Help Weird Red Light

[ColonelPanic]

Was it hot to the touch ? i was about to put out a theory that it was actually light bleeding through from the back light for the screen. Say if there was a little separation that was allowing the hight intensity light from the screen to bleed into the ambient light sensor which does have a red lens. If it was actually hot then my theory seems incorrect. However, if it was only light, this may be the case.

Actually I'll bet that what was emitting the light was in fact the proximity sensor and the other lens is the ambient light sensor. It would seem that proximity sensors are IR range finders with an effective range of less than an inch. It emits an IR pulse and if it is reflected the the screen is disabled. If there is no return the screen remains on.

I know the article I have linked is for a Motorola but it bears this out. I have done a little more leg work and the sensors are manufactured by the same company. Check out the picture and it will look a bit familiar.

https://supportforums.motorola.com/message/72588

 

[tgulch22]

It may also be IR...like a TV remote you cant see the light with the naked eye, but if you use a digital camera you can see the light emitted from it....

 

[redplate]

Well I could see the light without anything special all day. I dont know what was going on with it

 

[Eris_2.1_2010]

Looks like its time to get out the foil hats.

Sent from my Eris using Tapatalk

 

[Doit2it]

Mine flashes purple, but only when in a phone call which would indicate it is the proximity sensor. The more visible sensor above and to the left is probably the ambient light sensor used if brightness is set to automatic.

And I can not see it with the naked eye, only thru my digital camera. Sounds like the proximity sensor is going bad if it's emitting visible light. Is the proximity sensor working? Does your screen go black when in a call and you hold the phone up to your ear (or just cover the proximity sensor with your finger)? Also is that area hot, or has your battery life decreased greatly. Might be an electrical short which overheats electronics and would produce the red glow you describe.

 

[shaneashleya]

MY phone is actually doing the EXACT same thing.

This is gross but i forgot there was a mayo packet in my jacket pocket. It busted without my knowledge. THe slime seeped into my phone, and now that same glowing red and headset symbol are showing atop my phone. I think I may have permanently ruined it, and I seriously don't wanna pay for a replacement.

Anyone figure out what causes that?

 

[duncan999007]

but i feel i need to share this. the same thing happened to me and i did some testing... found out this is caused by a short in the headphone jack, thus the headphone symbol as if there was one plugged in but with an error. and i dont know if this is actually implemented as my eris no longer works so i can't see but the proximity sensor is wired in line with the headphone jack to turn them off of you're holding it to your ear thus shorting out the prox sensor causing the red glow. hope this provides you with some info

 

[withallmyhart]

I've had the same thing this morning, it was on when I woke, it stayed on until I found this post..... It really strange..... It did look like a mechanical eye, a red circle with a smaller red dot on the inside of the circle. I didnt get the headphone symbol, nor was it hot.... I had my finger over it, did want it creapily looking at my whilst I was on the internet. Maybe it was the prolonged putting my finger over it that turned it off if its the ambient sensor.