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Good screen protectors?

Hey, pretty much first topic in here.
I need a good screen protector, since the one that came with the otterbox commuter case I bought is
1 slightly too small
2 when I tried to apply it either the top or bottom wouldn't fit nicely. That is if I applied it aligned to the top of the screen, it wouldn't stick there and vice verse for the bottom.
My criteria basically are (and I know there most likely is no perfect product)
Should fit the entire screen, or at least be "invisible" enough that you don't notice them at first glance.
Somewhat scratch-proof, oleophobic would be a nice cherry on top.
Should feel more or less like the unprotected screen, as in glide easily, no stickiness.
also ofc should work just like the screen, with no input problems or anything.
Anyone know any screenprotectors that fulfill some or all of these criteria? are the cheap ebay ones any good?

I have een an avid brando screen protector fan. They are in China but deliver worldwide.
Try this one:
http://shop.brando.com/bw-ultraclear-pda-s-p-htc-desire-hd-_p04991c1244d039.html

The HTC ones work well for me.

I'm not satisfied with the Zagg Invisible Shield.
Now I bought the Xtreme GUARD screen protector:
h t t p ://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230559214306
The Xtreme GUARD screen protector for Ihone 4 was brilliant.

I use Martin Fields and think it's the best screen protector I've used "so far". My previous screen protectors include ZAGG, some random ebay ones and the ones come with case-mate and otterbox cases.
Installation is super easy (compared to the pain and wait of ZAGG's) as well!

I prefer the original htc screen protectors. Cheap ,good quality.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I like the vikuiti screen protectors, I got a three pack for my HD2 and after I messed up the first with air bubbles the second lasted a whole 10 months and didn't need replacing, the screen still looked liked new. Comparing to the htc it lasted 2 weeks and was full of scratches and finger marks, so Ill be getting the vikuiti for the dhd.

KamikaZeeFu said:
Hey, pretty much first topic in here.
I need a good screen protector, since the one that came with the otterbox commuter case I bought is
1 slightly too small
2 when I tried to apply it either the top or bottom wouldn't fit nicely. That is if I applied it aligned to the top of the screen, it wouldn't stick there and vice verse for the bottom.
My criteria basically are (and I know there most likely is no perfect product)
Should fit the entire screen, or at least be "invisible" enough that you don't notice them at first glance.
Somewhat scratch-proof, oleophobic would be a nice cherry on top.
Should feel more or less like the unprotected screen, as in glide easily, no stickiness.
also ofc should work just like the screen, with no input problems or anything.
Anyone know any screenprotectors that fulfill some or all of these criteria? are the cheap ebay ones any good?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think your best bet is the HTC's generic protector. It's a perfect cut (mind the gaps between the screen and the plastic "lip"), mine is since early November and it's without scratches. For oleophobic part... some say it gets greasy very easyly, but it's either they have extereamly greasy fingers, or mine are extreamly dry . The protector is made of somewhat hard plastic, so it feels more or less like the unprotected screen. No orange skin effect or the grippy feeling of Invisible Shield. And I didn't notice any reduction or inacuracy in sensitivity of the screen. Maybe slightly less sensitive since before I had mine on, I could "touch" the screen without actually touching it and now it works the way it's supposed to .
Also there is one big advantage of this one - the thickness of the protector is equal to the height of the "lip" around the screen, so with the protector applied you no longer will get your finger "gripped" when you slide them off the screen.
The only downside (IMO) is that HTC made a production design error with the cutting of the protector. There are always two small bubbles in the top left corner where the foil protecting the sticky side is grabbed to be removed prior to the installation.

Yep HTC's original is the best fit
Best for value is to get the HTC Desire HD Screen Protector SP P430 - Twin Pack

I like the EXiM UltraClear. displayschutzfolien.com

I have the HTC original one! great quality, you can't see its there! Be carefull when sticking it one. Ask if you can do it in your uncle's clean room!

Yeah just make sure every microscopic bit of dust is off. I've actually found using a small amount of sunglass lense cleaner on the screen and wiping it off with a microfibre cloth does the trick.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I don't feel it's necessary to pay more than just a few dollars for a good quality screen protector. Over the years I've found the Hh ScreenGuard brand of screen protectors in the yellow packaging on dealextreme.com to be of very good quality. They are thin and flexible which means so long as you put them on with no dust or finger prints they last forever and they stick down with no bubbles and look near invisible. They are usually around 2 bucks. At the present time however dealextreme had no listings for that brand for the Desire HD.
I've had these bad crappy generic ones both from ebay and from dealextreme.com for different phone models (including desire HD). They always come in no packaging/branding and with the same blue on one side red on the other side tabs. They are thicker, less flexible and are next to impossible to get on without bubbling and start to peel off before long. Here's what I'm talking about... The ads often look like this:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
The product looks like this:
Now recently I've found this brand (CALANS) to be of descent quality. In fact since I first put mine upside down first time and then kept washing it and reapllying it with dust underneath it I ended up washing it and re-applying it no less than half a dozen times and when I was finally happy with it there was still no damage or bubbles from this screen protector! Since getting my replacement Desire HD I put on a new one of these protectors and got it first time perfect with no bubbles. The protector came with a case but I asked the ebay seller to sell me more separately so he made a new listing. They are $1 each and free shipping. Here's the listing: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270694242912. Here's what they actually look like:
Here's some tips I've leant for putting on the screen protectors: First thing is throw away usless cloth that looks like this:
That tiny unhemmed cloth will only fray at the edges and leave lint on your screen as you wipe. You are better off using your cotton t-shirt and breath or a slightly damp soft cotton or microfibre, lint free cloth. Make sure before you remove any of the outside layers you first place the protector over the screen to see how it fits. there are always some gaps and in the case of the Desire HD one way is up, one way is down as there are smaller corners at the top of the screen and bigger ones at the bottom. Place phone on a towl or cloth to keep stable and not damage camera. When you are totally sure you have the screen clean and no dust then peel only a small section of the 1st layer back. Start sticking down protector and pushing out air bubbles as you peel away more of the 1st layer. Once it's all down with no bubbles and the 1st layer is off take of the 2nd layer. If you find there is dust or you messed it up use the corner of a protective layer to carefully wedge under the protector (without damaging the screen protector) and lift up the protector. Remove the protector, clean screen and wash protector with soapy water and rinse. Shake protector. Place protector on screen while still slightly wet pushing out as much air and water as possible. Usually there will be water bubbles under the screen that will gradually dry up over 1.5 to 2 days with this method and in the end leave a flawless finish with no bubbles. I have used my phone during the drying process with no problems.
**Keep in mind phones these days often have a water sensor (a piece of paper that changes colour to moisture). If something goes wrong using the water method and you get the inside of your phone wet this could easily void your warranty**

