Valve Hardware Specifications for Self-repair

[Blind1337nedm]

I recently had an issue with my Steam Deck and found out it was a ribbon cable that had shorted and burnt. I eventually was able to repair the issue myself but I was hoping Valve could be more open with offering the specifications of their products so we can repair these ourselves. I was not able to get the information I needed from support. I needed a 10 pin, 0.5 pitch ZIF ribbon cable to replace inside my steam deck but support was only able to offer me a paid repair service. I'm quite capable of repairing my own devices and I also have a right to do so. I would have had less trouble with repair if I was just told the specs of the ribbon cable I needed.

I don't understand why this is kept like some top secret or classified information. Just let us know the types of parts being used so we can repair them.

[Cathulhu]

https://ifixit.com/Device/Steam_Deck
This is the official partner for replacement parts and they also offer instructions on how to repair your SteamDeck.

[Spawn of Totoro]

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

I don't understand why this is kept like some top secret or classified information. Just let us know the types of parts being used so we can repair them.

Support does not have access to such information. They are mainly intended for billing and account issues.

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Cathulhu：

https://ifixit.com/Device/Steam_Deck
This is the official partner for replacement parts and they also offer instructions on how to repair your SteamDeck.

Thats what support told me.

Can you find any ribbon cables there? I genuinely couldn't :(

Thank you for your comment, but i'm afraid it doesn't address the issue i'm bringing up - it exemplifies it.

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

I don't understand why this is kept like some top secret or classified information. Just let us know the types of parts being used so we can repair them.

Support does not have access to such information. They are mainly intended for billing and account issues.

That's fine, but there should be a way for users to get this information.

[Abe Hiroshi]

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

Support does not have access to such information. They are mainly intended for billing and account issues.

That's fine, but there should be a way for users to get this information.

What information?

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Abe Hiroshi：

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

That's fine, but there should be a way for users to get this information.

What information?

Specifications of parts of Valve's hardware, specifically the Steam Deck

[Mad Scientist]

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

Support does not have access to such information. They are mainly intended for billing and account issues.

That's fine, but there should be a way for users to get this information.

It's usually unnecessary because most users don't need the information. Others with such, tend to cause more damage than repairs so a lot prefer to to give that to support agents by default. Typically, you'll need a long term employee or someone more internal to pass it align, but they may note if you do anything wrong the warranty is void.

Or that you'd have to pay a fine to have the repair done and warranty upheld. Most will void it the second the user damages anything.

[jaymarzec02]

I agree.

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Mad Scientist：

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

That's fine, but there should be a way for users to get this information.

It's usually unnecessary because most users don't need the information. Others with such, tend to cause mrie damage than repairs so a lot prefer to to give that to support agents by default. Typically, you'll need a long term employee or someone more internal to pass it align, but they may note if you do anything wrong the warranty is void.

Or that you'd have to pay a fine to have the repair done and warranty upheld. Most will void it the second the user damages anything.

I don't care about the warranty, I care about the ability and right to repair my own devices. I want to know which parts are used where, and I think that's a fair ask.

I'm not paying over 100$, and waiting several months for something that would take me a couple days to get the part, no longer than an hour to fix, and that costs me no more than 15$.

I think certain specs are probably only for people with a higher skill involving electronics repair and I think people who aren't skilled or confident probably shouldn't repair their own devices. I do also think that I should be able to ask Valve " hey what's this part, I want to order a replacement." And that they should be allowed or able to provide me an answer. They already sell replacement parts through their agreement with Ifixit. why is a ribbon cable too risky, or more risky than replacing a battery, the screen, the joy/thumb stick etc. ?

[Mad Scientist]

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

引用自 Mad Scientist：

It's usually unnecessary because most users don't need the information. Others with such, tend to cause mrie damage than repairs so a lot prefer to to give that to support agents by default. Typically, you'll need a long term employee or someone more internal to pass it align, but they may note if you do anything wrong the warranty is void.

Or that you'd have to pay a fine to have the repair done and warranty upheld. Most will void it the second the user damages anything.

I don't care about the warranty, I care about the ability and right to repair my own devices. I want to know which parts are used where, and I think that's a fair ask.

I'm not paying over 100$, and waiting several months for something that would take me a couple days to get the part, no longer than an hour to fix, and that costs me no more than 15$.

I think certain specs are probably only for people with a higher skill involving electronics repair and I think people who aren't skilled or confident probably shouldn't repair their own devices. I do also think that I should be able to ask Valve " hey what's this part, I want to order a replacement." And that they should be allowed or able to provide me an answer. They already sell replacement parts through their agreement with Ifixit. why is a ribbon cable too risky, or more risky than replacing a battery, the screen, the joy/thumb stick etc. ?

At the same time they're not obligated to supply that information, nor does that information just happen to lay around the office in the 0.1% chance that a customer actually calls and wants it. Such requests typically go to someone in engineering or a longer term employee that knows how to get such resources, but the same is usually true; if you mess up, the warranty will most likely be completely void, and at that point most users typically don't have the tools or knowledge to fix a screwup. So not offering such by default is a disincentive to mess around with the device itself at all unless absolutely necessary.

You can repair it all you'd like, but the chances some random basic low tier outsourced support member will have such information is close to 0% compared to an internal employee or a highly respected remote worker that resides in the HQ Country.

Else, apparently there's this, which I'm amazed they even decided to give such information;

引用自 Cathulhu：

https://ifixit.com/Device/Steam_Deck
This is the official partner for replacement parts and they also offer instructions on how to repair your SteamDeck.

