Why does my phone screen black out early?

[THIGV]

I have a Samsung Tab 3 Lite which in Asia is sold as a phablet with a phone component. I am not sure if this is a Samsung or an Android problem but about 30 seconds into a phone call the screen blacks out although the conversation is active. The only way to get it to come back on is to hit the on/off button on the top right which sometimes hangs up the call. This is particularly frustrating in automated calls that require keyboard input. This is true regardless of the screen setting for normal timeout.

Is this normal?

 

[argedion]

I think its an Android thing and I'll say this Generally speaking when one is on the phone talking they normally are not doing other things however I do know that is not always the case. You could see if your ROM supports turning the screen on another way.

 

[John Bean]

I have no personal experience of your device but this sounds like a bit of schizophrenia, with parts like the screen inactivity timeout thinking its just a tablet and ignoring the fact that there's an active phone call going on.

I can only suggest you try a different dialler app (from the Play store) and see if that helps. There may be options in the dialler to prevent the display from going into sleep mode.

 

[lunatic59]

There is an app called Keepscreen that will keep your screen on while you use certain apps (user definable list). Maybe it will work for the dialer. It's a bit of a kludge, but it might get you where you need to be.

I know Android dialers are designed to blank the screen when you hold them to your ear so you don't accidentally press a key with your cheek. Perhaps you get a little close to your proximity sensor?

 

[THIGV]

There is an app called Keepscreen that will keep your screen on while you use certain apps (user definable list). Maybe it will work for the dialer. It's a bit of a kludge, but it might get you where you need to be.

I know Android dialers are designed to blank the screen when you hold them to your ear so you don't accidentally press a key with your cheek. Perhaps you get a little close to your proximity sensor?

Thanks a lot. I will try out Keepscreen and a few third party dialers to see if they solve the problem. The proximity mode sensor idea seems reasonable enough except the phone also blacks out when I am in speaker mode. In fact that is the most irritating time for it to blank out. The automated input calls that have become an unfortunate part of modern life usually require keyboard input and sometimes it all starts after my screen has already gone out and I can't access the keyboard. The only way that I can keep the screen lit is by constantly tapping it, a real nuisance.

I will get back after I try out your suggestions.

 

[Thom]

If you use Tasker you might try ... tlaPocket - turn off in pocket (if call not in progress) ... that addresses this issue for me.

... Thom

 

[nickdalzell]

Those dastardly proximity sensors....

Go to phone Dialer, hit settings, call options and unchecked 'turn off screen during calls'

 

[THIGV]

Those dastardly proximity sensors....

Go to phone Dialer, hit settings, call options and unchecked 'turn off screen during calls'

I tried that but my menu reads as follows:

Call Settings>Call Rejection/Set up call rejection messages/answering ending calls/call alerts/call accessories/additional settings

Additional settings>Caller ID/Call forwarding/auto area code/call banning/call waiting/auto redail/fixed dialing numbers

I don't find any menu item as you suggest. If I missed it please point me on the correct path. Perhaps as my phone is an Asian model it may have slightly different menus. As I noted above, I don't think Tab 3 is even a phone in the US.

I did look into Answering/Ending calls but it only includes options to answer (home key) and end (power key) calls but none to keep the screen on.

Thanks for the thought.

 

[THIGV]

Getting back to the suggestion on Keepscreen, I tried it out but it did not work on the dialer. Interestingly, if I highlighted the dialer, a few other apps which must be tied to it highlighted automatically too. These were Super SIM, DSM Forwarding, Dialer Storage, CSC, and Automation Test. Unfortunately, the net result was that Keepscreen failed to keep the dialer screen on at all even when there was no call in progress. All is not a waste though as it works just fine for the calculator which I like to keep on while I am using it so I don't regret the download.

I tried a few third party dialers as well. There are too many to try all but those that I tried seemed more like phone books and reverted to the system dialer to actually make the call.

I am still at square one but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the responses that I have gotten here. When I return to the US, I plan to buy either a Nexus phone or a Google Play edition as I think a cleaner Android is better.

 

[nickdalzell]

Odd, my menu has the option I mentioned a few posts up.

 

[THIGV]

Odd, my menu has the option I mentioned a few posts up.

Interesting. Here's my menu.

I guess that is both the strength and weakness of Android. Every system copy and phone is a little different.

 

[Blackflag4]

My phone does the same thing, it's normal. The screen times out normally after 20 or 30 seconds when I have it on speaker phone when in a call, but blacks immediately when close to my ear or I need to type in a pin or "press 1 for english" ..

Its nothing bad, as was stated before. Proximity sensor is just one of those things they add to "improve" mobile phone usage and lessen battery drain. If you can find the setting for it, turn it off.

 

[AMOCO]

Have you tried this one?
Screebl
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keyes.screebl.lite&hl=en

 

[nickdalzell]

Perhaps the UI of tablets omits that menu? Or maybe the device has no proximity sensor at all? Try settings, display, screen timeout. Alternatively, try using Smart Stay and see if that helps. Smart Stay should keep the screen on as long as you're looking at it.

 

[lunatic59]

After hearing that keepscreen didn't affect the dialer, I gave it a try and it seems like the proximity sensor overrides these apps that keep the screen on. I haven't tried tasker, yet. Maybe there's something there.

 

[nickdalzell]

Does the Tab 3 even have a proximity sensor?

 

[DonB]

Moved here, if it is not a 7" let us know.