[HOWTO] Replace Atrix 2 Touchscreen

I recently destroyed the screen on my A2 and repaired it with ease. Honestly very ease to take apart. I wanted to share my experience and show others how to do so as well.
Hopefully, you will NEVER need this! But if you do, here is the how to!
Mods? Please sticky if you see fit to.
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible if your phone does not work after the repair. However, if you follow these instructions you should be fine.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1. Obviously you will need a replacement screen. I got mine for 30 bucks HERE and it came to my house VERY well packaged and quick. Otherwise if that link winds up going down, LET ME GOOGLE THAT FOR YOU.
2. A Torx 5 driver. You can find one at most electronics stores as this is a VERY tiny size usually only used on electronics. I got mine HERE for cheap! Once again if that link also goes down, I CAN GOOGLE THAT FOR YOU ALSO.
3. A magnet. This is for you to rub your new screwdriver against so it becomes magnetized. Makes it easier to get those pesky tiny screws out without dropping them and losing them forever.
4. A PLASTIC pry tool of some sort. You can be creative with this like I did (you'll see in the later pics) but make sure it's plastic so you don't damage your phone. UPDATE: Find one here, as well as a T5 driver.
5. Two small containers to put the screws in. Why two? There are two different size screws you will be removing and you DON"T WANT TO MIX THEM UP. They are different lengths. Jamming the wrong screw in the wrong hole is a bad idea.
6. A hairdryer or even a butane torch on low heat. Or, if you have none of those a razor blade. For separating the glass from the silver bezel.
7. A roll of 2mm double adhesive tape for adhering the new glass to the body. Also used for getting the proper gap in between the lcd screen and digitizer. Find it HERE.
8. GOOD glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. I will touch on that later.
THE REPAIR
Once you get in a good lit area pull your battery cover off, (I felt no need to tell you guys how to do this) pull the battery out, the sim card and SD card. You will be left with what you see below:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
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"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Next, you will find NINE screws around the circumference of the phone. At this point, if you haven't done so already, take your T5 driver and rub it like a madman on the magnet for a good 30 seconds. High school chemistry tells us that you have just magnetized the tip of your driver! Remove the screws and place them in one of your two containers. And for Pete's sake not close to the edge of the table either.
Next you need to separate the back of the phone from the motherboard. It is SNAPPED into place. Grab your plastic pry tool, and CAREFULLY start separating the two from each other. You will notice the Motorola conveniently placed "pry points" around the phone making this easier. Don't jam the tool too far in as the phone's motherboard is underneath and you don't want to damage it. Do this part correctly and you should have something looking like this:
Your next step is to CAREFULLY pop off the three connections for the touch screen digitizer, the LCD screen and the Ear piece speaker which I have circled for you in the pic located above. Using your plastic pry tool again, carefully pry straight up on the and they should pop off. See the two pics below for examples (yes my fingernails are dirty. Hush, I'm a VW tech.)
No you can see how I got creative with my pry tool.
Once you get those connections popped off, it's time to take the mother board out. At this point touch something metal in your house to discharge any static electricity you may have inadvertently built up. Probably not necessary, but I always do so when I am tearing down my PC, so why not? The MB is also just clipped into place, so using your Plastic pry tool (or bread tie LOL), CAREFULLY pry up on the MB and place it in a SAFE PLACE. Be careful that it doesn't grab on any of the three connections. Treat the MB like gold! You will then be presented with something like below:
At this point pull up on the ear piece speaker/LED and place it aside (you can see it in the above pic in the middle of the phone). Next, you will find the last set of screws you need to pull. There are eight in total holding the metal backing plate to the LCD screen. Remove them, and place them in the OTHER container, re-magnetizing your driver if you need to before removing. Once the screws are out, you can easily pull the metal plate from the back of the LCD screen. See below:
There are only two things between you and replacing your screen now.
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS NEXT STEP AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO REMOVE THE LCD SCREEN AND YOU DO NOT WANT TO SCRATCH IT!!!!!
The LCD screen is slightly adhered in to place with double-sided tape around the circumference of the phone to separate the screen from the digitizer. Now using your pry tool carefully work around the screen until it comes out. Place it FACE DOWN on something soft so as not to scratch it and keep it clean. See below:
Now the HARD PART. First remove the small plastic piece in the upper right corner of the phone that covers up the glass/digitizer connector (see pic below). Now the glass is adhered STRONGLY to the case of the phone. I have heard of people using a hairdryer to heat up the glue to release it, which is the best idea as you will have a much cleaner surface after you're done. Carefully, and slowly, with NOT TOO MUCH HEAT heat up the edges of the screen to soften the glue and lift it out.
brandogg said:
Use a heat gun and warm up the glass first, then take it out. If you do it right, all of the adhesive will come out with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not used the aforementioned method, (which is better and cleaner I would imagine) but not a lot of people have a heatgun or butane heater so I am leaving the following optional method:
Carefully take your razor blade and work your way around the the phone to separate the the glass from the body, carefully pulling the connector through the body of the phone. It wasn't too difficult for me. Be careful not to cut yourself! SAFETY FIRST!!!
You will finally be left with your old nasty screen and the body:
PREPARING TO GLUE ON THE NEW GLASS:
Depending on the method you used to to separate the glass you are going to be left with some old glue remaining. Using your razor blade, or whatever you see fit, remove the old glue COMPLETELY to get a good sealing surface for your new glass. If you used heat you might have even got the old glue clean off with the glass! Now my glass came with plastic on both sides, so at this point remove the side that is going to be glued to the body. Using the double sided tape in the link, run it around the silver bezel for your new glass and set the new glass in place.
brandogg said:
Also a huge is to heat up the adhesive right before you place the digitizer back on. This will give you a MUCH stronger bond and will also help any uneven bumps if you have any.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once the screen is set, use your GOOD (alcohol based is best) glass cleaner to clean the underside of the glass and the LCD screen if it got dirty in the process. CLEAN IT WELL!
ANY STREAKS LEFT WILL SHOW BEHIND YOUR GLASS ONCE THE REPAIR IS DONE FORCING YOU TO TAKE IT APART AND CLEAN IT AGAIN!!!!!
like I had to.
Next, you need to make sure that the screen and the digitizer are properly spaced. Unless you get clean lift on the lcd when you originally pried it up. If they're too close you will get a swirly effect as you touch the screen. Touch your computer screen and you'll see what I mean.
brandogg said:
I always do 2 layers directly on top of each other - this works perfectly every time so you don't get the "water effect" from the glass touching the LCD, and make sure you go edge to edge so that dust and lint cannot enter the display afterwards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't hurt the screen if they touch, it's just friggin' annoying, and will cause you to take it back apart.
At this point, installation is in the reverse of the removal, noting one thing. When going to place the three connectors back in place, just line them up properly and lightly push on them to pop them in place.
CONGRATS!!!! YOU HAVE REPLACED YOUR ATRIX 2 TOUCHSCREEN!
Thanks to BRANDOGG for his professional tips and links! GIVE HIM SOME THANKS LOVE ON HIS POSTS BELOW!
Leave your comments and I will update the OP as necessary!
If this helped you in anyway feel free to hit the thanks button!

