Do you have touchscreen issues?

[Whyzor]

My touchscreen works fine most of the time, but maybe every 1 out of 20 times a touch or swipe doesn't register. I just retry and it goes back to its merry way. I thought this was a problem with stock ROM (and it could've been masked by the OS doing something in the background). But also in CM7 + TheOC kernel (maybe bkernel too) running streamlined (not much background stuff going on). Noticed it happen with min 122 freq as well as up to 576 mhz on interactive governor, so I don't think it's an issue with waking from a low clock. It happens sometimes during unlock, other times just during use, with screen on and a few seconds of idling.

I should also mention that I have the OEM screen protector on and my touches are firm (the same pressure that works well on it 19 out of 20 times). I suspect it could be Motorola's touchscreen driver code that messes with things. My initial hunch is that the noise filtering algorithm is throwing out legitimate touches. Never noticed it on the OV.

Please vote, if it's a confirmed widespread problem, one of the devs (or me) will be more motiviated to try to fix it.

 

[sounreal]

I think anything about the OEM screen protector being the reason is bullsh!t. Plus if it really is Gorilla Glass why put on a screen protector anyway?

 

[Whyzor]

I think anything about the OEM screen protector being the reason is bullsh!t. Plus if it really is Gorilla Glass why put on a screen protector anyway?

I believe it has Gorilla Glass, since it's in official Moto specs & on Corning's website. Otherwise they're wide open for lawsuits. But Gorilla glass doesn't mean it's scratch proof (Also, there are other coating technologies not known by the same brand name that are just as scratch resistant).

I don't think the OEM protector is causing the problem I'm describing because when it's working, it's very responsive. I usually put on a screen protector anyway, if it does get scratched up I can replace it easily. On my OV, I even had the original plastic factory screen (not meant as protector) on and didn't have any problems. My Acer Liquid phone had a sensitivity & noise adjustment for the touchscreen, it looks like the MT has those values hardcoded in the drivers, so it can't account for manufacturing errors & variations.

 

[Whyzor]

Ok, after noticing Multitouch Visual Test app registers the touches reliably (it reports the values more directly) I think I have this mystery solved - at least my specific problem.

In CM Settings (maybe MIUI has similar) - Input - Haptic Feedback Tweaks. Even though the checkmark is off, in the settings for down/up/longpress/keypad patterns, there are vibration delays. I basically zeroed out all of them & reduced to only 1 single action. Rebooted, and my touchscreen seems to be more reliable so far *crossing fingers*.

Theory: even if the vibrations are set to so small that the motor doesn't engage, it enters parts of the code that tries to fire it up, and that's where it drops the touch/swipe action (draws too much current? disrupts the capacitive touchscreen's grounding? who knows). By zeroing out the values, it just skips all those complicated code paths. I normally don't use haptic vibrations because of extra battery drain anyway (physically stresses the electronics too) this makes sure it really is off.

There are parts of the OS where it doesn't always obey the global haptic vibration settings. For example this kind of fix still needs to be applied in other places:

https://github.com/CyanogenMod/andr...a/com/android/internal/widget/SlidingTab.java

I'd like to hear if this helps improve anyone else's touchscreen issues.

UPDATE: Still noticing ignored touches once in a while. Trying other workarounds.

 

[sounreal]

What about soft key issues? Cause I'm getting sick of them and thinking about sending it in and getting another one.

 

[Whyzor]

What about soft key issues? Cause I'm getting sick of them and thinking about sending it in and getting another one.

You mean the bottom row of buttons? I haven't noticed any hiccups recently with those either (they may or may not use the same vibrate settings, so it's worth trying to zero them out).

There may be another problem where the OS locks things up and they don't respond. I think it's worse on stock ROM, and better (or barely noticeable on CM7, or at least noticed by me, but I have minimal background apps running).

 

[Jmelz]

I have random issues with the back softkey ignoring me. Sometimes also the touchscreen is nonresponsive after wake. Part of me thinks it may be due to automatic brightness settings engaging first.

 

[sounreal]

You mean the bottom row of buttons? I haven't noticed any hiccups recently with those either (they may or may not use the same vibrate settings, so it's worth trying to zero them out).

There may be another problem where the OS locks things up and they don't respond. I think it's worse on stock ROM, and better (or barely noticeable on CM7, or at least noticed by me, but I have minimal background apps running).

Yes the bottom row of buttons. If Back does not work then the Home button will. IF Home does not work then Back will so its not the OS locking up.

 

[ohno900]

My Back key doesn't respond at times. Maybe because I have sweaty fingers.

 

[agentc13]

Thw back key is a grounding issue.

 

[Whyzor]

Thw back key is a grounding issue.

If so, there may be a workaround by switching the search key & the back key in the config file (/system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl) requires root though.

As an update to this topic. I'm going back to TG's CM7 kernel that uses original MT touchscreen drivers (instead of TheOC & bKernel that both have newer Isaac's updated TS drivers). There are no functional differences between the two as far as I can tell, just hoping the touch reliability goes up.

UPDATE: Same occasional ignored touch/swipe w/ old TS drivers.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I am having similar issues here. I am using MIUI with the mOCK kernel.

It works fine most of the time, but the errors happen often enough that it does become annoying. I have a hard time getting through most text messages without an error. I prefer the swype style keyboards and have not had much luck with any of them with this phone.

 

[Rico ANDROID]

...back in my windows mobile phone days, YES constantly.. but never once on my android device... LOVE it

 

[PerkinsII]

My swype does the same thing, it's rather annoying, but I have just learned to accept it. It still continues to happens even with the new touchscreen driver isaac released.

 

[Whyzor]

For those with this issue, install the small app 'Multitouch Vis Test', I can't reproduce it in that app, which reports more direct sensor data, so it leads me to think that some code in the Operating System is causing the problem.

UPDATE: I'm just trying things, it seems to have something to do with the system busy doing stuff in the background & ignores touches. So far I've disabled CM Settings - Performance - Allow Purging of Assets, and also removed these binary modules since I don't use them:

/system/bin/lightd (light sensor for automatic brightness, usually too bright)
/system/bin/proximityd (proximity sensor, using power button to toggle during calls)
/system/bin/bluetoothd (bluetooth & wifi can't be used at the same time anyway)
/system/bin/hdmid (hdmi is broken in CM7/MIUI already)

So far it's a bit better, but still noticed infrequently.