[Novaldex]

As some of you may know I had to replace my Pre3 a few months ago after the old one sadly passed!

In the meantime I had actually switched to an android device (yuck), which for some reason today has stopped accepting a charge. But that doesn't matter.

I've gone back to my replacement Pre3, and have found something new. Whenever I make or receive a call, the screen blanks completely (backlight appears to be on), but the phone still works. After hanging up (close slider), the screen doesn't come back until I do a reset (Opt + R + Sym).

I should add, the screen blanks without me lifting it to my ear or anything (so I don't think it's related to proximity, but who knows?)

Any suggestions?

[mazzinia]

does it happen immediately, or takes a certain amount of seconds ?
Tried the tests under hw info ?

Happens if unpatched/newly doctored ?

It could be the proximity sensor being faulty and stuck... , if so and if you kept the previous unit for spare parts, you could swap the screens

[Novaldex]

Just had the pleasure of using it for a call, so can also add the following:

Backlight itself turns off completely, and the screen itself seems to fade out (there isn't any evidence of a non-backlight but active screen if you will)

It happens immediately, with a fade out, the moment I tap a name/number to start a call. I've not yet received one so can't comment there.

As it's a very loaded up device, I really am not going to look at the doctor options right now. I can however add that i've just this morning removed the 'Disable Phone' patch (one that turns off the phone radio permanently & makes it a WiFi device only). I had originally wanted the phone toggle switch that seemed to be around for older devices, perhaps this is where the issue is?

I do have my previous device still, and have been considering a screen swap as that part was working well. This replacement one is practically unused & looks fresh from the box though..

[Preemptive]

From your description, it could be the proximity sensor, but if it happens without you putting it to your ear... but does the sensor work when not calling? I don't think so. So what if starting the call activates the sensor and yours is stuck? I think I've read things about screen protectors. I'd start with cleaning - could be a bit of dirt in the wrong place. Then maybe remove the protector, then clean the glass...

On the software front, some of these device menu patches seem to have phone toggles: Search: Phone Radio Toggle - webOS & LuneOS Apps on Preware Catalog. Maybe the Uberkernel might be worth a try (panacea or placebo?), but after that, perhaps you do need to doctor in case the sensor code is corrupted. I'd guess it's easier than a hardware swap...

[Novaldex]

Thanks for the link to the Phone Radio Toggle patch, why couldn't I find that last year I wonder?

Trying to get the proximity sensor to fire with just my hand, but it doesn't seem to want to. It is at the top right isn't it? The screen does dim a little, that'll be due to change in light quantity I imagine.

The screen is fitted with the factory provided protector, i've not changed that at all. Everything else is as I had on my original Pre3, it was a simple Memory/SIM board swap I did. Preware isn't recognizing the full list of patches i've got installed, but UberKernel will be running

[mazzinia]

mmm

System
Device info
Tests
Interactive tests

Screen

skip the first
2nd test , touch the proximity sensor... it must vibrate
skip the other tests

[Novaldex]

Interesting.. thanks for the tests reminder mazzinia.

Skipped the first (colour changes)
About a second after the next test appears, but before i've done anything, or have my hand/finger anywhere near the screen, the phone vibrates. Any subsequent touch of screen/sensor anywhere does not generate another vibration.

I peeled back the screen protector from the top & gave it another go. Same result

[mazzinia]

oki... means the proximity sensor is stuck in "proximity object detected" mode
Now the question is if it's a software issue somehow, or an hw issue

[Novaldex]

Is there another way I can verify the status of the sensor? I'd be happier right now if I could force it to be false, don't mind the screen on while I'm on a call, it's it not coming back on afterwards that's annoying as I've got to reboot

-- Sent from my Palm Pre3 using Forums

[mazzinia]

Uhm.... maybe membooting ?
I never tried... if it doesn't use the patches, booting that way ... preemptive, any idea ?

[mazzinia]

or maybe patching
/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.phone/app/controllers/activecall-assistant.jsjsjs
to disable turning off the screen

[Grabber5.0]

Isn't there a patch in Preware to disable it? Edit: I looked and couldn't find one..

[mazzinia]

Try :
Reboot the phone and immediately run the screen test

Датчик приближения - глюки : webOS-смартфоны - Помощь

[Novaldex]

I was thinking the very same thing.. i've already customised my phone app (member of 'Do Not Answer' = don't ring)

Thanks for the pointer to the file, i'm going to give this a try shortly

[Novaldex]

Hmmm, webOS 2.2.4, so file was different. Have opted to change:

/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.phone/source/proxInterface.jsjsjs

'enableProxOnCallAndAudio', find line 'this.proxOn();' and comment out (sorry, working from Internalz Pro editor & don't have line numbers..)

Quick sample call to voicemail & seems to be working better (albeit screen always on..). Least it's usable without a reboot!

[Preemptive]

Uhm.... maybe membooting ?
I never tried... if it doesn't use the patches, booting that way ... preemptive, any idea ?

What? When have I ever shown any significant technical knowledge? I just make lists!

Maybe I just pick the brains of others? Not much here, but...
IR Proximity Sensor - WebOS Internals
Maybe some CLI command will return a status response? Restart the service or whatever?

See? I know nothing!

[mazzinia]

Well, seems the OP managed to make a fix. Now it would be nice to find out if it was a software or hw issue.
On older pre phones "feels" that the sensor is modular and can be swapped out ( or so is the impression I got reading some old posts in this forum from before 2010 ), but I read reports where the sensor was working once put in a different unit... so imo it points to a software issue or to a firmware that needs being reflashed

[Novaldex]

I'd offer the suggestion that there is a difference here. The 'shell' if you like doesn't match the memory/SIM board as it came from my original Pre3 unmodified. There could easily be some kind of disparity between the two.

I'm having a few other issues, the biggest at the moment is that my /opt partition isn't mounting at all. Beginning to wonder if there are settings or other things not stored on the memory board..

[Novaldex]

Something new, seems the screen lock has stopped working. Noticed it last night when I put it on the puck to charge, screen wouldn't switch to the usual clock, but when I hit the power switch the screen turned off completely. A few tests to do today, have brought a spare puck to try out at work.

Btw, screen lock was set to 'screen off', have changed it to 30s & still no effect

-- Sent from my Palm Pre3 using Forums

[Novaldex]

Undid my changes to proxInterface. Phone working properly, doesn't black out screen during a call (had 3 within minutes of making the change), but screen lock still affected.

Did a luna restart, Phone working properly without blacking out screen during calls, screen lock working properly too, still need to test the puck.

???