Trying to FIX: Amazon Tablet and iPad

Hi, this 'trying to fix' video shows me attempting to repair my friend's faulty Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablet and an Apple iPad Mini 2. The Amazon tablet doesn't charge so can't power up. The Apple iPad shows a cable and asks to connect to iTunes.
Sorry there is no quick version of this video.
Remember that this is just for entertainment and I am not an expert in these repairs. The processes in the video may not be the best way, the correct way or the safest way to fix these things.
I do love fault finding and trying to fix broken things so I hope that comes across in this 'Trying to FIX' series.
Many thanks, Vince.

[thomasesr]

After soldering a new chip, bga, on the board you should always test the nearby capacitors for short just to make sure you didn't short any power pins.

[FoolishVids]

"I would've thought that would've been replaceable".

Welcome to the world of Apple product repairs.

[alext]

Vince's ability to find information and comprehend it is admirable. It took me two days to put a barbecue together. He drills into things and forges on. Amazing.

[jeremyowen]

"Is this soldered into the board?"


Apple: Think Different.

[AdamKeyz]

Because iTunes is unable to read the serial number from the iPad it would point to be being a NAND issue.

Better repair shops will have a NAND programmer to hand but judging by the way this iPad was put back together it was not sent to a good repair shop.

Any decent repair centre will still put a device back together properly even if they deem it not repairable or not economically viable.

Missing screws and not reattaching the battery is sloppy work, fixable or not, and it doesn’t seem like any attempt was made to re-ball or reprogram the NAND which to any decent repair centre would be the obvious thing to do.

Apple devices can be really finicky and often using a different USB cable or a different USB port on your computer can get a restore working.

I also had an iPad recently that refused to be restored with iTunes on Windows with a similar 4xxx error code but restored first time on a Mac so it’s always good practice to try those steps if possible before anything else.

[TonyVeart]

Thank you Vince for the tip about the lithium battery charger. I have a few MP3 players that might not now need new batteries.

[MrYogebear]

I think you should start putting an Amazon associates link for a soldering iron, heat gun ect in the description. Watching your videos got me back into soldering and I would have been happy for you to earn the commission, not sure how much you do these videos for the money but it was down to you I bought them so I'm sure there are others

[fgbhrl]

@13:00 That sticker is an RFID tag. It's used for inventory purposes by amazon.

[DannyWilliamH]

Old video but for anyone seeing this in the future, a tip for these Amazon Fire Tablets:

The problem is almost always the charge port or battery. Honestly, 95% of the time. I've fixed many and all were one of the two.

I've fixed multiples where simply resoldering the charge port "fixed" it. I use quotes because the only fault is that Amazon builds these things as cheaply as possible and the solder broke the connection to the port, not allowing it to ever charge beyond 1%.

A few others had bad batteries like this here in the video and, tbh, a reppacement battery is about as much as a new tablet (by design) so you may as well buy a new tablet unless you have a spare battery on hand.

To end, those Fire Tablets are made with toothpicks and bubblegum. They aren't made to last long but when they do go it's usually an easy fix. Amazon just expects you to buy another by making 75% of the tablets cost come by way of the battery alone.

[Diego_Borges]

I had so much faith you would fix both... Hope you get to fix it one day

[spex]

It's taken a while for the TP4056 to arrive, but I hadn't forgotten where I first saw it. It's now charging the Kindle up from 3.34 v, what a handy bit of kit, thanks.

[MrRewdtv]

I think it would be a worthy video, to show your viewers a tutorial on that charging board, how you wired it, and how it works

[steve]

those logic apple boards are very well designed. Amazing how many chips they can stuff on them and so close together.

[Whigu]

If the repair shop lost screws and didn't even connect the battery back I wouldn't trust much about their skills to fix anything.

[pud]

Had the same problem with my Lenovo I had left in my bag for months wouldn’t accept a charge ordered the wee charger for about £2, followed what you done, bingo !!! Switched on and charging no problems cheers mate great video

[elitesnowyyt]

5:57 Thats the Recovery mode screen. It says you got to connect it to iTunes to restore or update the iPad.

[Yoldark]

I was literally going to bed but... hey there is a "My Mate VINCE" video !! I guess i will going to sleep late so :P

[philtaylor]

Ello Vince. That Fire tablet can be used as an Alexa device with screen, like the Echo show. Have a quick Google and it will tell you what to do to set it up. :)

[FennecTECH]

I’m one that enjoys your non organic fault finding too. Its neat to see you fix the worse ones

[Blacklab]

Similar problems with our iPad mini. Changed the charging port cable which is very cheap. Tricky soldering job. Guides on YouTube. This cable does all communications and there are many connections. Problem sorted.