yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] sdelliott31:
If it were as simple as the OP said then Asus would come out with a new back plate or someone would have came out with a mod. anandtechs tear down showed breakable clips the springs and wire all over the backplate. Short of taking off the backplate, knowing it won't go on again and then soldering wires to make a signal attempt, that's about it. Even then the results could be misleading as if a wire wasn't seated completely. It wouldn't work for 75% of people on here.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] rakeshchn:
This conversion about people tearing and drilling their shiny new gadget just goes on to show the amount of frustration on wifi and gps issues. Everytime i have the urge to drop 500 bucks on Prime, i come visit this forum. Not poking fun guys, i feel your pain.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
I just don't get it, I have exactly the same wifi reception as all my other devices in my house. Good all around. :D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] beavertank:
And I don't. The fact that you don't have a complaint doesn't mean ours are unimportant.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Wordlywisewiz:
Same here! I'm telling you their routers just suck! Lol
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] demandarin:
Same way here but I guess this is a real issue for some people. Its just kinda unbelievable when i sit here n use my device night n day n love it. Works great. Almost makes you think people lying up here but I know that's not the case. The worst ones to me would be ones with screen issues or bootlooping.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Itaintrite:
Or maybe YOUR routers are crap that you don't notice the change in signal strength ;) But who knows, maybe my E3000 running Tomato does suck.

I find it disappointing that there's no 5GHz for the Prime.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
I never said that your complaints were unimportant, I only said that the idea in the OP was crazy, as have many others.

I understand your plight, if my Prime had these issues though, I would have immediately sent it back.

The old flawed 5GHz argument.

Hang on, why am I being such an asshole all of a sudden. Sorry folks, I'm out.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Erusman:
Yes. Alot of people are very frustrated. I see many threads of people blaming

the aluminum back plate for the wifi / gps fallout. I am 38 father of five kids

and I don't smoke or drink.. as the previous poster suggested. I have the

theory that the aluminum back panel has nothing to do with the wifi / gps

fallout. I am kinda surprised that someone hasn't already tore the back off

one and tested the before and after results. :p
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mrokeefe:
It's the principal!

My prime works bomb and use it every time my ass hits the couch, but to know that the GPS (which I'll probably rarely use) is not functioning fully drives me Fcuking BATTY!!!

People join XDA forums because they can't sit still with their devices. Please don't chastise people for wanting to fix or change every little thing. Help out! Constant improvement. Its like a sickness, that you want. This forum would be boring if it weren't for people tweaking sh!t and bettering everything. Custom roms, themes, overclocking and under volting mmmmmmm I think I.......LOL
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] cyberhound:
Well, I just had to RMA my Prime since the screen all of sudden started to seperate from the backplate along the top. I babied the thing and I never dropped it and so I have no clue why it would have happened....but since the thing was coming apart along the top, I decided to see if the wifi and gps seemed different. No, the gap was not huge at the top and I do not know if less than an eight of an inch would make a huge difference or not anyway, but since there was a gap, I thought I would test it anyway. I found no difference. I never had any wifi issues as the prime worked as well as my Droid X wifi wise, as for GPS it pretty much registered the same on the GPS Status app. Pretty unscientific I know, but I really think the wifi and gps issues are luck of the draw and are dependent on the connetors and the backplate and for many those two in combination are enough to be an issue, and that for others the pin connectors are just assembled a little better at the factory and that is enough for there to be no issues.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] sdelliott31:
I think there is a batch issue. In fact there are other threads that talk about it. Mine is coming back tomorrow from Asus for RMA. But the wifi issues are legit and so is the GPS. I am happy for those that it has worked perfect for. I understand and sympathize for those that have issues. Especially those of us who were talking about this since October and November before the launch date. What a ride and I have played with it for about 4 days since I received January 3. I'm torn on just letting it sit in unopened box and ebaying or trying one more time.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Erusman:
Well finally got a pic that kinda kills cutting entire top. Power switch is screwed

in the aluminum back panel. Plus various other goodies. You would just about

have to tear it apart. Then mod those sections. More digging found that Apple

had a similar problem with IPAD and IPAD2. So they solved it by placing

antenna under plastic apple logo. Here is an interesting read..

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5285/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-gps-issue-explained
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Hanshananigan:
Replace pogos with wires that exit the case, etch space for a fractal antenna across the whole case, mount the fractal antenna, and it will look cool and receive a great signal. Done.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] stretchwookie:
**** it. add one of these
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] maddog986:
I started laughing before I clicked the link... I just new you found a big antenna... I wasn't excepting something that big though lmao :eek::D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] stretchwookie:
i thought about going CB sized. by why stop there? :cool:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] MT4G_Slave:
Why tell him not to do it? Not like it will affect us.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] stretchwookie:
same reason i tell the crazy guy to come down off the ledge and take the gun out of his mouth. common decency :cool:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] leppie:
Perhaps a tinfoil hat?

