Med-Psych.com

BigG wrote:My less than 2 year old Mino HD suddenly stopped powering on. I read the online info and even contacted the FlipShare people for advice. The general consensus was to reset it by shoving a paper clip into the hole in the bottom which I did many times. Occasionally, after numerous tries, it would suddenly power up, but the next time I tried to use it, it was dead until I repeated the procedure again. The FlipShare people suggested that I reset (paper clip) it and then charge it without turning it on first, but that didn't help. Finally, they told me to send it to them, and for around $80, they would repair it. Being cheap and of engineering mentality, I decided to take it apart. There are 2 small screws under the labels on the bottom. I removed the screws carefully by lifting a corner of each label and peeling it back without destroying it. Once the screws were out I pried the cover off revealing a circuit board and the screen. Attached to the circuit board is a small ribbon cable connecting to the pried off cover, which I carefully disconnected from the circuit board. It pulls out. Next I removed the 4 tiny black screws holding the circuit board down. Once the screws were removed I gently lifted the circuit board from the bottom, easing out the TV connector to reveal the battery. I only lifted the bottom of the circuit board about a quarter inch at the bottom to reveal the battery, the top was still connected. There I found the problem. The battery has 3 terminals which are nothing more than exposed metal squares. The circuit board has 3 metal tabs that press against the battery when it is screwed in place. There are no wired connections between the battery and the circuit board. With a Q-tip containing a little alcohol, I cleaned the 3 connections on the battery. Using a very small screwdriver, I "gently" bent the circuit board connectors with so they could make better contact with the battery once the mino was reassembled. Next, I put it back together. The ribbon cable slides about an eighth inch back into the slot on the circuit board. Now, when I press the power button, it turns on. It's been working ever since. The problem, in my opinion, seems to be a bad design. The circuit board, after a while, fails to make proper contact with the battery probably because of either lost tension on the connectors, or tarnished connectors. Reestablishing good contact between the circuit board and the battery did the trick, at least in my case.