Home patrol screen no longer responds

[neoengel]

I've searched already for and tried previous related topics and fixes to no avail.

Today when I turned on the home patrol the touch screen is completely unresponsive. I can see the channels rotate through like they normally do but when I touch the screen anywhere it does nothing.

I don't mind paying money to find out what is wrong to determine whether or not I want to fix it or cut my losses and just give up on it... any experts near the Toronto area who can help please?

 

[fxdscon]

I've searched already for and tried previous related topics and fixes to no avail.

Today when I turned on the home patrol the touch screen is completely unresponsive. I can see the channels rotate through like they normally do but when I touch the screen anywhere it does nothing.

I don't mind paying money to find out what is wrong to determine whether or not I want to fix it or cut my losses and just give up on it... any experts near the Toronto area who can help please?

Have you tried using the reset button?

 

[neoengel]

Have you tried using the reset button?

Ummm, yeah, that was included in the other fixes I read.

I found the receipt and warranty coverage, worst case scenario if the shop I sold it to can't fix it I'll send it to Uniden if only for them to see how their product failed.

 

[torontokris]

if u got the receipt and its under warranty send it back... dont try to repair yourself may cause the warranty to become void.

the screen sounds like it failed.. a worry i had from the start with the longevity of a touch screen scanner. But i have not had any problems with the screens myself.

send it back

 

[neoengel]

I found the receipt and the only warranty info I have is the generic stuff found in the literature within the product box.

Mitigation, if it can't be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time or cost I'll just give up on this product.

 

[markab]

Have you tried...

I've searched already for and tried previous related topics and fixes to no avail.

Today when I turned on the home patrol the touch screen is completely unresponsive. I can see the channels rotate through like they normally do but when I touch the screen anywhere it does nothing.

I don't mind paying money to find out what is wrong to determine whether or not I want to fix it or cut my losses and just give up on it... any experts near the Toronto area who can help please?

Don't laugh but have you tried using another finger or a stylus? You could also try using a soft cloth damped with a little bit of distilled water to softly clean the screen. Your touch screen may in fact be pooched but it's worth a try before sending it off.

Mark

 

[W8RMH]

I found the receipt and the only warranty info I have is the generic stuff found in the literature within the product box.

Mitigation, if it can't be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time or cost I'll just give up on this product.

It is unfortunate you are having problems with your scanner. You can go to the Uniden website and register your scanner and get instructions for sending it in for service.

These things happen. That is why we have warranties and service centers.

Send it to Uniden and you will most likely have it back in three or four weeks.

If you want to give up on it you can send it to me.

 

[neoengel]

Thanks for the wipe/stylus suggestion, tried those as well - nope.

Don't get me wrong when the unit worked it was phenomenal, but I have to unfortunately cut my losses if the cost/benefit ratios of repair/replacement don't add up... I'll have to wait until the shop where I purchased it returns my message.

 

[torontokris]

where did you purchase the unit? ontario or the US? (scanner master)

if its in the US you will need to ship it to uniden in the US, and pay for shipping on the return.

if its from a canadian store you will probably be told to return to lectron in peterborough ontario

Thanks for the wipe/stylus suggestion, tried those as well - nope.

Don't get me wrong when the unit worked it was phenomenal, but I have to unfortunately cut my losses if the cost/benefit ratios of repair/replacement don't add up... I'll have to wait until the shop where I purchased it returns my message.

 

[Jay911]

The space between the bezel (the plastic frame around the screen, part of the front piece of the scanner) and the touchscreen is pretty big in relative terms. Big enough, I found one day in my car after a McDonald's run, for a sesame seed to wedge in between the screen and bezel at the "bottom" of the screen. This caused the screen to appear to "lock up" because there was something pressing on it (and evidently the HP uses a single-touch screen unlike the new multi-touch phones, tablets, etc).

A business card applied carefully as a means of extracting the foreign object caused the screen to start functioning again. And now the screen is repositioned so that nothing (including food crumbs) can fall on it.

 

[neoengel]

Hey there it's been a while since I've taken time to follow up and reply. I want to thank those with the helpful suggestions and it appears it's working again :O

On the 25th I turned it on and the area where bell fleetnet highlights was engaged and tapping, touching and pressing the screen anywhere would not register nor disengage it

I turned it on again and some of the sections of the screen would be responsive but only from a different area (ie, touch the left lower side menu button and the area where bell fleetnet is would highlight).

On the 27th and onwards it appears to be working normally. I think it was either what Jay911 suggested or somehow there was something pressing inside (moisture even?) that locked up the screen from other selections while touching it.

So again thanks for the contributions and time spent to assist. If my reply doesn't make as much sense as hoped I apologize, a much more serious situation happened this week that I'm still dealing with... I might discuss it further after the dust settles.

 

[rrtrunk1555]

HP1 touchscreen "avoid" buttons non-responsive cleaning and self test?

