Improperly grounded touchscreen?

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DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
My capacitive touchscreen has been having a pretty odd issue. If I lay the phone on a bed or desk and try to use the touchscreen with only one finger, I get all sorts of weird input on the screen. Then, if I touch the phone casing while repeating the same motion with the same finger (anywhere on the side of the casing or rear panel) the touchscreen works flawlessly.

Right now, my device is sitting on my bed, if I unlock it and try to pull down the notification window shade with just one finger, it's impossible. If I touch the casing with another finger and then try to pull down the shade, it's flawless.

From my understanding, in a capacitive touchscreen, a layer of electrons (ions?) is passed over the screen and a sensor detects where the flow of electrons is interrupted by the electrical conductivity of the human body. It seems that my phone is having issues with the electrons not just flowing over the screen, but around the casing as well, causing issues.

Anyone else experiencing this?
 

Mecha2142

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2009
407
5
North Miami
My capacitive touchscreen has been having a pretty odd issue. If I lay the phone on a bed or desk and try to use the touchscreen with only one finger, I get all sorts of weird input on the screen. Then, if I touch the phone casing while repeating the same motion with the same finger (anywhere on the side of the casing or rear panel) the touchscreen works flawlessly.

Right now, my device is sitting on my bed, if I unlock it and try to pull down the notification window shade with just one finger, it's impossible. If I touch the casing with another finger and then try to pull down the shade, it's flawless.

From my understanding, in a capacitive touchscreen, a layer of electrons (ions?) is passed over the screen and a sensor detects where the flow of electrons is interrupted by the electrical conductivity of the human body. It seems that my phone is having issues with the electrons not just flowing over the screen, but around the casing as well, causing issues.

Anyone else experiencing this?

This appears to be a significant issues of owners of the HTC Incredible. You might get more useful information in that board, seeing as how they've been experiencing it for much longer than we have.
 

DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
Wow, the video that they have on the Incredible forums of the phone on the Styrofoam is exactly the same issue I am seeing on my device.

I would link it, but apparently new users aren't allowed links. Ugh, this is a real bummer. Especially since that guy had 2 replacements sent to him, both with the same issues.
 
Jun 10, 2010
14
1
I too am experiencing this. I want you to try something a little different. Pull the kickstand out and stand it up on the bed. Then put your finger on the kickstand and you should be able to pull the notification bar down all the way to the bottom and let it lock with your other hand while still keeping the finger on the kickstand. Then take that finger off of the kickstand then slowly bring the notification menu bar back towards the top with your finger. Tell me your results. And i'll let you know if we had the same.
 

Mecha2142

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2009
407
5
North Miami
It appears that HTC has got some serious quality control to enforce on their recent devices. At this point, releasing a flagship phone with these issues is nothing short of unacceptable. I'm as big of an HTC fanboy as they come, but I'm really considering switching loyalties to Motorola is this crap continues. It's bad enough being capped at 30fps on the Evo.
 

DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
If I put my finger on the kickstand I can pull down the notification bar completely, without issue. When I let go and pull the bar up, it works, but looks like it is trailing behind where my finger is by about a half inch, until I get roughly 3/4 of the way up to the top then it passes my finger like i'm not touching the screen anymore.
 

Mecha2142

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2009
407
5
North Miami
When I let go and pull the bar up, it works, but looks like it is trailing behind where my finger is by about a half inch, until I get roughly 3/4 of the way up to the top then it passes my finger like i'm not touching the screen anymore.

That might be the touch input lag we're experiencing as well. This may be tied to the 30fps graphic limit on the Evo.
 

DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
The 30 fps limit is disconcerting, but that seems like it is something that could be fixed through firmware, however I doubt this issue is fixable.
 
Jun 10, 2010
14
1
Yeah, that's the exact same response I received from it; except when going back up, i reached the 1/2 way point on the screen and the notification bar shot up.
 

Mecha2142

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2009
407
5
North Miami
Ugh, my curiosity got the best of me, and the results aren't pretty.

When I lie my Evo down on a flat surface, the notification bar becomes absolutely impossible to pull down unless another finger touches any part of the phone. A test on the multitouch visualizer app shows that the screen completely stops recognizing my finger when y1 is equal to 40. This is essentially the entire height of the notification bar.

This isn't a deal breaker in any way, but what the ****, HTC? Is this how you treat your customers?
 

DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
On mine, my screen becomes effected as early as y=500, then gets really bad around y=250, then is completely unresponsive after y=100.
 

mrono

Senior Member
Jun 4, 2009
1,573
4
Ugh, my curiosity got the best of me, and the results aren't pretty.

When I lie my Evo down on a flat surface, the notification bar becomes absolutely impossible to pull down unless another finger touches any part of the phone. A test on the multitouch visualizer app shows that the screen completely stops recognizing my finger when y1 is equal to 40. This is essentially the entire height of the notification bar.

This isn't a deal breaker in any way, but what the ****, HTC? Is this how you treat your customers?

wow, that blows, mine does the bad response -40 thing. holy ****, it's really just one thing after another with these phones...
 
Last edited:

streetzlegend

Member
Jun 4, 2010
27
0
I guess there is no such thing as a perfect phone no matter how much money, research, and time is invested into it.

I too have this issue, I have noticed occasionally its hard to pull out the notification bar, but when I pick up the phone and pull bar with other hand it works perfect.
 

Darth Duane

Member
Jun 6, 2010
17
1
For the heck of it I tested my Evo on every surface i could my hands on from glass, to thick carpet, bed sheets, etc, etc. Mine doesn't seem to have this issue, so it's definitely not every phone. If it's a big issue for you, you may want to see about getting it replaced.
 

DaytonaZ33

Member
Jun 12, 2010
26
1
For the heck of it I tested my Evo on every surface i could my hands on from glass, to thick carpet, bed sheets, etc, etc. Mine doesn't seem to have this issue, so it's definitely not every phone. If it's a big issue for you, you may want to see about getting it replaced.

Thanks for the thoroughness of your test!
 

Lee1733

Senior Member
Dec 11, 2006
144
13
Have any of you contacted Sprint about this? I'd definitely try to get it replaced ASAP if I were you, hopefully the next one won't have this problem.
 

showmrock

Senior Member
Jun 3, 2008
115
4
I spoke with a lady from HTC today and she said that they were aware of the grounding issue before it was released (during training). She didn't say whether it could be fixed or not though.
 

eyecon82

Senior Member
May 30, 2010
2,361
1,693
mine works perfectly fine i just tested it right now

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