X3 buzz/hum ....solution?

Astounded EEG · 12-22-03, 05:07 PM

so, I like many others this holiday season have rewarded myself with an Axim X3i. Officially I am merely trying it out and may send it back to Dell under warranty in keeping with my budget, but quite honestly I am very taken with it.

The biggest problem I have is this annoying high pitched buzzing/humming sound coming from the screen area (not the backlight). Many others have reported this problem before me and I would do a search but I'm on the mobile site right now. I searched a little when I was on a PC earlier, but didn't come up with any great answers.

Basically I am wondering if anyone found a solution for this problem, and/or a cause. The X3i did not do this at first, and I don't think it's software related because the sound started somewhat after the last program installation (as opposed to right after). I wouldn't rule software out though. So, is there a quick fix? It's loud enough to give me a headache if I use the X3i too much, and it's focused exactly where my head is during normal use (i.e., directly in front of the screen, about 2-3 feet). The sound is far less audible if the screen is not facing you.

One fellow who had this problem wound up sending it back. Pleeeeeease tell me I won't have to do that.....

I am also finding the wifi blister list incredibly annoying, but hopefully a rubber band and some opaque card board (as opposed to, you know, transparent card board) will do the trick. Totally in love with the screen and the size of the unit. I have the X3 KB as well, and i think I like it better than the X5's, though they are almost identical. Dell actually shortened the space bar on this KB, adding a Home function key on the left side, which is totally worthless. However, the keys seem to have a better feel and the space bar itself is more responsive towards the edges. On the other hand, this may simply be a function of my X5 KB being nearly a year old.

anyway, the high-pitched whine. any solutions!?! thanks

aviationwiz · 12-22-03, 07:45 PM

I can't hear any noise at all on my X3i, even if I put it right up directly to my ear...

I also don't find the blue light with WiFi on annoying at all.

joelw135 · 12-22-03, 08:01 PM

Same here, the light is not annoying at all, and no hum or buzz.

MrKlaatu · 12-23-03, 01:58 AM

Faint "humming" or "buzzing" coming from the screen is intrinsic to PDA/LCD Screens. The buzzing sound is caused by the screen's flyback transformer (to power the sidelite tube) and is normal.

Astounded EEG · 12-23-03, 06:00 AM

None of the X5s I have owned have made a high-pitched whine from their screens. In fact, no other LCD I have ever used made this whining sound. I can hear a hum coming from my X5's backlight, but the X3 is different in that I can hear the whine up to 3 feet away from the screen whereas I need my ear right up against the X5 to hear anything.

It drives me nuts in quiet environments. Others have reported this problem as well. has no one found a solution?

I should repeat that this whine was not there in the first few minutes of use of the X3i, it started one time I turned it on and hasn't gone away since.

tsax95 · 12-23-03, 10:50 AM

My X3i has never had the hum or whine from the screen as you describe- knock on wood. You may have to excercise the warranty.

paolobeltran · 12-23-03, 11:54 AM

My first X3i had this buzzing problem, and at first it did not bother me, but then I became focused on the buzzing so the thing became more annoying than it should have been. In a really quiet room, you can hear it. I e-mailed Dell and told them about the problem, and after two e-mail exchanges, they just told me they are sending me a new unit. I have since received that new unit (which took two days) and now no more buzzing.

shamran · 12-26-03, 08:06 AM

Mine is doing it (3xi) ! My Palm zire71/XII is doing it (infact quite high .. an anoing), my Psion mx5 was doing it (it is dead now) ... BUT keep in mind some pepole can't hear it. My wife can't but 2 of my freinds can. .... and as above .. it is normal BUT if it is really loud I would get a swapout !

TWave · 01-05-04, 01:16 AM

AHHHH what the $%^&!!! Mine (X3i) started doing it the other day.. I've had it since November... In normal use situations you can't hear it. However I was trying to use mine in bed last night. It gave me a headache of the worst kind! Calling Dell tomorrow..

I've already had it exchanged once because of the "creaking" case.. not another exchange....

xciton · 01-07-04, 01:36 PM

Unless someone knows for sure, I'm pretty sure the X3i does not use electroluminescence to light it's display (unlike some other Pokcet PC's). You needed a high-voltage switching transformer to step up the voltage (100-200V or so). I beleive the X3's have bright white LED's at the bottom of the screen. It uses PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to control the brightness. If you turn up the brightness all the way and look at the bottom, you can see 4 or 5 emmiters producing the light.

I'd suggest the buzzing/humming is comming from the touch screen scanning hardware. This was the case with older HP calculators. The airgap between the top and bottom of the contacts were "vibrating" at just the right frequency.

A Suggestion, try placing part of your hand/palm on the display and see if that changes to intensity of the buzzing.

# Xciton

reabsco · 01-07-04, 02:19 PM

EEG,
Need to call airborne... I had the same problem and it will only get worse.

xciton · 01-07-04, 03:39 PM

It could also be the DC-DC converters needed for some 5V or other voltages.

dennisw · 01-07-04, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xciton
I'd suggest the buzzing/humming is comming from the touch screen scanning hardware. This was the case with older HP calculators. The airgap between the top and bottom of the contacts were "vibrating" at just the right frequency.

A Suggestion, try placing part of your hand/palm on the display and see if that changes to intensity of the buzzing.

# Xciton

My X3i is experiencing th buzzing/whining from the screen and I can hear a slight change in the frequency (or amplitude perhaps) of the sound, when pressing on the display. This might confirm the suggestion that it is definitely to do with the screen and thus an issue of the hardware.

I am curious to hear from others who have returned their units and if the buzzing is present in the replacement unit.

Astounded EEG · 01-07-04, 08:39 PM

My X3i is already boxed up so i can't try this now, but I know for sure that the sound continues even with the backlight turned off, and I'm not sure but I think I even turned off the screen entirely (using a screen toggle utility) and it persisted....

....or maybe I dreamed that. anyway, I am quite certain it is not the backlight's fault. I wouldn't rule out the touch-sensitivity-mechnism-layer-thing, though.

kringle · 01-23-04, 09:55 AM

My X3 started buzzing last night after peeling an aftermarket sticky screen cover off the screen. It is very irritating. My wife's X3 is not buzzing nearly as much. Pressing the screen does cause a change in the pitch. Does anyone think the screen will settle back out? or do I have to return the unit?

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