Your Top Three All-Time Best and Worst Electronics Connector Designs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 06:45:47 pm
content: Was sorting out my junk and looking at all the connectors I had, when I started thinking about all the designs out there - good and bad.Here's my list -Top three best designs#1 - BNC (Bayonet Neill–Concelman)Reason - easy to connect by feel when rotated, locks easily#2 - 8P8C (also known as RJ45)Reason - easy to see insertion orientation and locks easily#3 - SMA (SubMiniature version A)Simple threaded design and small sizeTop three worst designs#1 - USB (universal serial bus)Reason - not obvious which way to insert, too easy to pull out by accident#2 - Any D-shell connectorReason - male D-shell is easily dented preventing easy connection, must use two screws to keep attached#3 - AUI (Attachment Unit Interface)Reason - stupid clasp never worked right and got bent easily

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 06:49:23 pm
content: Huh. I'd have to just rearrange your list: Ihate8P8C connectors. The vast majority are so flimsy and cheaply made.... I've seen quite a few with the little locking tab broken off or at least limp, especially ones that get removed and reinserted regularly. And I love USB*. I've never had problems with it falling out, and if it doesn't fit..... flip it around! And the D connectors are great for high pin count connections that you want to be very solid and not fall out.BNC and SMA are indeed very good.*The "micro" USB connectors can die a slow, painful death.

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 06:56:49 pm
content: I don't know if I can manage a top three, but I must say that I really dislike the common 4-pin Molex connector. The pins misalign so easily, and it makes insertion ridiculously difficult. If I have to individually pull on wires in order to align the pins so I can plug in the connector, then clearly the designers have done something wrong.The only benefit is that it's easy to insert and remove pins.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:00:12 pm
content: Quote from: Phaedrus on August 16, 2013, 06:56:49 pmSpeaking of things that can die a slow, painful death....

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:03:28 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 16, 2013, 06:49:23 pm

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:08:41 pm
content: Quote from: Phaedrus on August 16, 2013, 06:56:49 pmYeah, those 4-pin molex connectors aren't keyed very well, IMO, and industrious idiots like myself can (somewhat) easily get them in upside-down just far enough to put 12V into the 5V rail, murdering their hard drive.I don't get people who hate on USB. If you look at it, it's usually pretty obvious which way it goes in. I only ever have trouble plugging in a USB cable because it's in a weird spot and I can't get the thing straight.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:10:44 pm
content: Quote from: rexxar on August 16, 2013, 07:08:41 pmThat ^^^^

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:14:34 pm
content: Well you might not seen a SCART connector. That must be poorest connector mechanics ever made (I used to say that it must be a pinnacle of French mechanics desing). Just try to put 4x 75 ohm coaxes there neatly and you'll see what I mean. Huge cable hanging from very poor connector, no any kind of retention mechanism, really PITA. Not that HDMI is much betterRegards,Janne

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 07:49:16 pm
content: I'd have to agree with SCART, a terrible connector!

author: mmilejski
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:02:19 pm
content: I like F connector because it is easy to fit onto a coax cable without any tool, but on the other hand screwing in and unscrewing a hundred of these... pain in the ass.

author: karlmag
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:03:37 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 16, 2013, 06:49:23 pmOn a couple of occasions I have seen the result of people manage to insert USB-connectors (type A) upside-down.The good thing about managing that is that it will not fall out. :-P--Karl Magnus

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:05:06 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on August 16, 2013, 07:49:16 pmYep - SCART is the worst, although the ideal functionality was excellent, and lasted a long time, the physical design was awful.Mini-Dins are pretty bad - very easily bent pins and near impossible to solder the plugs.I find XLRs quite satisfying....

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:14:06 pm
content: Quote from: mmilejski on August 16, 2013, 08:02:19 pmAdd F connectors to my growing "slow, painful death" list.....I mean, sure, they're good at being cheap and easy to install.... but when I'm trying to use a plug, I don't care how easy it was for the guy who installed it!My weak little fingers can hardly remove one that's been on its jack for more than a couple days....

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:29:37 pm
content: BNC is indeed excellent.Worst is the "cigarette lighter" style power connector common among mobile consumer electronics, to plug into a car's electrical system. Way too bulky, ill-fitting, and most implementations of the plug have a spring which exerts force that tries to push the plug out of the socket! I realize that this standard wasn't really "designed", but it more-or-less evolved. Anderson Powerpoles, while not perfect, are such a huge improvement that I've installed them on all my 12V gadgets, and installed them in my car.USB is the worst among those that were recently designed. The USB committee has no excuse for ignoring the lessons of those who went before them. The fact that it always has to be flipped three times as the cartoon demonstrates is quite annoying. And I can attest that it is possible to fit them in the wrong way, but the results aren't pretty.RCA audio connectors are pretty awful, because the center connects before the shield, and the shield often doesn't connect at all.US style mains power connectors are pretty bad, because, when partially inserted, the mains power is available on exposed conductors. I was discussing this with co-workers, and every single one of us could recall receiving an electric shock as a child due to this feature. For most of us, it only took once and we learned to avoid touching them, but...Coaxial power jacks that are commonly used for low voltage DC power aren't bad per se, in fact they're pretty good at what they do. But there's a problem that there are way too many subtle variations of them, and there's no standard correlation between the physical details of the connector and the details of the power they're supplying. So it's possible to have adapters that physically fit, but are the wrong voltage, polarity or even AC vs. DC. Or the reverse -- you may have a plug pack that supplies the correct voltage and current for something you need, but it's got the wrong connector on it. Some coordination and standardization could have improved this situation tremendously, but it's probably too late now.

