Aura H2O screen frozen

[Bob the builder]

This post is regarding a Kobo screen that froze after turning on and displays a distorted screen (see photo).

The device is a Kobo H2O I bought in November 2014. In the first year it had very limited use. In the last six months it's had moderate use (5 - 10 hours/week or less). It's always been very well cared for and kept in a cover.

Four days ago I turned on my screen and lines appeared all over it. The screen in the off state was normal and clear, but as I turned it on it was covered in lines/distortion (see attached photos).

Only a section on the bottom right shows an 'active' screen when turned on, but the touch commands appear to still work, as I can hit where the home screen button should be and it appears to go to the home screen.

I've tried re-booting it a number of times, re-setting with a paperclip and charging on a powered up computer, but nothing is working.

Any help on remedies much appreciated!

[Ripplinger]

I'm afraid the screen is broken, it can't be repaired. There's a thin substrate layer of glass that can crack and that's what happened. It can crack if something put pressure unevenly on a part of the reader like when packing into a backpack or purse, or if the reader frame flexed, I've heard extreme temperatures can do it as well if you leave it out in your car in the extreme heat or cold.

Time for a new reader. All e-ink readers are susceptible to the screen cracking in this way.

[Bob the builder]

Thanks for your prompt reply Ripplinger.

It was packed in a backpack in warm weather. But it's been tighter packed on travels before and I would have thought it wouldn't be that fragile. I love the device, but pretty pissed off this has happened. I've gone back and reviewed the user guide and there's not a mention of the danger that heat or packing can pose and I don't remember reading it anywhere else in the Kobo info. I'm pretty pedantic with looking after gadgets, so do make sure I read up on proper care when I get something, so am unhappy that this has happened with a fairly mint device.

Is there no way of repairing the screen? Short of complex soldering I'm capable of fairly tricky repair jobs on electronics. Do you know if you can get replacement parts, etc.?

cheers,

Bob

[frostschutz]

You'd have to replace the entire display. Someone seems to be offering them on aliexpress for $83 but... will it arrive unbroken at your place? will you be able to assemble it properly? (it's finnicky, the screen is very fragile, and if not assembled properly the IR touch won't work either). Does it have the same quality as the original... also after opening the H2O it will no longer be waterproof.

If anything goes wrong you won't only have lost your reader but also the costly replacement parts.

Buying a new reader is definitely the hassle free option, and you might be able to get a few $ for the broken H2O on Ebay.

[Bob the builder]

Thanks Frostschutz,

I hate to throw something away that is mostly in good working order, but it looks like in this case I'll have to. Perhaps Kobo will replace it, though from all I've read that's pretty unlikely.

The only question now is whether to buy another one or go back to only reading paper books ... which seem to take a lot of rough handling no worries!

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

The only question now is whether to buy another one or go back to only reading paper books ... which seem to take a lot of rough handling no worries!

Paper has its advantages, sure. But I don't want to carry around that weight anymore. That said, for me the ebook reader is definitely a stay at home device. For mobile reading needs, my smartphone does the job nicely.

[filmo]

Pelican case for a tablet can protect ereader in backpack or suitcase. Not cheap but good protection. I have seen cheap copies of pelican case in boating and fishing store. Make a custom wood case.

http://www.pelican.com/us/en/product...or-hard-cases/

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by filmo

Pelican case for a tablet can protect ereader in backpack or suitcase. Not cheap but good protection. I have seen cheap copies of pelican case in boating and fishing store. Make a custom wood case.

http://www.pelican.com/us/en/product...or-hard-cases/

I couldn't find any prices there.
Not sure I want to either.

[koboy]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

This post is regarding a Kobo screen that froze after turning on and displays a distorted screen (see photo).

The device is a Kobo H2O I bought in November 2014. In the first year it had very limited use. In the last six months it's had moderate use (5 - 10 hours/week or less). It's always been very well cared for and kept in a cover.

Four days ago I turned on my screen and lines appeared all over it. The screen in the off state was normal and clear, but as I turned it on it was covered in lines/distortion (see attached photos).

Only a section on the bottom right shows an 'active' screen when turned on, but the touch commands appear to still work, as I can hit where the home screen button should be and it appears to go to the home screen.

I've tried re-booting it a number of times, re-setting with a paperclip and charging on a powered up computer, but nothing is working.

Any help on remedies much appreciated!

Hi, this seems to happen more often with the Kobo Aura HD and the H2O , perhaps the larger dimensions of both these devices plays a negative part in someway.


best wishes koboy

[MGlitch]

Likely it's just because there is more of the device to hit other things and get snagged or crunched.

[Bob the builder]

Thanks all for your feedback and advice. All sounds sensible.

What really sh*ts me, is that the manufacturer doesn't even hint at this being a problem. I had absolutely no idea they were so fragile. Amongst all the pretty pictures of them at beaches and out in the wild there's no one of them being packed in a hard, rigid case for the trip home!

[koboy]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

Thanks all for your feedback and advice. All sounds sensible.

What really sh*ts me, is that the manufacturer doesn't even hint at this being a problem. I had absolutely no idea they were so fragile. Amongst all the pretty pictures of them at beaches and out in the wild there's no one of them being packed in a hard, rigid case for the trip home!

Your welcome, if you do decide to buy another ereader, my advice for what it is worth would be to get one that as a 6 inch flush bezeless screen, something like a Aura 6" which is what i have got, i wouldn't buy another ereader unless it had a flush screen.



best wishes koboy

[meeera]

Originally Posted by koboy

Your welcome, if you do decide to buy another ereader, my advice for what it is worth would be to get one that as a 6 inch flush bezeless screen, something like a Aura 6" which is what i have got, i wouldn't buy another ereader unless it had a flush screen.

Do you have evidence that they are less breakable? There are good reasons to not buy an Aura, nowadays (the poor contrast compared to current devices).

[koboy]

Originally Posted by meeera

Do you have evidence that they are less breakable? There are good reasons to not buy an Aura, nowadays (the poor contrast compared to current devices).

more breakable than my Aura 6" ? maybe, maybe not, i suppose it depends on how many threads you have read regarding this exact same issue over and over again on here, even if the Kobo Aura HD and the H2O are not more fragile than some of the other Kobo ereaders.

i still much prefer a flush screen even though the screen quality isn't the best, as i am sure do quite alot of other people, even if they aren't as vocal about it as me.



best wishes koboy

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by meeera

(the poor contrast compared to current devices).

Also the Aura does not have internal SD card so outside of the builtin recovery methods, you can't fix bricks. So you can't use mods as carefree as with the other models.

I think the Aura is one of Kobo's lesser popular devices in general, so you also get fewer threads regarding breakage with it. Most people manage to not break their readers after all.

What really sh*ts me, is that the manufacturer doesn't even hint at this being a problem. I had absolutely no idea they were so fragile.

Most manufacturers are guilty of glossing over the weak points of their devices... did Apple warn customers about the possibility of their iphone bending in their pockets? eInk may be more fragile than others but other displays may break, too... Nintendo Wii has a history of breaking flatscreen TVs... although they did warn about it (I think?) it still happened and later they came up with the idea of wrapping the entire Wii remote in silicone...

Everything breaks and ebook readers are obviously not as sturdy as paperbacks.

I still think the advantages of these devices far outweigh their weaknesses so ... it's worth buying another reader, at least for me. I can't imagine ever going back to paper for reading...