hardware keyboard issue photo essay a.k.a. i was bored - Page 2

TheDoctor1971 · #11 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 04:51 AM

Wow, relegated to page 13 already. Just a quick update.. my mom dropped her phone... yes again. This time however, thanks to the trusty electrical tape, her keyboard still works just fine. I may open mine back up and preemptively "repair" it since it worked so well on hers.

pastafarian · #12 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 07:37 AM

Thanks Doctor for the excellent info! For those calling on HTC for a recall? Don't hold your breath waiting for it! HTC should have recalled the Mogul/6800 for the white spot on the screen that affected virtually every device. Instead, they refused to acknowledge the problem or at the very least make a design adjustment during manufacture. I think that HTC would only consider reacting to a design flaw in any way if the phones started exploding and killing people.

BigDaddio13 · #13 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 10:45 AM

Thanks for this info. I'm on my 3rd TP in two months and this keyboard just went dead too. So, stock ROM is properly back in place and I'll head down to the store again and I suppose, wait for a refurb to show up in the mail.

But hey, in another 10 months the warranty will be gone and I won't have any choice but to perform my own surgery. Better archive this post....

Thanks again.

neoshi · #14 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 06:40 PM

I have a bone stock TP and my keyboard has been malfunctioning for the past 2 months of ownership (I've had it for only 4 months). When I'm typing, it either stops recognizing what I'm typing and the backlight shuts off OR it lags. I've found that if I flex the left and right edges of the keyboard down while pushing the middle up, it starts typing again. If the keyboard backlight had shut off, it comes back on, and if it was lagging (or repeating text), then it starts typing what it missed (or stops repeating). I'm hesitant to exchange the TP because exchanges don't seem to be fixing the issue. But then again, I don't want to keep flexing my hardware keyboard to have it snap in half on me one day when I'm really pissed!

I'm curious.. how many of you are using cases? I'm using the Sedio case and I think the issue may be related to the case (since the case seems to make the slide out less smooth, I'm assuming the top and bottom parts are touching each other, possibly even pushing the top and bottom of the TP out from each other, causing the keyboard issues).

Ok nevermind the issue seems to appear even without the case.

TheDoctor1971 · #15 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 09:14 PM

It sounds like the cable right under the space bar is loose. By flexing the keyboard you're just getting it to connect better briefly.

SKIMMAH · #16 (**permalink**) 04-06-2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoshi

I have a bone stock TP and my keyboard has been malfunctioning for the past 2 months of ownership (I've had it for only 4 months). When I'm typing, it either stops recognizing what I'm typing and the backlight shuts off OR it lags. I've found that if I flex the left and right edges of the keyboard down while pushing the middle up, it starts typing again. If the keyboard backlight had shut off, it comes back on, and if it was lagging (or repeating text), then it starts typing what it missed (or stops repeating). I'm hesitant to exchange the TP because exchanges don't seem to be fixing the issue. But then again, I don't want to keep flexing my hardware keyboard to have it snap in half on me one day when I'm really pissed!

I'm curious.. how many of you are using cases? I'm using the Sedio case and I think the issue may be related to the case (since the case seems to make the slide out less smooth, I'm assuming the top and bottom parts are touching each other, possibly even pushing the top and bottom of the TP out from each other, causing the keyboard issues).

Ok nevermind the issue seems to appear even without the case.

wow wow wow *ucking wow. as i read this post, i decided to give this a shot and whatyaknow, the keyboard works again. WTF HTC. you have been sent thanks btw.

EDIT: i have some additional info that may help, well, because it helped me. On the "flaky" strip, there are 4 contact points where, when the keyboard is attached and closed, touches metal to metal. A possible explanation for the keyboard beginning to work again when flexed is that the contacts point are actually being pushed to contact. I applied two layers of electrical tape behind each contact point to make the strip a bit thicker. The attached pictures should explain what i'm talking about if there's any confusion.

xunknownx · #17 (**permalink**) 04-06-2009, 05:13 AM

speak of the devil! my keyboard stopped working completely today! i soft reset it several times and finally did a hard reset. no help. i'll prolly give ths a shot....

jpena265 · #18 (**permalink**) 04-06-2009, 11:12 AM

I've had my TP since February, and for the past two weeks, been trying to figure out how to get my keyboard to work properly, its works on and off. I've done both soft and hard resets, but no solution. Also trying to download latest rom from HTC but keep getting message that service is temporarily out of service. I tried Neoshi's fix, pressing on the edges, and that did the trick! thanks, i'm glad im not the only one with this problem. I'd hate trying to get my phone replaced, its just a hasle.

neoshi · #19 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 05:15 PM

So it looks like we're experiencing the same issues. I brought it into Sprint Store 0276 today and they straight up ordered me a new phone the moment I said "My Touch Pro's keyboard keeps going out." The Level 1 triage tech replied that this was a known issue that HTC is dumping on Sprint. Apparently down where I am, the HTC TP is extremely popular and they keep getting HTC TPs returned for repair. Talk about dumping liabilities! Well, I'll let them know about this temporary fix method when I return to pick up the new phone. You guys may want to talk to Sprint about it as well, maybe even HTC because I have been doing this "fix" for the past two months and I swear to God I am going crazy having to do it every other sentence. It makes responding on forums like PPCGeeks IMPOSSIBLE.

SKIMMAH, have you noticed any improvement since you taped those contacts down?

I hope everyone stops promoting the HTC Touch Pros unless the issue is resolved. This is downright ridiculous. Even the Sprint tech rep said he is going to the Palm Pre or Pro because the Touch Pro has so many issues.

neoshi · #20 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 06:10 PM

They replaced my phone with a new one to resolve the keyboard issue. Well, at least that's what ##778# says, but the packaging it came out of suggested it was a refurb. I seem to recall my new unit coming out of a clear plastic instead of a green one with a white tamper sticker with red markings on it.

Anyhow, the new keyboard's lighting is WHACK, as the numbers are most lit and the rest is quite dim. Build date is Feb 24, 2009. I expect this one to last only two months again before I ask the tech for another one. Can't trust HTC anymore.