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:46:06 pm
content: It's not a problem with the connector per se, but the EPS12V 8-pin and PCIe 8-pin connectors are almost exactly the same. They're both Mini-Fit Jr. 2x4 pin connectors carrying +12V and ground. One powers your CPU, the other powers your graphics card. The only difference is the keying. The problem is if you flip one upside-down you can jam it into the other's socket. And oh, what do you know, now you have +12V shorting straight to ground. Every PC component maker gets RMAs due to this shit, and every time you have to either swallow the cost of the user's stupidity, or explain that it's their fault; and then take the hit from a poor product review.Why on earth couldn't they make EPS12V and PCIe pin-compatible? They both carry +12V and ground!And don't even get me started on the abombinations that are the ATX12V/EPS12V 4+4-pin and the PCIe 6+2-pin...

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 08:56:44 pm
content: Hated:The HDMI connectorI can't count all the jacks that are broken on devices. A heavy cable with chokes that uses the socket of the pins to support it and then only a short connector was asking for trouble. I was told that thumbscrews were suggested like for VGA connectors, but it was deemed by marketing to be tooconfusingfor consumersUSBShould have made it fit either way then I would have liked it. Finding the correct orientation for USB ports on the back of a pc is frustrating.Someone did have a suggestion for the first USB port, it was a 1/8" jack like used for headphones with more connections on the pin. Would have been so simple to just plug it in anywhere. The concern was that consumers would plug headphones in usb jacks or vice versa.Favorite connector: inductiveSimply place the end of the cable near the device and the data or power transfers wireless.

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:00:39 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 16, 2013, 08:14:06 pmF connectors have the annoying problem of the center pin missing the hole in the jack while the person continues screwing the connector on the jack. Lots of people call about bad connections only to find they bent the pin inside the jack.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:03:21 pm
content: Quote from: ptricks on August 16, 2013, 08:56:44 pmQuote from: ptricks on August 16, 2013, 09:00:39 pmSome people really are very ungraceful, aren't they? I can see my dad doing that...

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:07:47 pm
content: I'm not a Mac fan but love Macbook Pro DC connector. Magnetic, easy to use, users don't have to worry about inversion of polarity.One of the worst are the PS2 keyboard and mouse connectors.

author: ishelly404
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:08:34 pm
content: I really hate the micro usb connectors used on almost all smartphones. The micro usb connector sockets don't have enough support. I have had two phones where the micro usb connector has been ripped off the board and taken some of the traces with it.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:13:56 pm
content: I have had more than one micro USB connector go bad and refuse to hold the plug any more. Granted, I'm not all that gentle with them when I'm plugging in my phone for its nightly charge at 2AM.... but it's a cell phone! I shouldn't have to be...SMD connectors in general are horrid. I know the current consumer electronics fetish is "small small small!!!11!", but really, it wouldn't be much larger if it had a couple of tabs to insert into slots on the PCB. Of course, it makes assembly cheaper...

author: PA4TIM
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:26:17 pm
content: My all time favourite is the GR-847It is unisex and sturdyBNC is second,Lemo din-like with lock is third.Bad:F connector (flimsy)PL259RJ connectors, the platic lip always breaks and then the connector slips out

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:29:25 pm
content: Quote from: AG6QR on August 16, 2013, 08:29:37 pmAh yes I forgot about that POS

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:36:52 pm
content: First generation SATA connectors were horrible. The later models with a spring clip are much better, except that it's now quite easy to rip the whole plastic part off the motherboard.Cigarette lighter plugs are high on my list of absolute junk. That damn connector was never intended to be used as a power outlet anyway. Stupid amounts of current + very loose fitting isn't a great combination...ISO 4165 is infinitely better. It locks in place and the positive terminal is firmly pressed against the contact point.

author: ElectroIrradiator
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:37:25 pm
content: No love for the N connector?Guess not many people here are into high power RF...RJ45 can diaf, along with SCART and a few more already mentioned.

