Database Develop

DIY Fixing dodgy headphone socket

Hey guys,
I think some of us have a problem with our headphone sockets where over time, slight bumps to the connection causes the audio to slightly cut out which can be annoying if you're listening to music with your phone in your pocket through headphones/earphones.
Now I've found a guide to disassemble the phone which i'll leave at the bottom as not to ruin the continuity, but I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement part for the output socket on the phone. You have to remember that the socket also needs metal contacts inside it for the microphone input. I plan to shoot motorola's technical team an email about it but I'm wondering if there are any other people keen on fixing the problem or if they themselves have tried addressing it.
Cheers,
Ed
Disassemble your droid/milestone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE81IaQHEHc
Something which is close but not quite what i'm looking for:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PS0133

seems interesting.
I've had to send my phone in twice because of this.
Might have this problem fixed now though as i've gotten angled headphones that are really close to the socket. This way there won't be as much pressure on the socket when i've got the phone in my pocket whilst cycling.

hmm... been a long time since I´ve tinkered with any jack-sockets (last time on one of my bass guitars), but shouldn´t you just be able to -probably more of a temporary fix- bend the contact-latches inside the socket a bit so they press "harder" against the headphone jack when it is plugged in?
that way, they should allow for more movement of the jack (which is the problem you are describing) without losing contact.
the only problem is, repeated usage of the socket will eventually wear the contact latches out again over time...

Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!

kreat1ve said:
Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? Why does this work? Does the WD40 conduct the signal? How often do you need to do this?

kreat1ve said:
Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad idea. Don't use WD40. It will eat away at the plastic and circuit board. It also will attract dust and dirt. Electrical contact cleaner is a better idea. It's safe for circuit boards and plastics.

mightybrick said:
Bad idea. Don't use WD40. It will eat away at the plastic and circuit board. It also will attract dust and dirt. Electrical contact cleaner is a better idea. It's safe for circuit boards and plastics.
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Click to collapse
Good to know...
Where do we get this stuff? My current milestone is fine...but for how long? My first unit's headphone jack was very bad after a few months.
Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk

Caz666 said:
Good to know...
Where do we get this stuff? My current milestone is fine...but for how long? My first unit's headphone jack was very bad after a few months.
Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any hardware or electronics store should have it; Radio Shack, Walmart, etc.

kreat1ve said:
Hey guys,
I think some of us have a problem with our headphone sockets where over time, slight bumps to the connection causes the audio to slightly cut out which can be annoying if you're listening to music with your phone in your pocket through headphones/earphones.
Now I've found a guide to disassemble the phone which i'll leave at the bottom as not to ruin the continuity, but I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement part for the output socket on the phone. You have to remember that the socket also needs metal contacts inside it for the microphone input. I plan to shoot motorola's technical team an email about it but I'm wondering if there are any other people keen on fixing the problem or if they themselves have tried addressing it.
Cheers,
Ed
In China, that part (original) is about 2RMB - say $0.30 US - but shipping it will cost far more than that...
The Motorola P/N is 0976622A01, and googling it seems to produce a few hits:
You will need to find the links yourself, since the board prohibited me from postiing them...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

the board is prohibiting links??? or only certain links?
however, i would appreciate some more hints on that disassembly-guide you were pointing at, since i cannot find that, either.

xenosapien213 said:
the board is prohibiting links??? or only certain links?
however, i would appreciate some more hints on that disassembly-guide you were pointing at, since i cannot find that, either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried the electrical contact cleaner post yet? Someone says WD-40 works (Which is a terrible idea, hence trying electrical contact cleaner). They aren't cheap and it's worth a shot before taking your phone apart!