Seriously, all this speculation is just speculation...
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Pubnum:
At first I was extremely skeptical about this whole thing, thinking it wouldn't produce any fruit. After reading 38 pages of posts, you guys rock.

Thanks for taking the time to do this! Granted, I won't be getting a prime after these reviews but it does make a statement. WOOT
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Bumble-Bee:
That resistance is probably just mains "humm" and it common on devices with a metal shell its probably as the devise is grounded and power is flowing into the case.

You can check this by putting a multi meter on the case and the grounding and to the 0v of the dock connector :-)
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Skullmonkey:
The light bleed I had in my old prime wasn't on the edge like I have seen in pictures but was rather about 3-5 inches diagonally in from the corner of the screen. It was only a contributing factor of me taking it back to BB (with the other being: I wasn't able to turn my screen off after a while (chief complaint)). We will see how the new one being shipped to me turns out. I should get it on Tues.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
A lot of good info since I've went to bed!

Erusman, you are brave my friend! I don't keep mine in a leather case so I can't do what you did. I will continue to mod when I get off of work. I really really want to find a workable solution today! I want to use my Prime, and it just sitting there with the screen off makes me sad :P

As far as light bleed goes

Guys when you remove the back shell, you have total access to the screen! The bleeding is caused by the screen being stressed/too tight, flexing, ect. It can mostly be adjusted out almost 100% I noticed that mine is virtually gone now too. I'll play with the LCD panel some more as well.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Scott1620:
Good point, to boost wifi, you could bypass the internal antenna and run something like this stuck to the back. So tempted to try this, even though I get acceptable wifi range for my apartment...
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Really good question SmartAs$phone. I was wondering whether the foam strips were conductive (doubt it) or not or whether they do line up exactly where the copper tabs are. Erusman, can you make sure that this is the situation? In theory the copper tabs should conduct to the aluminium back plate so it acts as a grounded backplane.....perhaps this is the problem? Just ensuring that the copper tabs conduct to the aluminium backplate may be the first step. The signal path from the pogopin is via a track on the pcb to the GPS chipset.

Next step - Pogopins for RF are not a good idea and we still have not totally eliminated that as the issue. I would try and bypass the pogopins using a coax rf cable and attach to the U.FL connectors on the pcb. (search for U.fl flylead cables on the google machine). While it may not be totally necessary that the copper backplane tabs connect with the aluminium backplane, as the shielding conductor of the coax provides this connection, the original transformer even with the coax shield grounded, ASUS makes sure of a good signal ground by soldering to a copper tab and then ensuring that the tab conducts with the metal chassis (the prime uses the back plate as a chassis). Refer my previous entry and attached photos.

Not sure if I have articulated this well??

Just as a general comment about this thread - is there a way to focus input? There are a lot of distractions: light bleed, power charging circuit hummmmm, whether GPS is important to you - who friggin cares etc., that distract from the real issue in trying to identify the cause for weak GPS and WiFi signal reception. Anyone want to take this offline and email directly concentrating on finding a solution? Happy to do so.

---------- Post added at 09:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 AM ----------

Spot on Scot1620. I would use the u.fl connectors and cable to bypass the pogopins and connect with the existing Prime antennae as per my previos comment....I am pretty sure thay are not the design issue...it is a connectivity issue...willing to bet my left testicle on that, particularly given the squeeze technique.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Lol this is true. I think people are excited that we're actually inside of the prime now and can now fix the small QC issues by adjusting screws, grounding, adding antennas, ect :p

---------- Post added at 09:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 AM ----------

That is more than likely going to work (heck, even a small wire outside of the case works!), however when you start re-routing wires/antennas outside of the case then the prime loses it's sleek smooth look. For those of you who don't mind having things hanging outside of the prime then this is an option. This is not an option for me, as I want to retain the stock look :D

We'll keep working on this. I'm sure there will be a solution soon! I have noticed there is quite a bit of room inside of the case so if it does turn out that there needs to be some added/smaller circuitry, it may work. Routing wires on the inside is absolutely not an issue.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
wgr73 - do you still have the back off of your prime? if so, can you see if the foam strips line up and prevent the copper tabs on the antenna pcs from contacting the aluminium backplate?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mrmark93:
I have one, but these style antenna's are 'Active' or powered; they run off of a small DC voltage supplied by the 'receiver'. Since the TP's GPS antenna is a passive device, connecting one of those to the path of connection for the OE antenna, they won't work. If there is an alternate connection designed for external antenna (not likely) that could work.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Yes I do. I'm not at home right now but I will check this as soon as I get home. My inclination is that they are making contact with the back case but I'll confirm when I can.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mrokeefe:
Didn't think of fixing light bleed! My lil bit that I had is now gone.

