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I just bought a used AT&T GSIII described as having been dropped, with the result being that the capacitive buttons don't work. Okay, I thought, I'll buy it, fix it, and I just got a cheap phone. So I brought it home, opened it up, and I can tell right away something funny has happened to this phone. For one thing, there's scotch tape, and for another, there are obvious marks of a dremel having been used.
As best as I can figure, the guy dropped it, screen broke, and he ordered a replacement. The replacement was actually for the international version, which I'm guessing has a different chip arrangement, so the phone doesn't even fit together correctly. In an effort to fix it, he dremeled down the sticky-up parts as best he could, and then figured it was sellable at that point.
Evidence? First, it looks like the sticker with IMEI, etc, has been removed and reapplied. Second, the cutouts in the screen match the disassembly video I watched (British accent, I assume I9300), but the motherboard does not.
Now for questions for our experts out there.
Did I guess right? I9300 screen with I747 body?
The capacitive buttons don't work. Does the I9300 have different touch drivers that would be the source of this problem, or is it likely physical?
Anyone accidently have a I747 screen lying around they want to swap?
Here are some photos of the innards. I'll check back for responses tomorrow. Thanks!
Why not get your $ back and just get a non Frankenstein?
Because I got it cheap, and because it's fun to fix things.
What I'm looking for here is someone else who has taken their phone apart to tell me whether or not the screen side looks wrong. It fits wrong -- those bright shiny parts on the left part is where they dremeled away to try to get the components on the right side to fit.
Also, if there are any kernel/driver experts, what are the difference between the i9300 and the i747? Can I mix and match stuff to get a working ROM?
No hardware hackers here? I see GT-I9300 markings on the screen, but SGH-I747 and SGH-T999 markings on the main board. Can anyone confirm that my screen shouldn't have GT-I9300 markings?
the question is, what did they dremel away, and did they slip and knock some devices off one of the boards? Or did they not dremel off enough, and ended up shorting something else. Or get aluminum or magnesium dust under the BGA chips there, shorting pins that shouldn't be?
I'm all for cheap, but IDK, if I even spent $20 on it, I'd be raising cain with the seller to get my money back. there's no guarantee they didn't hose up the main board or the display in the process of trying to merge the two.
Now if you had one of each, the intl and US versions, and were able to confirm each piece worked properly on its own, I guess you could part it out.
Good comments, and those are obviously some of the risks that are present with this phone. It works fine right now -- I'm testing it out as my daily driver. With the navigation bar turned on, it works just like a Galaxy Nexus.
So obviously nothing is shorted out or vitally missing right now. Could something be jostled free or get fried later? Possibly, but any phone you get could go bad for no apparently reason. So far it seems like a good buy, though I do wonder about resellability.
The dremelled parts are all just metal protrusions that (I guess) are supposed to allow for the ICs on the board. Since the board arrangement doesn't match the protrusions, it wouldn't go together at all without cutting away some of the metal. I've actually done even more now (careful to protect the actual circuitry of course) so that it actually closes all the way. Also, the main board should be totally fine, because all dremelling and stuff have been done on the screen half of the phone. Unfortunately, the screen is the expensive half ...
Hey there oblib,
I think that the guy didn't just buy a new screen then, he probably also bought the housing for the i9300. That would be the problem here as the housing is completely different from the US side variants, thus requiring the dremel job. I think that the screen should still be fine, despite being for the i9300, but I'm not sure. Looking to buy a screen right now and I can't find any information on whether or not the screens will work (don't know if the US variants have some small differences to account for the revised chipsets).
Just in case, can i ask you a favor? Can you check if :
1. the screen works with the i747 innards? (reading on sites that they are possibly interchangable)
and
2. if where the flex cable is matches the position of where the i747 flex cable should be?
I'm pretty sure that they are the same because of the pictures and comparing, but i just want to double check =] couldnt hurt to be safe
As for your problem, not too sure about fixing the capacitive buttons, but you could always check the connection between the cables. As for repairing and fixing the poor dremel job, you can always get a i747 compatible housing. Here are a few:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Origin...112?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a78dec370
http://www.globaldirectparts.com/Samsung-Galaxy-S-III-SGH-I747-Front-Housing-p/smsng6115910.htm
I couldn't find any instructions for separating the housing from the screen. As fas as I could tell, it's glued together, isn't it? Because that was my first thought when I bought it -- just fix the connector.
Could you verify that your screen does NOT have GT-I9300 printed on the flex cable from the screen to the connector? At least I think that's where I saw it. If yours doesn't and mine does, then yes, everything fits just fine.
