Weird Display Issue...

[MooTheKow]

So - here is an odd one. If I push down very hard on the upper-right corner of the D-Pad my screen goes black (mostly.. looks like maybe some slight static of some sort or something?). As soon as I left up my finger the display returns to normal. I _think_ if I push down really hard on the case just above the upper-right of the D-Pad it will do the same thing.


Anyone else ever see this or able to reproduce this? It something I should be concerned about?

 

[WizardStan]

That's right where the zif connector is for the LCD cable. You have the exact opposite problem I have, that I sometimes have to squeeze it down to get it to make a solid connection and come back on.


At any rate, definitely sounds like an issue with the LCD cable. Either the cable itself is kind of loose in the connector and pushing it down makes the problem worse (easily fixable by opening up the back and pushing it back into place) or the cable is breaking made noticeable when you apply excess pressure to it, in which case you'll need a new LCD cable.


Does it seem to tint purple at all as you open or close the lid?

 

[MooTheKow]

That's right where the zif connector is for the LCD cable. You have the exact opposite problem I have, that I sometimes have to squeeze it down to get it to make a solid connection and come back on.


At any rate, definitely sounds like an issue with the LCD cable. Either the cable itself is kind of loose in the connector and pushing it down makes the problem worse (easily fixable by opening up the back and pushing it back into place) or the cable is breaking made noticeable when you apply excess pressure to it, in which case you'll need a new LCD cable.


Does it seem to tint purple at all as you open or close the lid?

Nope - thankfully no purple tint. My 2nd Pandora died from the purple-tint-of-death (on 3rd unit at the moment) - so familiar with what that looks like.

 

[MooTheKow]

Update:


Last night I noticed that if I press the screen open past the 'lock' point - the display does the same go-to-mostly-black thing (not completely black - some noise-looking crud going on too).


Should I be concerned? Is this likely to start getting worse and eventually require me to RMA the unit (for my 3rd time *sigh*)?

 

[MooTheKow]

Update #2:


I am sad to report I am going to have to send it in. It's getting worse.. amount of pressure needed to cause the problem is becoming less. It is also happening with a wider area of the case. When I hit the 1+2 + shoulder buttons for the NES emulator it is blanking the screen... also noticed if i just lightly touched part of the inside of the hinge area it was happening too.. so sad.

 

[MooTheKow]

Bump because ED is back from vacation -- ED - does this sound like something that 100% will require me to send you my Pandora? Have you seen anything like this before? No purple tint -- but screen goes back when applying pressure to the case in certain spots.

 

[tuki_cat]

Hi,


I had a very similar problem and had to RMA mine. The screen would just go black and then reappear, it didn't happen when I applied pressure to the case, it just happened randomly. Two days after that started the screen went black and never returned although it was clear it was just the screen, the Pandora was still working.


I think ED said it was a loose LCD cable. He did say I had another issue when I RMAd caused by the loose cable which he also sorted out. Personally I would RMA it, it sounds like it will eventually give up like mine did.