Replace the Touch Screen (Digitizer) on a Palm TX

When the touch screen on a handheld device goes out, you're in big trouble. It pretty much turns your expensive electronic toy into a paperweight. Fortunately, with twenty bucks and about half an hour of your time, you can fix one of these yourself. I'm not sure what the insides of other handheld models look like, but the Palm TX was a very simple fix.

Just a quick disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage you do to your device or warranty. There are plenty of little fiddly bits inside one of these things that can be easily damaged through carelessness or accident. Also, I'm pretty sure if you open one of these yourself you invalidate the warranty. You have been warned.

***UPDATE 8/4/09:
I forgot to mention, you should probably try PhilB's instructable on the crazy digitizer problem first--you may not need a new digitizer at all! It didn't work for me, but after I'd installed the new touch screen, the DigiFix program was better at calibrating the new screen than the basic software.

***UPDATE 5/4/10:  If you've repaired your Palm using my instructable, go into the Notepad and write, "Thanks depotdevoid!" or something along those lines.  Take a picture of it and post it to the comments below, and I'll send you a DIY patch!***

Step 1 Get a replacement digitzer

Ebay was the best place I found. It took me a few minutes to figure it out, but apparently a "Touch Screen" is actually known as a "Digitizer." I found mine with a search for: digitzer+palm+tx. There were several different options, but being the cheapskate that I am, I bought the one that ships direct from Hong Kong for $19.99, shipping included. That meant I had to wait a couple of weeks for it, but I can be patient if I have to be.

The digitizer actually came in a kit that included a couple of screwdrivers and plastic prybars. I didn't need the screwdrivers, but the prybars certainly came in handy.

Comments

[FlavioLima]

That was really helpful. Thank you :)

[depotdevoid]

Awesome, one patch coming right up!

[Greengas]

Would like to second cc1868's comments - I just successfully breathed new life into my TX for the total sum of $7.98 for the digitizer off Ebay. Only two comments -I had a bear of a time figuring out where to put a small screwdriver so I could unlatch the digitizer connector (the black connector/clamp under the clear tape and the silver top tape) - I finally got it open when I came down from the TOP of the Palm, with my screwdriver pointing down to the bottom of the digitizer - and gently lifted the black clamp up and rotating it perpendicular to the LCD. There's just enough room under it to slide the new connector in and then latch it down. After that, I found that if you put the TOP section of the TX on the circuit board, after the lcd display is sitting properly in the front of the case, the assembly goes a lot easier and it keeps the power button in place while you lower the circuity board and the TX top into the front case. After that, the back has to be put on bottom first, then rotated into position, and pressure has to be firmly applied at 4 different points, two on one side and two on the other, between the screws - until you hear the "click" of the back latching in.
Other than that, it was painless. Thanks much for posting this information and the great photos!

[benstone]

thank you! great walk-through. a small note you may want to add in step 5: my device came with conductive tape all around the digitizer to lcd edges. no problem cutting it with the pry tool.

[depotdevoid]

Thanks Benstone, I'm glad to hear I helped you out!

[Shadow13!]

This was a Big Help!

[depotdevoid]

Glad I could help, patch is on the way!

[cvsoft]

This instructable was helpful for my m500-series Palms. Both look good and work great! 

[depotdevoid]

Fantastic, I'm surprised how many of these old palms are still in use! I'm happy to have helped, thanks for sharing pictures, your patch is on the way!

[cvsoft]

Thanks for the patch!

[hk44]

thanks, it was easy. I may have to mess with the alignment...we'll see.

[depotdevoid]

Glad I could help, digital patch on the way!

[JOHNDWARD1]

First of all I want to say that the instrutions are great. I just replaced the digitizer on both mine and my wife's TX. I replaced my wife's first as per the instructions. When I replaced mine, there was not a little black connector piece for the digitizer. After looking at it closely for a few minutes, I found that there is a connector that pops up, it just wasn't black.

After replacing, on both units I had trouble getting the Palm touchscreen program to calibrate exactly. I also have Digifix and a trial version of PowerDigi. The Digifix did not seem to calibrate it accurately either, so I tried the PowerDigi. This one worked a lot better. I have 4 days left on my trial version. When it expires I am going to try the calibration again with both the Palm program and the Digifix. If either one of these do not work I will purchase the PowerDigi.

