Right Angle Mini USB Cable

[BZap49]

I'm trying to find a good right angle mini USB cable so I can install my dashcam. My car doesn't have much room on the windshield above where I want to mount the camera, so the cable for the power adapter that came with the A118C is a really tight fit, making it very difficult to pop the camera off the mount. I bought this adapter, but it apparently doesn't transmit power. The cam sees no power when using that adapter.

 

[Dashmellow]

Welcome to DashCamTalk!

This question comes up quite often around here and if you do some searching you'll find discussions and different solutions people have come up with. (including scoring and bending a straight one with a heat gun)

Depending on the camera and installation some find that up-angled plugs work better than right angled ones or that left angled plugs are what they really need rather than right angled.

Angled plug cables (not adapters) can be a little difficult to find but they are available from specialty suppliers. The prices can be a bit steep but some folks find it worth the investment.

Here are some links.

USB/Firewire.com

AngledCables.com

Shorter length angled USB cables can often be supplemented with affordable USB extension cables to save money as the longer lengths of these specialty cables can be quite costly.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

If you're an Amazon shopper, here's what I used for the SG9665GC (same plugs)

miniUSB Power angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00NIGPYPE(optional) GPS angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00C4FU52C

 

[Dashmellow]

Looks like a good cheap option.

 

[BZap49]

If you're an Amazon shopper, here's what I used for the SG9665GC (same plugs)

microUSB Power angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00NIGPYPE(optional) GPS angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00C4FU52C

Thank you, I will try that.

Thanks to the others, too. The other options posted were a little bit more than I'd like to spend if I don't have to. Pretty crazy that in this day and age, a 5" cable can cost $15.

 

[Gibson99]

If you're an Amazon shopper, here's what I used for the SG9665GC (same plugs)

miniUSB Power angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00NIGPYPE(optional) GPS angled: https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00C4FU52C

Even though it will work fine, you don't need the 4 conductor for the gps (or av out for that matter), only 3. you can see the pins for the internal connectors in the teardown photos here. yes, there are 4 points visible when you include the tip, but since two are directly across from each other they both touch the same ring (base).
View attachment 11493

good find on the usb though. may get one myself to mount my a118 a little higher in the front.

 

[Dashmellow]

Pretty crazy that in this day and age, a 5" cable can cost $15.

They shouldn't cost that much. Since they are hard to find specialty items the suppliers are gouging, although to be fair they are probably not manufactured in huge quantities like standard cables. Monoprice, on the other hand has great prices on quality cables. For example, a 15ft USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Extension 28/24AWG Cable (Gold Plated) from the link I included in my previous post is $1.95.

 

[runtohell121]

I wish there were thinner extension cables... 28 awg is a bit too thick for my car to hide cables without taking apart the pillars. Are there any thin cables such as 20 or 24 awg for extension cables? I know micro usb cables are usually thinner, but extension and mini usb seems a bit wider/thicker than micro usb

 

[Dashmellow]

I wish there were thinner extension cables... 28 awg is a bit too thick for my car to hide cables without taking apart the pillars. Are there any thin cables such as 20 or 24 awg for extension cables? I know micro usb cables are usually thinner, but extension and mini usb seems a bit wider/thicker than micro usb

I thought the same thing, especially when I saw how beefy Monoprice's USB cables are but it really hasn't presented a problem doing multiple installations in my Toyota truck. I imagine it will ultimately depend on the vehicle though.

BTW, I used their 10 and 15ft USB A to mini-B 5pin 28/28AWG Cables. (28 AWG is narrower than 24 AWG)

 

[runtohell121]

Oh shoot.. I think I got the awg the other way around lol... My bad.. smaller number = wider/thicker...

I bought a 10ft cable from eBay (eforcity) and I think it was 28 awg or something... and I couldn't tuck it under the roof piece or the a pillar... So I'm really looking for a thinner cable, an extension would be great if it's thin enough as that would allow me to swap different camera in the future without having to redo the wires again.

 

[Dashmellow]

It's not only the wire gauge that can determine how thick a cable is. If the cable has added shielding and/or the outer sheathing is very thick the cable can be beefier than other cables of the same wire gauge from a different supplier. For example, Monoprice cables of any variety always seem thicker that other brands. Maybe you can find something more suitable if you look around.

 

[jokiin]

if it's a cheap cable it generally has thicker cover and smaller wire to make it look more substantial but cost less, a lot of cheap cables do not use OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cable, they use CCA (Copper Coated Aluminium) which degrades fairly quickly

 

[slave0418]

I'm trying to find a good right angle mini USB cable so I can install my dashcam. My car doesn't have much room on the windshield above where I want to mount the camera, so the cable for the power adapter that came with the A118C is a really tight fit, making it very difficult to pop the camera off the mount. I bought this adapter, but it apparently doesn't transmit power. The cam sees no power when using that adapter.

http://www.dx.com/p/cy-u2-064-ri-ri...ni-usb-male-adapter-black-205909#.VOF-7fnF9gt- free shipping to US

 

[BZap49]

They shouldn't cost that much. Since they are hard to find specialty items the suppliers are gouging, although to be fair they are probably not manufactured in huge quantities like standard cables. Monoprice, on the other hand has great prices on quality cables. For example, a 15ft USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Extension 28/24AWG Cable (Gold Plated) from the link I included in my previous post is $1.95.

Yeah, they're definitely gouging because they know you can't really get it anywhere else. Monoprice is great, and they usually have what you need. I've also had great luck with Digikey. I needed a specific cable to extend my radar detector display, and they were far cheaper than anyone else. It was a semi-made-to-order cable, too, meaning they didn't stock it, but had the parts on hand and would make it when you ordered it. Quality cable and extremely quick shipping. Unfortunately, neither Monoprice nor Digikey seem to have angled mini USB cables.

I've ordered the one from Amazon that was posted. Hopefully it works. Just sucks that it comes from China, so it will take forever, but I can wait.

 

[runtohell121]

These extension cable looks decent... and then use a short Mini USB cable to connect a dash cam. But the cost is a lot higher than other cables...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00N9HRVH6

 

[BZap49]

I got the cable today from Amazon that Pier28 posted, much earlier than the estimated delivery date. I can confirm that it works to power the A118C. Thanks again, Pier28!