YOU could be the NEXT VICTIM! Prevent Cables from Ruining your Next Astrophotography Night

Рет қаралды 13,255

2 ай бұрын

My Patreon: / cuivlazygeek
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Cable Organizers: www.etsy.com/shop/SmartCompon...
FLO Lindy Cables: tinyurl.com/5xphtb78
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From Nick, one of my Patreon Supporters:
I also had cables going bad, but the reason wasn't kinks or interference but corrosion in the connectors. These connectors are not designed for outdoor use and condensation will eventually form and corrode the metal parts. The oxidation on the surface of the metal contacts creates parasitic resistance which interferes with the data transfer. This is the reason the cables initially work and then fail. The solution is to replace the bad cables or use a drop of contact cleaner solution (sold in electronics stores).
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My equipment
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Пікірлер: 307

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Let us know your cable-related horror stories!! My Patreon: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek My Merch Store: cuiv.myspreadshop.com/ Cable Organizers: www.etsy.com/shop/SmartComponents Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/49XTx01 Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R First Light Optics affiliate: tinyurl.com/yxd2jkr2 All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV Astroshop.eu Affiliate: tinyurl.com/2vafkax8 From Nick, one of my Patreon Supporters: I also had cables going bad, but the reason wasn't kinks or interference but corrosion in the connectors. These connectors are not designed for outdoor use and condensation will eventually form and corrode the metal parts. The oxidation on the surface of the metal contacts creates parasitic resistance which interferes with the data transfer. This is the reason the cables initially work and then fail. The solution is to replace the bad cables or use a drop of contact cleaner solution (sold in electronics stores).

@leephillips521 2 ай бұрын

had this loads of times in the last 20 years and also usb hubs. and its so weird how they can stop working with just 1 camera but work fine on another and vice versa. USB has always been unreliable for me and imaging. And doesnt seem to matter if they are cheap or expensive just seems totally random.

@simplerichs9417 2 ай бұрын

Cuiv I literaly had my mount cable fail last night 🫣, did't have a spare cause I wasn't home, but luckily the mount had wifi. I'm now running into yet another trouble, my ha channel somehow won't align with my Sii and Oiii 😶‍🌫

@sonnyedmonds7993 2 ай бұрын

In addition to all of that, those tiny connectors inside the plugs get a film on them over time. A simple fix is often to just exercise the connectors by unplugging and reinserting them a few times. It has almost become a routine for me. My ASI 1600MM Pro has been having some cooling anomalies, getting hot pixel scatter in my imaging files. Today I simply unplugged and reinserted all my USB and Power connectors for the win. Why is that? Because it wipes the contacts off and makes good contact again. I've replaced many, many cables over the years.

@memyselfandi906 2 ай бұрын

Indeed, in Europe a well known brand is "kontakt" there is an anti corrosion one : "61" most used for selector switches on tuners, look for "kontakt 600" and amplifiers.

@BrassLock 2 ай бұрын

I was shocked at 1:37 when you said *_" . . . and we'll talk also briefly about cable speeds"_* My screen immediately started buffering with the dreaded circular arrow aimlessly looping across an immobile image 😮. I thought _"Wow! thats great editing, reinforcing the concept of crappy cables not doing their job properly."_ But after rewinding I realised it wasn't edited in for effect after all.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Hahaha too bad, I should have thought of that!

@robertstuck3214 2 ай бұрын

It’s funny how the cheapest part of our whole set up is the one that gives us the most problems

@Noorthia 2 ай бұрын

it makes perfect sense

@ssbhide123 2 ай бұрын

As they say, the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link 😅

@johnjewell219 2 ай бұрын

Thanks John👍👏😎🐈‍⬛

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yep!! Although I guess even if we bought $500 cables they would still cause us issues :)

@CriticalThinker-42 2 ай бұрын

Intermittent problems are Always a pain in the @55! Cut the ends off of that cable then throw it away, so it Can't Ever get used again. (my experience as a retired electronics tech) Geek On, Cuiv!

@saundby 2 ай бұрын

Yes, and I always tie knots in a bad cable until I get a chance to behead it. I've laid aside a bad cable before only to have it get picked up again.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks man! Yes the cable has been chucked :)

@simontregear2365 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Cuiv. I had a similar problem that cost me a month or so of observation. Looking back, my "cable management" was probably the problem - all tightly bundled to have clean management.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yeah sometimes it's better to have cables that don't look good but have some nice slack in them!

@rickbattle5706 2 ай бұрын

The fundamental issue is very simple. USB connectors were designed to be used with static computers and peripherals. In other words they do not move and they are not subject to wind or setup and takedown. The male connectors are inserted 90° to the flat surface of the female receptacle and the male connectors never move. Through cable management around your OTA we sometimes string the cables too tightly thus pulling the male connector out of 90° alignment and thus makes an intermittent or no connection. My experience was with PHD2 where the guide camera kept disconnection from Windows and you hear that obnoxious, incessant chime from Windows. Maddening. The cure is to add extra length to the cable run and carefully tie-wrap the cables so they male connector is properly aligned and never moves. In radio threaded connectors with a screw tighten ring are used to prevents such a problem. Maybe the Astro industry could take a hint.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Rick, that makes sense too - I need to recheck all my cables for such issues... While still making sure they won't snag... or get influenced by wind!