Until I find some instructions on separating the housing from the screen, I'm going to keep on assuming that the problem with the capacitive buttons is due to the differences in international and AT&T screens, because I would doubt that this housing has been separated from this screen, so how would any physical damage happen to the capacitive buttons?
It would be good for you if I figure this out, because if it is software and not hardware you'll have the same problem.
So I looked at your links, and that's exactly right. My front housing definitely does not look like those products. But the question still remains, how do you non-destructively separate the house and the screen? All that blue adhesion looks like a mess. Here's the global direct adhesive, by the way: http://www.globaldirectparts.com/Samsung-Galaxy-S-III-Housing-Adhesive-p/smsng6115915.htm
Edit:
Looking closer at the picture I posted in the OP, the printed "GT-I9300" is on the ribbon cable just above the battery compartment. That would indicate that the replaced the entire front assembly, cables at all...
For future record here's a side-by-side of the different housings. I believe that the right is an international body (with carvings to make it look like a I747), and the left is from a SGH-T999. They are obviously different.
From what I have read in this thread, the housings are different for all the different models of the SGH-XXXX.
Additionally, it doesn't look like it's as simple as mix'n matching the parts together to make a functioning Samsung Galaxy S3.
Does anyone have a reliable online source where someone could order front screen assemblies (the i747m / Canadian version)?
This thread has been very informative thus far. I have subscribed and will keep up with this thread. Great catches.
i9300 compatible with T747?
Looks like the i9300 screen combo isnt compatible with t747 right? I wonder if i can buy a i9300 replacement screen+digitilizer , and install on my I747 Frame? would that be possible?
Per this thread, NO.
Recently I had an issue with my i747 motherboard.
As i747 motherboard was not available, my local repair guy put i9300 motherboard and housing in my i747 body.
I am using that cell now. Nothing feels different. No hardware or software issue.
I have an i747 motherboard. Im working on fitting it to i9300 lcd housing . Everything works except the camera .
hi i have too an issue with my t999 motherborad can i put the i9300 in the t999 housing without problem !!!
I have a question about screen lcd/digitizer replacement . I have an AT&T GS3 with a cracked screen, can it be replaced by using a working lcd/digitizer from a Sprint GS3? Are they compatible (same part?) and has anyone done this before? Thanks for your input on this matter.
Check youtube for guides that take both the att and sprint galaxy s3 apart and compare it that way. Most of the youtube guides go pretty in depth.
Sent from my SGSIII with the XDA Premium App
Did you ever find out the answer to this question? I'm wondering the same thing...
My brother-in-law cracked the screen of his Verizon S3 and was looking for another screen on ebay, but the cheapest ones were the Sprint versions. I proposed an experiment to see if my At&t digitizer would work on his. I took both phones apart and put my digitizer on his phone and everything worked flawlessly. That led me to believe that all the S3 digitizers were cross compatible.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
mellospace said:
I have a question about screen lcd/digitizer replacement . I have an AT&T GS3 with a cracked screen, can it be replaced by using a working lcd/digitizer from a Sprint GS3? Are they compatible (same part?) and has anyone done this before? Thanks for your input on this matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just broke my screen last night and I want to know this too, I can;t seem to find a digitizer for an at&t s3 but i can find a butload of sprint s3 digitizers. I guess I'll just have to guinea pig up and do it to find out and I'll let you guys know.
a little background on my s3 though. I bought it from at&t on the 1st of this month, it arrived on the 4th, and it broke last night when it fell approximately 3 inches onto the concrete while i was laying down talking on the phone. bing bang boom shatterded in like 5 places. FROM A 3 INCH DROP!!! gorilla glass my butt. I had my motorola atrix 4g for 2 years and dropped it ma ny times from much higher. I even threw it down once in a drunken fit and it was fine. upset!
I am curious about this as well....Was it successful?
Ted G
I know for a fact that the Sprint LCD digitizer does not work on a Verizon phone if you are using the frame with the digitizer. If you try it the back cover does not go on all the way and your home key will not function, microphone creates an echo, and camera front and back may not work. The housing on Sprint is smaller on which LCD digitizer is affix too.
check out the video i did on my screen replacement
http://youtu.be/pIljeb9ZY0A
tedgasiorowski said:
I know for a fact that the Sprint LCD digitizer does not work on a Verizon phone if you are using the frame with the digitizer. If you try it the back cover does not go on all the way and your home key will not function, microphone creates an echo, and camera front and back may not work. The housing on Sprint is smaller on which LCD digitizer is affix too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the LCD itself? The videos show the LCD and glass digitizer are glued together and a PITA to get apart, so maybe it's not worth it.
