Aura Kobo Aura screen replacement?

jkelol111 · 10-08-2019, 09:28 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm a first time Kobo owner here, got my Aura in used condition last week. Turns out it is a lemon, yesterday night the screen just randomly stopped working after being left alone for one night.

I have disassembled the device and it seems like the glass layer (substrate?) beneath the display had cracked, even though I have never dropped it. Talked to the seller and no most likely no meaningful refund or resolution proposal is going to happen.

As such, I'd like to see how I could replace the display, and what should I look out for in the process?

I'm looking at this display: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3294...c00iQUtA9&mp=1 (I'm getting it with the frame). Is this a good choice or should I look somewhere else?

Thanks in advance.

jkelol111 · 10-10-2019, 03:15 AM

Anyone?

frostschutz · 10-10-2019, 06:50 AM

That's pretty much the only way to get a replacement display and stay within an affordable price range. (Your link didn't work for me, what I found said $35, usually if you ask the manufacturer what it would cost they quote >$100 or offer some 10-15%-off a new device)

Downside is the replacement part may not work perfectly. My replacement AuraH2O display lost a row and column of pixels... maybe by my own fault, I played a bit too much with fbink, not sure how that stresses the display.

It's a device I bought broken off ebay so it's just for experimentation in the first place, for reading I have another, so it's fine for me.

Good luck?

jkelol111 · 10-11-2019, 03:18 AM

I'll try ordering the part today, not too hopeful it will come anytime soon, but it is worth a try (at least in around a month I should have a working reader).

I will report back once everything comes to plan.

Thanks for the info.

jkelol111 · 10-11-2019, 05:02 AM

Hmm...so after reading on some 'missing waveform' threads from the Kindle 3 days, I'm quite hesitant to get the replacement display, especially when info regarding this on Kobo devices are scarce.

I only know that some users of the replacement screens off AliExpress have more ghosting than usual (non-compatible waveform?).

And if my replacement display comes with a different VCON (my current screen is -2.33), is there anyway to set it to the new screen value?

Thanks in advance.

jkelol111 · 10-13-2019, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkelol111

Hmm...so after reading on some 'missing waveform' threads from the Kindle 3 days, I'm quite hesitant to get the replacement display, especially when info regarding this on Kobo devices are scarce.

I only know that some users of the replacement screens off AliExpress have more ghosting than usual (non-compatible waveform?).

And if my replacement display comes with a different VCON (my current screen is -2.33), is there anyway to set it to the new screen value?

Thanks in advance.

Anyone could chime in on this? I'm very close to ordering the replacement but I'm not so sure.

frostschutz · 10-13-2019, 09:25 AM

You could contact the seller and see if they have one with same as yours.

jkelol111 · 10-13-2019, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frostschutz

You could contact the seller and see if they have one with same as yours.

Well, I destructively pried off the broken screen and see no EEPROM on the main display flex cable, which could signal that the waveform is stored in the internal storage. If that's the case it's just a matter of finding a software patch that could modify the existing waveform to fit with the new screen specs. So that means I'm gonna order the replacement!

Thanks frostschutz for your help. I will report back when the repair is done.

jkelol111 · 10-15-2019, 08:01 AM

Screen as been ordered, payment was just confirmed, so I'm crossing my fingers! I will definitely report back with the results.

jkelol111 · 11-07-2019, 07:19 AM

The screen has arrived, and everything is working great! (maybe except the touchscreen but still better than nothing).

I (luckily) got a screen that was similar to the original one that came with my device, with slightly higher VCON at -2.65 compared to the original at -2.32. That said, the plastic layer on the front seems much more glossy compared to the original; however, that can be easily remedied by using a matte screen protector (which I will get soon). Also the frontlight is 'yellower', but I don't mind that, since I prefer my display to look more 'paperlike'.

For those who also want to replace their own Kobo Aura screen, I'll leave the links below to a teardown video and the screen I bought off AliExpress.

Thanks to all who has chimed in, I'm now really happy after nearly one month without reading

. Now off to change my device flair...