Thanks! This is great!

xenosapien213 said:
hmm... been a long time since I´ve tinkered with any jack-sockets (last time on one of my bass guitars), but shouldn´t you just be able to -probably more of a temporary fix- bend the contact-latches inside the socket a bit so they press "harder" against the headphone jack when it is plugged in?
that way, they should allow for more movement of the jack (which is the problem you are describing) without losing contact.
the only problem is, repeated usage of the socket will eventually wear the contact latches out again over time...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this may work, but I have found on the portable devices it is normally more the circuit board it is connected to. The solder joint fails and really needs to be re-soldered. The connection is only supported by the solder, not a good thing, but all the electronics manufacturers only care if they last past the initial warranty. Often all it needs is a hit with a low power solder gun to re-flow the joint, other times you need to clean off the old solder, and put on some new. the joint will often look fine to the naked eye, but if you look with magnification you will see the joint has cracks. A friend of mine is an electronics repair geek, and he can see it just by glancing. I need some magnification, funny thing is he wears glasses that are almost an inch thick, so it is more experience at looking at them.

Thanks for the links. My audio jack has been bad for some time and it is only a matter of time until the frustration will drive me to take the phone apart. It is better now I have some instructions for when that time comes
I tried contact cleaner which unfortunatly didn't have any effect. It 'feels' like a bad solder joint but obviously I can't tell for sure until it is apart.

Fix Broken microUSB Port

So the microUSB port on my Captivate stopped working the other day (can't connect to pc or charge without applying significant pressure in a certain direction) and I'm thinking about fixing it my self.
I'm really just looking for some advice from people who have done this before. What kind of soldering gun should I get (or will the Radio Shack special work)? What kind of soldier should I use? And should I think about buying a new micoUSB port from one of these parts stores?
Thanks in advance!

I wouldn't fix it myself...there is more to it then you think

kusanagisan18 said:
So the microUSB port on my Captivate stopped working the other day (can't connect to pc or charge without applying significant pressure in a certain direction) and I'm thinking about fixing it my self.
I'm really just looking for some advice from people who have done this before. What kind of soldering gun should I get (or will the Radio Shack special work)? What kind of soldier should I use? And should I think about buying a new micoUSB port from one of these parts stores?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd stay away from radioshack soldering irons. I bought a cheap $30 Weller iron and it is way better. The repair is not horribly hard. The worst part is removing the bad one without lifting a pad. I lifted a pad on one I tried fixing and screwed up one of the pads and a tiny bit of the trace. Needless to say I could not fix the tiny damaged trace and sold it off for parts. But the new usb went on without a hitch with some good solder and some desoldering braid.

I offer this repair as a service and for way cheaper than ruining your board...
PM Sent...

chrislj said:
I'd stay away from radioshack soldering irons. I bought a cheap $30 Weller iron and it is way better. The repair is not horribly hard. The worst part is removing the bad one without lifting a pad. I lifted a pad on one I tried fixing and screwed up one of the pads and a tiny bit of the trace. Needless to say I could not fix the tiny damaged trace and sold it off for parts. But the new usb went on without a hitch with some good solder and some desoldering braid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think it's possible to fix it without replacing it? IE Just apply more solder or try to re-solder the current contacts?
connexion2005 said:
I offer this repair as a service and for way cheaper than ruining your board...
PM Sent...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll probably end up using your service if this is over my head, thanks for the link!

kusanagisan18 said:
Do you think it's possible to fix it without replacing it? IE Just apply more solder or try to re-solder the current contacts?
I'll probably end up using your service if this is over my head, thanks for the link!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's virtually NEVER the connection between the leg and pad that is the issue, but rather always the inner connector that touches with the pins on the USB cable itself. So basically no, re-flowing the legs to pads won't do anything. I always ohm through the leg to the pad before replacing them to check if it's an easy fix but that's never the case and the whole connector ends up being replaced...

Download Jig Works But Won't Charge/Connect USB
I think I am having the same problem. I can use a download jig that I got from MobleTech some time ago, but the USB will only connect if I fiddle with the connection and will drop out almost immediately. I first noticed it because the phone was not charging overnight. I was running teamhacksburg ICS and thought I had developed the charge bug, but appears that I might need a new USB connection. Have tried differn't computers with same results. Is it safe to say I need a new USB port for my Captivate or are there some other things I should check. Thanks for the help.

If it's finicky like that then yes almost certainly.

So how would you go about replacing your USB port on your Captivate? or is it not worth trying for most people? One of the pins on my port came loose and got smashed to the outside shell. In trying to bend it back, it broke of course. So now no Download mode from Jig and no computer recognition.

connexion2005 said:
I offer this repair as a service and for way cheaper than ruining your board...
PM Sent...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same problem. Could I get a PM or a link to your repair?

