Dropped PRS-505 reader

[mardean29]

I dropped my Sony  PRS - 505 reader onto a hard floor.  It still switches on but the display has move approximately halfway across the screen width to the left.  You can see thatthe menus and books are there, but you can't read them!

Can it be repaired?  I tried a system reset with the shilded pinhole button on the back, but it returns to the same state. 

• Is it economic to repair?
• How much?
• Who / where?  I live in Cornwall; there used to be a Sony store there.
• I have about 85 books on the reader.  Can I get the books, stored on my old laptop, onto my iPad?
• If so, how?  Apple software is horribly obscure.

Any help or advice is welcome.  I tried the online Sony support, but it says it is unavailable.

I can send a picture if that helps

Martin

[carpetmojo]

The drop has sadly almost certainly done for your reader - not a peculiarity to Sony, all readers are pretty fragile when it comes to hard impacts, unless you're lucky !

[ 'Course, I'll now get 1,000's writing in to claim they dropped theirs off the Matterhorn with no problems whatsoever, but ........ ]

Hard or soft resets won't help[, it sounds like the sub-strata layer below the glass outer has been damaged.

The Sony Support seems to be OK , I got as far as Contact Us, and the phone no's and email query forms - did you use the link above ? I've been off Forum for a short while, so unless I've missed something ....

It almost certainly isn't goiung to be economic to repair, it is a costly old job getting a screen replaced, near to the cost of a new device - might as well invest in a T1/T2 , the T1's are still about if you look, and either are excellent devices.

( I fear the Sony Centre would have been of little help, in most people's experience. It is a misconception that these are/were anything to do with Sony Corp - they were totally separate commercial franchises, independent of Sony itself. My own limited contact with them ended when I realised the so-called "assistant" was doing little "advising/assisting" beyond trying to flog me the dearest option available ! Technical knowledge was woeful and inaccurate ..... )

Sorry about the bad news, but hope this helps somehow ...

[mardean29]

Thanks for your advice.  I think you are probably right, but is there a possibility that it's a chip that has come loose?

The display itself seems to be working, but the image is shifted 50% to the left.  Can I send you a picture?

If a chip has become loose, how can I get at the circuit board?  When you take the chromed end plates off, there

seems to be two metal flaps holding the circuit board in place at both top and bottom.

The only way forward seems to be to bend these straight and try to slide the board out, likely to be destructive!  However, I don't have much to lose. The case is extruded aluminium so the board must have been slid in.

It landed flat on the floor, so it seems possible that the shock may have loosened any component that might be pressed back in.

Any ideas?

Finally, have you any know how on getting EPUB & BBeB files from reader library onto an iPad?

[carpetmojo]

A fairly sharp impact, at any angle, is usually enough to mess up most devices, and I think it unlikely a "chip" is dislodged.

But, if you feel you have nowt to lose,( and you're likely to know what you'll be looking at once you get at its' inards !)

press on gaily, fiddle away ....

The 505 is, anyway, quite a few generations old now, (in modern "bung it out" terms, anyway ! ) complicating things re: repair still further.

If you hanker after the feel and heft of the ally case,you might still find a refurb/used 3/650 online, praps even a 505, reasonably priced - although make sure you know what refurb's you're buying. Some of them are retailer, rather than factory, refurbed. Not necesarily the best choice.....

And I confesss I am Appley-ignorant, so praps someone not so tech-dunce as me will help ........

[sehuxle]

To read epubs on your ipad you'll need an epub app, try the app store there are one or two.

You'll need to make sure that the app supports ADE otherwise you won't be able to read any purchased books. I believe bluefire reader does, but you'll need to check.

Also on your reader problem, I agree with carpet and the screen is broken. If you show us a picture we'll have a better idea.

Message was edited by: sehuxle

[mardean29]

You are an absolute hero!

Following your advice, I have been able to recover all my books onto my iPad.  RESULT!!!!

Thank you agin

Martin