What's that connector?

**etienne** · 11-09-2011, 04:02 PM

Yesterday I broke plastic thing of a connector. I would like to repair it, but I don't even know the name of the wire. That is the wire for the 8 buttons (home, customs...). Here is the picture of the connector:

From whazzup

So any ideas how I could replace it? It's really bothering. No more landscape mode and home.

**Jamie-B** · 11-09-2011, 05:14 PM

All I can suggest is Google imaging '8 pin connector' and trying to find something that looks the same. I'm getting no matches so far. If you can name what it's plugged into, that would help a search.

**BlacKnight** · 11-10-2011, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by etienne

Yesterday I broke plastic thing of a connector. I would like to repair it, but I don't even know the name of the wire. That is the wire for the 8 buttons (home, customs...).

This type of cable is usually called Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) or Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). The cable type is AWM 2896 80C VW-1. The connector is Surface Mount (SMD or SMT), i.e. the pads solder flat onto the surface of the Printed Circuit Board. You can search any electronic component distributor's site for FFC/FPC. Try your local Farnell, for example. You need to know the number of conductors (8-way) and the conductor pitch. It looks like 0.5mm to me, but you should measure it accurately yourself to be sure. Also be mindful of the footprint. The pads are all in a line, whereas some connectors have staggered pads. You will find it challenging to solder a 0.5mm pitch component, if you are not experienced. You will need a very fine soldering iron.

Are you sure it is broken? You may have just disengaged the connector. Try pushing the flat cable back into the connector housing & then reseating the black plastic locking part.

**etienne** · 11-11-2011, 12:36 PM

Thanks for your quick response! I don't know what I could do without you!! Actually this isn't really the connector, but the black thing that keeps the cable. Without it, it's not really possible to connect the cable.

I will try to find something. It's quite bothering also, because I can't play podcast anymore with my headphone and it doesn't go in sleep mode.

2 months I bought it...

**etienne** · 11-14-2011, 09:27 PM

Do you know what's the name of the black locking part? I will try to buy it on ebay

**BlacKnight** · 11-15-2011, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by etienne

Do you know what's the name of the black locking part? I will try to buy it on ebay

The black locking part is an integral component of the connector. You won't be able to buy one separately from the connector. But you might be able to remove it from a new connector and insert it into the connector housing in your Eee Note. I don't know what the manufacturer would call the black part.

I don't see any maker's mark on the connector, so I don't know who it is manufactured by. This makes it difficult to locate an exact replacement.

If you can't identify the exact replacement part, then you would have to remove the old connector & replace it with a compatible one from an alternative manufacturer. But that will be very difficult because of the fine pitch of the connector.

An alternative approach would be to see if you can repair the connector. The black locking part has to provide a continuous downward pressure on the FFC, to press the cable conductors onto the connector pads to make a reliable electrical contact. Maybe you could insert something springy, like foam or rubber, between the black part & the cable, and hold the black part in place with glue or tape or hot-melt, etc? It's difficult to know without seeing it, so I'm just guessing.

Does the keypad work if you hold the black plastic part in place? If so, then that would indicate that you can probably repair it.