[Q] Touchscreen problem: "Phantom" touches - Galaxy Note 10.1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

There are lots of videos showing this problem: after you have touched the screen sometimes the screen registers finger presses even after you've removed them.
It's very hard to see what is going on if you don't turn on "show touches" in settings, so I suspect many reports about touch screens being unresponsive, or acting strangely is really the same problem.
It occurs both in stock ROMs and aosp, but subjectively more often in stock roms. It's not about moisture remaining, I've wiped the screen completely clean and dry and the phantom touches are there before, during and after cleaning.
Is there a software solution to this or is it hardware? Any thoughts of how this problem could be approached? I'm having trouble even reproducing it reliably.

yet another video of the odd problem: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mglol5qon6vy67g/2013-08-11 20.15.01.mp4

I replaced my Asus TF300 because of a similar issue. Asus fixed it once under warranty (replaced the entire LCD and digitizer, I think) but the issue came right back within a few months after RMA. By then the warranty had expired. In my case, the ghost touches were prevalent in a specific part of the screen; couldn't tell from your video whether the false touches were in the same general area every time or not.
Surprisingly, until the problem became so bad that an entire area was unusable, I could flash a new ROM and get somewhat different behavior. Just to be sure, though, I did flash a stock ROM prior to sending back to Asus and verified the issue existed there, labeled the area with tape so they could not miss it, and described in details the steps to reproduce.
Good luck.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using xda app-developers app

bsaman said:
I
Surprisingly, until the problem became so bad that an entire area was unusable, I could flash a new ROM and get somewhat different behavior.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my experience also, the aosp revolt rom, seems to suffer much less so than the stock roms.
It does seem to be the same area but it might be just because it's the side that is used most often for scrolling due to me being right handed.
The difference between how the roms behave is what make me suspect it's a software issue.
Just to be clear, you've not noticed this even once with your note? Before I turned on the "show touches" I saw it most clearly when I used chrome or other programs with scrollable elements. The page would sometimes just vibrate a little when left alone.

PremiumMediocre said:
Just to be clear, you've not noticed this even once with your note? Before I turned on the "show touches" I saw it most clearly when I used chrome or other programs with scrollable elements. The page would sometimes just vibrate a little when left alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, my note has been rock solid, but I haven't enabled show touches so I can't say for sure.
Sent from my Vivid 4G using xda app-developers app

I'm thinking it might be possible to alter the idc file that specifies the behaviour of the touchscreen (https://source.android.com/devices/tech/input/input-device-configuration-files.html). But it's all a bit over my head.
I'm not alone at least:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii7m2696T3Y

A simpler cause?
I'm not alone at least:
(YouTube Video URL that I'm not allowed to post, yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The guy in the video did a great job with research. Did you catch the part where he found nearly imperceptible damage to the screen that was a possible cause? The ghosting always seems to occur in the same places because that's where the screen has been "crushed". Now "crushed" is a bad word because the screen probably hasn't been compressed beyond an acceptable level but there might be some correlation between where the users normally places his/her hand when using the pen and where the phantom touches occur. Maybe when writing, some users are baring-down harder than they realize and prolonged pressure in the same arc-shaped area created by the side of a hand, causes some changes in the capacitive properties in that area which cause a "latch" condition -- where the digitizer gets stuck and won't unstick until power is removed.
I've noticed in the videos that I've seen that the presenter get the problem to appear when using the side of their hand in a rolling fashion -- probably the same motion that they use when they just start to write. I also believe that devices that have this problem "get better" or less sensitive when not used for a while. This would follow the idea that the screen is compressed and given some time, the compression relaxes.
If the problem is limited to a certain area of the screen, I find it hard to believe that the problem could possibly have anything to do with ROM or firmware. The matrix of the digitizer in X-Y coordinates is addressed such that if there were a problem like this, the error would occur and repeat in either a straight vertical or horizontal direction instead of finite points spanning many rows and columns.
I guess one way of ruling this idea out would be to find someone who has never used the pen to write yet still has the problem.

I haven't ruled out that it is hardware related, but I have noted a significant improvement leaving stock ROMs for aosp. Maybe that's just a coincidence, I can't know for sure. I have noted something else that might help diagnose this problem.
If the period of turning on the screen, using the tablet then turning off the screen constitutes one session, there are two types of sessions. Sessions which suffer from this problem, which will be apparent in a relative short period of time. But there are also sessions where everything works as it should, regardless of how long the session is. So you will notice this problem within 10 min or not at all.

