Disaster

Yes all failures happened while cameras were still mounted. The vertical clearance needed to remove the entire camera from the mount with the plug still in is more than the room needed to remove the plug by itself.
 
DT MI said:
Only tried that once, long ago with a 'GC' V1. Much easier to 'dismount' the camera first. If nothing else makes it a lot easier to see the various sockets rather than trying to do it 'by feel'.
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can see the ones they are done by feel as there are generally scratches all around the ports
 
@Dan Robinson, I'm now pretty convinced that my theory is correct. One way or another the photo you posted reveals a badly damaged mini-B port on the camera and therein lies your problem. I wouldn't be surprised if the other ones have a similar appearance. That is a 5 pin mini-B port but the fifth pin on yours looks highly compromised. The whole thing looks to be in rough shape actually and it is no longer centered within the metal surround.

minibport.jpg

A five pin mini-B port should look like this:
mini-B port.jpg
 
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What could cause that type of damage from roughly 2 dozen unplug cycles over 4 years?
 
Using a pair of tweezers, I grabbed the gray center part of the socket connector and it pulled right out with no effort, leaving five metal contacts sticking up from the bottom of the socket.
 
Sounds like something went wrong. :(

Edit: Unless, something was already wrong.
 
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After spending over $1000 on this dashcam setup (four original SGs then a V3 after the first pcb failure). I can assure everyone that I don't unplug them by yanking the wires.
 
Dan Robinson said:
After spending over $1000 on this dashcam setup (four original SGs then a V3 after the first pcb failure). I can assure everyone that I don't unplug them by yanking the wires.
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As the veteran of many a dash cam I can say that I've yanked a few in my time but it was always accidental.

BTW, I'm the not so proud owner of two totally dead SG9665GC cameras, so I know what it feels like. In my case the cams self destructed however.
 
So, if I were to use probes to test the two non powering units, which contacts are positive and negative in the socket? I guess I could find out by ripping apart a plug.
 
I will say that with Dan doing pro-level storm photography, I'm certain he doesn't abuse the equipment he's making money with. In a similar vein I'm just as certain that Jokiin wouldn't use a known inferior socket or plug with his cams.

Unless excessive heat or a chemical-laden atmosphere has softened up plastic somewhere along the way I can't see how this could have happened but it's clear that it did happen so I'm lost at this point.

Phil
 
SawMaster said:
Unless excessive heat or a chemical-laden atmosphere has softened up plastic somewhere along the way I can't see how this could have happened but it's clear that it did happen so I'm lost at this point.
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I have seen the cables break like that before, have replaced probably about a dozen in the last two years, generally when it has happened they've been forced (not saying that is the case here) from people trying to plug unplug while the camera is mounted, in each case though we've just replaced the power lead and asked the customer to remove the camera before plugging/unplugging and that has been the end of it, had we been contacted and known about these we'd have replaced the leads, opening things up and repairing is not something most people could/should be doing
 
@jokiin Thank you! Looking at the socket with the wider part on top, 1 is on the left and 5 on the right, correct?
 
SawMaster said:
I will say that with Dan doing pro-level storm photography, I'm certain he doesn't abuse the equipment he's making money with. In a similar vein I'm just as certain that Jokiin wouldn't use a known inferior socket or plug with his cams.

Unless excessive heat or a chemical-laden atmosphere has softened up plastic somewhere along the way I can't see how this could have happened but it's clear that it did happen so I'm lost at this point.

Phil
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I want to make clear that I don't believe that Dan abused his cameras in any way but the fact is that the mini-B port in the photo does indeed look pretty chewed up and off kilter. I think the main thing here is that the problem was not the cables after all.
 
There is definitely a problem happening but what it's cause may be is not clear. I passed my thoughts about SG cams to Dan quite a while ago and recommended them because things like this just don't normally happen to SG cams. I'm certainly hoping a fix can be achieved. Wondering aloud if Jon has the facilities to install new sockets? That would save hugely on shipping these for repair.

USB connections were not initially designed for this kind of application but have simply become universal in their misuse :mad: I've had more failures with this connector system than with every other type of connector combined. I've griped and moaned about this to no end and to no avail. While I do detest proprietary plugs, dashcams would fare much better with cylindrical power connectors which would have the decided advantage of almost all users being able to use one right-angle design instead of having to choose between the 4 that USB takes to do the same job far less adequately. Those sockets have the decided advantage of more widely spaced solder points for a much more secure mounting to PCB's. Those plugs have a more suitable surface to grip under the molded strain relief. 2 and 3 conducter versions are common and cheap. They can easily handle the needed current. We really need to change how this is done! Rant over ;)

Phil
 
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