[depotdevoid]

Thanks John, I'm really glad to hear that my instructions helped! I'll put a note in the instructable about the color of the connector, and also about PowerDigi. Since you took the time to sign up to instructables and leave you comments to help out other users, I'll send you a DIY patch!

[siemensj]

I really appreciate the instructable. My Palm Tx works great now!

[depotdevoid]

Totally awesome, I'm really glad to hear that my little instructable helped out! Thanks for posting the picture, it definitely brought a smile to my face, and I'll be sending along a patch shortly.

[palmuser]

Thank you for a detailed and very helpful guide. I just replaced my digitizer but have a problem. The left side of the screen does not react to the stylus, so horizontal lines drawn in note pad only fill up the right hand side.. However, I can sometimes press buttons and activate objects on the left side using my finger. There seems to be a problem of resolution (ie the fine stylus point fails but a think finger works..) I tried disassembling again, removing all the connectors but leaving the digitizer in place. I noticed on install that the connecting flat cable was a little longer than the original and, so some pressure has to be applied to close the case. Otherwise, the install was as per you’re the description. Can suggest something to try? Many thanks!

[depotdevoid]

I've noticed a similar problem with mine. It only happens when I flip the screen 90 degrees, and then I just can't access the first 1/4" of the right side, which is normally the bottom of the screen. When it's back in the usual position, that section of the screen works fine. I'm thinking these issues may either be a software issue, or be a deeper hardware issue than I know how to take care of!

If you do learn anything about what causes this or how to fix it, please let me know and I'll add it to the instructable so anyone who comes here in the future is aware of it.

[JOHNDWARD1]

I had trouble with my calibration after replacing both my wife's and mine. I tried the Palm program, and on mine could not even get it to go to the next screen. It kept going back to the calibration screen. I also have Digifix and PowerDigi. Digifix did not work well either, on mine or my wife's. I then tried the PowerDigi. It worked very well. It has three different levels of calibration, with the higest being "Accurate" with 70 touch points of the screen. This program is not free, but you can try a trial version for free for 15 days. Try that and if it works you can purchase it for about $15. I have four days left on mine, then I will try the Palm and the DigiFix on more time. If these do not work, I will purchase PowerDigi.

[palmuser]

My problem seems different as when I rotate the screen, the dead zone remains the same. What I have noticed is that the active zone is actually the upper right quarter when the palm is vertical with the joystick at the base. Any ideas how the digitizer works? My guess is that its capacitive but i have read on google that some people speak of contact with the LCD.

[depotdevoid]

I'm not really hip to the science, but my understanding is that older devices like the TX use a resistive touchscreen, where as newer things like the iPhone use a capacitive touchscreen. I believe the capacitive screens allow multitouch usage, where as the older resistive screens are single touch.

Either way, contact with the LCD shouldn't matter, as the flexible top layer of the digitizer is designed to make contact with the bottom layer, closing the gap between them and activating it. If it's not an issue with your software, that leaves only three options I can think of:

1. A problem with the Palm's other hardware
2. Damaged/defective digitizer
3. Faulty installation

If it's #1, there's probably nothing you can do about it. I doubt it's #3 as you've gone back over everything. If it's #2, you'll have to get a new one and try again.

None of these sound good. Go back over all the connections one more time. If that doesn't work, you'll basically have to make a decision whether you want to spend more money on a maybe by buying another digitizer. Unless you can convince whoever sold you the original one that it was defective (which is actually my guess as to the problem).

Good luck and keep me posted!

[palmuser]

Hi, I dissembled once more but no cigar.

It's probably #2 as basically there is an issue with sensitivity, ie fingers are detected but not the find stylus point.

Something new: If I open notepad, I can draw with the stylus on the right side only, BUT if I use my finger I can draw anywhere on the screen, just not very precisely..

[depotdevoid]

How bizarre! It really does sound like an issue with the digitizer. Have you tried contacting whoever sold you this one and asking for a replacement?

[palmuser]

finally got a replacement digitizer but the problem is the same. I guess there is a HW problem.. well, I knew one day my TX would die, its just a pity everything else works fine..

