Screen keeps turning off

davect01

Member
Jan 22, 2012
44
3
I am having exactly the same problems and my screen is never set to auto brightness so I know thats not the problem, would really love a solution as I use photos of recepies on my tablet for cooking and its annoying when screen goes blank and in in the middle of cooking! please help someone!

If you have the cable plugged in, use this app.
Stay Awake Widget - Android

It keeps the screen on when plugged in.
 

msweetnam

Member
Mar 8, 2012
1
0
I have an S Tab, it does this all the time right in the middle of using an app. I can be typing and the thing turns off and restarts. It has lots of other problems too. I've done a factory reset several times, it won't take the OS update. I think it needs to go back.

Hi all

Well actually its not the screen but the backlight what is going on. It like just after a touch or during so it not the time out.

But it just blacks out and I have to turn it off (standby) and turn it back on afterwards... quite annoying. Am I alone with this experience or have others seen this

Running version 3.2

Any help or same experience is much wellcome (lets share the pain)

Sent from my Sony Tablet S using Android Tablet Forum
 

kz121

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2
2
Hey there all - I think I figured out what triggers the issue - someone eluded to it earlier in this thread - it has to do with when the unit is at full brightness - whether it occurs manually by setting it to full brightness or if the auto-brightness control is turned on at it goes to full brightness - this is the trigger to the backlight going off...

if anyone else wants to try setting the brightness manually to less then full brightness and commenting in this thread as to whether or not the issue seems to have stopped - and likewise - went back to auto or full brightness and confirmed as I have that the issue starts up again - this may be helpful with Sony Support...

As for me - I have now gone through 3 software updates (now running Ice Cream 4) and while a ton of cool features have been added - the backlight issue still remains...

I now believe that this is a hardware problem and not software related - more-over I think units with this problem should be covered under warranty and everyone with this issue should seek an RMA for Sony to replace the faulty units...

That's my 2 cents worth - when I finally get around to calling support again about this issue and i go for the swap - i'll post my experience here...

Regards to All

(feel free to correct me if you think I am mistaken or anyone has found an alternate fix for this VERY annoying issue)

~Chris
 

lhlan

Member
Dec 27, 2011
7
0
Hey there all - I think I figured out what triggers the issue - someone eluded to it earlier in this thread - it has to do with when the unit is at full brightness - whether it occurs manually by setting it to full brightness or if the auto-brightness control is turned on at it goes to full brightness - this is the trigger to the backlight going off...

if anyone else wants to try setting the brightness manually to less then full brightness and commenting in this thread as to whether or not the issue seems to have stopped - and likewise - went back to auto or full brightness and confirmed as I have that the issue starts up again - this may be helpful with Sony Support...

As for me - I have now gone through 3 software updates (now running Ice Cream 4) and while a ton of cool features have been added - the backlight issue still remains...

I now believe that this is a hardware problem and not software related - more-over I think units with this problem should be covered under warranty and everyone with this issue should seek an RMA for Sony to replace the faulty units...

That's my 2 cents worth - when I finally get around to calling support again about this issue and i go for the swap - i'll post my experience here...

Regards to All

(feel free to correct me if you think I am mistaken or anyone has found an alternate fix for this VERY annoying issue)

~Chris

I have been through 3.2.1 and 4.0.3.

I never set it to full brightness, but only to Auto and less than full brightness.

The Auto setting seems to triggers backlight off more often than the other settings.

My 2 cents? This is not to say that setting it to manual fixes the issues. It just makes the backlighting off happen less frequently.
 

sagittarii

Member
May 11, 2012
14
2
So far lowering the brightness even slightly has seemed to stop my backlight from turning off. I agree, very aggravating problem. I am running ICS and thought the issue was related to that, to HD widgets or Chrome initially. Thanks for the tip Chris (kz121), been trying to resolve this for a bit. Hope the fix sticks and that Sony releases some permansnt resolution/patch if possible. Otherwise the S has been great.
 

sagittarii

Member
May 11, 2012
14
2
My backlight has yet to turn off again since I lowered the brightness (from full) over two months ago.

So far lowering the brightness even slightly has seemed to stop my backlight from turning off. I agree, very aggravating problem. I am running ICS and thought the issue was related to that, to HD widgets or Chrome initially. Thanks for the tip Chris (kz121), been trying to resolve this for a bit. Hope the fix sticks and that Sony releases some permansnt resolution/patch if possible. Otherwise the S has been great.
 

kz121

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2
2
Hey there all - I think I figured out what triggers the issue - someone eluded to it earlier in this thread - it has to do with when the unit is at full brightness - whether it occurs manually by setting it to full brightness or if the auto-brightness control is turned on at it goes to full brightness - this is the trigger to the backlight going off...

if anyone else wants to try setting the brightness manually to less then full brightness and commenting in this thread as to whether or not the issue seems to have stopped - and likewise - went back to auto or full brightness and confirmed as I have that the issue starts up again - this may be helpful with Sony Support...

As for me - I have now gone through 3 software updates (now running Ice Cream 4) and while a ton of cool features have been added - the backlight issue still remains...

I now believe that this is a hardware problem and not software related - more-over I think units with this problem should be covered under warranty and everyone with this issue should seek an RMA for Sony to replace the faulty units...

That's my 2 cents worth - when I finally get around to calling support again about this issue and i go for the swap - i'll post my experience here...

Regards to All

(feel free to correct me if you think I am mistaken or anyone has found an alternate fix for this VERY annoying issue)

~Chris


UPDATE:

I spoke to Sony several times about this issue - they initially offered several less then intelligent responses including installing battery saver apps to control back-light settings - but alas NONE WORK...

Maximum Brightness setting and AUTO mode (which triggers max-brightness more then we might think) both trigger the backlight dropping out

With the backlight setting at even a whisker under 100% (if possible 99%) this issue completely goes away - of course so does your battery life and at night you'll go blind until you lower it manually again...

Furthermore - after speaking to SONY repeatedly about this - they suggested it may very well be a hardware problem and that the unit should be RMA'd...

Now - my question to all those out there - WITHOUT ROOTING - what is the best way (or is it even possible) to create a full back up of my device prior to sending it in for RMA? I really don't want to have to go through the pain of re-organizing all my apps and desktops on my tablet - took me a long time to get everything the way i wanted it and i am happy with it... I really want to send the unit in prior to SONY deciding to pull the RMA option...

Thanks!

~Chris 'kz121'
 

sagittarii

Member
May 11, 2012
14
2
Anyone out there running Jellybean (rooted) and experienicng the screen turning off while on Auto or Full brightness?
 

sagittarii

Member
May 11, 2012
14
2
Just received System update 4.0.3 (release 1a). I re-enabled Auto brightness, so far so good, though has only been about 10min. >>>now 30min<<<
 
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ndguitarist

Member
Aug 22, 2012
1
0
Hello,

I found this thread after having the same problem with my Sony tablet. The screen goes dark periodically. When I turn the brightness down just a little bit from full, as suggested by kz121, the problem is resolved. I called customer service and they said I should return the tablet for repair. Has anyone else had their tablet serviced for this issue, and did Sony fix the problem with a repair or replacement?
 

amhcng

Member
Sep 19, 2012
1
0
Hi Sent my tablet to Sony for the same problem, they reimaged the OS but the peoblem still there. Decide hold off sending back to see if anything else happened and notice this morning screen went dim then 30 seconds later went dark. Rebooted several times and kept doing it. Came home from work and works OK now.!!!! Will see tomorrow. I have feeling the unit needs to be replaced.
 
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