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:41:55 pm
content: Quote from: rollatorwieltje on August 16, 2013, 09:36:52 pmI forgot about those, even with the clip I don't like them . I miss the old IDE connectors . Bent pins sucked but at least I knew the connection was solid.

author: ovnr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 09:56:27 pm
content: Top 3:BNC - it just works. Secure, decent performance, hard to fuck up.USB - or, to be specific, USB type A and Mini-A. Micro is shit, and regular B is also shit. I usually grind off the fastening springs/clamps on Micro-B connectors. And regular B gets stuck often and is silly. Apart from that, cable retention is usually good enough, and it's easy to plug in blind.IEC power connectors, because every other (grounded) power connector is horrifying!Bottom 3:DVI - Oh, boy. Why the hell couldn't they make it a proper D-shape? I cannot tell which goddamned way it's supposed to go, and have bent pins before (making it theonlyconsumer electronic connector I've managed to completely fuck up)SCART - The french should be banned from making connectors. Thankfully replaced by HDMI, which is also awful (but not as bad).PAL antenna - Really? More bent metal? "Oh yes, let's make a RF connector that doesn't even have a characteristic impedance! That'll be sure to work well!"

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 10:06:45 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 16, 2013, 09:13:56 pmUgh, agreed on this one. The connector recently broke on my dad's phone, and when I went to look at it, the damn thing just fell off the board.I just replaced it with an inductive charger, he doesn't need USB connectivity anyway.

author: dfmischler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 10:27:32 pm
content: I just want to point out that context is very important for connector likes/hates.For example, I am old enough to remember depending on thick-wire ethernet with an AUI connector for every node. It worked pretty well, but it was pretty expensive and you couldn't easily add nodes without a vampire tap. But at the time that was the only way.Thinwire ethernet (remember: 50 ohm coax, BNCs and terminators) was cheaper and you could have your own department LAN. But the reliability wasn't nearly as good as thickwire. I hated still needing AUI cables and transceivers for some devices. And what a pain to troubleshoot when there were problems. At least partitioning the LAN for troubleshooting was easier than it was with thickwire.Early 10Base-T (Cat 3 with 8P8C connectors) was not much easier to troubleshoot because hubs didn't isolate anything, and most people thought they could extend the LAN by throwing another hub in at any point (wrong: max of 4 repeater hops). I was afflicted with a horrible mixed thinwire and 10Base-T LAN with over 100 nodes in the early 90's before 100Base-T and switching became readily available (i.e. cheap). I know that wasn't really big but I'm glad it wasn't bigger.Switched ethernet at gigabit speeds using 8P8C connectors is awesome compared to all of those prior arrangements. Especially with manageable switches that can tell you where the screwed-up devices are, etc. I'll accept the connector foibles for all the good things that have happened to improve ethernet over the years.

author: DrGeoff
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2013, 11:38:34 pm
content: Like:XLR 3-pin audio connectors. Should have been everywhere, including consumer gear. Balanced and locking.IEC mains power connector. Nice design but should have had a locking option. In some cases the ability to slip out if someone trips over the cable is good, but in moany cases the cable will fall out with excessive vibration.Speakon connector. A nice solution for speaker cabinets that otherwise used to have to use inappropriate XLR connectors.Dislike:Fig-8 style mains power connector. Stupid plug will fit into XLR socket resulting in instand destruction of audio gear. Apparently DJ's do this all the time in the dark:)F connectors. Horrible things to terminate.1/4" and 1/8" jacks. These things just break too easily, and the sockets sometimes become intermittent when grunge builds up on them.

author: Phroon
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 12:32:24 am
content: As stated by others the BNC is the glory that is interconnects.But deep in the bowels of hell resides the evil Twin BNC or 'Twinax'. This spawn of Satan takes the appearance of BNC and adds in a second rotation dependence. Not only do you have to align the shield like a regular BNC, one must also ensure the inner conductors are also rotated correctly. Get only one correct and the damn thing will not seat. Only with the correct phase of the moon and the correct number of eggs standing upright during the equinox will a Twin BNC actually connect properly.Take the rotational issues of USB, replace the rectangle shape with a circle and add a BNC style coupling nut.

author: hedgewallace
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 12:41:27 am
content: Like:-PV solar connector - Easy to plug in, never comes off. Sometimes a bit difficult to remove.-BNC connector - Easy to plug in and remove, and locks in place.-RJ45 - Some people may disagree with this, but i find them easy to plug in and remove. Every time i plug it in, it feels and sounds like a reliable connection. I haven't had any problems with the locking clip snapping, as i have seen a few people complaining about it. One thing i have been thinking about, is when you are routing the cable, the locking clip may get caught and snap off.Dislike:-AU 240v mains connector - Some can be nice, but i have repaired heaps of male plugs at work. There is a bit of protective plastic on the pins. Due to the plastic, the contact tends to snap off, sometimes leaving a exposed pin stuck in the power point. The pins also get bent, so it is easier to snap off.-S-Video connector - Almost identical to the PS2 keyboard and mouse connector, the pins are very easy to bend, and it is hard to figure out which way to plug it in.-PAL TV connector - After time, the connector gets loose. Sometimes our TV may loose reception, and its due to the plug. I have to wiggle it a bit, then it will suddenly work again.