Related

Keyboard registering multiple taps

Not totally sure how to describe this, but my Optimus 3D seems to be registering a single tap on the on-screen keyboard as multiple presses, usually 2-3. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it more of an android issue rather than with the phone? Or could it possibly be resolved through the installation of an alternative keyboard from the market?
The issue seems to occur both when charging and when running on battery power, and occurs in all applications I've tried it in so far. (Browser, Market, YouTube, Messaging)
I'm just concerned there could be an issue with the screen, so I'd like to try and get it sorted sooner rather than later, since once you go past a week or two getting a faulty phone handset sorted becomes a nightmare with retailers.
Lagamorph said:
Not totally sure how to describe this, but my Optimus 3D seems to be registering a single tap on the on-screen keyboard as multiple presses, usually 2-3. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it more of an android issue rather than with the phone? Or could it possibly be resolved through the installation of an alternative keyboard from the market?
The issue seems to occur both when charging and when running on battery power, and occurs in all applications I've tried it in so far. (Browser, Market, YouTube, Messaging)
I'm just concerned there could be an issue with the screen, so I'd like to try and get it sorted sooner rather than later, since once you go past a week or two getting a faulty phone handset sorted becomes a nightmare with retailers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen of the phone is very very sensitive. What happens is that you touch the letter and then before you have the time to remove it the phone registers a continuing press. This happens because even if you dont tap with the same presure, the phone still picks up a presure and registers more taps. It isn't really something you should worry about.
Ahhh I see. Is there a way to reduce the sensitivity at all? It's a rather annoying bug and makes it next to impossible to type anything longer than just a few words using the on-screen keyboard.
Lagamorph said:
Not totally sure how to describe this, but my Optimus 3D seems to be registering a single tap on the on-screen keyboard as multiple presses, usually 2-3. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it more of an android issue rather than with the phone? Or could it possibly be resolved through the installation of an alternative keyboard from the market?
The issue seems to occur both when charging and when running on battery power, and occurs in all applications I've tried it in so far. (Browser, Market, YouTube, Messaging)
I'm just concerned there could be an issue with the screen, so I'd like to try and get it sorted sooner rather than later, since once you go past a week or two getting a faulty phone handset sorted becomes a nightmare with retailers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would recommend you to compare your phone with another O3D if you can. If some other O3D's work nice for you, then probably it is a harware defect.
I have never experienced such a problem on mine.
Hm, I don't know anybody else with one, however the store I bought it from did have a demonstration unit so I can pop in and try out theirs to see if it also has the same issue. If not at least I can demonstrate the problem to them.
Lagamorph said:
Hm, I don't know anybody else with one, however the store I bought it from did have a demonstration unit so I can pop in and try out theirs to see if it also has the same issue. If not at least I can demonstrate the problem to them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a plan to me
I had the same problem as the OP.
It was not from the beginning and started totally unexpected and there was a very noticeable difference before/after. Typing became almost impossible, had to do it veeery carefully.
However, a simple reboot solved my problem. Didn't happen to me again since...
Hi, totally new to Android after being with Apple a long time but loving my O3D except battery life but i'll live with that.
Does have a few niggles but it makes my iphone look sooo out dated!
Right, i have similar issue with letters duplicating but it only happens every now and then and is cured by restarting the phone.
Looks like a software glitch because typing on this phone is as good as when i use my iphone. I'm more than happy with the sensitivity.
I never thought of restarting the phone, but I've done it now and it seems to have fixed the problem. Now I just need to get used to the bigger screen then my crappy old iphone.
I love the screen size in general, though I downloaded a pinball game that only works in portrait which is not really playable because the phone is too heavy to hold only with the bottom.
Its certainly a lot easier to type than I expected coming from the N900. I really REALLY wanted something like the Optimus 3D but with a real keyboard, but sadly I can't see it happening. This "thinner is better" fad really winds me up, I prefer function over form any day of the week.
Speaking of typing, I certainly have had the key repeat problem - I thought it was a build up of grease on the touch screen confusing it. It was quite annoying as my first impression was that typing on this thing is almost as good as a hardware keyboard, then the key repeat issue surfaced. Lets see if firmware 10d fixes it.
update to HTC_IME and u wont have such problem anymore. I had same issue with standart LG keyboard
I'm having the same problem with my keyboard.
It started recently and it's very annoying to try to write a txt with a such sensitive response from the keyboard.
Restating the phone seems to have sorted the problem but, it's weird...
i had this same problem after using the phone perfectly for 2 weeks it suddenly started this annoying habit,i took it back to the carphone warehouse and they exchanged it,so far the replacement is fine.