YzRacer said:
I am having the same problem. Could I get a PM or a link to your repair?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could I also get the link?

sebastienhwb said:
Could I also get the link?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never got a PM but I followed the clues over to mobiletechvidoes. Once you add usb repair to your cart and check out you will receive an email about sending in the phone (after an hour or so) and I have just sent one in. It says send the phone without a battery or battery cover and I went ahead and wiped the phone just for safety.

Anyone ever find the link or know how much this costs?

in my sig if i remember correctly it is about $35

I paid $35 and it worked out well for me! Mobiletechvideos.com is where I signed up and they were fast and professional.

Fixed with vice grips
Just did this and slowly applied a little pressure and adjusted for more pressure at the end of the USB metal connection. It's a sturdy fit now and I'm not losing connectivity.

So the fix is to replace the connector altogether? Does anyone have a digikey part # or equivalent?
My issue seems to be that it charges, but I have no data connection. The pins don't need a reflow. Unfortunately, I don't have a spare micro usb cable to splice and check continuity on hand.
Is there any way I can talk with the enumerator chip to make sure it isn't fried, or should I just do the continuity check?

hi
I have the same problem, i searched on sites how to change it your self, but i couldn't find anything

Just check his signature.
http://mobiletechvideos.mybigcommerce.com/
other stuff available from them too. i am a past customer. they saved my cappy

MICRO USB
Anyone else had the USB port become mildly loose (moves back and forth if any pressure is put on the cable)? I believe its on its way out.

[Q] Headphone jack broken?

Hey, recently my headphones would be recognized and then not recognized if I move the wire or from just simply walking. At first, I thought my headphones broke, but from experimenting with several pairs, I've come to the conclusion that it is my jack that Is broken. I tried lifting the metal piece that detects headphones, however it did not work as the problem still arises...Any way I could get this working again?

torch2424 said:
Hey, recently my headphones would be recognized and then not recognized if I move the wire or from just simply walking. At first, I thought my headphones broke, but from experimenting with several pairs, I've come to the conclusion that it is my jack that Is broken. I tried lifting the metal piece that detects headphones, however it did not work as the problem still arises...Any way I could get this working again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take apart the phone, buy a replacement from eBay and put it in but don't rip any flex ribbon cables. Or if you are under warranty just have T-Mobile replace it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I think Im out of warranty. And I'm terrilb ewith hardware fixes. thanks for the reply though

torch2424 said:
I think Im out of warranty. And I'm terrilb ewith hardware fixes. thanks for the reply though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try Samsung direct. They are pretty good about standing behind devices but cost will be about 50.00 and shipped at your expense to their Texas location.
Sent from my SGH-T679 using xda premium

Hmmm I might consider that...Thank you!

This happened to my laptop's headphone jack. Someone said that the jack may have oxidized. The fix was to take a cotton swab and dip it in rubbing alcohol and then kinda scrub the jack.

Careful if trying alcohol with cotton qtip. The alcohol will remove corrosive build up but also does drying of parts it comes in contact with. There is a contact cleaner that's cheep enough for this at most electronic stores and certianly all radio shacks.
Sent from my SGH-T679 using xda premium

Broken cake?

I accidentally tore a small hole in the cable on the middle right like the moron I am. Don't have anything to like circle it in the picture as I'm mobile. After some research I can't figure out what that cable even goes to. No notable differences after some extensive testing on the OS side. Does anyone know what that cable does?
Sent from my SPH-M830 using xda app-developers app

I swear to god I'm about to throw this thing. Cable. Not cake.
Sent from my SPH-M830 using xda app-developers app

That's ok, just turn off auto-correct. It causes more problems than it cures.
If you just tore the cable sheathing but did not damage the cable and haven't had any noticeable bad effects, you're probably ok. You might put a small piece of electrical tape over the tear.