Nice tutorial, I will use this if I break my screen.

Like I said, hopefully you'll never have to.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

nice, I will have to find this burried 10 pages deep, when I break mine. or maybe I could continue my streak of NEVER dropping it since I bought it in December. Seriously, never.

Good lord Kras, you might have just jinxed yourself.
And i'm hoping they'll sticky it so you don't have to find it that way lol.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

Very nicely put together. I hope to hell I'll never need it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium

Oh my. This is so absolutely amazing. I cannot thank you enough Fall of Enosis. Great job X 1000 on this!

Nicely put together, and congrats on a stickie! :good:
Hope I never need to refer to this as result of a buzzed walking into/out of a bar with subsequent droppage and "Oh, $#!T... My PHONE!"

Fall of Enosis said:
Good lord Kras, you might have just jinxed yourself.
And i'm hoping they'll sticky it so you don't have to find it that way lol.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I did. Dropped it today, but it didn't break. The screen is however slightly separated at the top. Do you think I can just put a little dab of super glue in there to get it back down?

Thanks for this guide. I broke mine yesterday. I bought the digitizer from there also today. Hopefully it isant too hard to break down and replace. Also would it be worth it to buy a whole new faceplate instead of taking the old digitizer out of this one?

lkrasner said:
I guess I did. Dropped it today, but it didn't break. The screen is however slightly separated at the top. Do you think I can just put a little dab of super glue in there to get it back down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I would imagine that would be ok man. I don't see an issue with it but like I said go EASY on the glue. Cause you might get too much in there and it will go over onto the LCD portion and you don't want that.
Zackhery said:
Thanks for this guide. I broke mine yesterday. I bought the digitizer from there also today. Hopefully it isant too hard to break down and replace. Also would it be worth it to buy a whole new faceplate instead of taking the old digitizer out of this one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually man, if you bought it from the Link I provided, your new screen comes with the digitzer also. So no worries there.

Congrats on your success. Tried this on my ATRIX 1, no success. Pissed me off.

I got mine replaced. They did jew me out my shipping tho. I paid for Priority and they sent with cheapest one.
I would suggest a pair of nice tweasers. To scrape the old glue off. Alot more effective then a razor blade.

Zackhery said:
I got mine replaced. They did jew me out my shipping tho. I paid for Priority and they sent with cheapest one.
I would suggest a pair of nice tweasers. To scrape the old glue off. Alot more effective then a razor blade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aside from that did it work okay for ya?

Fall of Enosis said:
Aside from that did it work okay for ya?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it works just fine.

Thanks for sharing it. I really appreciate it.

Ok so i also need to replace the screen and lcd . my question is what kind of glue did u use? i was under the impression that it had to be an adhesive glue. thanks for the advise

rlopezcomputers said:
Ok so i also need to replace the screen and lcd . my question is what kind of glue did u use? i was under the impression that it had to be an adhesive glue. thanks for the advise
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just bought $4 all purpose apoxy from radio shack to glue the digitizer back in and lcd will just sit in it. Lcd is glued in to start with but just but doesn't need to be.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

Use a heat gun and warm up the glass first, then take it out. If you do it right, all of the adhesive will come out with it. DO NOT use glue, that is just plain crazy. Buy a roll of 2mm wide double sided adhesive (that is made specifically for replacing digitizers, etc) and use that instead (costs about $4-5). Replacing the digitizer on an Atrix 2 is a very simple job, just spend the extra couple of bucks to do it the right way.