@joajoajoaquin 2 ай бұрын

In addition to the color, check the number of contacts. You can find blue connectors in the wild with only 4 contacts. So you get a blue USB-2

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh man, now that is plain evil from the manufacturer!! Thanks for the tip!

@sonnyedmonds7993 2 ай бұрын

My ASI1600MM Pro has blue plastic indicating USB3 connectors. Had a lot of trouble with it until a fellow imager suggested to put the umbilical cable from my mount into a USB2 port, Fixed that problem ever since on my laptop. ZWO needs to realize blue plastic does not a USB3 make. So, now I have USB3 cables and a USB3 powered hub feeding a USB2 port on my computer. I don't have a problem with that because I take long exposures. So, my systems have plenty of time to download images and get their control pulses.

@MichaelGoldstein-jb4ti 2 ай бұрын

I tell newbies to buy cables that are long enough, but no longer than you need, and never buy 1. Always buy 2. That way you've got a spare for debugging and replacement. Also, you can buy cables with right angle connectors in the correct orientation that ease strain on the connections, and makes the cable less likely to snag. While a cable can fail any time, it's particularly a problem in cold weather. Below freezing temps make them brittle.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Good advice!

@dortejp 2 ай бұрын

Every night after my imaging session I pray our Lord, Cuiv never stop making these awsome videos ❤

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

As long as I don't burn out! My day job has been very busy these days :)

@VisionCommunications 2 ай бұрын

This is very helpful! One of the reasons I don't bunch my cables together in the interest of so-called "cable management. I learned from the world of audio and video production that power cables should not be coupled with signal cables. The power cables can interfere with the signal cables. It seems your issue was a bad cable. I do make sure that none of my cables gets snagged while slewing, but "cable management" is for more permanent installations or for pictures of gear that people put on the Internet, so other people won't complain about a lack of cable management! :-)

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Good point! I will say that some cable management is good in windy conditions, and when they can get snagged somewhere - but sometimes it's done purely for aesthetic reasons :)

@VisionCommunications 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Yes, people do it mainly for aesthetic reasons (to post pictures of their setup). Typically I don't show my gear set up since it only invites gripes from the "cable management police." :-) In actual use, I never have a problem with my cables. If the wind is strong enough to blow cables around, I'm not doing astrophotography that night.

@markmuller3086 Ай бұрын

@@VisionCommunications Would you not use that plastic cable holder that Cuiv showed? You don’t use anything at all for your cables?

@siberx4 2 ай бұрын

So it's possible what happened here is that the USB 2.0 data pins in your faulty cable broke, but the high-speed USB 3.0 pairs were still intact. These two channels operate mostly independently in a USB3+ device, so if the main sensor chip lives on the USB3 (xHCI) bus and the built-in hub and built-in guide chip live on the USB 2.0 (EHCI) bus, then a partial failure like this could happen and would result in symptoms like you saw. Definitely agree that shielding is substantially more challenging in flat cables than rounded ones. It's _possible_ to make a quality flat cable, but a lot more difficult, so if you don't need the flexibility, stick to the rounded ones for high data rates where possible. USB C to C cables are definitely very challenging; there's no clear identification in the general case, and manufacturers are very inconsistent about colour codes and labels as to what each cable will or won't do. I make a point of marking any cables I have bought and confirmed as proper USB 3 cables with a small "3" so I don't get confused down the road, but in general the 3+ cables are somewhat thicker/stiffer. If your C to C cable is quite flexible, it's likely a 2.0-only cable. If the cable is 15ft or longer, it's almost certainly a 2.0-only cable! Even 10ft is tricky for USB 3.0+ speeds.

@Psychlist1972 2 ай бұрын

I only use L-com cables now (no affiliation other than a happy user). They are more expensive, but have yet to fail, and are even offered in armored versions (I use the plastic armored version for my main camera connection). They are also clear about which USB-C cables support which USB protocols. I've had plenty of Amazon cables, even "good" ones, fail. One would fail whenever I had a meridian flip. But astrophotography image transfer has like zero ability to recover from errors. The same crappy cables cause things like retransmits when used for other things, but with astro, we see the worst case. The flat cables with ZWO cameras go right in the bin when I get them. You'll find that many of those "thick" cables aren't doing you any favors; they are just using a thick rubber coating to make you think they are more robust, no additional shielding or thicker signal wires.

@fazergazer 2 ай бұрын

I eventually made a formal dinner jacket from all my bad cables😂

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Mwahahaha that would look very beautiful for sure :)

@willstan2670 2 ай бұрын

Had a very similar experience with my first ZWO camera, a 585MC, and the cable that was supplied with the camera. I now only use usb cables with very good shielding that are RoHS compliant. No issues following my change but it nearly put me off getting started with EAA. Thankfully, I had a fellow astronomy club member that immediately recognized the issues I was having was a bad cable!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Glad that club member saved you a lot of headaches!

