Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

I have always had a problem with the call volume on my N900. Usually I would have to switch to speakerphone because I wouldn't be able to hear through the normal speaker.

I noticed that applying pressure just to the left of the speaker hole with my finger would fix the problem. But when I removed my finger, the sound would go bad again. A number of people on this forum have reported similar problems.

After disassembly I discovered that the speaker isn't behind the speaker hole. Rather, the speaker is to the left of the speaker hole, *exactly* where I had to apply pressure to hear sound.

The electrical connection to the speaker isn't a wire. The speaker has two gold spring arms that extend up and make contact with two gold pads on the other half of the phone when assembled. (see pic).

I bent the arms up at a sharper angle to hopefully increase the contact force between the arms and the opposing pads. The result is that I no longer have any trouble hearing people during a call.

DO NOT DISASSEMBLE YOUR N900 UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING

It is very easy to break a lot of things in there.

This is, IMHO, a build-quality issue.

EDIT: other posts concerning this same issue:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=46581
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=42227
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=41646
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=37590
https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6063

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

nice one. Nokia not only want us to develop software, but also fix their products. I have this issue but wouldn't dare to open it.

AND THIS IS MY LAST NOKIA DEVICE

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

word. I ordered a nexus one last night. I would sell my N900, but I wouldn't feel right about it.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

not seeing nokia put effort on this device is sufficient to make me switch. I spent € 600 on this and thought I would be getting alot of software support including ovi. I could have chosen the iphone 3gs over this and thats what many of my friends tell me. Why didn't you buy an iphone ??? I reply "I'm OPEN minded" After seeing this ********, well I was wrong,

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

It's not all that bad. I just want the killer apps that android offers. And I'm not willing to wait for nitdroid development.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Game. On.

Looks like I'll be bustin' out the exacto knife this weekend...again:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...light=earpiece

Awsome find.

Now if only sling player worked on the 900, this would be the perfect phone for me.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Please let us know how it goes, and if it helps. And thanks for the link.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

So I widened the earpiece slit to about 2cm now, and it seems to be making a difference. I can hear every word on my voice mail with the phone about 6 inches away (the operator), and the message itself from about 12 inches (T-Mobile USA).

I don't think this was possible before, but it was late last night when I did pre-cut testing and I just finished a 40mi. ride. Right now my trim-work is sloppy because I did it while watching F1 this morning, pre-coffee...will tighten later.

There is stil a thin layer of plastic covering half of the hole...I left it there to test volume, as well as partial protection from dirt, but I may ultimately remove for function over form.

Will post pics later.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Hmmm, i have noticed that moving the phone slightly on my ear will cause a drastic change in perceived volume. If that is your problem then widening the hole would certainly help.

My issue was a dropout of actual volume. I would have the call volume turned up to maximum and the phone positioned perfectly on my ear and still could not hear the other person unless i pressed at that spot.

However, after bending the little gold arms up I was surprised at how loud the speaker is now. I tested and, like you, I can hear my voicemail with the phone a good 8-10 inches away from my ear. (t-mobile u.s.)

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Roger that. My problem was just that the volume level was always "too low"...not imperceptable too low, just too low if outside and there was ambient noise, it was tough to hear. My Motorola Q faired better in this regard, as well as other phones of mine.

Well I've given up...hit a snag, or rather, a thicker layer of clear plastic, that I don't want to force. Here is what I have now, coming from my first attempt posted above:

- I started by trimming away the first layer of "black" plastic, which revealed a thinner layer of clear plastic (left side of the expanded slot)..

http://home.comcast.net/~masterpiu/DSC00198.JPG


- Here is a clearer shot...this is what I was going to leave as added protection, but opted for "full volume".

http://home.comcast.net/~masterpiu/DSC00197.JPG


- Here the tip of the knife is under the thin layer of clear plastic (sorry for crappy shot).

http://home.comcast.net/~masterpiu/DSC00200.JPG

- Here is where I gave up...tip of knife is pointing to thicker layer of plastic, that I don't feel like clearing out...right now. I think I can see the edger of the speaker, based on what the OP identified.

http://home.comcast.net/~masterpiu/DSC00202.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~masterpiu/DSC00207.JPG

The (2) angled cuts at the top of the last pic are just superficial to my screen protector...hopefully. :rolleyes: The cavity bottom is kinda goopy...remenants of the glue that I can't seem to scrape out. All I know is that the volume level is much more "comfortable" now. I can actually hold it 3" away from my ear, and hear perfectly with the TV on.

