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Cracked screen, what to do?

S

SFBayArea

Android Enthusiast
Cracked my G2 screen over the weekend. The area where screen is cracked (top of the screen), does not respond to the input. I cannot dial 1, 2, 3 for instance, but no problem inputting 4-0.
What can I do? I see that there are screens on ebay for $25 and for over $125, I don't understand what is the big difference between those screens.
They advertise that screen comes with digitizer, what is this digitizer?
If I decide to do screen change myself, what parts do I need to purchase?

Thanks.
 
1) The digitizer is the part that sits under the glass that determines where your finger is touching.

2) The difference in prices is due to many things. Some people just charge more for the same item. (Just look at name brand, model numbered items on eBay. Or the cheap screen could be lower quality.

3) What you'll need to successfully replace a cellphone screen:

a) about 2 months of experience replacing screens on defunct phones, so you learn what not to do.

b) an experienced mentor to teach you how to replace the screen properly.

c) the tools that come with the screen replacement kit.

Oh - and a lot of patience, and the money to have the phone repaired after you replace the screen and find that you did something wrong and the phone doesn't work. And the luck of finding a sho that will work on a phone you've worked on. (Most shops won't touch a job like that, because they know that the labor is going to exceed the cost of the phone, you won't pay it, and they'll be left with a box of parts they can use to repair other G2s that they paid way too much for.)

I'll give you my standard advice (after MANY years of owning cellphone stores and repairing cellphones and teaching others to): Don't attempt physical repairs on a cellphone. Pay a shop to do it. It's cheaper than doing it yourself.
 
I'm in a very similar boat to you. The $25-$30 glass + digitizer should work if your LCD isn't damaged. The more expensive ones are including the LCD as well as the glass and digitizer. The reason part of your screen doesn't work is because the digitizer is damaged. As for changing it, I haven't gotten there quite yet, but I have been told that a heat gun is necessary for removing the old glass, and that the LCD is very sensitive, so be gentle when removing the glass.
 
I had the same thing happen to mine, except it happened over a part of the lockscreen that I needed to put in my pattern unlock. So I took it to a phone repair store and they ordered the wrong part, so I took it to another store and they received the wrong part as well. So if you take it to a store make sure they order the right part. It ended up costing me a month without a phone and 210$
 
I was upset the the insurance deductible was $150 - but - I lucked out - and got a brand new phone (also invested an otterbox - getting out of the car at the carwash - knocked the phone out of the holster - the otthebox paid for itself).
 
Rukbat said:
1) The digitizer is the part that sits under the glass that determines where your finger is touching.

2) The difference in prices is due to many things. Some people just charge more for the same item. (Just look at name brand, model numbered items on eBay. Or the cheap screen could be lower quality.

3) What you'll need to successfully replace a cellphone screen:

a) about 2 months of experience replacing screens on defunct phones, so you learn what not to do.

b) an experienced mentor to teach you how to replace the screen properly.

c) the tools that come with the screen replacement kit.

Oh - and a lot of patience, and the money to have the phone repaired after you replace the screen and find that you did something wrong and the phone doesn't work. And the luck of finding a sho that will work on a phone you've worked on. (Most shops won't touch a job like that, because they know that the labor is going to exceed the cost of the phone, you won't pay it, and they'll be left with a box of parts they can use to repair other G2s that they paid way too much for.)

I'll give you my standard advice (after MANY years of owning cellphone stores and repairing cellphones and teaching others to): Don't attempt physical repairs on a cellphone. Pay a shop to do it. It's cheaper than doing it yourself.
Click to expand...

@SFBayarea this is probably not what you wanted to hear but it is the best advice you can get regarding cell phone repairs. Just take it to the shop and get it fix. It is not worth the headaches of doing it yourself and finding out you made a mistake after.
 
Yeah, it looks like I will have to take it to the repair shop. I watched video on the youtube on how to do it, but I think I will be better off if I go to the cell shop.
Now I just want to make sure they don't charge me for the parts that I don't need, I want to make sure I know what I need to change in the phone.
Based on my description at the top, what do you guys thing? I need screen and digitizer?

Anybody know how to find a repair shop near me? When I google it up I get just basic cellphone retailer shops around me. I am in San Francisco.

Thank you!
 
From the sounds of it, you need new new glass + digitizer. Let us know how it goes at whatever shop you find to do it.
 
Just pay the deductible cover and b done with it, something similar happened to me as well and I just paid the deductible and move on

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
locoandroid said:
Just pay the deductible cover and b done with it, something similar happened to me as well and I just paid the deductible and move on

Sent from my Nexus 7
Click to expand...

What do you mean? Pay off the rest of the phone and get a new one? If so, don't think it is an option for me. I just got my G2 in December, so there is a lot of pay off amount left on it.
 
Ok, after taking your advise guys, I've started calling cell repair shops around. More often then not I heard from reputable shops that they do not replace LG G2 screen because they cannot find reputable vendor and OEM parts is too expensive.
Also, these shops do not bother to replace screen and digitizer, they do whole LCD replacement.
 
SFBayArea said:
What do you mean? Pay off the rest of the phone and get a new one? If so, don't think it is an option for me. I just got my G2 in December, so there is a lot of pay off amount left on it.
Click to expand...

I think he is talking about the deductible in the warranty. Do you have accidental protection warranty? If you do all you have to do is pay the deductible and they will fix the phone for you.
 
SFBayArea: I can commiserate. Purchased an LG Spectrum a few years back. Excellent phone. I never ever buy insurance for this sort of thing. I feel it is a rip off and don't bet against myself when it comes to consumer electronics. Generally, for items I think might not be covered under warranty for long, by paying with AMEX, I have a years extension to that warranty...

I was distracted one morning going out to the car, and putting out the trash for pickup. Put my phone and lunch on the hood of the car... Got all the other stuff done, was distracted, got to the car, pulled my lunch off the hood. Drove off oblivious to my mistake.

Got up to speed about 50MPH, and the Spectrum became a lifting body. I saw it fly off the hood, over the windshield, hit and bounced on the asphalt.. I had a silicone case on it, and it was flipping nicely, perfectly and rapidly, corner over corner, making its way to the side of the road... until I saw in my rear-view mirror, a car following me take the joy away..

Well, I had to purchase a new one off eBAY for a few hundred, but, the first one, I had gotten from Amazon for maybe -10dollars (yes, I was paid to get the phone)... So in the end, I did much better than had I purchased insurance and paid a deductible to replace (if you can in this scenario - I don't know), because the phone cost me nothing, and only a few hundred to replace.

And yes, by purchasing off eBAY, the phone did not have any form of warranty.

The point is - if you are going to get it repaired, do it right and get the full combo of pieces, otherwise, just go ahead and source another. Only you can do the cost-benefit... And it may be worth your effort to purchase the whole assembly and try it yourself. Don't know your skill level - but as others would say, it's likely not to go well.

We live, we experience, we learn. We move on. Sometimes we optimize some problems to save money, and sometimes, things happen that negate that effort.
 
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