@southbronxny5727 2 ай бұрын

Sometimes it's not the cable but the usb port. If look with a strong magnifying glass or very close up camera, you'll notice two bendable clips on one side of the port that should push up onto the cable, that might be pushed in, giving you that loose cable feel and sometimes causing disconnects. With some small needle thingy, try bending it a little back towards the cable side to give the slot that new cable, tight feel. I hope you understand because it hard to explain.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh wow, thanks for this - sometimes I with we could have just unbreakable cables fused in place without needing plugs :)

@clarencemumphrey 2 ай бұрын

SO TRUE!! I found a bad cable when I first got into the hobby. I nearly quit the hobby because of it. Now it's the first thing I check. Another important note - don't buy cheap cables!!! They are inexpensive for a reason - they don't last. This may seem like this is an unnecessary video, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT! Thank you - great content!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Clarence! Cables are truly a hidden hobby-killer!

@cjmenagh882 2 ай бұрын

Replacing cables every year, especially if they are used in very cold (-15 C here in the north), is a good idea. When replacing look to the usual set up and if a 90 degree plug can decrease strain, get it.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

That's a good point, it makes me want to look for 90 degrees plugs now

@andrebremer7772 2 ай бұрын

I wish there were more silicone USB cables available to help avoid these issues. Over time, I migrated all my main power cables to silicone, which eliminated all kinks and cut outs when the mount moves. Not the cheapest option, but definitely worth it.

@lionki3 2 ай бұрын

Any reputable brands in particular or just the fact it's silicone?

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Were these the Lindy cables from FLO? tinyurl.com/5xphtb78 Or something else?

@andrebremer7772 2 ай бұрын

@@lionki3 I mainly use 12V Lynx Astro cables from First Light Optics. They come in various configurations and lengths.

@gregorykeating4195 2 ай бұрын

I’ve had this issue as well - can be difficult to troubleshoot. Great info Quiv!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Gregory! The hobby always finds new ways to be frustrating

@philipfontaine8964 2 ай бұрын

Good and informative video Cuiv. Thanks for explaining the basic things, cause I am a technically challenged geek and super lazy w/ learning it. The tech is advancing so quickly, it’s like lining up w/ Olympic runners and watching them leave you behind. I’m glad you are there to break it down for us

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

So glad this is helpful!

@NightSkySurferAstro 2 ай бұрын

My friend, as a professional tech support person to about 165 staff I will tell you a secret… when faced with any technology issue, if your list of what it CAN be includes things that take 30 second, do them before analyzing anything else. Thanks for all the videos… I like your style.

@CuivTheLazyGeek Ай бұрын

Hahaha that is a VERY good piece of advice! Low hanging fruits first! Thanks so much!

@memyselfandi906 2 ай бұрын

Cuiv! You fantastic creature! It's all your fault 😊 You got me in to this. Since a year ago binged everything from your channel, Nebula Photos, Deep Space Astro and anything I could find on the topic. Exhausted my EOS450D and AZ GTi Bought a GSO200 F4, AM5, QHY715C and Uranus-C pro. Oh and a 3D printer to print all the goodies. And Yes, understanding collimation is a "thing" .. #$/:-/ Anyhoo, last session my focuser didn't connect. It did before right? Spent a few hours with the Device Manager open,( restarting windows., reinstalling Ascom driver etc) indeed and almost gave up, until I unplugged the cable and plugged it in the usb port next to it! It pinged, opened a fresh unused COM port and worked happily all night. Check out the focuser by the way, an EAF GEMINI 2 pro on Ali. Backlash is about 30 steps. Above all I'd like to thank you. I would not have been where I am without you. So, thank you! Clear skies!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Woohoo, I'm so happy to have dragged you into the abyss that is out hobby :D And dang that cable story sounds very, very familial hehe. Thanks for the information on the EAF Gemini - that thing is CHEAP! And little backlash is always very nice :)

@TheMacastronomer Ай бұрын

IT guy here too. I troubleshoot in a flowchart path. Follow the path (software or physical) not skipping anything unless impossible or difficult to check. Anything less will ruin your life (AKA, imaging session) 😮

@stevehanson5556 2 ай бұрын

Great presentation, informative.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@gregerianne3880 Ай бұрын

Great info about something I rarely consider, Cuiv! Thanks so much for sharing your pain, and for the additional information. Much appreciated.

@jamesheaney5150 2 ай бұрын

I had to go home once because I didn't bring an extra USB A-B cable. I carry extras with me now. Another time, every GoTo command would point the rig straight into the ground. I only realized the next day that Green Swamp Server was set to East instead of West. The rig thought it was somewhere on the other side of the world.

@saundby 2 ай бұрын

I did go home once because I thought I didn't have a cable. Then when I got home, the cable was right there. But it was black. I couldn't see it on the site, even with a red light. I now have all my cables in white and yellow.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh yes the silliest things can truly ruin so much...!

@jayhull4096 Ай бұрын

Thanks, Cuiv!! I've been at this for almost a year without a clear explanation of the cable differences, troubleshooting clues, and cable management warnings. As always, your explanation was superb!!

@CuivTheLazyGeek Ай бұрын

I'm so glad this was helpful!

@clungebucket23 2 ай бұрын

I only buy high quality ones now... We think nothing of spending ££££ on mounts and optics but expect a cable for £10 to behave. I'll upload a link when I can find it, but they sell to AUDIO/ VISUAL professionals and the cables are tested and come with a high level of specifications.... Lindy and JuiceEbits... Both recommended

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

There's also apparently the Linky cables from First Light Optics that are popular!