Ordered Sprint LCD
Hi guys i'll update you when the lcd arrives.
Compatibility
At&t, TMobile or GTI9300 board will not fit in Sprint housing.
WowWowAndroid said:
At&t, TMobile or GTI9300 board will not fit in Sprint housing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
God damn it I wish you posted that 48 hours earlier.
Anyway! I bought a Sprint SIII digitizer/housing to repair my AT&T SIII with.
Results:
Yeah, it works. Sorta.
Problem 1:
So the clock battery on the AT&T board makes the whole thing stick out (and your power button not work) so I put a piece of rolled up tape up to the power button to push it down. So that works fine (except that it's ugly).
Problem 2:
No home button. I'm OK with that, I just turned on the on-screen keys on CM10.
Problem 3:
Bottom...housing. It just doesn't fit right. It's loose. I can live with it.
Conclusion:
It's fine if you want to use a slim case for the back of your SIII because it'll be a bit loose (unlike the Euro housing which just outright doesn't work).
Good luck and I should not have bought the Sprint housing but I'll live with it!
EDIT/Update:
In case anyone cares: I filed down the left side of the phone with sand paper... It works fine.
I gave up on the middle bottom (because it's just not the same damn size), I removed the piece of plastic that allows access to the random developer?? pins.
Overall, it works OK. If you happen to see a sprint housing on ebay for real cheap then go ahead I guess. I wouldnt especially recommend it. I'm just gonna get a case to hide the slight gap/lump/whatever from the processor not fitting right. My Nexus 4 comes tomorrow, so I'm giving it away anyway....blah.
Sprint LCD with Frame doesn't fit
Like bastardinator I ordered a sprint LCD with the frame still attached to it and apparently it doesn't fit because the sprint s3 doesn't have a sim slot so the i747 motherboard with the sim slot wouldn't fit in the sprint frame/housing. I did however find out that any s3 lcd sold without the frame would work on any s3 such as this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Original-Digi...&qid=1354152704&sr=8-2&keywords=galaxy+s3+lcd
WowWowAndroid said:
At&t, TMobile or GTI9300 board will not fit in Sprint housing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the Sprint housing the only one that's different? And can you swap the LCD/glass in between models, as long as you don't swap the frame?
civicvx94 said:
Is the Sprint housing the only one that's different? And can you swap the LCD/glass in between models, as long as you don't swap the frame?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only manufacturers that share frames are:
ATT i747 & T Mobile T999
Verizon i535 & US Cellular R530
International i9300 unique to itself
Sprint L710 unique to itself
Now of course a bare Digitizer Amoled inlay without frame is universal.
Hope that helps and here are some high quality videos that show glass replacement from start to finish.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
I have a Verizon S3 and purchased a Sprint S3 digitizer w/ casing from ebay. I plugged it in and it worked great, but just like others it doesn't fit quite right. I then noticed that the casing for the Verizon and Sprint phones differed slightly because the motherboards are put together differently. So I took a dremmel to the casing of the Sprint digitizer to match the Verizon casing. I am nearly finished modding the casing and the motherboard sits almost perfectly inside the casing. One thing I have left to do is apply some rubber paint/cement to the areas I ground down because the casing is actually aluminum and I don't want the motherboard to short. I will try to post pics later of what I have finished so far.
help!
sdm5 said:
Hi guys i'll update you when the lcd arrives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what ever happen did the sprint lcd work with the at&t galaxy sIII?
wagner262 said:
what ever happen did the sprint lcd work with the at&t galaxy sIII?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to know;
Are the GT i9300 universally compatible? I need to know which will work with the Verizon version. Also does anyone have an idea what type of paint should be used for the frame?
ryanstfl said:
I'd like to know;
Are the GT i9300 universally compatible? I need to know which will work with the Verizon version. Also does anyone have an idea what type of paint should be used for the frame?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the I9300 and Sprint L710 are not compatible with one another or any other variants. Verizon i535 and US Cellular R530 are the same and AT&T i747 and Tmobile T999 are the same... :beer:
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
Ok so I have read through all of these post about using sprint parts to repair an ATT S3, but I can't help but ask again for more clarification. I know the ATT and Tmobile share the same frame, but like others have said there isn't much out there for cheap. So if i got a Sprint S3 digitzer frame with power button and volume rocker still, then put my logic board and the plastic piece that goes on it and then say I use an extended battery with a backshell that extends would that work? I read in one spot that the clock battery causes issues where exactly is the clock battery on the att phone seems like the biggest thing I have seen is the vibration motor. Sorry to beat this into the fround :-/ thank you again.
