Replacing a defective screen on Go730

Has anyone had a successful experience replacing a screen of differing models? (Note: I don't require instruction on how to dismantle the GPS)

Specifically replacing one screen model with another model? My Go730 has a LQ043T3DX0E model screen, but I bought a LTE430WQ-F0B screen. While the new screen display works, the touch screen digitizer appears to be not interpreting the touches correctly and I haven't been able to calibrate accordingly. This results in not being able to perform any touches.

Any help is appreciated :)

jimbohones wrote:Has anyone had a successful experience replacing a screen of differing models? (Note: I don't require instruction on how to dismantle the GPS)

Specifically replacing one screen model with another model? My Go730 has a LQ043T3DX0E model screen, but I bought a LTE430WQ-F0B screen. While the new screen display works, the touch screen digitizer appears to be not interpreting the touches correctly and I haven't been able to calibrate accordingly. This results in not being able to perform any touches.

Any help is appreciated

Buy the correct screen for your 730.

You can get the touch panel for a few bucks on Ebay.
Might be cheaper to change it than to buy a new screen again.
To be safe ask the seller if it is a generic TT touch panel or if it really is especially for for model.

Well I actually bought 2 screens from ebay. First one was from another Go730 that was being sold for parts as the USB connector had been broken. So I figured it's the same model TomTom, it should work. However the LCD model is different (as my original post states). The physical ribbon fits and the display works, but the touch screen doesn't. That ebay purchase was a gamble, but sometimes it just goes that way.

The second ebay purchase was for the screen only from a seller that seems to sell a few of these. Same model as the other ebay guy. I haven't found any documentation that specifically states that you have to use the same model. This LCD performs exactly like the above one. This seller is kind enough to be shipping me out a identical model to my unit so hopefully that resolves the issue. However he does have a price discrepancy between the two model. The LQ043T3DX0E was being sold for US$80 + shipping, vs US$50 + shipping for the LTE430WQ-F0B. Which is a major reason why I bought the different model. So to buy the original LCD model would cost me almost as much as buying a complete working Go730 on ebay as it is. Didn't really make sense.

I've investigated just buying the touch screen digitizer also. My original digitizer is still working, just the display died. However, because the LCD models are different the digitizers are not interchangeable between the screens I now possess. The LQ043T3DX0E is the older model and has physical connections that can be swapped out without soldering. The LTE430WQ-F0B is different and requires soldering to switch out the digitizers. I'm not going down that route because with my soldering skills, I'd make a dog's breakfast out of my TomTom.

I'm a firm believer in trying to keep my devices working through repair (if it is feasible) rather than shelling out for a new device. I like the functionality of my Go730 just fine. It just doesn't make sense, and is very wasteful how we just throw things out so mindlessly to buy the newest stuff.

jimbohones: I'm a firm believer in trying to keep my devices working through repair (if it is feasible) rather than shelling out for a new device. I like the functionality of my Go730 just fine. It just doesn't make sense, and is very wasteful how we just throw things out so mindlessly to buy the newest stuff.

You have the right idea & are close to the right reason. The "newest stuff" is not user friendly!!! I have a GO that I plan on keeping until it can no longer be repaired.

Not sure if it is helping but the first model you mentioned is more expensive on [Please Register or Login to download file]
The digitiser for the other is pretty cheap :[Please Register or Login to download file]
And replacing the digitiser should work without soldering - I replaced a few even the F0B ones.
It is sometimes a pain to get throught the double sided tape holding the digitiser on the screen, but newer need a soldering iron.
Could you please upload a pic of the area where you say it needs soldering?
And I agree: my 730 will be kept alive, even if I need plastic surgery for it, no way I will use one of the new models.

Okay I'm officially stumped. I've returned the LTE430WQ-F0B and he exchanged it for a LQ043T3DX0E. I've connected it to my unit and the same thing is happening as with the first screen. But when I pull up the info screen ([Please Register or Login to download file] ) it shows a LQ043T1DG01 just like my original screen did before the *backlight died. Now of all the LCD's I have in my possession (1x LTE430WQ-F0B, 2x LQ043T3DX0E) none of them work properly (IE: do not register screen touches).

Is it safe to say my unit is toast? When connecting the GPS to my computer it is recognized and I can manipulate the flash drive file systems. Everything seems to work other than the touching.

