How to Fix pressed down L/R key on PSP and tips when Changing Your PSP Case/ Housing

Recently, i bought used PSP 3006 for IDR 450.000 ($37). It was on horrible outer condition. Case was old and damaged, especially on screen case, which is very distracting. So i look for brand new case or full housing for PSP 3006. I bought for IDR 175.000 ($14) for brand new non original full housing PSP case. It was already included full screw for replacement, although you can use your old screws.

When the new housing came, i got so excited, and i did my first mistake, i peeled off the plastic cover that cover the outer case. You need to pull of that plastic, but do only with back cover. DO NOT PULL OFF PLASTIC COVER IN FACEPLATE, because i did, and it ended up scratched my Screen. Oh God...

I will not explain to you how to breakdown your psp entirely, but rather what you should not do when changing your PSP housing.

First question is, do you really need to change all of the case? Because in my case, actually i only need to change the faceplate, which is safest and easiest if you don't have any experience with changing the PSP housing. But i am a greedy man, and arrogant one, i want to may PSP back to it's glory, so i go all the way change the full housing, using only tutorial on the internet. I think the best tutorial you can find in ifixit.com. It explain with pictures so you can easily understand it. That's what i thought at first, it's easy.

But do not be fooled with it. Not all PSP model is the same, even with same type, for example my PSP is 3006. I got no difficulty to open the faceplate. But when it's opened and i'm starting to tear down the lcd, it's really difficult to take it off. I seek every tutorial and they say i only need to push the left downside of lcd to the right.

As you can see in the picture above, the red circle one is the one that you have notice. UNSCREW the screw where the circle is. My LCD was locked because of this screw, and none of the tutorial told me so, and it ended up with i broke the lock. Fortunately to me, it has nothing to do with anything when the lock is broken. But later i ended in bigger regret.



When i could not take off the LCD because of the lock, i tried to pull of the LCD with the screwdriver.
DO NOT DO EXCESSIVELY PULL OF THE LCD WITH SCREWDRIVER, whatever you do, do not use excessive force on your LCD. Handle your LCD with care. LCD is very fragile. If you feel that is hard to take it off, i recommend to abort what were you doing, and let it be done with someone with more skill.

After i finally can take off my LCD, i got no difficulty afterwards. I reassemble my PSP on new housing perfectly. First thought when it's reassembled i was so relieved. But not for long. I switched it on and i know that i made huge mistake, my LCD was cracked. Yes it's because i tried to pull it of with screwdriver.

After one night regretting my stupidity, i tried to find LCD replacement. The cheapest i can find in my country is IDR 275.000 ($22). It cost almost half of my original price of PSP that i bought. There was this says in my country, "Pengalaman itu mahal harganya", or "Experience is Expensive" in English. Well, lesson learned, but my PSP wont be fixed by itself. I bought it and start to fixed it.

When the new replacement LCD came, i handled it with extremely careful, even to much. BTW, look carefully when buying your replacement for your LCD. My PSP 3006, has 2 types of LCD, so look carefully which is yours. It can be noticed in your LCD ribbon cable pattern. I got no problem with changing the LCD, because once you teardown your PSP, you can do it again easily.

After my LCD changed and my PSP reasembled, it's time for revival. I turned it On and voila! It works. I relieved because i knew i'm not screwed up. But then i was hit by another thing. The LCD has some dead pixel. God, help me. But then i look at the bright side, it still can be played, that's how i cheered myself, but not for long.

Another thing hit me down again. My L and R button was pressed all the time! Oh God, another test. I was getting desperate after this happened. But then again, hey, it's only a button, then i looked up for the answer. I was shocked when i read it caused by screwdriver when i peeled of the button. Take a look at the image below.

It was sticky, and to much sticky because the adhesive is quite strong, so i did my mistake here. I try to peeled of using flathead screwdriver by poking it off. DO NOT POKE IT OFF USING THE SCREWDRIVER. Use your nail, or something else, you need to do it carefully. Here is simple illustration about what happened with your button.

Below the rubber button, the ribbon cable is folded with two sensors. It may not like it, but it's folded, and quite tricky to open the folding, just remember to not force it, otherwise it will teared up.The top sensor is orange and bottom sensors is red (not the actual color). When this two collide, it means that the button is pressed down. And what happened when i poke the button to pull it off is, the bottom side of the ribbon cable was folded up, so the red sensors is always collide with orange sensor. What i did to fix it was really simple. I slip a piece of paper in between the sensors. Remember, DO NOT BLOCK the sensors and thickness of paper is slim enough. That's it, reasemble the PSP again and i turned it On.

It works! Even with slightly scratched screen, some dead pixels, and quite hard L and R button (because my paper is too thick, and i'm lazy to changed it), it feels nice to play on it. Sorry for my bad English.
Cheers!

Image source:
http://hackaday.com
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/
https://www.ifixit.com/