I stay in India and use the SPH l710 over here. The phone was working fine untill i dropped it and the glass took a crack. Now what i want to know is will the GSM verison of this phone (I9300) fit the display of the Sprint version of this phone? The touch works fine. It is just the glass that has broken.
Will the display of the GSM Version I9300 fit SPH L710 version. Cause I can get the screen only for the I9300 over here. Any help appreciated. Thanks
ankurcshah said:
I stay in India and use the SPH l710 over here. The phone was working fine untill i dropped it and the glass took a crack. Now what i want to know is will the GSM verison of this phone (I9300) fit the display of the Sprint version of this phone? The touch works fine. It is just the glass that has broken.
Will the display of the GSM Version I9300 fit SPH L710 version. Cause I can get the screen only for the I9300 over here. Any help appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen I believe is the same hardware number or piece. Only different is the processor and ram and a SIM card slot. But honestly, you should just try to get a new phone.. I've seen the screens as like $300. But that was the first couple months
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
I wont be able to spare up for another phone really. I can afford upto 120$ max for replacing it. And the I9300 costs pretty much the same here. Just the screen. So it should work?
Yeah, the screens should be the same.
Gonna try out changing tomorrow!
Screens are swappable between all s3 variants. Whatever one you can find cheapest will work. The only differences between the devices are the logic board and antennas (logoc board contains SoC and sim slot etc) when you replace the screen make sure to *CAREFULLY* remove your antennas from your old screen and replace them on the new screen or you'll be taking it back apart again when you realize they're not there.
I like to break stuff!
Well I am going to give it to a person over here who works for Samsung. The board and the display are 2 different boards right?I hope they are not inter connected? Cause the people here dont know much about CDMA.
ankurcshah said:
Well I am going to give it to a person over here who works for Samsung. The board and the display are 2 different boards right?I hope they are not inter connected? Cause the people here dont know much about CDMA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I imagine it should work, one thing I've noticed over my years of working on phones, with CDMA and GSM variants of the same phone, is the connector that connects the LCD to the motherboard could sometimes be different. That could be the only thing different between the L710 and the i9300. As I have not been in either phone, I couldn't be sure, personally.
Good luck with getting it repaired.
Ummm all right! Will have a look
Vanakatherock said:
While I imagine it should work, one thing I've noticed over my years of working on phones, with CDMA and GSM variants of the same phone, is the connector that connects the LCD to the motherboard could sometimes be different. That could be the only thing different between the L710 and the i9300. As I have not been in either phone, I couldn't be sure, personally.
Good luck with getting it repaired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything on the s3 display is identical this time. The ribbon cables and even the radio mountpoints you just have to swap the radios as one is embedded along the edge of the display in the front assembly. The logic board will come up from the lcd housing, after up clipping the ribbon cables. Then ypu remove the antennas and reconnect them to the new display housing, line up and reconnect the logic board and then reassemble the rear housing. Shouldn't take more than 20 mins from removing battery cover to powered on
I like to break stuff!
The guys over here at my town deneid to change it. The GSM one has a sim tray and blah blah blah. A person at another state had the same issue So gonna ship it to him as he has replaced it successfully with a GSM version screen.
ankurcshah said:
The guys over here at my town deneid to change it. The GSM one has a sim tray and blah blah blah. A person at another state had the same issue So gonna ship it to him as he has replaced it successfully with a GSM version screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, you should have told them the sim isn't attached to the lcd assembly its part of the logic board. Buncha idiots, sim slot has nothing to do with the screen. sorry you had to deal with morons. You could replace it yourself ita only a few screws and a couple of clips.
I like to break stuff!
Bloody morons!! Naa too scared to do it bro.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
ankurcshah said:
Bloody morons!! Naa too scared to do it bro.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I definitely don't blame you. If I dive into a repair, I usually study iFixit & You Tube videos before and during the process. I don't even bother with iPhone 4/4S because of the trouble it takes to replace the LCD/Digitizer.
Vanakatherock said:
I definitely don't blame you. If I dive into a repair, I usually study iFixit & You Tube videos before and during the process. I don't even bother with iPhone 4/4S because of the trouble it takes to replace the LCD/Digitizer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The s3 is easy lol its like 6 or 7 screws a handful of clips and the ribbon cable. The lcd/digitizer and glass are fused into the midframe with the power\vol keys so basically you just swap logic boards and rear frame out.