Good catch bro

Modded by MBOK
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] benefit14snake:
Did you also just tighten the screws?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mrokeefe:
Yuppers. Having this thing open has let a lot of us fix some minor things as well.

I really like where this thread has been heading....

Edit: I should say more like tweaked my screws. I loosened then reseated till it looked and felt right

Modded by MBOK
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] micaman:
If possible could you try to connect a small piece of rg6 coax to the pogo pin and let it rest inside the back plate. Something similar to this:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Sure! Thats a little too big. Link me to a smaller coax cable and I'll see if I can get some.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Great thanks wgr73. Can you also please confirm that there two U.fl type connectors on the pcb. It looks like it on the photos, but it would be nice to confirm.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Will do!!!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Not sure what just soldering co-ax to the pogopin is going to do?? certianly not going to do a lot when the prime is closed backup again.

Scot1620 is onto something available off amazon. U.fl connectors with flyleads and antennas for wifi. I would connect these to both the Wifi and GPS connectors on the pcb (plesae confirm that they are connectors) cut off the antennae then solder to the Primes original antennae pcb. this will bypass the pogopins.

Or just leave the wifi antenna on the flylead cables. Place the antenna under the plastic bezel as is and see what you get.This may not work for the GPS as it uses a different frequency (requiring a different antenna design).
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] green750one:
What about using an antenna like this http://www.mightygps.com/oem/dielectricantenna.htm it's 2mm thick and might fit inside the case. Have no idea what reception would be like but it seems bit more designed than the stock antenna?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
They are NOT U.fl connectors unfortunately. There is a U.fl connector where the secondary wifi connects to it's antenna however that is what links it to the first antenna.

'Tis a shame but they are definitely not U.fl. :(
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Thanks for confirming that.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Dang!..Thanks Doktaphex. What are they?...can you post a macro photo of them...thanks! Do you think it would be possible to solder onto them with coax? We need to get onto the signal conductor AND the shield. We need to shield the signal conductor so it does not act like a detuned antenna - bad thing. The idea here is to ensure that the signal conductor does NOT pick up any interference or signal. Its the tuned antennas job to do that. Once the antenna recieves the signal (tuned specifically for that frequency) we need to protect that signal and get it back to the GPS chipset.

In any event we could use use one u.fl connector to bypass the auxillary antenna pogopin and solder directly to the primes aux pcb antenna or for that matter from the u.fl connector to the main antenna (longer flylead). This will test the wifi connection.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
From what I read elsewhere, they are some kind of testing point. I have tried attaching the same makeshift antenna to them that I have been using with the pogo pins and I get nothing.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
From the teardown photos they look like they connect to the pogopins via a pcb track. Can you please test the continuty between the pogopins and the center pin of the testing point? Do you have a mutlimeter? Similar for the shield conductor (assuming the testing pont has one - hence the need for a photo) to the backplane... anywhere on the aluminium should work.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] aznmode:
I said this yesterday but I guess everyone was too caught up with the gps lol. Common fix for TVs too. I hate light bleed.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
Sorry no multi-meter here. Used to have one, and I have no idea where it went. Come to think of it, I think my old boss killed it and never bought my another one. :(
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] jimh1943:
I apologize for my lack of postingf skills. New to the forum and Android - got my TP from BB two weeks ago and want to be somewhat assured that it is a keeper before my return period runs out today -- that said -- I just read a post at "TransformerForums" where a guy sent his in to "Aaron's team in Calif" and now his wifi is fine and gps birds are in the green. Sorry, but I cannot post links -- yet! I tried

Of course he does not know what was done - hardware or software. But you would not think that Aaron is going into rma's and soldering wires etc..??? Maybe put in a firmware fix??? Sure would be nice to get an update that would put us in the "green"...!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] BarryH_GEG:
OP, you should re-title this thread. Based on all the work you guys have done it doesn't really reflect what's being discussed. Something along the lines of "Opened My Prime - Design and Work Around Discussion" will probably get more people reading it and is closer to where the thread is today. Just a suggestion.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] monkey10120:
I agree. It should be set up like a development thread with the first post being updated with vids and pics.

also i think im going to attempt opening my prime tonight just to remove the light bleeding now that people have said they can almost remove it completely. Im just worried about prying it apart. the video makes it look like hes going to break the thing. Whats some easy ways of separating the 2 halfs?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Ride525:
+1

Although I'm not sure OP can change the title, I thought I looked at doing this before, and couldn't figure out how to do it....
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Skullmonkey:
I concur with this. The more people we can get reading, the more we can push ASUS into maybe fixing all of this once and for all!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Nomad 666:
subscribed.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Yep, it needs a re-title! :D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] demandarin:
It can be done and its easy. Just edit original post. Press advanced options. N there you have it. Allows you to change thread title.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] buxtahuda:
Most definite need to CENTRALIZE INFO

Oh geez!