That allows you to get as much information as they've given, which given the site is more appropriate than giving it to random people. It's more of a reduction of workload and picking the right place(s) to put the information, to ensure those that accept the risk without blaming others will be able to fix anything, or for actual repair techs to accept such responsibility. We already have enough people blaming Valve for things users themselves cause afterall.

But those are just the realistic responses to such scenarios.

Use the ifixit page.

[p1n_h34d]

i like repairing the things that i own and already bought. there should be guides, i agree

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Mad Scientist：

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

I don't care about the warranty, I care about the ability and right to repair my own devices. I want to know which parts are used where, and I think that's a fair ask.

I'm not paying over 100$, and waiting several months for something that would take me a couple days to get the part, no longer than an hour to fix, and that costs me no more than 15$.

I think certain specs are probably only for people with a higher skill involving electronics repair and I think people who aren't skilled or confident probably shouldn't repair their own devices. I do also think that I should be able to ask Valve " hey what's this part, I want to order a replacement." And that they should be allowed or able to provide me an answer. They already sell replacement parts through their agreement with Ifixit. why is a ribbon cable too risky, or more risky than replacing a battery, the screen, the joy/thumb stick etc. ?

At the same time they're not obligated to supply that information, nor does that information just happen to lay around the office in the 0.1% chance that a customer actually calls and wants it. Such requests typically go to someone in engineering or a longer term employee that knows how to get such resources, but the same is usually true; if you mess up, the warranty will most likely be completely void, and at that point most users typically don't have the tools or knowledge to fix a screwup. So not offering such by default is a disincentive to mess around with the device itself at all unless absolutely necessary.

You can repair it all you'd like, but the chances some random basic low tier outsourced support member will have such information is close to 0% compared to an internal employee or a highly respected remote worker that resides in the HQ Country.

Else, apparently there's this, which I'm amazed they even decided to give such information;

引用自 Cathulhu：

https://ifixit.com/Device/Steam_Deck
This is the official partner for replacement parts and they also offer instructions on how to repair your SteamDeck.

That allows you to get as much information as they've given, which given the site is more appropriate than giving it to random people. It's more of a reduction of workload and picking the right place(s) to put the information, to ensure those that accept the risk without blaming others will be able to fix anything, or for actual repair techs to accept such responsibility. We already have enough people blaming Valve for things users themselves cause afterall.

But those are just the realistic responses to such scenarios.

Use the ifixit page.

You really aren't understanding.

The Ifixit page offers tons of guides and replacements, and you seem to somehow think it's normal and okay for them to forget a ribbon cable? Bro I just want to know what they are, they don't even have to sell it to me. What logic is there in selling replacement parts for everything, except the delicate ribbon cable that connects them? They already give everything to people, not providing the ribbon cable isn't some tactical solution from valve or ifixit like you've implied, it's simply an oversight.

[Mad Scientist]

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

The Ifixit page offers tons of guides and replacements, and you seem to somehow think it's normal and okay for them to forget a ribbon cable?

It's entirely normal not to list every single part.

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

Bro I just want to know what they are, they don't even have to sell it to me. What logic is there in selling replacement parts for everything, except the delicate ribbon cable that connects them? They already give everything to people, not providing the ribbon cable isn't some tactical solution from valve or ifixit like you've implied, it's simply an oversight.

It's not likely a part that ever becomes damaged thus typically doesn't need replacing thus isn't a listed part. It's not an oversight either, it simply is. The question is how something managed to run so far outside of specification that such damage even happened.

Don't get everything you want, that's just how it is. You can contact ifixit if you want to try finding the specific unlisted part, they might have an idea since one of the cables on a device likely has the specs/model number printed on it.

[Blind1337nedm]

引用自 Mad Scientist：

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

The Ifixit page offers tons of guides and replacements, and you seem to somehow think it's normal and okay for them to forget a ribbon cable?

It's entirely normal not to list every single part.

引用自 Blind1337nedm：

Bro I just want to know what they are, they don't even have to sell it to me. What logic is there in selling replacement parts for everything, except the delicate ribbon cable that connects them? They already give everything to people, not providing the ribbon cable isn't some tactical solution from valve or ifixit like you've implied, it's simply an oversight.

It's not likely a part that ever becomes damaged thus typically doesn't need replacing thus isn't a listed part. It's not an oversight either, it simply is. The question is how something managed to run so far outside of specification that such damage even happened.

Don't get everything you want, that's just how it is. You can contact ifixit if you want to try finding the specific unlisted part, they might have an idea since one of the cables on a device likely has the specs/model number printed on it.

It absolutely is an oversight as they have a section about ZIF cables in the steam deck on ifixit. It's a more likely part to be damaged because it's a fragile ribbon cable that connects together the parts they do sell. Not listing the ribbon cable is contrary to the design and marketing philosophy.

No idea what you mean about parts being outside of specification.

If your arguments can be mirrored about any other part they actually do sell or list then I would say the arguments are irrelevant or meaningless.

If you've ever repaired electronic you would know that ribbon cables are one of the most easily damaged parts, and ribbon cable damage happens quite often. In fact it's very often that the only thing that needs to be repaired is the ribbon cable. All this is still besides the point. They list every part except ribbon cables. The only reason for this is oversight. It's not "just is". God didn't cast the steam deck, replacement parts and guides down from heaven. The steam deck didn't occur out of chance. People came together and worked to develop, produce and market a device that's easily serviceable by the user.

There's a reason why it (the ribbon cables) is not included and it's oversight.