Aura H20 Edition 2 touchscreen plays up when connected to USB

surt · 06-27-2018, 03:59 AM

I just received a replacement Aura H20 Edition 2 after returning the one I originally bought, only to find it has the same problem.

When it is connected to USB to charge or transfer the touchscreen goes crazy, acting as if receiving multiple phantom touches in different parts of the screen for each actual touch, making it practically impossible to navigate menus or read while connected.

I can usually select between charge and transfer with a single hard long press without too much bother.

Works fine when not connected, so a pretty minor issue, but my previous Kobos had no such problem and I did sometimes use them while charging.

So do other people's Aura H20 Edition 2 also do this, or have I just been unlucky to get two in a row with the same flaw?

meeera · 06-27-2018, 04:05 AM

What's it plugged in to? The same happens to my phone if connected directly to some USB chargers (improperly grounded, I believe). If I plug into my computer USB or Apple charger I don't have problems.

surt · 06-27-2018, 04:08 AM

Tried PC, laptop, a couple of different wall warts. All the same.

meeera · 06-27-2018, 04:59 AM

Have you tried grounding yourself at the same time? Anti-static strap/mat if you have one, or touch something metal/grounded?

surt · 06-27-2018, 06:51 AM

Ha! That does work.

Plugged into PC USB and touching PC case works fine.

What does that mean?

meeera · 06-27-2018, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surt

Ha! That does work.

Plugged into PC USB and touching PC case works fine.

What does that mean?

Means you earthed yourself. It's not a string of defective devices, just one of those capacitive screen weirdnesses. I don't know the ins and outs of electricals enough to explain in detail, but I'm sure someone will come along soon who can handwave about electrons far more convincingly than I

ps don't google earthing yourself. There are some woo-woo weirdos out there. Blimey.

surt · 09-15-2018, 02:14 PM

Update on this.

Bought a new pen display and was getting similar issues with it.

Discovered it happened when ever my desktop PC was powered on (even when not connected to the device) but fine when off.

Tried my Kobo with the same results.

Replaced the PC power supply and the problem is gone from both.

So seems the cause of the issue was a faulty power supply messing with the mains power.

stumped · 09-15-2018, 02:30 PM

Cheap computer power supplies generate electrical noise. Better quality ones don't. I had a laptop where the touch pad mouse behaviour was erratic when connected to a cheap eBay charger. Replacing it with one that cost twice as much fixed it.. PSU electical noise also messes with homepkug/powerline signals. I had poweline to one distqnt room whcih would drop internet connection whenever a laptop was using a charger, and that happened with several powerlines and several laptops. Switched to more powerful WiFi extenders instead....

surt · 09-16-2018, 01:47 AM

Wasn't by any means a cheap PSU, Corsair AX760, 80 Plus Platinum rating.

stumped · 09-16-2018, 02:03 AM

[QUOTE=surt;3748805]Wasn't by any means a cheap PSU, Corsair AX760, 80 Plus Platinum rating.[/QUO
Maybe something else in the pc design is to blame then but it seems that electrical noise is getting onto the 5v supply to the usb port. A cheaper(than replacement psu) test would be to use a powered usb hub and see if that cleans it up or to flip from front to back usb ports, or vice versa. A long shot is that a poorly screened usb cable is acting as an antenna and introducing noise so a cable swap to test that may be worthwhile also.
If you are not already getting pc mains supply via surge protected socket or plugboard, do that also. That is a good basic precaution for any expensive electronics

06-27-2018, 03:59 AM	#1
surt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2	[SOLVED] Aura H20 Edition 2 touchscreen plays up when connected to USB I just received a replacement Aura H20 Edition 2 after returning the one I originally bought, only to find it has the same problem. When it is connected to USB to charge or transfer the touchscreen goes crazy, acting as if receiving multiple phantom touches in different parts of the screen for each actual touch, making it practically impossible to navigate menus or read while connected. I can usually select between charge and transfer with a single hard long press without too much bother. Works fine when not connected, so a pretty minor issue, but my previous Kobos had no such problem and I did sometimes use them while charging. So do other people's Aura H20 Edition 2 also do this, or have I just been unlucky to get two in a row with the same flaw? Last edited by surt; 09-15-2018 at 02:16 PM. Reason: Mark as solved

06-27-2018, 04:05 AM	#2
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,658 Karma: 66417824 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	What's it plugged in to? The same happens to my phone if connected directly to some USB chargers (improperly grounded, I believe). If I plug into my computer USB or Apple charger I don't have problems. Last edited by meeera; 06-27-2018 at 04:07 AM.

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06-27-2018, 04:08 AM	#3
surt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2	Tried PC, laptop, a couple of different wall warts. All the same.

06-27-2018, 04:59 AM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,658 Karma: 66417824 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Have you tried grounding yourself at the same time? Anti-static strap/mat if you have one, or touch something metal/grounded?

06-27-2018, 06:51 AM	#5
surt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2	Ha! That does work. Plugged into PC USB and touching PC case works fine. What does that mean?

09-15-2018, 02:14 PM	#7
surt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2	Update on this. Bought a new pen display and was getting similar issues with it. Discovered it happened when ever my desktop PC was powered on (even when not connected to the device) but fine when off. Tried my Kobo with the same results. Replaced the PC power supply and the problem is gone from both. So seems the cause of the issue was a faulty power supply messing with the mains power.

09-15-2018, 02:30 PM	#8
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	Cheap computer power supplies generate electrical noise. Better quality ones don't. I had a laptop where the touch pad mouse behaviour was erratic when connected to a cheap eBay charger. Replacing it with one that cost twice as much fixed it.. PSU electical noise also messes with homepkug/powerline signals. I had poweline to one distqnt room whcih would drop internet connection whenever a laptop was using a charger, and that happened with several powerlines and several laptops. Switched to more powerful WiFi extenders instead....

09-16-2018, 01:47 AM	#9
surt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2	Wasn't by any means a cheap PSU, Corsair AX760, 80 Plus Platinum rating.

09-16-2018, 02:03 AM	#10
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	[QUOTE=surt;3748805]Wasn't by any means a cheap PSU, Corsair AX760, 80 Plus Platinum rating.[/QUO Maybe something else in the pc design is to blame then but it seems that electrical noise is getting onto the 5v supply to the usb port. A cheaper(than replacement psu) test would be to use a powered usb hub and see if that cleans it up or to flip from front to back usb ports, or vice versa. A long shot is that a poorly screened usb cable is acting as an antenna and introducing noise so a cable swap to test that may be worthwhile also. If you are not already getting pc mains supply via surge protected socket or plugboard, do that also. That is a good basic precaution for any expensive electronics