Audio Hardware Problem

[gatyo]

I was plugging my X7500 to my car audio system all week, when yesterday the phone suddenly stopped playing sound at all. After I unplugged it, the speaker didn't work as well and the battery was overheating every time I turn the phone on. When I plugged headphones in, here's what I could hear in the right earphone -> http://www.gatyo.com/htc.mp3

I tried plugging and unplugging my headphones in the audio jack multiple times, but to no avail. Please help :(

[techntrek]

The hot battery sounds like you have a short somewhere. People have posted programs here that let you monitor the milliamp draw, which would confirm that. I wonder if the board around the headphone jack cracked - that could cause the audio and battery issues.

[gatyo]

thanks for your reply, I sent the unit to a local repair shop and they managed to get the sound working by replacing the audio chip. Right now, they are still struggling with finding the short circuit. Could you please explain if the milliamp draw software that you speak of would just confirm it's a short circuit or could possibly give them more info on where to look?

[techntrek]

I've never used the program(s), so I don't know if they show subsystems. I'm betting they don't, that would require extra hardware that would increase cost and size and isn't necessary for normal operation. At the very least it would prove that your device is shorting out.

[gatyo]

thank god, they were able to fix it. Although I'm still not sure of the root cause. In your opinion, can upgrading the radio and firmware cause the hardware to malfunction?

[techntrek]

No, it shouldn't.

[cyberjak]

thank god, they were able to fix it. Although I'm still not sure of the root cause. In your opinion, can upgrading the radio and firmware cause the hardware to malfunction?

no but your audio cable going from the radio might have if it was leaking volatage along it's ground ( ie poor grounding system ) this is primarily why i use an FM trasnmitter that has it's own battery AND it has a power charging port so it filters the power coming from the charging cable i use to power it and keep it charged. helps prevent electrical surges from being put into the audio port.
you can get an avg fm transmitter in most local grocery store and electronics stores now a days. mine only cost me at the time about £14
=)

[gatyo]

no but your audio cable going from the radio might have if it was leaking volatage along it's ground ( ie poor grounding system ) this is primarily why i use an FM trasnmitter that has it's own battery AND it has a power charging port so it filters the power coming from the charging cable i use to power it and keep it charged. helps prevent electrical surges from being put into the audio port.
you can get an avg fm transmitter in most local grocery store and electronics stores now a days. mine only cost me at the time about £14
=)

The only problem I have with the FM transmitter is poor audio quality. I grounded the audio system myself and tried out several other devices on it (inc. phones and mp3 players) thus far and none of them have malfunctioned.

Now when I roll the tape, I remember that right before the phone malfunctioned I was trying to find the input pins of an old, but very high end JVC in my other car. The cable connected to the pins slipped out several times and shortened the signal coming from the phone, which is probably why it malfunctioned.

[techntrek]

Best option is a bluetooth-to-wired option. There are several on the market that are listed as bluetooth headsets with a mini-stereo plug so you can plug your own headset in... or your car. I've done both (wire from the Athena, and bluetooth to wire to car) and the sound quality from the bluetooth is 100% better. Many others on this forum have complained about the Athena's sound driver quality.

And, a bonus is you isolate your Athena from your car like cyberjak said.

edit: actually the best option is bluetooth straight to your car stereo, but I was assuming you only had a wired auxillary input.