author: lewis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 12:41:51 am
content: Hate (in no particular order):Laptop power connector, barrel typeSVGA connector - fiddling the shitty little thumbscrews is a pain in the arse, and every time you undo one it undoes the nuts out of the socket.PP3 battery connector, floppy. Nuff said.12N trailer socket connector. Even though it's keyed it never goes in first time, always dirty, rusty and falls out easily.SCART. Just wank.iPod/phone dock connector. Perhaps the pissiest shittiest connector in the entire world. One speck of dust and it's buggered.IEC 'hot condition' socket (kettle socket). Itlookslike any old IEC will fit it...Love:Neutrik PowerCon (and Speakon) connectorBritish 13A mains plugAmphenol IDC XLR connectors

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:19:34 am
content: My pet hates are:* SCART connectors. Thank god we don't have to deal with these much anymore.* RCA plugs. Good job designing a shield blade that often doesn't connect, so you have to get a pair of pliers and bend the thing until it does make contact.* All insulation displacement ribbon cable connectors. How many hours have I wasted in my life replacing cables where the IDC joints went intermittent? Nice theory, too bad it's crap in practice.* Any PCB edge connector, where the genius designers thought they'd save a few cents by not gold plating the pins. And then let the wave solder coat everything, including the connector pins. You don't see this one very often anymore, but when you do, just throw the board away. Your life will be easier.* Poorly made molded plastic IEC mains plugs on cords, in which the internal contacts are set too far back in the recesses, don't have enough spring, and barely make contact. So whenever the cable is moved the mains supply to the equipment goes Sppfft-zzt-sfft... and maybe drops out completely, maybe not. This is another case of 'throw it away and replace with a good one.'* Barrel DC plugs, like on many plug packs. Another incredibly unreliable and fragile design. Typically the center pin solder lug in the shroud would be loose, making an intermittent connection. But if you soldered that point (assuming the 'bright' plating would even wet with solder) you'd melt the internal plastic spacer, making it worse.Ones I like:* D9 and D15, with solder lug and gold plated machine pins. Such easily used, reliable things! Also easy to make a hole in a panel to fit them, just two screws, lots of different cable shrouds. The pin insertion force is enough to keep the connectors mated, but the locking hardware is easy to use too. You can also make great miniature patch panels, mounting the female connectors on a panel, and using loose male pins soldered to the ends to lengths of jumper wires and finished with a bit of heatshrink.* Cannon XLR audio connectors. Big and clunky, but that made them easy to install and solder, and they never fail.* USB. Come on, it's a nice design even if you cbf looking first and have to turn it over 50% of the time. Also it's _intended_ to unplug easily, so when you trip over cords you don't pull the laptop or whatever off the table.* Good old solid, useful traditional banana posts.* BNC. So long as they are not corroded, or the molded zinc alloy, cheap plating crap ones.* SMA and N connectors. These would almost go in the next category.Just plain awesome connectors:Every now and then you come across a connector standard that was obviously designed by Real Engineers, without a bean counter in sight, and they needed to meet some very stringent requirements. For instance the GR900 precision coaxial airline connector. See pics. Only problem is, your company may go broke.Another class of connector I find awesome, are the tiny flexible circuit connectors in things like LCD displays, laptops, etc. So long as the strip and the socket pins are gold plated these seem quite repliable. They are awesome for getting so many circuits into such a small connector.Ambivalent:* RJ45. Could have been good, if the locking tab didn't break off so often, and didn't act like a fish hook when untangling cables. The plastic back-shrouds that contain the end of the tab mostly fix that problem, but then make it hard to press to release the connector.Forever Alone:And then there are the weird connectors you sometimes find. Ones you know you are never going to find a mate for, even if you really need one. Here's an example, off the back of an old HP 3490A rackmount DMM I recently scrapped. OK, so they needed double shielding, fine. But seriously, wtf guys?Luckily I have no need to use this, it's just a curio.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:25:37 am
content: Quote from: Phroon on August 17, 2013, 12:32:24 amhah, was wondering if someone else would hate 2-lug twinax as well. though for different reasons, I hate the fact that 2-lug twinax connectors look like bnc and are physically compatible. 3-lug twinax is easier to identify but has similar-ish issues.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:35:30 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 17, 2013, 01:19:34 amI didn't encounter too many that broke off in my career, but some bent over backwards and still didn't break off. Nevertheless - the plastic they used seemed to take a lot of back-and-forth bending in any case. Amazing for plastic. Yes the shrouds solved the fishhoooking, but some shrouds were hard to push to get the clip to release. Many cuss words were said in years past.QuoteNever saw those - thank gawd.Connector designers on crack?