I never said I did this professionally. this is just how I did it. it has worked for me and for others as well! but thanks for your input! I will update the OP with your tips!
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

Motorola Droid RAZR HD Screen Repair Guide

Have you cracked the screen on your Motorola Droid RAZR HD? This repair guide will show you how to tear down your Droid RAZR HD in order to replace broken glass digitizer or LCD screen. The provided figures in this tutorial will help you reference screw and connection locations and other examples of the dis-assembly process.
This guide will help you install the following Droid RAZR HD parts:
Motorola Droid RAZR HD LCD + Touch Screen Digitizer Assembly
Required Repair Tools:
Torx T3 Screwdriver
Torx T5 Screwdriver
Adhesive Strips
Safe Open Pry Tool
Heat Gun or blow dryer
How to Fix a Motorola Droid RAZR HD (Tear Down Tutorial)
First you will want to make sure your device is fully powered off before you start the dis-assembly process.
Next you need to remove the sim card tray, you may use a small paper clip to pop it from the housing. Remove your sim card and micro SD cards.
Take your Torx T5 screwdriver and remove the two (2) screws circled in the figure below.
This will allow you to slide the screen assembly up and allow it to lift out of the housing.
The screen assembly will be connected to the motherboard with two (2) jaw-bone connections.
Take you plastic pry tool and lift up the tabs on the connection to release them.
See figure below for reference:
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"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Now take your Torx T3 Screwdriver and remove the two (2) screws circled in the figure below.
This will allow you to remove the silver protective shield covering the ear speaker and front camera.
Next you will need to peel up this flex assembly from the metal housing. It is held down with some adhesive.
Then take your plastic pry tool to start peeling up the LCD and digitizer flex cable assembly located at the bottom in the figure below.
Be cautious not to rip or tear these flex ribbon cables when peeling them up from the metal housing.
See figure below for reference:
Next take your heat gun or blow dryer and begin applying heat to the front and back of the screen assembly to loosen the adhesive holding it in place.
You will want to do this on a medium setting for 30-45 second intervals and hover roughly 3-4 inches away from the screen.
Once the adhesive has been properly warmed you can take your plastic pry tool and gently pry the LCD and and touch screen assembly from the front housing.
Be sure to get underneath the LCD screen when prying it from the frame. This will help give the desired lift and help peel the rest of the screen assembly from the frame.
See figure below for reference:
Simply follow the steps above in reverse order to re-assemble your device. You will want to first clean up any broken glass shards and left over adhesive from the removal process. Then you will want to lay down fresh adhesive for a proper and snug fit. Cut your adhesive strips to fit in the inner bezel and lay down your new screen assembly.
NOTE: Repairs Universe guides are for informational purposes only. Perform this repair at your own risk.

Battery
Do the Razr HD and the Razr Maxx have the same battery? Also I was told that the battery is unremovable...Is that true? Thanks.

No that's why it's called the MAXX. It has a larger battery. And they are non removable but you can take it out if you try.
Sent from my PACMAN MATRIX HD MAXX

Is there a way???
One huge question that I have
Is there any way to separate the outer screen from the digitalizer???
The thing is that my screen has some small scratches and that bugs me, and also I saw that on ebay you could buy the outer screen for $12.00, instead of just paying 260.00 for the whole thing.
if you know how I will love to see the way that that can be done...
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!
---------- Post added at 05:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 AM ----------
I checked online for the same thing and the problem that this battery (Razr MAXX) is tha it doesn't fit properly on a regular RAZR, the razr maxx has a bigger battery....

are you sure the screws at the bottom of the phone are T5?? i bought a T5 torx screw driver and it is too big for it...
know i've got a T3, it should get here tommorow.. hope it works :crying:

rodmc123 said:
are you sure the screws at the bottom of the phone are T5?? i bought a T5 torx screw driver and it is too big for it...
know i've got a T3, it should get here tommorow.. hope it works :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On this particular phone the screws at the bottom were T5's Is it possible that the screwdriver you purchase could be an incorrect size? I would check the tip of your screwdriver to make sure the teeth look solid and are not deformed in any way. Be careful not to strip those screws. You would really be in trouble then.

repairsuniverse said:
On this particular phone the screws at the bottom were T5's Is it possible that the screwdriver you purchase could be an incorrect size? I would check the tip of your screwdriver to make sure the teeth look solid and are not deformed in any way. Be careful not to strip those screws. You would really be in trouble then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the droid Razr HD white (verizon) has torx T3 screws... and the part where the power and volume buttons are located had another screws (smaller, i think torx T2 or T1).

I'm about to attempt this repair first time. Just had a few questions if anyone would be so kind as to advise me.
First off, the only video I can find if the repair shows the tech removing glass while leaving the digitizer mounted to the body. However, his screen is shattered while mine only has 3 cracks. I would assume being able to heat both sides of the assembly would make removing larger pieces of glass easier with less splintering? Also is the trim piece that wraps the screen part of the digitizer? Wondering because this devices screen is cracked from being dropped on this trim, so the trim itself is damaged.
If I have to pry on the trim there's a good chance it won't hold up well which in turn would greatly reduce the integrity of a new screen.
Second, what would be a good temperature range to work in? I have an inferred temp gun, although I am very capable and patient of such a tedious task, I have novice experience so knowing a safe range would be helpful. Also in relation to that question, can the digitizer separated from the body allow higher? Lower? Temps?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. No need to worry about being accomplice to breaking the device, as I have made a full back up and carry insurance. I have dabbled in mobile phone repair in the past and enjoy the challenge. Thanks!

