Help Valet screen "flashing"

[rustypeevee]

I've had dumb phones up until now, and figured the ZTE Valet would be a good entry-level smartphone--good reviews, etc, and not a ton of money.
Here's my thing: When I want to place a call, I go to contacts, select who I want to talk to, and tap the little phone-receiver icon. And the screen begins flashing, then going blank at about one-second intervals. This continues the whole time that the call is going through, and during your conversation, if you have one. The screen only illuminates for an instant, then blank again, so you can't even focus on what's on the screen. When you go to end the call, when you're done talking, or when you're done leaving your message, you can't even focus on the "end" button. Several times, I've had to just shut the phone off by holding down the power button, because I cannot "end" a call.
Thinking this couldn't possibly be right, I called (from another phone) the dreaded Customer Service Line. After an ABSOLUTELY EXCRUCIATING session of "could you please repeat that?" and "I'm sorry, I can't understand you", he managed to talk me through a hard reboot, and assured me that my problem would now be fixed. But nothing changed. It still does the same thing as before.
By the way, the tech suggested that maybe my problem was caused by some app that I had downloaded. Sounds good, but I haven't downloaded ANY apps. I don't even know how.
So...............does anyone out there have any idea for a fix, short of becoming bilingual? Thank you.
RPV

 

[Rukbat]

It depends on where and how (brick and mortar store? Internet?) you bought it. The proximity sensor is probably defective. If the phone is new I'd insist on a replacement. If not I'd accept a refurb if I had to.

 

[rustypeevee]

Thanks, Rukbat. Yeah, it's brand new--got it from Amazon. It never occurred to me to call them for a replacement-I figured I'd have to deal with the ZTE people. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.
RPV

 

[bummpr]

Rusty, a little known fact that many fail to warn you about is that having the screen go dark is a "feature". Your phone may not be defective...it is intended as a battery-saving mechanism. The phone is supposed to go dark when it senses that you are holding it up to your ear and come back to life when you are finished with the call and you remove it from your ear.

 

[rustypeevee]

Nah, that's not what's happening. This thing flashes like a strobelight, whether it's being held up to your face, or at arm's length. Two people so far have said to me when I'm on the phone: "What the heck kind of app is that?!?"
Thanks for your response, though.

 

[rustypeevee]

After contacting ZTE repeatedly, I finally got a tech to admit that no, my phone wasn't working properly, but no, they wouldn't take responsibility for it............I would have to contact TracFone for that........
So I did, and TracFone was VERY gracious--they are sending me a new phone that should arrive (FEDEX!) today.
This has all seemed to work out so far, but this has taken a couple weeks to resolve--and if I knew then what I know now, I'd have just bitten the bullet and gone with a real company, and bypassed this bargain-basement phone stuff. There's a REASON it's cheap.......

 

[StLouisMan2]

I'm still very curious as I have a ZTE Valet Android 4.1 phone too. Can you tell me how rapid the flashes were? Would you call it more like rapid strobe flashing or slow, rhythmic pulsing?

Greg

 

[rustypeevee]

It was a rhythmic pulsing, like one second dark, then 1/2 second lit up, followed by another second of darkness, and so on. I can tell you that the 'lit up' intervals were not long enough to focus upon what was on the phone's screen. And if you did happen to focus on a 'button', (end call, for example) pressing it had no affect--it would just continue flashing. Additionally, the 'power on' button was powerless during these times as well. Several times, I had to tear the back of the phone off and remove the phone's battery to get it to stop.
A real high-quality piece of workmanship, this phone.

 

[StLouisMan2]

It was a rhythmic pulsing, like one second dark, then 1/2 second lit up, followed by another second of darkness, and so on. I can tell you that the 'lit up' intervals were not long enough to focus upon what was on the phone's screen. And if you did happen to focus on a 'button', (end call, for example) pressing it had no affect--it would just continue flashing. Additionally, the 'power on' button was powerless during these times as well. Several times, I had to tear the back of the phone off and remove the phone's battery to get it to stop.

The bottom line is that you are getting a new phone; that is what matters. My phone behaves the same way. I just don't place calls that way. I go back to the keypad and place the call from there.

I also get the flashing behavior if the phone call is occurring in BRIGHT LIGHT. I had talked about the phenomenon in the Android Central Forums where someone convinced me that the protective case and/or the screen protector film was interfering with a particular sensor. (Someone mentioned sensor interference above.) However, removing them didn't totally solve the problem, and that was when discovered it was related to the intensity of the ambient light. So I just try to answer or place a call while holding the phone sort of upside-down if I'm in a brightly lit area.

I hope that a new phone solves your problem and that it isn't an issue with all ZTE Valet Android 4.1 phones. Best of luck to you.

Greg

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Hi, Regarding the flashing. I have had this ZTE Valet for some time but today I installed a screen protector and my phone will flash while it's in call mode. Removed the screen protector and it works just fine again.
Does anybody know what are of the screen has the sensor?

Thanks,
~Bilbo

 

[StLouisMan2]

Hi, Regarding the flashing. I have had this ZTE Valet for some time but today I installed a screen protector and my phone will flash while it's in call mode. Removed the screen protector and it works just fine again.
Does anybody know what are of the screen has the sensor?