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:52:39 am
content: Hey wait! I nearly forgot a really great one! Those Clipsal piggy-backed Australian mains plugs. "No. 463" These were without doubt the very best mains connectors of any country in the world. By far. A brilliant design, well made, rugged, reusable, opened up with just one screw, easy to connect new cords to.But most important of all, invaluable for the electronics workshop, where there are always far more gadgets than power points. For low power draw devices, piggy-backing stacks of these was the beautifully compact and convenient answer.Off course it was too much of a good thing, and the Oz government banned them. Supposedly because people were overdoing it, and making fire hazards. But I notice that you can still buy fully molded equivalents. Made by HPM, hmm...And so, Clipsal had a patent on the design, HPM couldn't compete, the plugs get banned, then suddenly HPM can market a cheap/crap variant after all. Why does this sound so very typically Australian?Anyway, the original, re-usable ones are now worth their weight in gold. I have enough for my needs for the moment, thankfully.Pics below. All you people in countries with dumb mains connector designs, feast your eyes on this and weep.Australia. If the spiders and crocs don't kill you, the politicians will.

author: Phroon
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:55:48 am
content: Quote from: Fsck on August 17, 2013, 01:25:37 amJust to be clear, this is the unholy connection of which I speak:

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 02:01:22 am
content: Ugh..... whoever designed that monstrosity needs to be whipped with it!

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 02:03:46 am
content: Quote from: Phroon on August 17, 2013, 01:55:48 amOh good gods! Whoever thought that would be a good idea needs to die a slow and painful death along with that abomination!

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 02:05:31 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 17, 2013, 01:19:34 amIt seems the USB is the most controversial, for some reason.Fascinating.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 02:11:42 am
content: As for unusual connectors only used in a few places, I really, really like the big, clunky multi-pin connection used for my Tek P6046 differential probe. I don't think it'sthatunusual, like the weird double-shielded beast above (looks like it was a standard Amphenol catalog item), but I've certainly never seen it anywhereSturdy, clearly lasts a long time, and very easy to connect and disconnect.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 02:15:58 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on August 17, 2013, 02:05:31 amIt might be due to USB being the most common connector in many people's lives now. So naturally there's a proportionally large amount of irritation. Then add the Internet Meme feedback effect.Whoever designed the USB connector had better keep quiet about it, I think. The mobs used to burn witches. Today it would be something equally senseless. "He designed the USB! Burn him! Burn him!"Personally I could get behind a mob wanting to burn the Apple designers. For instance the iPhone connectors that are *not* USB, but should be.

author: smashedProton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 04:51:12 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 16, 2013, 06:49:23 pmWhy? Your phone would be 5x thicker if you didn't have one. Are there any alternatives that I should know of?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 05:29:04 am
content: A different design? My main problem with it is that the soft, flimsy plastic bits come right up to the edge, so if you put it in at any off angle, you grind them. A slight extension of the metal exterior would work just fine.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 05:54:02 am
content: Quote from: Phroon on August 17, 2013, 01:55:48 amoh, sorry. this is what I get for staying up for 48 hours. twinax is two conductors, triax is buffed up single conductormy gripe is with triax.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 06:24:21 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 17, 2013, 01:52:39 amClipsal 463 plugs are still made and sold, but you do need to be "in the trade", buy a minimum of 100 and sign a form. I've bought a couple of batches over the past 10 years.They are still fitted on some stage lighting. Ironically this is often where you can easily "stack up" more than 2400W (10A) very quickly (3 or 4 1000W lamps).These days they come with one-way pins to be used during assembly. I'm told that using 4 gauge self tapping screws instead makes them reusable.I heard (many years ago) the reason for the public sale ban was some moron (possibly a tradesman) made himself an extension lead with a piggy-back plug on both ends. That way he could roll out the lead with no regard to which end had to plug into the power point. Of course that meant the other end always had live pins!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 06:31:57 am
content: For PCB connectors, I present for your consideration, the humble Phoenix Contact terminal block connector, with proper cage clamp:

