[AttackMonkey]

A friend of mine dropped his iPhone 3G and cracked the screen. I undertook the repair (one of the more tedious electronics repairs I've done-that glue!!!) and replaced the screen successfully. It turns on, the digitizer works and all is good. We subsequently come to find that when he answers the phone he can't hear anyone talk.

I tried inserting and removing the headphones repeatedly without change. You can hear/talk on the phone fine when the headphones are plugged in or it's on speakerphone mode. My questions:
1. Is there a way to verify it is the speaker and not a connection?
2. If we turn it in to Apple are they going to hassle us for "fixing" it?
3. Is there any soldering involved to replace the earpiece speaker?
4. Is the iPhone earpiece the same as the iPhone 3G?

Help please! cpjr??? Thanks.


Also: What are the ribbon connections marked 1, 2 and 3 for? There is a small possibility that the connection marked 3 is not seated correctly as I found it exceedingly difficult to insert it fully... Thoughts?

[JStraitiff]

just go back in and make sure that everything is connected FULLY there is a ribbon that works the earpeice but idk which one... if you try to fix anything and take it to apple they will turn you right around and hope the door hits you on the way out

[AttackMonkey]

Yeah-I kinda figured if I went in bragging that the screen was broken but now it's fixed they wouldn't be stoked to replace it since the earpiece wasn't working... A better way to ask what I was trying to ask before is: if a repair has been made to the iPhone-if they don't know, will they care? Am I going to get a call in a week saying "you owe us $300 for a new iPhone, since you voided the warranty, didn't tell us and we gave you a new phone."

I tried verifying all the connections were tight-the one I had the most trouble with was "3" which is the one you have to flip that little "lock" switch on. "1" and "2" just snap down and connect, "3" doesn't do that. I think 3 is in tight but I can't be sure-any thoughts? Thanks.

[cpjr]

#3 is for the earpiece and proximity sensors.

If you wanna verify its the connection and not the speaker....then check to see if the screen goes off when you put the phone to your head during a call....if it DOESNT...then its the connection. If it DOES...then its the speaker.

Most likely, something happened to the cable when you took it apart...you know, where it inserts into the mainboard there is a little tiny black "flip" piece that you have to pop up...then pull the cable out. You probably just have a loose connection.

[AttackMonkey]

We tried testing the proximity sensor-it would not turn the phone off when it was placed at my ear. So I gather that either the cable is broken or it is not plugged in the whole way... When I watched some of the repair videos on youtube/google video I seem to not be the only one that initially has difficulty but everyone seems to get it. I have literally tried for hours and I'll keep going for more hours until I succeed or it breaks... I would like to clarify a few things though:

My plug for "3" has a black latch thing and a white base, unlike most of the videos I've seen (and ifixits pics). The cable has a white line and the marking "J2" with an arrow thing pointing to the white line, where is that white line supposed to go? In other electronics products it always seems that it ends up right at the border of the connection, flush in other words. Any difference here? Any tactics for grabbing the cable and pushing it in better?

How do you take the proximity sensor piece off? I was going to try inserting the ribbon while it is not attached to the screen assembly and see if I could get it in any further with that liberty...

Part of my concern is that the cable is starting to become decreasingly stiff and I can't tell if there is a crack in the ribbon or not... Thanks again.

[cpjr]

Its kinda hard to explain...but basically the easiest way of inserting that cable is holding the screen at about a 45' angle from the mainboard, with 1 finger behind the cable just slide it in.

Understand, the way its made....the little white line isnt going to be flush with the connector when inserted...so dont think its not in cause its not.

To take the cable off completely, you would take a very small flat head screwdriver and pop the metal piece (other end of cable on screen) out (it "clips" to the frame on the screen). But there is NO WAY to insert the cable on the mainboard and THEN try and connect it to the screen.

But it is definetely something with the cable. If its broke, its pretty cheap to buy a new one. Flex #3 that is...hopefully you havent goofed the connector on the mainboard.

[AttackMonkey]

If that white line isn't supposed to line up then I agree-it is likely the cable. Hopefully it's not the connector as that would be the suck. I repaired a Sony Cybershot once before and ran into a similar problem-I had difficulty getting the ribbon into the connector and when I finally did I realized I had put a hole in it and had to get a whole new screen .

I've found the proximity sensor replacements online however I've been unable to find any that ship from the U.S. if we have to wait then we have to wait but do you know any or would you be willing to sell a proximity sensor replacement ribbon? Cheers.

[cpjr]

Cheapest ive seen them was on ebay....and I have found NONE that ship from the US either

I would have to look to see if I have an extra...but I doubt it. I have a couple of screen frames, I might have a good cable still attached to one.

I wont be back home until Monday though.

[AttackMonkey]

As a follow-up I successfully replaced the earpiece speaker cable and sure enough the phone was rapidly re-assembled and in full working order. My friend was immensely happy. Thanks again to everyone for your help.

Now back to waiting excitedly for 3.0!

[one1]

Help please! cpjr??? Thanks.

Ha, I teach you some of my tricks and they start screaming your name? LOL..... funny.