@luboinchina3013 2 ай бұрын

It is always the cable. If something doesn't work, always start troubleshooting from cables, then everything else.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yep, sounds like a good approach!

@gwthomas52 2 ай бұрын

Great overview and info. Thanks.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

@Astro_Shed 2 ай бұрын

Great video, I use all USB 2 cables on my set up, even in my IMX571 cameras, as thats all thats needed for deep Sky imaging, it’s only high frame rates that require USB 3, like planetary imaging, and USB 2 is much more stable and less prone to issues…👍🏻

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Interesting! I don't like adding the overhead when imaging with relatively high res sensors on relatively short frames (like 30s), it can consume a lot of time!

@shubinternet 2 ай бұрын

The rules I learned years ago, in the earlier days of IT, are the following: 1. Check the cables. All of them. 2. Power it off and on again. 3. Are you sure it’s not the cable(s)?

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Hehehe good way of making sure!

@wesleydonnelly2141 2 ай бұрын

Cuiv I recall a while back, I purchased a brand new SW HEQ5 Pro mount, and literally the first night outside, the cable that connects the hand controller to the mount, had snagged and practically snapped the damn cable!! I was GUTTED!! 😱😂. Ever since I'm OTT about cable management! Awesome, educational, useful vid' as always! Thanks again Cuiv, love this channel! 🔥👍

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh yes I know the feeling! I've have my own share of cables destroyed after a cable snag!

@BruceMallett 2 ай бұрын

Second to Windows, cables have been the most problematic for me. Just last week my camera stopped cooling mid-session. As the scope had moved to the vertical the 5.5x2.1 power connector on the back of the Player One had fallen out. Another tie wrap and lesson learned!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh that is a frustrating thing too! And yeah Windows... if only I could run NINA on Linux!

@RobertRidgley 2 ай бұрын

The conductors inside USB and other cables are very thin and it doesn’t take much to damage them. They most often exhibit an intermittent pattern of failure that makes it harder to diagnose.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

The intermittency is really the most frustrating aspect...

@dlrager 2 ай бұрын

This past week my EQ6 went nuts and took me until the second night to find the USB cable had a loose end. Just ordered a USB cable tester!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

I need to look into such testers too!

@tbardoni5065 2 ай бұрын

I think about my cables constantly. I have many substitute cables, connectors, every conceivable adaptor multiple times over. Its the worst when a cable gets snagged and breaks and you have no way to get your gear going again.

@shubinternet 2 ай бұрын

Long USB cables frequently also have tiny chips in them to help with making the signal stronger and more resistant to RF interference, in addition to being thicker and better shielded.

@haja19 28 күн бұрын

Excellant information, i have many problems with cable, especially in humid countary like Malaysia.

@TheVillageIdiotUk 2 ай бұрын

A great video Lord Cuiv 😊 I’ve spent my working life (over 40 years) troubleshooting and diagnosing data communications network faults and problems. Whilst there are numerous methodologies, I generally find that starting at the lowest level and working up (reference the OSI 7 layer model) provides a good basis for fault finding. Ensuring the most basic elements function first - physical connections and interfaces, ensuring all wires in an ethernet or USB cable are intact, providing signal etc. and then moving on up.

@jwalters4681 2 ай бұрын

Good vid! I stopped using the ribbon cables a while back because I ran into intermittent issues. Get cables with gold-plated connectors and appropriate shielding unless they are less than 12". In general, USB2 cables can carry reliable signal further than USB3 due to the slower speed, but the quality of the cable makes the biggest difference IMO.

@iang7393 2 ай бұрын

Great video Cuiv, as always! I had a problem with my QHY268M-Pro connecting it through the USB3 powered hub. About half of the frames came in "cut" in random pieces (apparently a known problem). Replacing the connection with a direct fat USB3 cable almost fixed it. I still get this defect, but very rarely. My cable length is 2m or so, that's probably why. I agree, cables and points of contact (those can oxidize!) are very important.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Huh, very interesting, and annoying issue....

@KingLoopie1 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info! 👍👍

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Always a pleasure!

@paulmcgougan 2 ай бұрын

This was an incredibly funny video!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks! :D

@robertgrenader858 2 ай бұрын

I always throw away those cheap OEM flat cables from ZWO, and replace them with high quality connectors. The other issue that can contribute to cable shorts is extreme 90 deg bends at the connectors. I saw one on the Frankenmount and another on your Red Cat guide scope. A little cable management goes a long way. And, all the USB ports on ASI AIR's are USB2.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

I'll need to check my bends, thanks for the advice!

@ysl109812 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the great video. Cable failures have happened to me way too often and ruined many of my imaging hours. It is particular annoying when the issue lies with the powebox plug. It could be much harder to find the culprit. Now I have developed a method whenever this happens. That is to unplug all cables and start with only the camera USB 3 cable and plug them back in one by one to pinpoint where the issue is. It could take some time and sometimes the results can be inconsistent, but still a little more systematic and useful than blindly plugging cables in and out as I did before.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oooh Nice! This is a good, systematic way of diagnosing, it would have prevented me a lot of pain!