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:18:37 am
content: I have seen that piggy back plug here in a SA version. I have one around somewhere, it was a little pricey for a not very well built unit.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:57:17 am
content: The GOOD"N" connectors:-I've included these in the "Good" category for their excellent RF properties.& reliability.but I am ambivalent about a lot of other things about them,such as the difficulty of assembling the screw together types,& the fact that they are sometimes quite reluctant to "start" the thread when attaching a cable mounted male connector to a panel mount female.BNC connectors:-Easy & convenient to use,quite reliable,but again,a pain in the butt to assemble,& the bayonet sometimes becomes loose with wear.TNC connectors:-These offer the reliability of a threaded connection to a connector otherwise identical to a BNC.Again,messy to assemble in the traditional form.Crimp versions of the above types remove the assembly annoyancePL259/SO239 (so-called "UHF" connectors):-Do not maintain a constant impedance,conventional cable plugs are messy to assemble,but crimp fixes that!Useful for relatively non critical applications.XLR Audio Connectors:-Big,clunky,do their job with a minimum of fuss---some types had poor cable retention.The BADDIN Audio Plugs :-These are seriously horrible----nickel plated pins which are hard to solder to,needlessly complex metal shield,poor cable retention,hard to insert.They were originally intended to have all the pins in standard positions around a circle,so that you could fit ,for instance,a 3 pin into a 5 pin socket.---not any more,as they came out with incompatible versions.SCART plugs:-AAARRRRGGGHHH!Jones plugs:-Hard to solder to,enormous,very poor cable retention,come in too many different types.Belling Lee plugs:-These things which are commonly called PAL connectors for some strange reason,were one of the first coaxial connectors to be manufactured.The worst thing about them is that they haven't improved one bit over the years!In fact,they have become worse!It wouldn't be at all hard to design a crimp version,but no one ever did,CANNON miniature mains connectors:-They look a bit like XLRs,have a plasfic insert which provides adequate insulation for Mains,but you have to solder the wires into them,then pull a plastic shroud over the connections,which doesn't fit well,making it hard to assemble the thing!They also have very poor cable retention.Easy to stuff up & leave the insulating shroud out!Bulgin P73 Mains line sockets :-These things are incredibly bad!Their internal wiring may be accessed by unscrewing a threaded cover,which is,(1) very easy to unscrew,& (2), made of very thin Bakelite which is prone to breakage,leaving the Mains available for the unwary to touch.If you find one of these in service,replace it with an IEC cord,& the appropriate receptacle on the equipment.The UGLYGeneral Radio coax connectors :-These are huge unisex devices which offer good reliability,constant impedance over a wide frequency range.Dezifix Coax connectors :-Same comments as per GR connectors,except that they also have good high power capabilities."Spinner"Coax connectors :-Similar to Dezifix.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 08:15:42 am
content: Dislike:9 volt battery connectors - the non-rigid kind.Also - butt connectors. Just for the fact they are ugly.

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 09:13:16 am
content: I was reading this thread and expecting a engineer to jump in with some good and bad from an electrical characteristic point of view! Not that I'm qualified for such aspersions but I remember doing RF tests with BNC connectors 30 years ago at Uni and they were horrendous above a few MHz, leaky as hell and terrible insertion loss. There were some variations (probably closer to the original BNC design spec) that used gold finger wipes in the barrel to improve the behaviour. I agree that the mechanical design is great though.Those Clipsal 463 piggy back mains plugs are great as well, if you can buy 12 way power boards then these should be easily obtainable as well!Molex multiway power connectors from the '80s are horrible beasts (they look like old(er) hard drive power connectors for 2-20 conductors). The tinned connectors would oxidise slowly, get some resistance going then burn out.A connector that I like the operation of is the power connector on most mac laptops, using neo-magnets, it's just a neat simple idea.

author: johnwa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 09:45:27 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 17, 2013, 06:31:57 amYes, these are nice, but be careful, there are a number of similar products from various manufacturers on the market. I discovered that some of the matching PCB connectors cannot be stacked side by side on the board while maintaining the pitch between the end pins. I used some old stock on a recent project, but when I went to reorder, the new ones didn't fit, and I had to hack the ends of with side cutters.Regarding other types of connectors, I am also not much of a fan of RJ45s - the only thing going for them really is that they are cheap. I agree about lighter plugs too - I have converted most of my 12V stuff over to speakon plugs, which have enough pins to be wired for 24V as well, without the risk of blowing stuff up by feeding it too much voltage.The AU mains plug is also pretty miserable. Particularly in places such as building sites, etc, they are always getting trodden on and the pins bent. The new shrouded pin design just makes this worse. If only we had something like a BS1363, perhaps with the pins a bit closer together. Alternatively, IECs would also be a distinct improvement as a mains connector.Other than that, any proprietary/obscure connector is pretty annoying. I quite often end up just chopping them off and replacing them with something more common.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 10:12:29 am
content: My Panasonic plasma came with a locking IEC power plug.I learned why they did this. If you use a normal one and trip over it, it arcs several times, which causes the TV to shut off and go into a blink error code. (Doesn't cause any damage, but seems like the engineers forgot about some shielding around a main processor or something.)I honestly think all products should use them, they are very hard to disconnect and sturdy, assuring useful power delivery at the 5 or so amps it draws from a 110V power source.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 10:22:15 am
content: Surprised nobody's mentioned UHF TV aerial plugs - polythene insulation that melts when you solder it, aluminium body for poor surface conductivity and sketchy shield connection.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 11:22:19 am
content: I HATE Lemos. I can't tell you how many I've seen break because you have to have everything aligned PERFECTLY or you'll start bending things. What a PITA. They also hand out WAY too far and you can easily snap them off just bu walking by or tugging on the cable. Overly complex, poorly thought out and I can't figure out what problem they were trying to fix in the first place. I've often thought to myself that it may not be the WORST connector design, but that's not from lack of trying.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 11:31:07 am
content: Quote from: johnwa on August 17, 2013, 09:45:27 amthis.At work I have several connectors that look the same, but are not. They appear to fit properly, but lose connection when you wiggle them. Of course it was only found out in the field... Try to explain to the customer that his €100k+ machine is down because of a shitty €0.10 connector...As long as you use Phoenix sockets and plugs they are fine. Don't mix brands, you will regret it.