@downunder35m - As requested, here are some screen dumps of the LCD's I have.
[Please Register or Login to download file] - As you can see, this LCD has a little connector clip to detach the digitizer from the display panel. Pretty straight forward, no de/soldering required.
[Please Register or Login to download file] - This LCD has the digitizer ribbon cable soldered onto the main ribbon and cannot be separated easily without some delicate soldering experience. I don't understand how you said you've replaced the FOB digitizer without soldering.


* I figured out today that my original LCD backlight died. I connected it today and just managed to glimpse the TomTom startup logo, and can see it boot up now when shining my Maglite on the screen. Even though the sticker on the back of my LCD shows model LQ043T3DX0E, the info screen shows Sharp LQ043T1DG01 ALTvcc 65535.

I've come to the conclusion that some inner workings of my go730 is broken. I've tested with 3 working screens now; the 2 from ebay + a brand new Go730 that I ended up buying from Dell.ca to replace this unit - 100% working screen. After performing the initial setup on the new unit, I removed the LCD from it and chucked it in my broken unit. Same as the other screens, the broken unit does not register touches. So LCD's are fine. When connected/docked to my PC, it is able to connect to TomTom Home, manipulate the file system, upgrading NC, loading maps, operate my device. Essentially all function is there EXCEPT the most important feature - to be able to interact with it with my fingers! There is some interface busted between the ribbon cable connector and the guts of the unit. I'm afraid that it's nothing I'm able to fix and will probably just gather dust and be relegated to the spare parts bin. Unless somebody knows of anyone in Toronto Canada that has experience repairing TomTom units. I'm not really entertaining the idea of a TomTom authorised repair shop because in all likelyhood, they will probably charge as much, if not more, that I paid for it originally.

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice.

If you can get your hands on a good scanner you can place the circuit board on it and scan it in high resolution.
Gives a better and more detailed result than taking a picture with your cam.
In case you have visible damage to parts I might be able to assist finding a replacement.
It is higly unusal for the electronics of the digitiser to die, in fact you're the first case I jeard of!
You do know that the connectors are pretty sensitive and if the cable is not inserted 100% correctly closing the safety clip will not make a working connection?
When switching panels/digitiser it s advised to disconnect the battery or at least to press the rest button before disconnecting to make sure the standby power is not making a mess with you.

Downunder35m wrote:1. If you can get your hands on a good scanner you can place the circuit board on it and scan it in high resolution.
Gives a better and more detailed result than taking a picture with your cam.
In case you have visible damage to parts I might be able to assist finding a replacement.

2. It is higly unusal for the electronics of the digitiser to die, in fact you're the first case I jeard of!

3. You do know that the connectors are pretty sensitive and if the cable is not inserted 100% correctly closing the safety clip will not make a working connection?

4. When switching panels/digitiser it s advised to disconnect the battery or at least to press the rest button before disconnecting to make sure the standby power is not making a mess with you.

Downunder, first of all thanks very much for following my thread. I'm pretty sure I've exhausted the avenue's of diagnoses available to my level of competence.

1. Unless you can diagnose a Go730 mainboard to determine if my unit has a bad or defective resistor/capacitor/etc, I'm not sure a high-res scan will yield any results. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If you have the know-how to diagnose based on such an image, I will endeavour to get said image.

2. Let me say that at all times during diagnosis I have not separated the digitiser from the LCD at all. I have tested with 3 unique screens, each with their own original digitisers. All three of these 'complete' LCD's were tested successfully with the new Dell.ca Go730 bought recently. So it is no way a digitiser fault.

3. I understand the ribbon cable connector is sensitive, during my diagnosis I have probably no less than 50 times inserted/removed the ribbon cable from the various LCD's I've had into 2 separate Go730 mainboards. Even used compressed air to blow out any debris (if there was any to begin with, all to no avail).

4. I have also pressed that reset too many times to remember, every time before disconnecting the screen ribbon cable. I have not tried to remove battery as yet, might be worthwhile. However I have tried to let the battery drain out a number of times by leaving the unit running with no external power source (but then again I'm not sure if there is an idle timeout preset that kicks in and turns the unit off to discourage accidental discharge).

Maybe I should just shop around for a spare working mainboard? I have also changed the subject.

I have to agree that from what you write the mainboard must be faulty.
For some tings there are electronic fuses on the board, but I was not able to find replacements for them as I don't know the correct value and the are only sold in bulk starting with 1000 on a roll lol.
Your best option with so many screens around might be to either sell them on Ebay or to find some broken 520,530,720/730 that only need a new screen.
Other models like the 910/710/930 and basically everything with a 4.3" display should work.
Getting a working new mainboard will be almost impossible.