Kobo Aura teardown (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDfli2lrxQE
The replacement screen with frame (AliExpress): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32947510795.html

P.S I used ePacket shipping method instead of AliExpress Standard Shipping, and item arrived in 12 days. Pretty fast I think.

jkelol111 · 11-11-2019, 06:15 AM

Now that the display replacement is complete, I have a question: lately after the screen repair I have been opening and closing the back cover quite a bit to remedy the touch issue (somehow pressing down on the touch flex cable makes it work better?!). Will the constant opening and closing of the back casing lead to the display getting broken again? The cover requires quite a bit of force to open and close, and from what I know, the metal frame that has the clips that hold onto the back cover contains the eInk display (with the dreaded glass substrate) which is in direct contact with the metal midframe.

Am I over worrying?

10-08-2019, 09:28 AM	#1
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	Kobo Aura screen replacement? Hi everyone, I'm a first time Kobo owner here, got my Aura in used condition last week. Turns out it is a lemon, yesterday night the screen just randomly stopped working after being left alone for one night. I have disassembled the device and it seems like the glass layer (substrate?) beneath the display had cracked, even though I have never dropped it. Talked to the seller and no most likely no meaningful refund or resolution proposal is going to happen. As such, I'd like to see how I could replace the display, and what should I look out for in the process? I'm looking at this display: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3294...c00iQUtA9&mp=1 (I'm getting it with the frame). Is this a good choice or should I look somewhere else? Thanks in advance.

11-07-2019, 07:19 AM	#10
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	The screen has arrived, and everything is working great! (maybe except the touchscreen but still better than nothing). I (luckily) got a screen that was similar to the original one that came with my device, with slightly higher VCON at -2.65 compared to the original at -2.32. That said, the plastic layer on the front seems much more glossy compared to the original; however, that can be easily remedied by using a matte screen protector (which I will get soon). Also the frontlight is 'yellower', but I don't mind that, since I prefer my display to look more 'paperlike'. For those who also want to replace their own Kobo Aura screen, I'll leave the links below to a teardown video and the screen I bought off AliExpress. Thanks to all who has chimed in, I'm now really happy after nearly one month without reading . Now off to change my device flair... Kobo Aura teardown (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDfli2lrxQE The replacement screen with frame (AliExpress): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32947510795.html P.S I used ePacket shipping method instead of AliExpress Standard Shipping, and item arrived in 12 days. Pretty fast I think.

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10-10-2019, 03:15 AM	#2
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	Anyone?

10-10-2019, 06:50 AM	#3
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,279 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	That's pretty much the only way to get a replacement display and stay within an affordable price range. (Your link didn't work for me, what I found said $35, usually if you ask the manufacturer what it would cost they quote >$100 or offer some 10-15%-off a new device) Downside is the replacement part may not work perfectly. My replacement AuraH2O display lost a row and column of pixels... maybe by my own fault, I played a bit too much with fbink, not sure how that stresses the display. It's a device I bought broken off ebay so it's just for experimentation in the first place, for reading I have another, so it's fine for me. Good luck?

10-11-2019, 03:18 AM	#4
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	I'll try ordering the part today, not too hopeful it will come anytime soon, but it is worth a try (at least in around a month I should have a working reader). I will report back once everything comes to plan. Thanks for the info.

10-11-2019, 05:02 AM	#5
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	Hmm...so after reading on some 'missing waveform' threads from the Kindle 3 days, I'm quite hesitant to get the replacement display, especially when info regarding this on Kobo devices are scarce. I only know that some users of the replacement screens off AliExpress have more ghosting than usual (non-compatible waveform?). And if my replacement display comes with a different VCON (my current screen is -2.33), is there anyway to set it to the new screen value? Thanks in advance.

10-13-2019, 09:25 AM	#7
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,279 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	You could contact the seller and see if they have one with same as yours.

10-15-2019, 08:01 AM	#9
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	Screen as been ordered, payment was just confirmed, so I'm crossing my fingers! I will definitely report back with the results.

11-11-2019, 06:15 AM	#11
jkelol111 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: Kobo Aura	Now that the display replacement is complete, I have a question: lately after the screen repair I have been opening and closing the back cover quite a bit to remedy the touch issue (somehow pressing down on the touch flex cable makes it work better?!). Will the constant opening and closing of the back casing lead to the display getting broken again? The cover requires quite a bit of force to open and close, and from what I know, the metal frame that has the clips that hold onto the back cover contains the eInk display (with the dreaded glass substrate) which is in direct contact with the metal midframe. Am I over worrying?

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