@cosmoscarl4332 Ай бұрын

My latest problem has been the length of my USB 3 cables. The DSLR worked fine with my four meter cables but not when I tried to use the new dedicated QHY 183 M camera. From my former experience as an electrician I realized the longer the cable, the more copper conductor, the more voltage drop and signal loss due to increasing resistance in the longer conductors. Interference usually isn't a problem unless you're running power cables with data cables, as USB cables have braided shields around them that carry unwanted signals to ground. AC and DC power cables create electromagnetic fields that can corrupt data pulses. The fields surround the cables when they're energized. The fix, I believe, is to use a powered USB hub, like Pegasus Astro power box. This should boost the signal from the camera, although im sure it has it's limitations as well. Another option I just learned about are "powered" USB cables. Basically the same thing, just built into the cable itself.

@bobmay5892 2 ай бұрын

I was at the point of boxing up all my gear to sell, then I saw an article on usb c cables. One new cable later, nirvana returned.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh wow, glad you got to the bottom of it without selling all your equipment!

@GawdonBennett 2 ай бұрын

Electrical resistance increases over distance leading to corrupted data, also with every physical connection will have a signal loss. Cat 5 cables are twisted internally to reduce magnetic interference. as are domestic phone cables.

@JeanLegros_mtl 2 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks. I had the exact same problem before.

@cmahar3 2 ай бұрын

This is why I have three or four times as many cables as I need for my setup, and at least three separate power sources. You really can't have too many spare cables, or too many sources of power for your rig.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Spare cables are important, I think I'm going to have some in my car as well, from when I go imaging in distant places!

@jonathanr2830 2 ай бұрын

Very good to know! I would have been inventing brand-new hyphenated words with growling sounds. Thank you very much for the heads up!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@glennn.3464 2 ай бұрын

They’re a little more expensive but if you need to use a USB-C style cable on both ends I would say just buy ones marked as USB 4 or even Thunderbolt 4 as those cables will support speeds up to 40Gb/s and be backward compatible with whatever USB-C port version and speed the hardware uses.

@leoncorns1450 2 ай бұрын

I brought some USB3 'Lindy' cables from First Light Optics in the UK. for my asiair to cameras. I'm really happy with the quality and they came with a polythene sheath that keeps out any moisture in the atmosphere. Very happy with the quality of them.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

That's awesome to hear, thanks for this! I'll look into those cables!

@TheTabugman 2 ай бұрын

So sorry this happened to you on a night with no wind, a low pressure, no turbulence up to 100km and a complete blackout in the greater Tokyo area. 😢

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Mwahaaha exactly! It was just the PERFECT night :D Thanks for letting me have this :)

@xMemn0nx 2 ай бұрын

I bought a new power supply for my eagle thinking it didnt have enough juice to power up my cameras, filter, focuser etc and was making my connection with the mount unstable (it kept randomly disconnecting). I thought it couldnt be the USB, because I tested with two different cables. So, I bought an Eagle 4 thinking that my unit was defective. And then, exactly the same problem happened, even with a beefier power supply and brand new eagle. Decided to buy two new usb cables. First one, same problem AGAIN, but the other one finally fixed it and I havent had a single mount disconnection issue since. Let me just say, the previous 2.0 gen USB-B are trash, really prone to bad contact/connection, would easily slip etc. Havent had a single issue with the 3.0 USB-B yet

@richardreumerman5449 2 ай бұрын

I clearly need to buy a backup cable now.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Never hurts to have some USB cables lying around!

@aaronwilliams3949 2 ай бұрын

Try a ferrite bead on your cables before you trash them. It’s a type of choke that suppresses high end electronic noise. Also, make sure you don’t have kinks or lots of slack. All of these affect speed and connectivity. We used ferrite beads on all of or data cables in the telephone offices and data centers I worked in.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip! Now I have more stuff to try :)

@dannylgriffin 2 ай бұрын

This is a very good video and applies to a lot of situations! I don't see an issue with EM interference between adjacent data cables, it's all very low voltage. Never put 120VAC or 240VAC power cables against them parallel, though!

@Wombatzone31 2 ай бұрын

This is sooo common these days, the manufactured specs compared to the cable you buy is vastly different. I have had so many fail on me where I have half the image train appart till it was evident that it was a failed cable. I was having focouser problems, yet could operate my astro camera perfectly, the last thing that came to my mind was the cable going from thee astro camera to the PC, I had swapped the cable going from focouser to the camera 7 times that night, and went to the local petrol station to buy a new cable, which was not up to spec for fast video delivery. I am about to spend money on Cable Mod cables just because you are guarenteed quality.

@user-lt9py2pu6u 2 ай бұрын

Very good advice Cuiv. I worked in electrical/electronic engineering for fifty years before retirement, poor cable management, sub standard cables and connectors and cables used for something they weren't designed for were responsible for a lot of problems I was called upon to solve. Now I only buy cables from reputable suppliers that specialise in supplying the astro photography market. Buying cheap USB and power cables online is asking for trouble.

@lionki3 2 ай бұрын

What brands do you recommend? Kondor Blue any good?

@user-lt9py2pu6u 2 ай бұрын

@@lionki3 I have never used them so I can't say. I've never had any trouble with Lynx Astro cables but they are relatively expensive, but then again compared to the overall price of the rig it's still only a small amount to pay. I live in the UK and buy my cables from First Light Optics, I had a bit of a connectivity problem last year and found their tech support team very helpful.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback! I guess in the end it would also be nice to have locking mechanisms on our connectors... and something to avoid corrosion!