Thanks,
~Bilbo

I know that this is of absolutely no help, but I DON'T know where the sensor is. It's just that there seems to be more than one thing that will cause the screen to flash. I'm sure your observation about the screen detector is correct because I observed that too. I would be surprised if your phone never flashed again.

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Thanks for your reply. You're probably right and I will keep an eye out for that.
Now that the screen protector is off, I tried it about 5 times and so far, it's OK.

BTW, when I made that first call, it made it impossible to hang up. What I did was to actually kick over to another app where the flashing stopped, then I went back to the phone and caught the end button before it started flashing again.

Thanks,
~Bilbo

 

[rustypeevee]

Hey Bilbo & St.LouisMan,
It just floors me that y'all seem to find this.............acceptable in something you've paid good money for! It sounds as though your phones are DEFECTIVE, and you are willing to let them get away with it. Hold the phone upside-down when placing or answering a call? No, thank you. It took a lot of calling and persistence, but I finally got them to replace my DEFECTIVE phone. RPV

 

[bummpr]

Running this app once (it's a ZTE app) just might help...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.zte.ProximeitySensorClib

 

[StLouisMan2]

Hey Bilbo & St.LouisMan,
It just floors me that y'all seem to find this.............acceptable in something you've paid good money for! It sounds as though your phones are DEFECTIVE, and you are willing to let them get away with it. Hold the phone upside-down when placing or answering a call? No, thank you. It took a lot of calling and persistence, but I finally got them to replace my DEFECTIVE phone. RPV

I totally agree with you; I should do exactly as you say and not just accept the phone as it is. It is just a question of where my head is at after experiences I have had recently with technical support departments of 2 different companies. Suffice it to say that I just don't have the psychological energy right now to spend an hour or longer on the phone with people who I cannot understand and who cannot understand me. One day I will.

 

[StLouisMan2]

Running this app once (it's a ZTE app) just might help...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.zte.ProximeitySensorClib

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you personally for referring us to this app. And for making me aware of the other ZTE apps that are on Google Play.

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Hey Bilbo & St.LouisMan,
It just floors me that y'all seem to find this.............acceptable in something you've paid good money for! It sounds as though your phones are DEFECTIVE, and you are willing to let them get away with it. Hold the phone upside-down when placing or answering a call? No, thank you. It took a lot of calling and persistence, but I finally got them to replace my DEFECTIVE phone. RPV

Are you saying that my phone is defective if the screen protector is messing up the function of the proximity sensor?
It has been working fine now since I actually found the sensor, removed the screen protector from the glass in front of it.
BTW If you have a ZTE Valet, the sensor is up near the top above the main screen under the three concentric ovals.
Now it may be that the people making (super shieldz) the brand of screen protectors that I have are at fault in this.
At any rate, I can assure you that if the phone acts up again, it's going to get sent back.

~bilbo

 

[That Tuning Guy]

I've been having the flashing problem too. I downloaded the app recommended by "bummpr" and so far it seems to help. Thanks!

 

[That Tuning Guy]

So far so good with the recommended app! Still no flashing. Yippee!

 

[StLouisMan2]

Running this app once (it's a ZTE app) just might help...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.zte.ProximeitySensorClib

Thanks again Bummpr. Haven't had any flashing since I installed installed the recommended app!

 

[bummpr]

Thanks again Bummpr. Haven't had any flashing since I installed installed the recommended app!

I'm glad this worked for you guys as well as it did for me...certainly easier than trying to get another phone set up, phone number and minutes transferred to a new unit or working with the horrible Customer Service at TracFone.

I have had great service from the Tech Support here in the States however.

My problem was not as severe...dialer was just a little flaky sometimes but this calibration seemed to put the phone back into specifications and working as it should.

 

[mikieh101]

I have yet to have that problem (knock wood). This phone is so small, it feels weird having it up to my head, I'm going to start using the speaker phone function.

 

[StLouisMan2]

I have yet to have that problem (knock wood). This phone is so small, it feels weird having it up to my head, I'm going to start using the speaker phone function.

I know what you mean, but I have always used the speaker phone function. I get a lot of hair and skin oils on screen otherwise. Maybe I'm just too fussy.

 

[slk230red]

Running this app once (it's a ZTE app) just might help...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.zte.ProximeitySensorClib

Thanks bummpr....I installed this app and ran the calibration. Hopefully this will help the intermittent blank screen when placing calls.

BTW, I purchased my ZTE Valet in Feb. at Radio Shack when they had it for $49.99. I told the salesman that I didn't want the 1 year insurance for $8.99, but he kept insisting and gave me that look and said "you really should get this"! He said for 1 year if anything happens to the phone or if I don't like it, I can exchange it for another phone. He stated that I might drop the phone, it might get wet or lost....or for any other reason, they will cover it.
So, for $8.99, I went ahead a purchased the 1 year coverage so we'll see if I need it until Feb. 2015.

 

[StLouisMan2]

It has been working fine now since I actually found the sensor, removed the screen protector from the glass in front of it.

Bilbo,
I don't want to bring up a dead issue, but I was wondering whether you tried the calibration app that Bummpr recommended to us? I was thinking that you might be able to cover the entire glass face of your phone with the protector if you used that app after you put it on. Just a thought.