The space between the bezel ... A business card applied carefully as a means of extracting the foreign object caused the screen to start functioning again. And now the screen is repositioned so that nothing (including food crumbs) can fall on it.

Thanks to all that have posted problems and solutions.
I've been having problems too so want to post my
lessons learned and a question.

My methods of how to touch the screen in order of preference and desparation.
What to use as pointer when touchscreen seems to be getting non responsive:
1. Finger
2. Finger nail
3. The smooth plastic parts or edge of a pen
4. Que tip--if all else fails...
5. Press-hold-release-press... My currnent problem: the Avoid "OK" "MAKE TEMPORARY" screen buttons
Press and hold for 3+ seconds, release and press again, then it seems to take 2nd press right away, usually
#5 new trick i just learned, the firmware might have an algorithm to recognize a touch when there's crud in the screen edges.

For me, the three "Avoid" controls on the bottom of screen have been the most troublesome.
The three buttons for the "avoids" are very sensitive, i think, to crud in the screen edge.
Even when the screen in that area area, bottom left and bottom center, work great with the finger--technique #1.

I've tried to fix the avoid button problem by partial disassembly and cleaning.
Nothing visible seen between case and screen.
Reassemblied with a "not too tight" screw tightening method, for those screws that sandwitch the screen to plastic bezel. After that the problem got worse.
The problem shifted from just the "OK" button to both the "OK" and "Temporary" buttons.
In all other screen-modes the touch sensitivity in that area is great.
So, some kind of interaction between firmware/touchscreen sensing algorithms for the large AVOID buttons+debris.
next on the todo list... do a more thourough dissembly and cleaning between the screen edges and the T/S metal bezel which is part of the screen, something's gotta be in there. I will use a lab bench with microscope and high powered light.

My question: wondering if anyone knows if there's a hidden built-in touchscreen test mode in the hp1...
Either an interactive diagnostic utility built in to unit itself that dispays area being touched/the location(s) it's sensing as a finger press... or even something that just spits out raw x-y data to the serial port. There's gotta be some kind of built in untilities to test the input device, right?

Any info appreciated.

 

[sjaxon]

I recently had my out of warranty Home Patrol touch screen become non-responsive. I tried everything, and to "reset" the screen. Nothing worked, so I returned the unit to Uniden, and for a flat fee they will repair the unit if it is repairable. As I recall it took about 3 weeks to turn it around.

Prior to the screen failure, I had transported the unit loose in a bag with the AC adapter and several other items. What I think was the root cause of failure, is that some of the items shifted up against the touchscreen and made a very small, but barely visible indention on the screen. I think that this actually damaged the "touch" function of the screen. The display continued to be readable, but it was unresponsive to touch.

I have since secured a generic hard shell type plastic case from an auction site, and I place the unit it that case prior to transporting in my raido bag. I have had no further problems. This may, or may not, be the source of the problem, you mileage may very.

 

[rrtrunk1555]

FYI HP1 'slow touchscreen with avoids' problem was not the touchscreen or touchscreen area, it's specifically related to AVOID and UNAVOID behavior. Learned after loading new SD card, the delay went down from 6 seconds to two, and it varies by department. Might be related to the following, not in any order:
1. Number of existing avoids within the department of the channel you are avoiding / not-avoiding.
2. Speed of SD card
3. Healthiness of the SD card file system?
4. How many times you've avoided/unavoided a particular "channel", (flash memory wear-out?)
5. Number of channels (ID's) within a trunking system.
* Probably will speed up more if i delete departments and/or channels that are "always avoided" (more time to spend maintaining list.
BTW Thank you sjaxon for the ... go easy on the touch screen--be careful--it's fragile. I bought a GPS case for it instead of stuffing the HP1 in a bag with other stuff.

 

[bear780ks]

I think one of the things that could have been done on the HP-1 is were it has the extra speaker holes that could of been used as a small keypad or Volume / Squelch adjustment..

I also used extra care when touching the screen i even used Q-tips as they have a soft / Gentle tip but firm enough to get the screen to respond and i haven't tried one but a stylus might work on the screen as well. Just have to get one and try it.. Ra

 

[Jay911]

I think one of the things that could have been done on the HP-1 is were it has the extra speaker holes that could of been used as a small keypad or Volume / Squelch adjustment..

Erm, there is a rocker pad on top which controls volume by default but can also be used to adjust range or squelch if you tap the appropriate screen control first.

 

[bear780ks]

@Jay
True it works good & once you tap the Volume rocker on top you can then adjust from the Screen but i kind of wished as some pointed out in readings i looked at that if it had the Volume / Sqeulch Controls out in front it would've suited the scanner better in certain area's.

But with Uniden settling on what they went with they're goal maybe was a leaner looking scanner with nothing pointing or Sticking out). They did a great Job with the HP-1 and i'm know way knocking it just was wishing for a few subtle changes and when i can i will get another one to go with my BCD396xt actually if i could swing i'd get a BCD996xt as well i would be well set and in scan heaven.. Ra