Huge question... I recently opened my razr hd to change the back speaker... the speaker that i set on worked prerfectly but the screen won't come up... i could hear the phone when i pressed the buttons but the screen remains off... any tips for this small issue??? Thanks in advance
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 4

Does anyone ones how to fix this locker for the monitor cable??
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 4

The screen won't turn off whyyyyyyy?????
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 4

Could you elaborate?

Nope i plugged the hdmi cable and touched the screen and it didn't do anything
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 4

@repairsuniverse I have cracked my screen and not the digitizer. I have seen the YouTube video where a tech take off only the glass with a pry tool and hair dryer. Then, he says he uses alcohol to rub the excess glue and whatnot off the LCD. Finally, use adhesive to put on a new glass. It looks good in the video.
Like I said before, I the LCD is fine and the glass is cracked badly would this method work better than taking apart the entire phone?
Here is the video: http://youtu.be/OAU6de6H-7Q

bmoresbest55 said:
@repairsuniverse I have cracked my screen and not the digitizer. I have seen the YouTube video where a tech take off only the glass with a pry tool and hair dryer. Then, he says he uses alcohol to rub the excess glue and whatnot off the LCD. Finally, use adhesive to put on a new glass. It looks good in the video.
Like I said before, I the LCD is fine and the glass is cracked badly would this method work better than taking apart the entire phone?
Here is the video: http://youtu.be/OAU6de6H-7Q
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you message me a link to this video?

@repairsuniverse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAU6de6H-7Q

In my opinion it would only make sense disassembling the entire phone if your screen has only a few defined cracks. Otherwise you take to much risk of damaging the digitizer while not being able to easily pry only a few pieces at the edge of screen/digitizer.
Talked to a repair guy the other day, he charges 285 to replace just the glass. Also said he'd rather not do the repair 99% of them break. For that money you could buy a brand new digitizer, glass, adhesive, tools, and a decent steak. And that's retail prices.
I haven't done the repair yet but will respond with the outcome.

bmoresbest55 said:
@repairsuniverse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAU6de6H-7Q
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing. That method is just too sketchy because you can easily damage the LCD that way.
But that's not to say it can not be done of course. I've seen done on some Samsung models too. I just wouldn't suggest this method to my customers as most of them have never fixed a phone before, let alone perform a repair like that.

repairsuniverse said:
Thanks for sharing. That method is just to sketchy because you can easily damage the LCD that way.
But that's not to say it cannot be done of course. I've seen done on some Samsung models too. I just wouldn't suggest this method to my customers as most of them have never fixed a phone before, let alone perform a repair like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that this method is somewhat sketchy. I feel confident in doing it. However, if there is a better way I would like to know it. I would really rather not pay $200+ to buy another glass, LCD, digitizer because everything works great except the glass is broken.
Basically, is there a simple way to replace the glass without trashing the LCD and digitizer?

There really is no simple way. You would still have to separate the glass digitizer from the LCD and clean up all of the left over adhesive on the LCD with out damaging it.

