How hard to replace screen?

[Zebulon Walton]

Well, I already managed to drop my Pinephone about 2 feet onto a plastic chair mat and the lower left part of the screen cracked. (The soft case either didn't protect it or prevented worse damage, hard to say which.) It actually is not that bad as the crack is mostly in the blacked out part of the bottom, but it will probably spread and seeing as how replacement LCD panels are available for only $30 I figure it should be replaced. I searched for a guide but didn't find one. How tough a job is this? (I'm pretty comfortable taking various types of equipment apart and putting them back together.)

Edit: After kicking myself for dropping the thing I've taken a closer look. Fortunately although one leg of the crack spread across the screen diagonally it does not affect the image or touch. Really if you were not looking for the crack you'd barely notice it. Still, I was about to buy some accessories anyway so I added a replacement screen to my cart and ordered it. I've checked that I have a precision screwdriver small enough for the tiny screws and am set there.

Would love to hear from anyone who has replaced their screen as to the procedure. Searching all I've found are some references saying it's not difficult. I see there are 11 screws around the perimeter of the case, I assume those all have to come out. There are also 3 screws down the center, do those get removed also? What do I need to look out for when taking this all apart?

[Zebulon Walton]

While looking through the Pine store I found that instructions and a video are provided to show how to replace the mainboard - looks to me like that gets you probably 90% of the way to screen replacement:

https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-com...mainboard/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GbMoZ_zuZs

[hiimtye]

you can but a replacement screen directly from the store, replacement should be fairly straightforward as most screens are connected via ribbon cable

https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-5-9...46c16e2e66

[wibble]

Having taken the main board out once it's not too much of a problem. That leaves the USB connector board at the bottom which i don't imagine will be a problem, and the ribbon cables between them. Perhaps the glue on the black plastic film covering the ribbons won't peel easily, and make it difficult to remove them without damage? I think I'd order the spare cables along with the screen, just in case.

[Zebulon Walton]

Having taken the main board out once it's not too much of a problem. That leaves the USB connector board at the bottom which i don't imagine will be a problem, and the ribbon cables between them. Perhaps the glue on the black plastic film covering the ribbons won't peel easily, and make it difficult to remove them without damage? I think I'd order the spare cables along with the screen, just in case.

Already put my order in but didn't think of the cables. Will just have to be careful and order replacements if cables get damaged. Fortunately I'm still just experimenting with the Pinephone and am not using it for anything important yet.

[wibble]

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[Csanderson0313]

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Hope it going good with your screen.

[Zebulon Walton]

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Hope it going good with your screen.

Thanks, I've got the phone apart but am not sure how to transfer the USB-C side board to the new screen housing. (I started a new thread asking about that but no responses there yet.) It has a piece that looks like a copper mesh possibly glued to the housing and I'm not sure yet how to remove it without damage. Here's a photo of the part from the Pine store:

[wibble]

Carefully ;-) I hadn't considered glue or tape on that part. A bit of heat to soften the glue and some care is the usual answer to that, but it's not always easy. It seems like we should have a wiki page for the gotchas in replacing the various parts given the comments about stripped screws, trapped coax cables and rubber bits round the proximity sensor as well as this.

[p1trson]

I do agree. Yesterday I've used Martjiin's video (no complaints), but exactly - it wasn't mentioned / recorded that I have to transfer the cameras and rubber part as well (figured that our on my own).

Damaging the coaxial cable is my fault indeed I have missed to check it before putting all back together, but I was pissed at that time, since it gave me hard time to connect back the coax cable back to the new mainboard. Also for that exact screw which cutted the coax cable, I've noticed that while screwing it was a little bit harder (but not that much) at that place when compared to rest.

Anyway the place between coax cable and where screws go is very thin, and I guess it's quite easy to make the mistake I did.