In my attempts to replace the screen on my nephew's 1st gen ipod touch, I accidentally tore the short brown electronic ribbon connecting the small sensor board that touches the screen. Can this ribbon be reattached or did I just permanently disable the touch capabilities of my nephew's ipod touch?
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iPod touch torn ribbon connecting to screen sensor on 1st gen ipod touch
- Thread starter silvermachine
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mind identifying which cable? Draw an arrow using paint over this image indicating which one -> http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/N4gGJyrTEKUg1G2C.large
If it's the orange one on the bottom left corner with the rectangular sticker on it, then you can replace it. You'll need to order a new touch screen, which are cheap ($15 or less) from eBay. While you're doing that repair, you might want to order a new midframe too, since you'll get adhesive with that, and it'll make the ipod look like new. If you want it to look totally new, then you can also order a new back. Overall, you'll probably spend $25 or less on those parts.
If it's the orange one on the bottom left corner with the rectangular sticker on it, then you can replace it. You'll need to order a new touch screen, which are cheap ($15 or less) from eBay. While you're doing that repair, you might want to order a new midframe too, since you'll get adhesive with that, and it'll make the ipod look like new. If you want it to look totally new, then you can also order a new back. Overall, you'll probably spend $25 or less on those parts.
That's just the wifi antenna, you should be fine without it, the only thing is that wifi will not work. I did the same thing to a friends ipod touch.
repairing ribbon cable to wifi antennae
Thanks a bunch! If I wanted to repair the ribbon, could I use some special tape or even solder it?
Thanks a bunch! If I wanted to repair the ribbon, could I use some special tape or even solder it?
3M 9703 conductive tape will do the trick. You'll need to dissolve or scratch away (I'd worry about scratching the copper away too) the plastic that's covering the coper trace on both ends of the ribbon, and use the conducive tape to stick them together. Of course, I don't know what chemicals will melt a ribbon cable (which is made of kapton I think). I know acetone will dissolve plastic, so maybe try using a qtip and acetone to rub away the plastic coating.
Of course, it would be possible to solder from the last component on the antenna trace onto the small board, but without schematics there's no way to tell where to solder
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