Remove capacitive button light (phone surgery)

[nexialbinding]

After owning a 920 for nearly a year, I've gotten absolutely sick of having my visual experience ruined every time the sun goes down. Who thought it was a good idea to turn the button lights on in the dark? They're brighter than the sun and while the screen automatically dims in a dark room to spare my eyesight, these things continue to burn a hole in my retinas. Why bother putting in a beautiful ClearBlack layer to preserve the inky blacks on the screen when these ruin your view every time you'd be in a position to judge the black levels anyway? The only way to shut them off is to turn on Battery Saver, which cripples the phone and makes you unable to automatically sync email, among other hindrances.

For that reason, I'm willing to open up my 920 and pull parts out until it is physically incapable of producing light for those buttons. Does anyone know how these buttons are backlit and whether a light could simply be removed from the phone? I'm looking for anyone with some 920 surgical experience.

Below, for your viewing pleasure, is a picture of the eyesore.

 

[bozza72]

I feel your pain, i used black tape at night for a while, have you looked at this video
Nokia Lumia 920 Disassembly & Assembly - Screen & Case Replacement - YouTube

be interested to see what you come up with .




EDIT just watched this Nokia Lumia 920 Digitizer Glass & LCD (TFT) Display Replacement - YouTube and at 5:58 he says the keys are not replaceable & i don't think you can even get to the light source

 

[nexialbinding]

EDIT just watched this Nokia Lumia 920 Digitizer Glass & LCD (TFT) Display Replacement - YouTube and at 5:58 he says the keys are not replaceable & i don't think you can even get to the light source

Hmm, after looking at that, it does seem unlikely that the backlight can be removed. I guess we'll just have to hold out hope that Microsoft includes an option to turn off the lights in the first 8.1 GDR. But considering people having people have been complaining about this since WP7, I'm not holding my breath. My next Windows Phone will have to be one without backlights.

 

[bozza72]

yep i think they are all going keyless, but i becha some bright spark at microsoft programs the phone to keep them on when the phone is in use