I like to break stuff!
I put a sprint screen with the housing on a att phone and it was hell the logic board was not a perfect fit I had to grind down some of the black part on the housing "in between the screen and the logic board" just to get the board to set right.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
-EViL-KoNCEPTz- said:
The s3 is easy lol its like 6 or 7 screws a handful of clips and the ribbon cable. The lcd/digitizer and glass are fused into the midframe with the power\vol keys so basically you just swap logic boards and rear frame out.
I like to break stuff!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That, I can believe. I took apart an E4GT and it was pretty easy. However, because screens/LCD's are still expensive on the GS3, I won't bother with repairs on those. I considered doing a Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but the screen still costs as much as the phone is worth.
Vanakatherock said:
That, I can believe. I took apart an E4GT and it was pretty easy. However, because screens/LCD's are still expensive on the GS3, I won't bother with repairs on those. I considered doing a Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but the screen still costs as much as the phone is worth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hit up tuscani1821 here on xda he has parts cheap and fast shipping. Gs3 screens like 130 shipped
I like to break stuff!
Vanakatherock said:
While I imagine it should work, one thing I've noticed over my years of working on phones, with CDMA and GSM variants of the same phone, is the connector that connects the LCD to the motherboard could sometimes be different. That could be the only thing different between the L710 and the i9300. As I have not been in either phone, I couldn't be sure, personally.
Good luck with getting it repaired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, I succesfully implanted an I9300 board on a L710 lcd/frame. Turns on and everything seems fine. It requires a little bit of either sanding or cutting small bits of the l710 back of the lcd in order to get a smooth fit of the mobo,
yigael1138 said:
Hello, I succesfully implanted an I9300 board on a L710 lcd/frame. Turns on and everything seems fine. It requires a little bit of either sanding or cutting small bits of the l710 back of the lcd in order to get a smooth fit of the mobo,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you maybe have some instructions or more details of sanding and cutting? Which parts of L710 back did you exactly cutted and sended?
It looks like I should have done a little more research!
I have a Sprint Galaxy S3 and I dropped it on pavement and cracked a little bit of the corner of my screen. This is where I should have said "okay, the touch screen works, just don't mess with it any more because you know how this ends."
But I didn't... I got replacement glass first and totally screwed up that repair and left the phone in worse shape than it started. Now with the LCD and digitizer it became a slightly more expensive repair but still something I thought I could handle.
So I bought a whole LCD assembly off ebay and installed it with few problems. I bought a Samsung Galaxy S3 R530 Metro LCD Screen Touch Digitizer Frame. I stripped my phone down, moved all of the parts to the new frame and started to install the motherboard. Then's when my problems begin...
The new frame has a slightly different placement of the motherboard screw and doesn't seem to fit quite right in line with the power button. Everything else is fine and fits just right, it's just that something isn't fitting quite right. Any suggestions?
Also, my home button doesn't work any more (that's the only thing, though, so it's still a vaguely successful repair).
It sounds like I should have done some more research and I would have found that a black frame can't possibly work fully for a Sprint phone because Sprint S3s are unique for whatever reason. I'm just hoping maybe someone has a solution? A part of the frame to file down or other suggestion?
At this point I would suggest taking it somewhere to be repaired properly. Especially if you are not comfortable with the process.
Hi,
I have a Samsung Galaxy S III i747 [http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3-att]. I tried to repair it but the glue I used to previously repair the glass was too strong and the digitizer came with it... Trying to power it and all I see is green light a part of the screen and nothing but the phone vibrate on start-up. I think the motherboard is still good.
I looked for local classified for broken screen (or used S3) but so far I wasn`t able to grab one and some times the seller are asking very high price (120$) for a phone I risk to break. I was thinking just buying a working one in good condition but that`s 200$. The idea is to swap the motherboard and sell the motherboard un-used.
I decided to check on ebay There are a lot of cheap bad esn phone on ebay with excellent screen condition but these are sprint phones (SPH-L710).
I wonder if I could still swap the motherboard and have a roger i747 phone? That would be the cheapest and easiest option for me if that`s the case.
Also, would the display work on the i747? After some research it was said some where that a T-mobile can accept a sprint display - would it be the case for a roger (ATT) S3?
It seems like it is possible to switch the mother board but I will need to also switch the antenna. The display exchange would probably be the easiest.
bump