@mrkutube 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing this experience Cuiv. I think these could be a common problem with most of the amateur astrophotographers. Hope somebody will share a shop’s link where we can order good quality cables.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Apparently the FLO Lindy cables are the deal! tinyurl.com/5xphtb78

@Felldisulfide 2 ай бұрын

I've been testing camera USB cables by running them in SharpCap at maximum frame rate using USB 3.0. I was floored by the frame drops. I need a 90-degree angled cable to fit my setup, and of the more than dozen cables I've tried over the last little while, only ONE worked properly. BTW I have not found any cable that matches the one ZWO provided for throughput. That flat cable has the lowest number of frame drops when tested alone, but when bunched with other cables, all bets are off. Great video, and a reminder to keep cables separated, especially data from power.

@markmuller3086 Ай бұрын

That plastic cable holder Cuiv showed us not a good idea?

@astrofromhome 2 ай бұрын

Great to know Cuiv! Thank you for sharing. I think I will also replace my flat USB3 cables against round and shorter ones. I have the feeling that I loose some speed somewhere are well as my AsiAir needs long time updating as well even though I also use these cable organisers on the camera and the AsiAir. PS: Still waiting for the MeowAstro review. 😄 Unfortunately they are going to release a new UMI17 with a much nicer appearance (it has a cat on its housing) this month. The new version will hit the market even before my mount has arrived. 😭

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

You're not using the ASIAir Mini right? This one is limited to USB2. I've been wanting to review the UMi17 Lite, but the weather hasn't allowed me to!

@victortapia-montano8114 2 ай бұрын

You gotta loop the cables so that they are not tight at the bends. Replace the cables with high-quality cables that are nylon braided and shielded. ZWO has a warning for ASAIR not to run the power cables near its antenna. The cables provided by manuifacturers are the cheapest.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yes that makes sense! I've always wondered about those braided cables - are they well shielded? I mean it can't be worse than those flat cables :)

@victortapia-montano8114 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek It depends. You have to do your research Like the filters ;) . I have found good quality cables in Amazon that have lasted the Arizona heat and rough handling. I always use shielded cables anytime these will be close to electric carrying cables or power supplies. Yes, these are less flexible and tend to be thicker. You can also use angled connectors to reduce stress on the cables. Not sure why manufacturers don't convert to USB-C which is easier. Just make sure they are labeled SS (Super Speed) for USB 3 or above. Braided cables offer greater durability. and prevent the mini copper cables inside from tearing. Lastly, if the cable is cheap, it is not going to last.

@ExoPhotography1 2 ай бұрын

I had the same problem as you are experiencing a couple of years ago. I ended up buying quality Lindy and Deltaco cables, they have been running fine for several years now in my obsy. (even at 3+ meters length) /Daniel

@dalepowell7353 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for this video. We need a piece of test kit that can identify data functionality.

@rawhead909 2 ай бұрын

A bit tangential but I'm one of the guys who thought the iPhone adopting USB-C would be a good idea... until I realized what an absolute nightmare USB-C is. I have dozens of USB-C cables and I never know which cable will work with which instrument period, let alone at maximum USB 3 speeds ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

I understand the feeling - I still think it's a good thing in the long term, but USB cables need to be clearly labeled...

@bofblog 2 ай бұрын

Good starting point with problem solving...start with the cheapest part

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yep...

@brianegendorf2023 2 ай бұрын

AS an IT guy, whenever cables link anything, cables are the first thing I think of as where the problem probably is...

@brod5352 2 ай бұрын

Interesting topic. I'll have to check my wire bundle and see if I have my camera cables in close proximity. You know I was having problems with my Stellarmate Pro not being able to secure a GPS lock. No matter what I did it just would not lock. So I contacted Stellarmate and they told me to unplug all my USB 3.0 devices and then turn on the Stallarmate Pro. Evidently there is an issue with USB 3.0 only that causes problems with the GPS. Because as soon I did as they suggested, I got an immediate GPS Lock. And it stayed locked even after I plugged my cameras back in. For one of the more simple pieces of equipment, it sure can be a pain in the back side when they want to. ;o)

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh man that is fascinating as well... Glad you got to the bottom of it!

@karlfortner887 2 ай бұрын

An alternate theory ( if you haven't thrown that cable away yet ), Your device manager was in a high refresh rate due to a port conflict. If your computer had already assigned a port for the focuser and then you added the ASI2600 MC Pro Duo, on power up it detected the guide camera and assigned it the same port as the focuser and that's when it went down hill. The cable may still be an issue but I think the port assignment was also an issue. Clear skies #LookUpItsTheOnlyWayOut.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Interesting, that would make sense as well... The cable has already gone to cable heaven though...

@constellationshots3893 2 ай бұрын

I never thought about interference as being a problem, I usually run 3 cables (widefield rig). Mount, camera and efw. But I might keep this in mind since I just switched to a qhy camera which has 0 extra usb ports.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

It's not something obvious for sure, and it's difficult to estimate the true impact...