author: ketil b
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 11:53:32 am
content: BestThe 32 amp powerCONhttp://www.neutrik.com/en/video/powercon/powercon-32-a/Power lock, the lock pin can be a pain in the asshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerlockCEEform but the 125 amp can be hard to unplug.And the last is the pigyback side of the AU power plugThe badthe other side of the AU power plug, the pins bend and brake and they fall out all the timeRj45 the clip brakes, gets caught and the cores brake at the connector.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 12:25:04 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 17, 2013, 10:22:15 amI did--that's a "Belling Lee"------back in the day,(1950s),they had hard polystyrene insulation which was even worse!

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 12:36:02 pm
content: Quote from: ketil b on August 17, 2013, 11:53:32 amWhat do you guys do with your power plugs?I've been using Aussie plugs for over 40 years,& have never had one of the standard PVC ones lose a pin.The old Bakelite ones would,& sometimes the piggyback ones,as well as some cruddy One Hung Low moulded types.Bent pins,Princess?, That's what your fingers are for!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 01:00:57 pm
content: I like Deutsch connectorsWe use a lot of different ones in work and they all seem pretty hardcore and pleasant to work with. I also really like these:http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Boxes_and_Enclosures_Index/Wago/index.htmlThey've definitely made a difference on some electrical installations I've worked on in the past, where what might have been a really ugly barrel-crimped or terminal blocked shitpiece actually ended up looking like something we could be proud of.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 03:08:42 pm
content: The PAL connectors I use are installed like F connectors, they just twist on. Others go to a F barrel at the rear and you just screw a F connector on and use it. The screw together ones are utterly useless, you strip the screw just by tightening it and the screen never stays in contact. If i see one where I am working I cut it off and replace it without a second thought. If there is a premade flylead like from a VCR or satellite decoder to the TV set I make a new one with F connectors and a pair of the screw on connectors, and a gender changer on the one end if i do not have the other side. Improves signal strength and reduces interference, some of the cheap leads can be as good as the antenna for signal pick up.

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 06:49:58 pm
content: I have one connector I particularly hate, but it's for an unusual reason...The company I used to work for designed a data logging board to fit in test torpedoes – these ones don't go boom but are used for practice and testing characteristics. The data logger fit into an existing card slot I guess where some part of the "go boom" system normally went. The connector was a proprietary many-pin rectangular thing, available from only one source.I was given the job of ordering this connector when the navy wanted to purchase additional boards. I phoned the company and asked if the connectors were available."Yes, we make those connectors. They are (some astronomical price). How many do you need?"I told the person how many I needed and asked if they were in stock."Yes. They are in stock. I have them in my hand right now."Excellent. This was a fairly short fuse project and the connectors were holding up the show."How soon do you need them?" he asked.As soon as possible."Our standard delivery time is 4 weeks. If you need them in two weeks, there is a 50% expediting fee. If you need them in one week, the expedite fee is 100%....plus shipping." I could tell he was reading this off a price list. This for a connector costing over a hundred bucks a piece, that he's holding in his hand!Unbelievable!

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 06:55:14 pm
content: Sounds like anything involving the military...

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:00:49 pm
content: Yeah....pretty amazing for something designed to work for a few minutes and explode!

author: Chalky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:19:46 pm
content: Bad stuff....I have done many stupid things, regardless of connector, such as:BNC: Mixed 50 ohm & 75 ohm BNC connections. Fatter pin + skinnier hole = bad news. This was from the old Arcnet & Ethernet coax days.USB A. Pushed USB connector into RJ45 socket. It can be done! Result was blown Ethernet on laptop. Grrrr. Had to install a PCMCIA Ethernet because of that, drove me nuts.PC PSU (Molex 8981): Reversed a PC PSU HDD/CD connector (to be fair was going into an extension cable, which was a bit loose). 5V into something expecting 12 not so bad, but 12 where 5 was expected? Bang.USB B: I agree with all the comments about USB type A, taking 3 goes etc, but type B is 200x worse!Good stuff?Aus/NZ mains plugs now have insulated section on phase/neutral pins. Less electric shocks for kids.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:24:25 pm
content: Well, speaking about the military reminds me of the D38999 series of connectors. Multiple way (128 ways was the largest I saw) carried by one connector. It can have different contacts types, (100A, coax) and can be set with a different key-way to reduce the chances of mis-connection. (it didn't eliminate it but they had to work really hard to trash them). The series 3 also comes with a 360 degree EMI screen inbuilt in the connector.The only slight downside - They were expensive. VERY expensive. About 10 years ago I had to buy two mating pairs of connections for a project. The cost, £250.Neil

