an opportunity to do a serious upgrade?

palmIII>HandERA330>SonySJ20>TungstenE

RE: 65 dollars.

Frenchie @ 2/28/2005 10:45:13 PM #

I have yet to hear of a problem with a buzzing screen on a Treo 650 but when people's units begin to age you will begin to see reports of digitizer drift on T5s and buzzing screens on 650s.

The world will end in 2006. Just as it was predicted in the bible along with the release of Microsoft Longhorn.... :p

Tungsten T3 has also a buzzing screen

asiayeah @ 3/1/2005 3:52:02 AM #

My Tungsten T3 also has a buzzing screen problem. I have exchanged twice with palmOne, but after using it for a while (several weeks), the buzz will come out again.

Rather than fixing it, I would rather use my new Treo 650. ;-)

--
With great power comes great responsiblity.