@dalebeasley3113 Ай бұрын

I found that when i leave the cablles hanging instead of having neat cable management , i run into lots of problems like this. Pretty doesnt always work well

@michaeljarvis4612 2 ай бұрын

Cuiv, Great video as always and certainly an important topic based on the large number of comments below. I experienced similar issues with my new ASI2600 MC Pro - only the red 2M USB-3 cable worked! It was too long for my setup and none of the other supplied cable would allow image downloads. I eventually got a shorter 5Gb/s cable from Pegasus Astro that worked fine. I suspect that all the larger sensor camera (APSC and full frame) may have similar issues or perhaps its a quirk of ZWO?? Thanks again.

@paulhg1ztn 2 ай бұрын

I had a usb cable problem, guide cam would not work we worked out it was USB cable changed all cables to quality ones direct from Lindy cables in the UK, no issues since. So moral of this story is use good quality cables from a known good supplier.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Lindy cables seem to have good reviews!

@larrycable984 Ай бұрын

the power cable from my AM-5 to the ASIAir got caught and bent the jack and distorted the socket on the ASIAir ... fortunately the ASIAir still works!

@Neanderthal75 2 ай бұрын

I had this issue so many times for real! And I also knew it was the cable, after it happened the 10th time! LOL! I kept promising myself that I will throw away the bad USB cables, but somehow they made it back in my drawer and later on ended up back on the scope, and there we go again! There are also some very very nice looking cables that look tough and rugged, but they are just trash. That's how I end up not throwing them away, they look to good to be bad!

@lionki3 2 ай бұрын

My worst nightmare struck when my first mount the EQM35-Pro's DEC wire snagged on an azimuth bolt head and it stopped the mount while I was slewing. I had never had this issue since I had the mount for almost a year. It bent the pins inside the cable and I had to use pliers to straighten them as much as I could but they are still bent. They are really hard to bend back. I just put in an order for my second mount, a budget harmonic drive that has more capacity. I got the new UMi 17R with FRAM on preorder. Hope you can review this one as well, Cuiv!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Congrats on your new mount, hope you get it soon!

@brianhayward8240 2 ай бұрын

I had similar issues with an aftermarket cable that worked fine with the 294MC Pro with an ASIAir not working with a 585 MC Pro with the same setup. Switching to the red cable that came with the 585 solved it as well. Going back to the 294 MC Pro and the older cable continued to work fine. I think these cameras can just be more picky about their cables - sometimes they work with cheaper cables, sometimes they don't. Note that the symptom for me was that it would take about 2-5 photos just fine, then stop working. I'd have to unplug/plug it back in again. I guess it could be interference as you suggested as well.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

So many gremlins can cause issues...

@michaelstolz1797 2 ай бұрын

I only realized this year that USB-C cables are actually active components with logic boards in their plugs. They can negotiate speed and voltage with the connector they are plugged in! This was a revelation to me, which was very important for example for getting a very compact and reliable 12V power supply out of a 12V selecting cable in connection with a (quite new) powerbank. That cable itself basically negotiates with the powerbank, that the powerbank should provide 12V, not 5V, and presto!

@RobertKarlBerta 2 ай бұрын

That is the difference between Android, Windows, and Apple. Android has the circuitry in their boxes and NOT the cable. That is why Apple cables cost more.... the Android cables are the way they should have implemented it.... KISS method that Apple failed to follow.

@thedonahoes 2 ай бұрын

Completely under discussed topic in this hobby. My QHY294m is extraordinarily picky about the cables I use. I end up swapping out the cable every 6 to 9 months. All set up for a night and I'll get the exact same kind of errors you described. I'll go out there, pull the cable, put a new one on and I'm good to go. I just wish I knew why cables go bad and what is a quality USB 3 cable before I buy it.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Always good to have backup cables!

@sams9716 2 ай бұрын

Also if you have a USB 2 and 3 on the same hub, from the hub to the computer the it will all run at USB 2 speed. Also having filtered USB cables on your camera cables helps with interference showing up in your subs.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh yes hubs are another can of worms!

@TheNakism 2 ай бұрын

From what I read on the web, this is not true. A USB3 hub apparently has 2 separate data lines for USB2 and USB3, so will not slow everything down to USB2

@peterlaubscher3989 2 ай бұрын

Interesting, I had the same problem a few weeks ago - have never thrown a cable away as fast as as binned that cable - had several nights of lost imaging. I was a very unhappy bunny.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Several nights?? That must have been painful for sure...

@peterlaubscher3989 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I cried a lot, but smiled when i realized i didn't have to shell out for a new camera...

@lachezarkrastev7123 2 ай бұрын

You forget about them - this is the first thing I check :)

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Good man!

@richardwitzke5492 18 күн бұрын

I agree that the flat cables supplied by ZWO lack shielding, but they are also weak (wire is too thin). When I first bought a ZWO camera I liked this flat design cable, since it bundled nicely in a cable management scheme, but within several months one failed, then another and then another. I tried them on other devices and they did not work. I have since gone to a good quality slender, round, braided design of cable with no issues after several years use. Sometimes it is even how loose the USB plug fits that will make it fail. On the female ports on my laptop, for instance, I have used a dental pick to bend the springy retaining tangs for improved grip (computer powered off of course).

@OGParzoval 2 ай бұрын

Linux check dmesg output, windows check event viewer windows logs will usually save you some heartache.