[depotdevoid]

I'm really sorry to hear that palmuser. I wish I had another option for you, but this is as far as my knowledge of the issue goes! Thanks for sharing your story with everyone here!

[bainvillewendy]

I just replaced my digitizer for the first time ever. Very scary, but works perfectly. Good notes and good pictures. Thanks.

[depotdevoid]

Fantastic! It is pretty scary digging into something like that for the first time. Thanks for letting me know I was able to help out, the patch is on the way!

[chumpy1]

FANTASTIC !!! Easy to follow step-by-step instructions worked flawlessly. Great pictures make the job even easier. My Palm Tungsten TX works better than it ever has. I Highly recommend doing it yourself. It only took 10 minutes and I even applied a new Fellows WriteRIGHT to protect my new touchscreen investment even longer. THANKS…

[depotdevoid]

Awesome, I'm so glad this helped you out . . . digital patch is on the way!

[maddoxej]

Thank you. I got a new digitizer cheap from dealextreme and replaced it myself. I was worried when it wouldn't power on after the procedure. It turned out the battery was dead. Everything is working.

[depotdevoid]

Weird, I missed your comment somehow! I'm glad to hear I helped you out, and thanks for posting a picture!

[moonsaba]

This was SO easy thanks to your step by step pictures and narrative, and the several helpful addendums.  If I hadn't found this I wouldn't have had the guts to replace my digitizer. 

Only one comment:  if you installed a glass digitizer your OEM stylus may now feel sticky or drag.  I installed a high quality screen protector and it now works perfectly. 

My TX is better than new.  Thanks again.

[depotdevoid]

Fantastic, I'm glad it worked out so well for you!  I hadn't noticed any difference with the stylus and the new digitizer, but my stylus may not be OEM.

Thanks for commenting!

[JimW58]

Thanks for your great instructions.  I followed them but after replacing the digitizer the TX is dead.  I have checked the connections of the flat connectors and still nothing.  Do you have any idea what may be wrong?

Thanks again for your clear instructions.

[depotdevoid]

Hmmm . . . that's strange.  Do you mean dead like it won't turn on, or dead like the new digitizer doesn't work? 

Either way, I'd recommend just going back through, disconnecting everything, reconnecting everything, and see if that does it.  Sometimes these things just have some little connection that needs to be jogged back into place.  

If THAT doesn't work, it might just be time to cut your losses and call it a brick.  You may have accidentally damaged the new digitizer during installation.  These things are very fragile.  However, it may be that there is something more deeply wrong with the palm, something beyond my sphere of knowledge.  The only way to find out for sure (that I can think of) would be to get another digitizer and see if that fixes the problem.  Personally, I wouldn't blow another $20 on a maybe.

Thank you for the kind comment Jim, and I'm sorry this didn't work out for you.  Hopefully you'll be able to find the problem eventually!

[JimW58]

Thanks for your quick reply.

Dead like it won't turn on.  I assume that if it was the digitizer, it would turn on but I wouldn't be able to do anything from the screen.  I therefore conclude that it is one or both of the flat connectors.  I have carefully removed and reconnected a number of times with no sign of life.

Do you know of anything else that it could be?  (other than the connectors).

Even though I was careful, it could have been zapped with static electricity.

Thanks for your help.

[zack247]

if you still have it it may be the battery. the battery in my zire worked one day, and didn't the next. try a new battery, that very well may be your problem

[depotdevoid]

No, sorry Jim.  I don't know what it could be.  You might try looking through some tech help forums, I've had some luck with electronics repairs doing that.  Google is my main resource.

The whole static electricity thing is very possible.  I open a lot of little electronic devices, and every now and then one will stop working for no apparent reason.  I usually chock that up to static.

Sorry I can't be more help!  Best of luck with your palm.

[harold_tr]

Dear friends, I wanna thank you too, for your instructable... I could repair my palm... I think it received a hit or it was a lot of time at sun.... And now It`s OK.

I just had a trouble with Step 4, for getting out the connector... until I "rotate" the black handle around its axis to be able extracting the wire connector...


I also had some troubles because my native language is spanish...and there`re some technical words that I didn`t know...

Thanks...

[depotdevoid]

Great Harold, I'm glad it helped!  Gracias para el comentario.  I hope that's right, it's been many years since I've used any Spanish.