[GUIDE] Replacing the front glass on your smartphone; A Pictorial Guide

UPDATE: After playing around with a few different phones (and breaking a few displays myself) I should note that working with an LCD display is a lot more fragile than working with an AMOLED display (i.e. Samsung mostly). LCD displays are a lot thinner, bend and break easier, and are less forgiving to slight amounts of pressure on the display.
I found that using the thin wire cuts the polarizing filter and destroys the LCD most of the times for me, while working with the LCD and glass detached from the body is generally not a very good idea without a separation machine, as the LCD is at the mercy of the glass you're trying to remove.
My current technique with LCD screens, involve working directly on the phone itself, and purposefully shattering any large shards of the top glass/ digitiser to make it easier to remove as opposed to a large chunk. Basically what I found is that there's less chance damaging the LCD when removing small shards of glass vs large ones, as you're at the mercy of the dry times of the glue between the glass and the LCD.
As an additional note, if you have a way to maintain it, you'd want to keep the glass heated to about 70-80 celcius. Any hotter and the LCD will discolour.
------------------
This was originally a reply that I posted on the N7000 General thread, but I feel that most of it's techniques apply to most modern smartphones, in particular most Samsung devices, so I feel that it's quite helpful if it's shared with the lot of you, in hopes that it makes your life when it comes to replacing your smart phone front glass (without Digitizer) ala DIY. I know for a fact that this works on the Note 2, S3, S4, Note 3 as I've worked on these devices before.
I'd like to chime in on this as someone who has managed to do this process successfully on a number of occasions. I've gotten good enough at it that I've taken on helping other people repair their phones for a fee, and am contemplating on just having an ad out there as side income for myself, so here goes.
The first thing I usually do, is with cracked displays, is to layer the top with packing tape, just to make sure that the shards of glass don't go anywhere.
From there, I use a heat gun set at very low heat and heat the phone evenly, moving around for about 30 seconds (do not stay at one spot, keep moving, either in a zig zag or circular motion. The display should be hot, but not overly hot till it burns you. All you're doing is just loosening the adhesive a little.
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Start by lifting up the glass from the top edge of the phone, where the earpiece is, and slowly and gently try and lift it up. I use plastic phone opening tools as well as spudges. It should give way relatively easily with light pressure. If it gets difficult, again with low heat, run the heat gun over the next effective area of lifting. I do not recommend metal tools as they can and WILL (from experience) damage the LCD below if you're not careful.
Slowly and gently make your way down the phone to the capacitive buttons, and if you hit little shards of glass, be patient with them. It's patience that will get you your screen replaced hitch free.
Once you get the display edges off, don't get too happy and rip the rest off, because the capacitive buttons are glued onto the display as well, with adhesive. Slowly heat up that area as well, and I recommend this time, with a pair of thin long metal forceps, go in and slowly peel it off the glass
Once you have that off, you can easily separate the glass from the body, and from there what I do is I clean up the body and the display with isopropyl alcohol, to get the remaining glue residue off the display, and prep it for a new pane of glass to go over. It is at this stage that you should work in a dust free room, or at least no AC/ no FAN. Those are my rules anyway.
This is the part that I highly recommend doing, which is fully disassembling the phone, removing all the internal components until you're left with just the inner body and the outer frame. What I do is that I snap the inner body into the outer body, free of any of the internal components (cameras, sensors, anything that you can remove), such that any excess display glue will not seep into them and damage the components (again, I've had this happen to me)
If the replacement glass that you bought does not come with replacement adhesives for the body (not for the screen), then what I suggest you use, (which I use as well) is a combination of 1mm or 2mm, 3M 9448 Tape for Electricals. Normal tape is not nearly as adhesive or thin enough for the job.
After having done so, this is the part where unless you have an autoclave unit lying around, you're going to be using LOCA (Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive) and not OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive). This is the adhesive layer in between your display and the glass. Apply the Loca on the display in sort of a Y shape on both ends, while leaving plenty of space on the borders
Above is how I apply the LOCA on my display, and I don't go too generous with it, otherwise you have to deal with a lot of leakage later. Remove all protective plastic from the new glass pane, and slowly lower it, bottom first, then top, such that the bottom becomes like a hinge for lowering the display on to. Do not be bothered if the liquid doesn't spread evenly at this point. Even a bit of air bubbles can be solved later. For now, press the glass down onto where you placed the 3M tape before, securing the glass on the body. This also helps the glue from coming out of the edges later. The glue will naturally spread a little after doing this.
I usually start by pressing the center of the display, to try and spread the glue out onto the whole display, and this process may take some time, especially if you're trying to get those pesky air bubbles out. What I do is that I slowly but surely get them into the edges, and make sure they don't appear again.
I then go over the display with a UV Flashlight of 365nm, on places like the corners where I'm happy with the results (i.e. no airbubbles), for about 15 seconds. The purpose of this step is to harden the glue a little there such that when you're doing your final bake, they don't suddenly creep up on you. Do this for edges where you have problematic air bubbles as well, and once you're done, it's time for the final bake.
I use a 48W UV light that I got off the internet, and I bake the top of the phone for about 20 minutes, then I remove the outer frame, leaving only the inner body + glass, and I bake the other side of the display as well for a further 5 minutes. This is to harden the excess glue as well, that way it's easier to remove and clean up.
When all that is done, it's time to put the phone back together, so I hope you remembered which component goes where and how, and where each screw goes as well.
The final results? A happy phone that's ready to be used again
Note: If you get a gummy/ Sticky home button with a bit of the glue seeping out, what I do is that keeping the phone upright at about a 45 degree angle, I drop about 3 drops of isopropyl alcohol down the home button, and let it go in a little, and using a cotton pad, keep mashing the button until the solvent thoroughly gets in and dissolves and excess underneath.
Sorry if this post was long, but I thought that my experiences would be helpful to others . Feel free to chime in on your own experiences/ thoughts on the process, as well as maybe some important information that I may have missed out that you feel should be added to the first post.
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EDIT: A bit of an addendum to add to this topic as I feel I need to address a few questions or concerns
FAQ
Q: Why would you want to repair the screen yourself? Why not just send it over to a shop to have it repaired for you?
A: The answer is quite simple. Cost. Over here where I am, Malaysia, the cost of getting a screen repaired via 3rd party repair shops is about 600 ringgit, or 200 USD. Consider that if you have the patience, skills, and materials to do so, you can do it at a fraction of the cost. For starters the glass itself can be acquired for under 10 USD if you're a smart shopper. Plus you're having fun!
Q: What do you need to perform this repair?
A: Here's a list of things that I use for repairs
- Packing Tape (prevents loose glass shards from going into your skin while you're working)
- Heat Gun (A hair dryer may do the job just fine as all you need is to heat up the glue to remove it)
- Plastic tools/ Spudges (chances are if you ever ordered replacement glass or what not, you should have some lying around)
- Forceps (thin metal tweezers. I use this to separate the capacitive buttons with greater precision, though if you have any suitable alternative, it could work just fine.
- Acetone (Isopropyl Alcohol. I use this to clean up the area after all the glass has been removed, to prepared for a new optical layer. I do not recommend the usage of thinner, as it's not very plastic friendly, neither should you use nailpolish.)
- 1mm or 2mm 3M 9448 Tape for Electricals (in the off chance that the glass that your order doesn't come with replacement adhesives to stick the glass to the body, this comes necessary. Standard double sided tape isn't adhesive enough so I wouldn't recommend it, though VHB tape could be an alternative; you just have to cut it into thin strips)
- LOCA (Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive. This is the glue layer in between the display and the glass. I do not recommend proceeding without it. It may look like a good idea at first, but once your phone gets exposed to the elements, or even pressure on the glass, chances are moisture is going to form in between the glass and the LCD, creating unsightly newton rings, and trust me, it's ugly; I've been there.
- UV Light for curing the LOCA glue (I use a 48W light. I tried using a UV flashlight to cure it before, but it didn't manage to cure the glue well, even after hours of exposure.)
Q: What are the costs of performing this repair?
A: The consumables in this repair don't cost much at all, though you will need to make a small investment in the tools. They still come up cheaper than sending it for repair however. Here's a list of my cost breakdown:
=Consumables=
- Replacement Glass, 5-10 USD : If you know where to look, you can get it for under 10 USD each time, sometimes even below 5 USD.
- LOCA, 9-10 USD: Good for at least 6 repairs, even if you decide to leak it all over the place.
- 1mm & 2mm 3M 9448 Tape, 6.50 USD: Good for more than a few dozen repairs. mine came in rolls of 50M in length.
- Your time. If you're experienced, you can get it done in 3 hours or shorter, depending on severity.
=Tools= (these can be reused for future repairs)
- Plastic Tools, 5 USD (Again, if you have anything similar that you would like to use to pry open the display, go ahead. I recommend them being flat and wide however.)
- UV Curing Light, 35 USD
- Heat Gun, 20 USD (Free if you decide to use a hair dryer).
- Packing Tape, 2 USD (again, free if you have any of them laying around.
Q: Why do you need to use LOCA?
A: Unless you have an Autoclave machine lying around, you can use OCA. Chances are you don't and an Autoclave machine is around 3,000 USD. Let's not go there. LOCA sits in between your LCD and the glass. I won't pretend to know what exactly it's purpose is, but I'll tell you that your phone looks a LOT better with it, has less chances of breaking your Glass + LCD as there's less chance for it to flex and crack inwards, and prevents moisture from forming in between your LCD and Glass (which is bad!), forming unsightly newton rings. It also prevents dust from getting in where you can't reach it, and trust me, it's irritating as hell if that happens.
Q: Does LOCA come preapplied when the phone comes straight from the factory and does that means that my new glass is forever bonded to the LCD?
A: When your phone is made in the factory, it has OCA instead, which is a pre-cured version of LOCA. The only difference between OCA and LOCA is that one is pre-cured, i.e. OCA, and LOCA needs to be cured with UV lights. LOCA is not highly adhesive, so you can easily remove it after being applied, so no it doesn't take down the LCD with it.
Q: Do you need to use the UV Lights?
A: The answer to this is sort of a yes and no. The world around is is full of UV light, so if you're up to the task and it's a sunny day, then you could technically leave it out in the sun for a while, for it to work it's magic. I don't recommend it, but it's possible. If you however live in the clouds, or have 24/7 winters, I suggest you get the UV light. LOCA does NOT cure with heat, or being left alone. It specifically cures in UV light as I know it.
Q: This all looks hard and difficult! I don't know if I can do it
A: As with many things in life, patience and perseverance rewards you. I admit that this is not for everyone, but for those who do attempt it, I will assure you that you will learn something new, feel accomplished with yourself for fixing your own phone, and have possibly developed a new skill set that is capable of bringing you a source of income.
Q: If I send you my phone will you do it for me?
A: If you live in Malaysia, and do not mind meeting up with me/ sending your phone over (and of course, waiting), I'd be more than happy to help you fix your phone, though I do have to incur my own costs on top of raw materials. Feel free to message me for more details

