What can be done about the vanishing dialer?

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

It's the part of the phone I hate the most. I gotta stop this cycle...

1. Call number and put phone to ear
2. "Please enter your Account ID followed by the pound sign"
3. Take phone away from ear to type in Account ID
4. Black screen ... shake phone to get it to light back up again
5. Put phone back to ear... "Please enter your password"
6. Take phone away from ear to type in password
7. Black screen again... resist urge to smash phone

Is there a way to make the touch tone dialer stay lit?
Better yet, is there an app out there for a better dialer?

Thanks!

 

[Caddyman]

what os are you running?

 

[thenestor]

It's the part of the phone I hate the most. I gotta stop this cycle...

1. Call number and put phone to ear
2. "Please enter your Account ID followed by the pound sign"
3. Take phone away from ear to type in Account ID
4. Black screen ... shake phone to get it to light back up again
5. Put phone back to ear... "Please enter your password"
6. Take phone away from ear to type in password
7. Black screen again... resist urge to smash phone

Is there a way to make the touch tone dialer stay lit?
Better yet, is there an app out there for a better dialer?

Thanks!

If you pull the phone away from your face and the screen does not immediately light up, it means there might be a problem with your proximity sensor. If a hard reset doesn't help, you'll need a warranty replacement.

 

[Caddyman]

clean your screen, might help, do you have a screen protector on the phone?

 

[rick311]

press the trackball to wake the screen up. but your proximity sensor might be done.

 

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

- I am on the OTA 2.1.
- I do have a screen protector on and keep it clean
- So there is no "Stay-on" setting or better dialer?
- Can the proximity sensor be calibrated?

 

[Caddyman]

might be your screen protector, does it go over the sensor?

 

[mc48]

doesn't Spare Parts app have an option for what your screen does during a call? I used to have that app but uninstalled it awhile ago because I wasn't using it.

 

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

might be your screen protector, does it go over the sensor?

No, it covers only the actual screen and I even trimmed it with scissors to expose the 4 soft buttons.

 

[Podivin]

I've taken to using the speaker phone when doing things that I know will require keypad input. Obviously you can't always do that, depending upon your surroundings, but it's an option.

 

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

I've taken to using the speaker phone when doing things that I know will require keypad input. Obviously you can't always do that, depending upon your surroundings, but it's an option.

So you have the same problem?

I honestly don't think it's the sensor but simply that the damn phone's processor is too slow to snap to it as fast as needed. It's lag. And it's noticeable in other dialer phone-call related actions. Being able to simply force the phones light to stay on and the key pad to stay up no matter what would solve this problem completely.

 

[Frisco]

press the trackball to wake the screen up. but your proximity sensor might be done.

I thought my p.s. was defective until I got in the habit of cleaning that area off with a soft cloth prior to making a call.. it's just a habit I have now.

Also, as mentioned above, if you have to the trackball will cause the screen to reappear if holding the phone away from your ear does not.

 

[el viejo]

So you have the same problem?

I honestly don't think it's the sensor but simply that the damn phone's processor is too slow to snap to it as fast as needed. It's lag. And it's noticeable in other dialer phone-call related actions. Being able to simply force the phones light to stay on and the key pad to stay up no matter what would solve this problem completely.

I have the same problem. It started with the installation of v2.1L3. It always lags some, but sometimes will not come back at all. Did not have problem with v1.5. I use my Eris nude and try to keep the screen clean.

(Off Topic) The other phone lag problem I have since the upgrade is incoming call lags when displaying the contact picture. I get the green droid for several seconds prior to the contact pic. Did not have the lag problem in v1.5.

 

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

Can anyone confirm that the app called "Spare Parts" allows for changing this kind of behavior of the dialer?

 

[NotThe1YerLookN4]

I also forgot to say that when It comes back on the key pad is gone and that annoying android icon is in its place requiring me to press the button that brings it back up and by the time i do i hear on the speaker, "invalid entry"

 

[BlueDC2]

This drives me insane! I have the same problem, no matter how clean I keep the sensor. Since I've had my phone, I've done about 4 factory resets...it never fixes it. I have to put my hand in front of it and wave it in front of and away until it wakes up...I always thought this was a software issue...will this really warrant a replacement?

 

[Frisco]

This drives me insane! I have the same problem, no matter how clean I keep the sensor. Since I've had my phone, I've done about 4 factory resets...it never fixes it. I have to put my hand in front of it and wave it in front of and away until it wakes up...I always thought this was a software issue...will this really warrant a replacement?

The Proximity Sensor is a vital organ, so to speak, in phone hand set use for keypad input during a "menu" call.

If I had ongoing problems with it, I would not hesitate to return the device for an exchange.

 

[BlueDC2]

The Proximity Sensor is a vital organ, so to speak, in phone hand set use for keypad input during a "menu" call.

If I had ongoing problems with it, I would not hesitate to return the device for an exchange.

Thanks for the info Frisco, I guess I'll call verizon tech tomorrow.

Half the reason I took the initiative to get a Google voice account was for the voice mail, trying to do it while I was using the phone was frustrating. It would just turn off then back on etc. etc., especially when I had to type things in.

The same problem would happen when I would do something like try to give a friend a phone number, I couldn't get in my phone to see my contacts.

 

[Frisco]

Thanks for the info Frisco, I guess I'll call verizon tech tomorrow.

Not to ask an overly simple question, BlueDC, but have you tried regularly wiping the p.s. area with a clean cloth (or your shirt tail.. etc)?

In case you don't know where the Proximity Sensor is, as you look at the front of the device, it is about 3/8ths of an inch to the left of the ear piece.

 

[Gink]

I have this problem too. I thought I had read at one point that the physical call button would awaken the screen as well but neither that nor the trackball have been working for me. Very annoying.

I would consider getting a warranty replacment but I bought my Eris from CraigsList. Slightly O/T, but does anyone know how Verizon handles that situation as far as replacements go?

 

[BlueDC2]

Not to ask an overly simple question, BlueDC, but have you tried regularly wiping the p.s. area with a clean cloth (or your shirt tail.. etc)?

In case you don't know where the Proximity Sensor is, as you look at the front of the device, it is about 3/8ths of an inch to the left of the ear piece.

I know where it is, you can see it. I've tried cleaning it off, it works about half the time. It's pretty hard to keep it clean after putting it against my head, but I know it's there and try to keep it as clean as possible.

Also, I have no case and no screen protector.

Edit: if someone had the specific department number I should call that would be awesome.

 

[BlueDC2]

Just called technical support about it...

At the beginning of the call, after I explained the problem, she says "Oh we've been having problems with that sensor"

Then she had me try to get it to do it again, which of course it's an intermittent problem and it didn't happen, (I should have lied here since it DOES happen, but I didn't)...

Then she asked about turning my phone off and back on, and hard resets (I've done both).

Anyway, long story short, she says she'll put a note that I called about the problem, but since I can't replicate it there's nothing she can do about it at the moment, but to go into the store and see if it happens.

At the end of the conversation I said, "So you mentioned other people were having the same problem with the sensor, is there any other way to go about fixing this?" She replied "I never said that..." (WTF...the first thing you said was that you've been getting calls about this sensor)
"It's not a big enough issue that it's on a technical bulletin or anything."

I guess I'll just have to make a few calls until it happens and then tape it on my brothers droid or something...

Edit: I was hoping for a manufacturers warranty, I'd even take a lame refurb if it would fix this!