Groid said:
That's ok, just turn off auto-correct. It causes more problems than it cures.
If you just tore the cable sheathing but did not damage the cable and haven't had any noticeable bad effects, you're probably ok. You might put a small piece of electrical tape over the tear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is totally true. But me and these flimsy little ribbon cables don't seem to like each other. For example, my ps2 only has one working controller port. Still interested in what it connects however.
Sent from my SPH-M830 using xda app-developers app

I'd assume the touchscreen controller. At least you didn't snap off the contacts for the WiFi antenna, that was really time consuming to fix
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Just put it through its paces. Grab a touchscreen tester app. Also test WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC. If nothing is apparent then you got lucky and you should probably not open it back up.
As for the keyboard typos, just get a different keyboard. I really like the stock experience. I also like Thumb Keyboard because it mimics stock behavior but has better layouts for landscape. Thumb Keyboard hasn't gotten much use lately because it seems to cause a lot of "double taps" llike tthis ccrapp. It isn't frequent but enough to be annoying. I don't get those double taps on other keyboards, and Thumb Keyboard used not do that.
Anyway. I wish the best with the ribbon cable. Hope everything turns out unharmed.
You should go back and edit the original post and change the topic so people aren't confused. "Broken Cake?"

Lol it won't let me change the thread name for some reason. And yeah I only opened it to put some electrical tape in to stop that god awful squeaking. My stress tests don't seem to indicate any damage.
Sent from my SPH-M830 using xda app-developers app

Daym i came for broken cake
Do every test u couild probibally think of and if u ccant find any problem then the cable havent broken any thing u nweeded so no harm.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Home made QI wireless charging? Anyone?

Hi guys.....i love my zr but really disappointed with absence of accessories for it.
There are qi charging pads and accepters on aliexpress for 10 bucks a set... NOT FOR OWR PHONES of course.
I can fit in one inside of the rubber seal area and connect it with small wires to the battery.....
The question is.....have anyone tryed it before?
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

I wouldnt recommend forcing the pad under the battery door. If you look under there youll notice that the waterproofing works by letting the rubber gasket fall into a channel; if you add something thatll push the gasket away from the channel, it might be enough to let water in.
I actually just got my wireless charging pad for the Note 2 in the mail today. I'm planning to adapt it to my Xperia ZR but in a different way. I plan to put it between my phone and case, and connect it thru the docking connectors on the side of the phone. Ill update you with photos when im done if it comes out alright. Right now im just worried about how Im gonna get it to sit right without covering the flash.
Sent from my C5502 using XDA Free mobile app

update pics when u r done.
younix258 said:
I wouldnt recommend forcing the pad under the battery door. If you look under there youll notice that the waterproofing works by letting the rubber gasket fall into a channel; if you add something thatll push the gasket away from the channel, it might be enough to let water in.
I actually just got my wireless charging pad for the Note 2 in the mail today. I'm planning to adapt it to my Xperia ZR but in a different way. I plan to put it between my phone and case, and connect it thru the docking connectors on the side of the phone. Ill update you with photos when im done if it comes out alright. Right now im just worried about how Im gonna get it to sit right without covering the flash.
Sent from my C5502 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plz UPDATE us when u complete this little project

vbansal89 said:
Plz UPDATE us when u complete this little project
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Click to collapse
Okay heres my update: i did what i was planning to; unfortunately its not incredibly elegant.
I used a charging pad for note 2 which i bought on ebay. The copper tips i used as pins for the charging pad were a bit bigger than they should have been so my case is a little warped on that side. Also the pressure from the case makes the pins not have great contact with the phone so it takes little fidgeting to get it to start charging. Besides that though it works fine. I set it on the wireless charger at night and the phone is at 100% in the morning.
This weekend im gonna redo the soldering of the pins with some slightly smaller ones and see if i can make it... prettier.
The only thing to keep in mind is that +5v is the pin closest to the top of the phone and gnd is the bottom one. I also had to modify the charging pad to g3t the flap to come out higher up from the pad, otherwise I would have had to cover the flash.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Free mobile app

Yet another update. I tried to make it more elegant by reducing the thickness of the pins but to no avail. Doing this mod with a tpu (flexible plastic) case was a waste of time since theres no way to keep pressure on the pins and make the case sit flush.
Sent from my C5502 using XDA Free mobile app

What about glueing the connector to the phone? With this solution no pressure from the plastic case is required I guess...