@saundby 2 ай бұрын

I lost 5 hours of imaging time one night because my mount's power adapter's North America AC plug adapter. It had slipped out far enough to not connect, but not far enough to drop out of its slot on the AC adapter. Meanwhile, my mount still had power. It was drawing power through its connection to my StellarMate OS Raspberry Pi. I could use the hand controller to slew the mount manually just fine. But whenever the Stellarmate commanded the mount to slew, it wouldn't move. I also had a USB power adapter plugged into the AC outlet alongside the mount's adapter. I was concerned that maybe something weird was happening between the mount's ground and the USB's ground (I was clutching at straws after hours of faffing around!) So I grabbed my portable power pack, disconnected the power cable from the mount and put in the cigarette lighter power adapter, plugged the various other devices into the power pack's USB power ports, and I was able to start all over again with aligning the mount, polar alignment, etc. and get in 90 minutes of imaging before closing up shop for the night. It was when I was cleaning up that I picked up the mount's AC adapter and had the AC plug fall out onto the ground. I have now glued the North America adapter into its slot with about ten pounds of urethane adhesive. Never again!

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh wow that sounds so incredibly frustrating, I'm glad you found the issue!

@DSOImager 2 ай бұрын

ugh... many nights over the years I've been cursing USB... and the pain is not limited to astrophotography, lol. USB while very versatile and easy is just not robust.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Yeah very true... Oh USB, you are so good but when you stop working... :(

@user-ny2jb9vg8w 2 ай бұрын

I have the same problem, I spent about a month, since there were no clear nights. He also worked normally on a computer, but in ASI Air worked for 2 minutes, after which the camera fell off. I went out of this situation by switching the cable to the USB 2.0. I wanted to send asi Air back to the store, but a friend prompted replacing the cable. And it earned.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh wow, I'm so glad you got to the bottom of it thanks to your friend!

@yearningmice Ай бұрын

As a technologist, ALWAYS cut bad cables to make it obvious then throw them out.

@jamesw5713 2 ай бұрын

Reminds me a little of my last "attempted" imaging session. One of my ZWO cameras has the flat cable and was having the camera connecting, cutting out and connecting on and off.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Argh that must have been so frustrating

@jamesw5713 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek extremely, especially in the UK, limited clear nights!!

@damiengalanaud3817 2 ай бұрын

Hello Cuiv. Had the same issue with a ZWO USB2 cable connecting my HEQ5 mount to the computer. It took me weeks to figure out what was going on until a friend helped me. The cable looked absolutely fine, but was damaged.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Exactly, that must have been so frustating! Glad you got to the bottom of it!

@jasontichy244 2 ай бұрын

I wish poor signal quality was my only problem. I had a bad flip one night and the USB cable didn't break.... destroying my EQ6R. I would much rather replace the $20 USB cable instead of the $2000 mount. I lost the EQ6R and the ASIair Pro thanks to the USB cable getting caught during the meridian flip.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Nooooooooo, that is horrible!! Are both mount and ASIAir Pro truly beyond repair?? Oh man that is such a blow, so sorry to hear that

@jasontichy244 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek USB ports destroyed in both. Bought a new controller board for the EQ6, ASIAir went in the trash and I switched to a Mele computer and NINA.

@CDigata 2 ай бұрын

blue was originally USB2 and USB 3 was red - then they just wanted to confuse us 🤷‍♀ lots of usb problems can also be power delivery related. shorted the faster...

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

And then you have Razer using green, and other brands using other colors! And of course technically white USB plug would be USB1, and black would be USB2, but that's actually not so strong either :)

@CDigata 2 ай бұрын

@@CuivTheLazyGeek plz check community tab as need your advice sir cuiv

@zelodec 2 ай бұрын

I had lots of issue with USB cables in the past. It took me some time to figure out why remote access was lagging or dropping connection while imaging only to find out that USB 3.0 interference causes Wi-fi to malfunction (basically a DDOS attack). I switched everything to USB 2.0 since then. it's more stable at a cost of slower image download. I'm completely ok not getting more imaging time due to slow image downloads but it's 100x more stable and stress free.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

That's great to know, thank you!

@crm114. 2 ай бұрын

Sound advice. USB2 cable plugs are my pet hate. The fit in the socket is poor and sometimes a slight movement can cause lost connection.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Oh yeah this can happen too...

@nbw555 2 ай бұрын

Hi Cuiv, good report, I had exactly the same experience with my Altair 26C, I changed over the usb cable and it worked, but only for a couple of days then failed again, this time I couldn't rectify it so, I reached out to Altair I returned the camera to them (it was just out of warranty) they checked it and found it was the board 😢, it can be repaired £400 ouch. Hope this is not the same for you.

@CuivTheLazyGeek 2 ай бұрын

Ouch for the board... glad they got it fixed for now!

@josemanuelramirezgomez 2 ай бұрын

Una cadena es tan fuerte como el más débil de sus eslabones...todo es importante, y merece nuestra atención. Buen consejo!

@azzaqmb 2 ай бұрын

LOL the cables are normally the 1st thing I check / replace as I do have spare ones, I have a few of them... New toy just use the old cable just swap out the said toy over redoing the cable management and there a lot cheaper free with said new toy