42 pages later... And I'm pretty knowledgeable about things I've never even particularly thought of -.- Thank you all so much! I've linked this to rootzwiki, suppose I could make sure that phandroid and such are linked as well if they aren't?

So, I'm certainly keeping my C1 now as I think I'll tinker with the rest of you ^.^ Need to fix very minor light bleed, but that's off topic, especially considering the need for a bit more order in here eh?

As soon as I reread, compile, and get to trying, I can assimilate a lot of this information into some kind of organized state. Certainly the thread name needs changing, or all relevant information put into a new one by the OP or with due credit to. And everything has got to get put on at least one page, it was torture getting through it all, but still so good. Can't say how excited I am!

Will read at work and get to work after work ;) Kudos to all!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
wgr73, do you have a multimeter? Hoping to confirm conductivity between the test points and the pogopins....it seems it should be the case but never assume. Any chance you or Doktaphex can take a close-up of the test points? I am also assuming connectivity between both wifi pogopins and their respective test point. Thanks guys!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Doktaphex:
My Prime is currently uploading photos to dropbox to earn me more space.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/0...oads-get-up-to-5gb-of-extra-storage-for-free/

I will see what I can do later. :D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
I do. I'll check right now.

As a side note I'm thinking I'm going to put my prime back together. I hate having this thing apart. I am never going to use GPS, just thought it'd be cool to look at. Wifi seems more important so I'll look more into that. I really need an experimental prime or something, lol, not a person item I use daily.

---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:26 PM ----------

So the silver padding on the back case of the prime that makes contact with the antennas is conductive and is also grounded. I confirmed this using my multimeter and several grounds on the prime.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Ride525:
Thanks demandarin.

Hopefully OP will see this and change title to something like: "I opened my Prime, and WiFi and GPS working better"
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Great thanks wgr73. I appreciate you wanting to put your prime back together. If we can determine the problem it may alleviate issues for both GPA and WIFI. Potentially the same theory.

So we have confirmed that the antenna grounding tabs connect to the grounded backplane. This is what they should be doing. GOOD....We are still left with the pogopins and need more detail on the test points as a potential location to solder rf coax. Remember we need to protect the signal conductor from interference so we need sheilded grounded cable - coax.

Can you please do a continuity check with your multimeter from the wifi test point outer casing to earth and from the centre test point contact to the wifi pogopins? Much appreciated.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mrmark93:
...."we need sheilded grounded cable - coax" ... of the correct impedance. Probably 50 Ohms, but I'm not sure, and not all coax is the same impedance.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] roach48:
I have read a number of threads not all but alot,is everyone having problems with there 201 or is it just a few.i mean gps & wifi thats not good, as much as I want to get one I think I will wait,maybe asus in tawain will do something.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wgr73:
Center of pogo to wifi conductive pad = no continuity.

Remember though that under the pogo pin there is a single pad, only 1 signal. So the center of the pogo is the same as the outer of the pogo.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] aznmode:
Would the same coax off a RC 2.4ghtz receiver work?

http://www.rfmall.com/mm5/merchant....=RM&Product_Code=cb113_2ipx_24&Category_Code=

On my acer a100 it seems to use the same coax for wifi. I dont recall if the gps was the same.

http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...67-acer-iconia-tab-a100-teardown-img_0265.jpg

The grey coax goes up and to the side. Now I dont recall if that was wifi or gps.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Thenits:
Thanks wgr73. I understand that the pogopin only carries the signal - one conductor....no ground.

What I am after is more info on the test point U7907 (see attched photo). the middle centre pin should be connected to the pogopin....you can see the pcb track leading to the pogopin. the outer casing of the testpoint SHOULD be grounded. If I can get more specifications and details on the test point maybe we can find a connector for it so we can have a coax flylead soldered to the antenna bypassing the pogopin altogether.

I have also attached a close up photo of a u.fl male that I originally thought the U7907 and U7905 were. attached is also a photo of a female.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Erusman:
Ok, title fixed. thanks guys!