Replacing Psion screen cables

[netBookBabe]

Since there has been so much talk recently (isn't there always?) about replacing failed screen cables, and about the wisdom or otherwise of performing this repair oneself, I decided to seek advice.

The following opinion (reproduced with permission from the author) may help some of you decide whether or not to tackle what seems to be a most exacting procedure.

First a little about me, I'm secretary of the Psion Enthusiasts Association of Toronto (PEAT) and have had 20 years of repairing electronics, both personally and in a repair shop. Soldering screen cables is not for the amateur or casual hobbyist. You need a special low-temperature iron because it is very easy to melt the ribbon cable. Also the contacts that you have to solder are VERY CLOSE together (as they are in surface mounted devices) and you can easily create a solder bridge (short circuit).

I don't recommend doing this yourself. As I said above I have many years of repair experience, and I wouldn't tackle this myself as I don't have too much experience with surface mount soldering. For those still determined to risk it, here's a link to a page that has instructions on how to do it at the bottom:
http://www.portal-pda.com/shop.html#cable

Mike Fellhauer
Secretary of the Psion Enthusiasts Association of Toronto (PEAT)
http://www.phaedrav.com/peat/

It sounds like nervous breakdown territory to me! ;)

Julie

[Joe Hull]

I was interested to see your thread about screen cables for series 5 in September.

Are series 3 cables available , if so where can I get one please?

Joe Hull

[makoman50]

i think that chasinrecordings might have some screen ribbon cables. there is a website that i saw which specialises in parts like that (trouble is i can't remember the url, if i do though i will post it). my 3c fell foul to a ribbon cable fault and has never worked properly again (the screen is all lines) i did take the back panel off (screws are under teh batteries) and pulled the amber cable (the blue one is the cable for the hotkeys) and it got better, but there was no way to keep it tought. but hey if it didn't break then i would be 3cman instead of makoman
cheers and praise to 3cs
makoman

[netBookBabe]

Screen cables for 3c can be obtained from Pinnock:

http://www.posltd.com

I was quoted £20 for the cable (see above caveat about DIY fitting) and £65 to fit. I'm not sure whether the £65 included the cable itself, I would have to clarify that.

Julie