Sometimes unresponsive touch screen? i9020T

evening all
Does anyone else find themselves sometimes having to tap multiple times to get something to work? (e.g. one example - clicking into a text box to bring up the keyboard)
I'm running 4.0.3 but to be honest it was the same with 2.3.6. It's certainly not terrible / unusable and I'm wondering if it is merely "lag" or an intermittent hardware fault.
Screen test applications seem to work fine by the way, possibly pointing towards "lag"?
By the way, If I tap VERY quickly too those taps are often NOT recognised, but I tested that scenario too with a friends' HTC desire and his was the same, sometimes recognised and sometimes not.
I previously had an i9023 by the way, on which I never noticed an issue. Do the 2 models have different controllers I wonder!
B
I find its finger oils that cause that. A quick wipe or turning screen off and on quick restores functionality.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App. Developer of brickROM, and OP of XDA Thread of The Year 2011.
I'm having similar issues.. either lag or the answer mentioned above. It could also be a software glitch. However I doubt it's a hardware problem since for that, the screen would be dead in a certain area 24 7 which is not your problem.

[Q] Hardware issues or software quirks?

Super sensitive touch:
Sometimes car keys work, other times they don't. I have thick gloves- doesn't really work consistently there either. It's weird- I can use the screen a few times with metal devices then they no longer work until I toggle the sensitivity setting.
Speakers:
The on device speakers pop when I change volume (while music is playing). This actually happens on my Windows 3.1 Compaq computer (except it happens there when no music is playing)! Interesting that such an ancient problem has come back to haunt me... It can be hard to hear in certain songs, but in a soft, slow song it is easily heard.
Colors/Rendering:
A couple times now, I noticed that my screen has misrendered colors. Like, I'll be typing something, and the entire screen becomes paler, as if the contrast were turned up high (as in, *actual* contrast, not "high contrast" mode which just changes the colors to black and white). It would change back within seconds. Is this the "daylight" mode or something?
Is something wrong with my device or is this normal...?
Thanks. I only have 13 days to return it for another.
I've experienced the first two problems.
I only experience the second problem with music on my sd card.
As for the third, are you typing with the phone held horizontal, and possibly have your finger over the light sensor at the top near the front camera, this will cause the brightens to go down.
You can change the screen sensitivity. They say when it is on high u can use it with gloves.
jambo89liam said:
I've experienced the first two problems.
I only experience the second problem with music on my sd card.
As for the third, are you typing with the phone held horizontal, and possibly have your finger over the light sensor at the top near the front camera, this will cause the brightens to go down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it was in portrait orientation at the time. Hasn't happened since...
Sent from my 820 using Board Express
You always get these kind of quirks with new hardware software, mine has random reboot issues. I'm sure they will be ironed out. You always have your 2 year Nokia Warranty, i'd stick with it its a great device.
jambo89liam said:
You always get these kind of quirks with new hardware software, mine has random reboot issues. I'm sure they will be ironed out. You always have your 2 year Nokia Warranty, i'd stick with it its a great device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a question of 'does mine have hardware defects and should I get another' rather than getting a different phone altogether. It would be easier to walk into an AT&T store and walk out with a new phone than to go through a warranty process (you are allowed to do this within 14 days). I think I've determined these are all software bugs though, so that shouldn't be necessary.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro

Touchscreen sensitivity issue

Hi there guys,
I've been researching on this problem i've got with my Oneplus. It seems that the touchscreen is'nt responsive enough.
Often when i'm scrolling trough (for example) facebook, the phone has a hard time recognizing my swipes, and picks up regular touches instead. Which is causing me to open or like posts when i'm just trying to scroll trough. If i'm scrolling trough my homescreens while just slightly touching the screen, it acts up really hard.
The screen just isn't responsive enough imo.
I'm wondering if other people got the same issue, and if it is hardware or software related.
See this topic for more information: Click here
Sounds like
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2832822
drakester09 said:
Sounds like
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2832822
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is different than ghost-touches.
I noticed there is a topic on xda about this problem already: Click
I hope this can be fixed with a software update.
joeyzbg said:
Hi there guys,
I've been researching on this problem i've got with my Oneplus. It seems that the touchscreen is'nt responsive enough.
Often when i'm scrolling trough (for example) facebook, the phone has a hard time recognizing my swipes, and picks up regular touches instead. Which is causing me to open or like posts when i'm just trying to scroll trough. If i'm scrolling trough my homescreens while just slightly touching the screen, it acts up really hard.
The screen just isn't responsive enough imo.
I'm wondering if other people got the same issue, and if it is hardware or software related.
See this topic for more information: Click here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny. I have my oneplus one since a week ago more or less and i also noticed this issue in the very first days of use. Now i've opened facebook app to make some scrolling and see if the problem is still there and i have to say that i don't notice it anymore. Strange, but this is what i feel O_O
DuckMcQUack said:
Funny. I have my oneplus one since a week ago more or less and i also noticed this issue in the very first days of use. Now i've opened facebook app to make some scrolling and see if the problem is still there and i have to say that i don't notice it anymore. Strange, but this is what i feel O_O
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, maybe you just got used to press a bit harder onto the screen (which helps). Would be great if it's really disapearing after a while
Got mine for 3 days now.
joeyzbg said:
Hmm, maybe you just got used to press a bit harder onto the screen (which helps). Would be great if it's really disapearing after a while
Got mine for 3 days now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really may be...just get used to New display settings and you will be out of problem too then!
Inviato dal mio One utilizzando Tapatalk
I have the exact same issue with my OnePlus after 3 weeks of use. At first it was the swype issue where the phone wasn't picking up swypes properly on the middle left side of my screen. I use a pattern unlock so it's annoying when the dots don't connect.
The next thing was not picking up my touches properly so when ever I use SwiftKey and they recommend words, I could never properly select it because the touchscreen wasn't registering properly.
I did a factory reset and it solved the problem at first but it's now back after 2 days. It's not as bad as before but still persistent. There are tons of people on Redit, Cyanogen and the OnePlus forums that are reporting the same problem.
The good news is it seems like a software and not hardware issue, hopefully the permanent fix can come soon.
Possible solution to the supposed OnePlus One touch sensitivity problem
Settings→Developer Options→ Scroll About Half Way and UNcheck "block gesture touch events"
Also try and see if unchecking "Adaptive backlight" in Settings→Display & lights→ Adaptive backlight, helps.
Of course none of these are permanent solutions. And this problem is real. But maybe the "solutions" above help.
ive not had these issues just yet. but i do get annoyed by gesture control
This still needs to be addressed. It's almost as bad as an old capacitive touch screen!
I got my phone maybe a month after it was released. After exactly 4 months the touchscreen input died and lost all sensitivity. Typing became impossible. After going back and fourth with support for 2 months they finally sent me another one. The new one was excellent for EXACTLY FOUR MONTHS!! Almost to the DAY! My damn touch is broken again and I can't type. I'm furious! I'm also 1wk outside warranty.
With the first phone I tried every hack, crack, rom, reformat, anything I could find. Nothing would restore the touch. I assume it's a hardware issue. I've been looking around for a solution but haven't found anything. If there is anything, I would appreciate some direction.
Sorry for everyone that ever wasted their money on OnePlus, I won't be getting any more products from them...

Oneplus one ghost touch when heating.

Maybe this is the fix? anyone had this before?https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/...-hint-it-was-never-a-software-problem.186235/
samuk190 said:
Maybe this is the fix? anyone had this before?https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/...-hint-it-was-never-a-software-problem.186235/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Possibly. Mine had a very slight issue like this when the phone got warm, but that is mainly for people with the TRUE ghost touch. That means you swipe and sometimes it swipes lazy whrn scrolling because it didn't catch the entire swipe, typing on the keyboard is terrible because it "touched" a different letter, and using an app to test the multitouch registers less than 10 fingers, or even putting a few fingers on the screen causes it to touch elsewhere or not detect a touch. I had a OnePlus One like this when they were still being sold and it was terrible. Then there was a nightly CyanogenMod build that fixed the problem but would drain battery about twice as fast.
Currently, we have custom roms that have updated drivers which vastly improve the screen performance on the ones that had very little issues. Me for example after flashing DotOS I no longer get the very slight issues. My issue mainly occured when swiping, where it would require a swipe perfectly straight up or down instead of the normal way we swipe with our thumbs which is usually slightly tilted. It wasn't something to ruin the experience for me, but sometimes unlocking my phone with the pattern was difficult because of this. There was another rom out there that specifically outlined that it had many updated drivers including the Synaptics drivers (touch), but I cannot recall the name.
Crossvxm said:
Possibly. Mine had a very slight issue like this when the phone got warm, but that is mainly for people with the TRUE ghost touch. That means you swipe and sometimes it swipes lazy whrn scrolling because it didn't catch the entire swipe, typing on the keyboard is terrible because it "touched" a different letter, and using an app to test the multitouch registers less than 10 fingers, or even putting a few fingers on the screen causes it to touch elsewhere or not detect a touch. I had a OnePlus One like this when they were still being sold and it was terrible. Then there was a nightly CyanogenMod build that fixed the problem but would drain battery about twice as fast.
Currently, we have custom roms that have updated drivers which vastly improve the screen performance on the ones that had very little issues. Me for example after flashing DotOS I no longer get the very slight issues. My issue mainly occured when swiping, where it would require a swipe perfectly straight up or down instead of the normal way we swipe with our thumbs which is usually slightly tilted. It wasn't something to ruin the experience for me, but sometimes unlocking my phone with the pattern was difficult because of this. There was another rom out there that specifically outlined that it had many updated drivers including the Synaptics drivers (touch), but I cannot recall the name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my oneplus one was fine bro, I used every custom rom and it worked very well! but in the last month it start happening this ghost touch problem
and I'm sure its 100% hardware, even on TWRP it happens

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