As always...YMMV.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Since the speaker is offset, there has to be a waveguide to channel the sound out to the speaker hole. I would bet that is what that clear plastic is. I can't confirm that tho. I didn't disassemble beyond what you see in my 2nd pic because the risk of damaging the touchscreen was too great.

If you keep going it looks like you will hit a layer of metal before anything important. So the worst thing you could possibly do is poke a hole in the speaker cone with the Xacto.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

That's what I was thinking, but it was late, and I was way to busy to be "clean" with my cuts. Maybe next weekend I'll clean it up. I would have taken it apart, and cut from the other side, but last time I took my first 900 apart (broken USB port) I could not get the screen housing back on the sliders straight...there was a gap between the screen and keyboard when closed, and I didn't feel like going thru all that again.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

I think I just saw pictures of a raped n900. I might be wrong

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

That is a common problem. There is a lip on the back of the screen that actually hooks under the keyboard. If you just place the screen straight down on the keyboard this lip goes over the keyboard and creates the gap.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

what the hell is nokia doing? man that is really not acceptable !! we really need to start a petition with this subject !!

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

The N900 was never meant to be a high-production-volume device. Therefore, Nokia isn't going to spend as much money on quality control as they otherwise would. I can't fault them for that simple cost-benefit analysis; or for not publishing the sales numbers. That's just an inherit risk with such a niche product. I just wish I had known before hand just how small that niche really is.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Actually, that's probably why Meego will be a good thing. We've all seen Flash 10.1 running on an N900, but Adobe won't release it because there aren't enough N900s to make it worth their time. Meego will run on many devices, not just the N910. So it will get more 3rd-party support.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

LOL, Call the cops!

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

LOL wishful thinking Nosa lol

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

ever heard about warranty? three guys out of 100000+ doesn't seem to be alarming.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Thanks for sharing this! I am having the exact same problem as well. 2 Questions if I may :
1. Did you follow any guide on how to disassemble etc? ( I am taken my N73 and N95 apart many times, but the N900 will be a 1st)
2. Did you throw away to screws and used new ones?

Thanks!

Edit : I have no warranty so I got nothing to lose.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

IF you send your N900 in for warranty repair, they will just send you a new one. Neither you OR nokia will have any idea what was actually wrong with your old one.

I like getting to the root cause of problems. Kinda my job.

EDIT: Also I have done about a dozen things that voided the warranty on my N900 so I wouldn't expect Nokia to fix it anyway.

Re: Call Volume Dropout Solved (hardware)
 

Again, BE CAREFUL!

I used the youtube video by tehkseven on N900 disassembly as a guide. A few notes: I believe they instruct you to remove the torq-head (star-head) screws on the back. This is not necessary for this repair. The only screws you have to remove are phillips-head. Be certain to use the correct # phillips head driver. (I think tekhseven said its a #2?) If you don't you could ruin the head of the screw.

Also they remove the front screen bezel (the shiny rim around the screen that says 'nokia'. This is also not necessary.

Read my earlier post about the lip on the back of the screen hooking underneath the keyboard for re-assembly.

The screws have lock-tite on them. They will require a significant amount of torque to unscrew. DO NOT attempt to apply the same amount of torque when replacing them. There is a danger of snapping the screw head off the screw.

There are long and short screws. Be SURE to get them back in the correct places.

Use an EXTREMELY CLEAN work area. Any lint or dust on the screen when you re-assemble will be permanently there unless you disassemble again to clean.

You will need to disconnect a few ribbon cables. This is not depicted in the youtube guide. There are two kinds of connectors - LIF and ZIF. (Low Insertion Force and Zero Insertion Force)

LIF connectors have a plastic plug on each side of the cable - they are a male-female pair. Just push them together.

ZIF connectors have a plastic plug on one side and a bare ribbon cable that slides in. These always have a latch. Usually the latch is a different color to distinguish it. For example, the plug for the touchscreen ribbon cable has a beige plug with a black latch that lifts up. Don't attempt to use ANY amount of force on these, they are extremely delicate. If it doesn't just slide right in your probably doing it wrong.

I can't think of anything else.... let me know if you have any difficulty.

I used all the original screws when I re-assembled.