OT: Saga of my quest for a small plastic spare part

the google translate app on a phone can translate in realtime withe camera

Nice. Now that you've pointed it out, I remember seeing a demo of that app quite some time ago.

Thing is, I don't have a smartphone. In fact, I seldom use any kind of mobile phone. I have several wired phones around the house plus a Panasonic cordless phone. I do most of my phone communications with those.

Not sure if BenQ even is in the monitor business anymore after the BenQ-Siemens collapse. You may just have to make that part.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

A few minutes after posting, I checked my mail and was pleasantly surprised to see a reply from the Taiwanese site. So at least one of my attempts to submit the online form was successful.

The let-down came when I saw that the mail was a no-reply acknowledgement saying that my submission /"coincides with the

228 National Holidays"/ and that /"BenQ Customer Service Center has suspended the service.........We will reply to you as soon as possible after work hours."/ 228 days of holiday?? Off to Wikipedia. Ah, it means February 28

- a day of past national tragedy, somewhat like the American

9/11. *BUT* 2-28 was more than 2 weeks ago. I wonder what calendar they follow.

Eagle Plastic Parts Inc is a good source; quite a nice variety off the shelf. From the BabyBird (GooGull):

Just a sample..

...................

I'm afraid it's not something I could make myself. Here's the image I sent to BenQ support -

I suppose I could make something functional, but it would definitely be a kludge.

At least BenQ still seems to be making monitors. They're offering many different models.

I don't think such sites will have the part I need. Nor is it worth the price they're likely to ask for a one-off order, not to speak of the shipping cost to India.

I'd probably just put a plate with six panel-mounted pushbuttons in there :-)

I never saw any in the US.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

can't just super glue the buttons to their switches, or run a piece of tape over them to keep them in place like a membrane keyboard?

That seems to be the only solution - if I can work up the energy to do it. The switches themselves are OK but they're not the general-purpose 6x6mm type. They're on a slim piece of pcb which is wedged onto that crushed set of plastic buttons and are connected to the logic board by an FRC via a ZIF socket. I'll probably have to make another PCB and fit a set of a different type of switch. *And* find a way to fit the pcb to the bezel.

I thought of doing something like that at first but rejected the idea as impracticable. Each button is individually connected to the common frame by two thin slivers of plastic acting like springed hinges. These are all twisted and/or broken now. Even the act of straightening them is sure to break off the ones that are still attached. No glue - at least not the types I can get - will hold them for long.

but is those small "hinges" really needed or are they just there to keep the buttons on place during assembly?

The hinges act as return springs and also keep the buttons in place. There's nothing else to keep the buttons from falling off.

The redneck close to zero-cost fix would be this: Cut a rectangle out of a thick inner tube. The kind the farmer down the street took out of his tractor when it blew a tire. Or from an older motorcycle. Slit it so there will be six flaps of equal width like the old buttons. Drill and screw that in. If the membrane buttons underneath need a more pointy push area drill six holes and cinch in plastic screws.

I recently did something similar with plastic from a Sterilite box that I had left over from a job where I cut sections out. If flexes quite well, especially when filed down a bit at the bends.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Don't know if this helps, the part number is different for the keyboard and its in Canada.

If the link doesn't work its item #132447431260 on Ebay.com

Neutral cure silicone caulk is marvelous stuff, it's stretchy, benign to electronics, and indoors will probably out-last the monitor.

Sugru is another option.

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This email has not been checked by half-arsed antivirus software

OK, I do have silicone, the kind used for sealing aquaria. I'll try that if I don't hear anything more from BenQ.

The "KEY BOARD P/N : 5D.L0R44.001" item on the list seems to be the small pcb with the six control switches mounted on it. What I need is the set of six plastic buttons that press on those switches.

Be careful. Some of the silicone used for aquarium repair has a high acetic acid content. It's not very good for the electronics.