Great article...
But as an FYI, baking a functional AMOLED screen with UV light is not the greatest idea, since UV light degrades it just as bad as sunlight... Better cover it or use a heat-gun instead.

Thanks for the reply, but I don't think that's possible either as LOCA only specifically cures with a UV light. From testing things out it may not be necessary to cure it for 20 odd minutes, but the UV light IS necessary.

A++ poster, will buy from again.

This kind of homebrew fix is analogous with fixing your own car... sure you can, but is it worth the time and cost of the tools required?
That's why they have car and cellphone repair shops. But each to their own I guess...just my opinion...

billa said:
This kind of homebrew fix is analogous with fixing your own car... sure you can, but is it worth the time and cost of the tools required?
That's why they have car and cellphone repair shops. But each to their own I guess...just my opinion...
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Click to collapse
Well, its a homebrew solutions thats a lot cheaper than the offerings here in Malaysia. They charge 200 USD, but a diy solution comes in at just under 30 for me.
Besides, its in the pursuit of knowledge! And just tinkering with things and getting things done I enjoy repairing things, and smart phones are no different. I'm sure not everyone shares the same passion as me, but its still worth something.

billa said:
This kind of homebrew fix is analogous with fixing your own car... sure you can, but is it worth the time and cost of the tools required?
That's why they have car and cellphone repair shops. But each to their own I guess...just my opinion...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have access to the heat gun and UV lights, absolutely. I have seen S3 glass only sell for as little as $12. I have not seen screen repair services priced less than $100.
Even purchasing the heat gun and UV lights you can come out less expensive than the repair provided you shop around a bit. And then you will have the tools in case you break another phone, or if (like the OP) you want to repair other people's devices for a fee.

I agreed with you. repairing cost of smartphone at shop is totally expensive in malaysia. buying a new one will be a smarter way than repairing at shop

For those who are actually wondering, LOCA is used for mobile phone screen repairs, and yes, it is made to be cured under UV Light, as per below
Translated text says "UV Curing Adhesive"

I would like to state that having the adhesive around the edges and using a heat gun and a few tiny clamps work just as well as described, holds just fine, repaired this guy's iPod touch that way a few years back ran into him a few weeks ago and its still as good as new
Heat gun and clamps cost $11 total not sure how much the liquid adhesive and uv light to cure costs
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

You have the LCD Screen Separator Machine, SO you can separate the lcd with the broken glass. And you have the UV Glue, so you can make the new glass with lcd together. But we are common people, we can not afford to buy the machine. And we are not repair technical person, how can we do it ourself ? I think this job is very difficult for our common people...

billa said:
This kind of homebrew fix is analogous with fixing your own car... sure you can, but is it worth the time and cost of the tools required?
That's why they have car and cellphone repair shops. But each to their own I guess...just my opinion...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Knowledge is priceless. I'd rather pay a little extra the first time and learn something so I know how to help myself or others later on.
Teach a man to fish...

deathblade said:
I would like to state that having the adhesive around the edges and using a heat gun and a few tiny clamps work just as well as described, holds just fine, repaired this guy's iPod touch that way a few years back ran into him a few weeks ago and its still as good as new
Heat gun and clamps cost $11 total not sure how much the liquid adhesive and uv light to cure costs
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're mistakened though. As the liquid adhesive actually sits in between the display and the front panel glass. You could go without it, and trust me, I've tried, but that makes it susceptible to physically touching the display below it, leaving newton rings that are unsightly. :/

ecparts said:
You have the LCD Screen Separator Machine, SO you can separate the lcd with the broken glass. And you have the UV Glue, so you can make the new glass with lcd together. But we are common people, we can not afford to buy the machine. And we are not repair technical person, how can we do it ourself ? I think this job is very difficult for our common people...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no separator machine, just a heat gun it doesn't cost much, you can get one for about 20 USD, and the same goes for the UV curing light, and its glue which totals about 30. All in all, its about 50 for raw materials, most of which are tools you can reuse again, and not just for this occasion
Again, some people who are hardware enthusiasts do have it lying around

Thanks dear for informative article.

The very best way to do this is use .08 wire. You can buy a roll for $10 and it'll cut through the glue like butter with a little heat. And since your not lifting on the glass the chances of breaking the lcd are alot slimmer.

deathknight842 said:
The very best way to do this is use .08 wire. You can buy a roll for $10 and it'll cut through the glue like butter with a little heat. And since your not lifting on the glass the chances of breaking the lcd are alot slimmer.
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Click to collapse
Thanks sir. A good alternative. I use plastic tools and I'm quite careful so I'm sure I'm on the safe side, though that wire method does sound a boatload faster.

It's alot easier. If you have a heat plate to keep the temp up on the phone it only takes about 1 minute to remove the whole screen.
Also a tip for anyone wanting to try this. After you get the lcd off your not finished. Be VERY carefull cleaning off the lcd. My first time I got solution on the edge of the lcd and it got under the lcd and washed out the color on half of it. Also when you add the loca to the lcd. Be very generous with it. I was being stingy my first time and wasted a good half bottle trying to get enough glue in there. You can always remove extra glue but you can't add it.. Plus you dont wanna be squeezing the crap out of your lcd and risk damaging it. And finally with people like me that have pets so a clean air room is pretty impossible. What you can do is take a large tub. Flip it upside down and cut two holes for your arms and clean the inside out with lysol. It makes a still air box and should keep a good majority of dust away as long as you don't lift it.

hamsteyr said:
I think you're mistakened though. As the liquid adhesive actually sits in between the display and the front panel glass. You could go without it, and trust me, I've tried, but that makes it susceptible to physically touching the display below it, leaving newton rings that are unsightly. :/
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Click to collapse
I understand to purpose for the liquid adhesive I'm just speaking from experience I've never had an issue with no adhesive in between the LCD and glass also I'm just saying you take proper procedures to get the job done but while you have these tools that not everyone would like to pay for or knows exists there are cheaper ways of doing it with just a little more hassle but the outcome is the same(again from my experience ) but the tutorial you wrote up is nice and very detailed great job, only thing I would suggest is to post links to where you can get these tools so if someone wants may look into doing thus a little easier
Sent from my SGH-I997 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

LOCA ?
So, this adhesive isn't used from the factory, correct?
I'm also assuming that once you use it, if your digitizer breaks again, you will be replacing the LCD as well since they are bonded.

[Q] Can ''only'' the digitizer be replaced of a broken screen?

hi
i want to know if only the exterior glass of nexus 5 can be replaced. My phone has a cracked screen but the touch response, colors etc everything works fine so only the outer glass (gorilla glass?) is damaged. I want to know if only that can be replaced as LG ask around 150$ to replace the whole component.
can i order this? is this possible?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-Front-Out...-Google-Nexus-5-D820-D821-Tools-/171311153201
Thanks

Bump??

im pretty sure they are fused together and if you replace 1, you replace both.

Unfortunately you will have to replace the whole thing. When my screen broke It was functional completely aside from the proximity sensor (due to shattered glass). I tried taking it apart afterwards to no avail.

Well, you'll maybe be able to replace only the touch screen (without the LCD) but it wwill not be easy has you'll probably need to heat it to be able to remove the glue, etc.
Probably better to buy a lcd + touch screen :/

ohh
so the ebay item i linked is completely useless?
Thanks for your help guys

It's not impossible to try and replace only the glass. A friend of mine has done this with his galaxy note, which also has a glued screen+digitizer+glass assembly. However, the replacement glass is pretty bad and reflective and dust has started gathering beneath it. The touchscreen was also affected: some areas don't respond so well anymore.

I've replaced just the glass on a different phone. It's the biggest pain ever. You'd have to separate the glass via a heat gun, while trying not to break the digitizer. Then remove the glue. Then adhere the new glass to the digitizer with loca adhesive. Loca is hard to deal with, bubbles, and can get into other components ruining them. It must be cured with a uv light. And even if you can pull it off, no way will it be 100%. Strange glares and whatnot. Some try to do it with double sided tape, but that leaves a gap between the glass and digitizer, which causes strange touch responses or it'll be totally unresponsive. And be prone to break the glass easily without loca. Trust me pay the $150 and let lg replace the whole assembly.

Lokke9191 said:
I've replaced just the glass on a different phone. It's the biggest pain ever. You'd have to separate the glass via a heat gun, while trying not to break the digitizer. Then remove the glue. Then adhere the new glass to the digitizer with loca adhesive. Loca is hard to deal with, bubbles, and can get into other components ruining them. It must be cured with a uv light. And even if you can pull it off, no way will it be 100%. Strange glares and whatnot. Some try to do it with double sided tape, but that leaves a gap between the glass and digitizer, which causes strange touch responses or it'll be totally unresponsive. And be prone to break the glass easily without loca. Trust me pay the $150 and let lg replace the whole assembly.
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Click to collapse
It's too bad it's like this. Probably the most likely thing to break on a phone and they make it so difficult to fix and compared to the price of the phone, expensive to fix. Certain things should just be easily fixable. Oh well, such is life.