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 07:51:39 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on August 17, 2013, 07:57:17 amHas anyone used them for audio for the last 20 years, though? All I see them used for these days is MIDI.

author: Bloch
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 08:15:30 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 17, 2013, 06:31:57 amYes very nice. But for it to be perfekt then it need to be the spring cage type.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 08:16:33 pm
content: Speaking of bad... the PS/2 keyboard/mouse Mini-DIN. No easy visual clues on orientation when you're working behind a cramped desk! Most use USB today... which is bad for the same reason...

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 09:58:28 pm
content: RCA female to N female the hard way.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 10:43:27 pm
content: Quote from: aargee on August 17, 2013, 09:13:16 amAll power boards in Australia have a 10A circuit breaker built into them though.It is somewhat amusing that piggyback extension cords are freely available.The logic of the original decision to limit the use of rewirable 463 plugs does baffle me.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2013, 11:15:41 pm
content: IMO one of the best connector designs is the BS 1363 power socket and plug...... that is, until you step on a plug left upside down!There appears to be a law that any such plug will, automatically, when misplaced right itself into the most painful position.

author: lewis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 12:32:43 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on August 17, 2013, 11:15:41 pmDone that many MANY times!

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 01:07:55 am
content: What about IDC connectors, nobody's mentioned them? They seem ok to me.But anyone got better any alternatives for inter board connection?

author: ketil b
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 01:15:32 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo link=topic=19811.msg278109#msg278109I work as a touring lighting tech in the entertainment industry. Its a hard life for all the equipment especially cables, we are never in a venue for more than 12 hours, there rest of the time the cables are stuffed in a case on the back of a truck.

author: johnwa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 01:56:32 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on August 17, 2013, 09:58:28 pmThis looks a bit like what happens when I try to do some plumbing work...One connector in the 'undecided' category is TE's AMPSEAL.:http://www.te.com/catalog/cinf/en/c/10873/953. Once they are assembled, they are really nice sealed connectors, but getting the plugs together is a miserable job. Each contact must be inserted at precisely the right depth for the retainer to close properly, and it is quite easy to break the retaining clips.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 01:57:03 am
content: I had to make a mating assembly for a big rectangular data/power combination molex last week. I'm talking about the ones with small data pins in what looks like a high density dsub configuration in the middle with big power pins on either side. There are a total of like 30 something pins in one connector.My digikey order consisted of one mating connector housing and just enough pins to fill that housing. The total order came to be almost 150USD. That connector immediately became my vote for #1, #2, and #3 worst connectors of all time.::Edit:: Not molex, TE (Tyco)

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 02:56:19 am
content: Quote from: AG6QR on August 16, 2013, 08:29:37 pmAgree 100%. Even when the outside diameter fits there is the inside diameter you cannot easily measure. So a plug appears to fit but the inside is not making contact with a smaller pole.Early Sony VAIO's uses 19V. When they switch to 16V (Lithium battery), they kept the exact same plug. Gosh, the problem that caused....

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 03:23:41 am
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on August 18, 2013, 01:07:55 amYes!I love IDC connectors. They just make it so easy to make a neat board-to-board connection.They are a bit hard to assemble, though.I profoundly hate the combined eSata-USB connector on my laptop. It's ALWAYS difficult to connect something to it. I'm glad I don't have problems with flipping USB connectors, otherwise I would probably be typing this from my mobile phone, because I would slap the unholy shit out of this laptop.

author: Shred
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 06:04:07 am
content: I'll add my voice to the haters of USB. Whoever thought it was a good idea for sockets often located at the back of a computer, where it is dark and crowded with other cables and sockets to have no obvious "right way up" needs shooting. The other problem with them (as mentioned above) is that the USB male is exactly the right width to fit in an RJ45 Ethernet socket. It feels "right", but has some up / down movement. I lost count of the number of users of the original iMac who did this & complained that their USB keyboard or mouse wouldn't work.Another hate: mini DIN 8 plugs used as serial connectors on early Macs. Like PS/2, but more pins. A pain to solder to and ham fisted users would attempt to force them in the wrong way, or in to the wrong socket - mashing the pins every time. Users would drag the computer closer across the desk & the damn things would fall out the back every time.One that I'm surprised hasn't copped a blast yet is the Australian bayonet 240v light socket. Heat from the light globe softens the lead solder contacts in the globe & the two spring loaded metal pins in the socket embed themselves in the light globe base - makes it hard / dangerous to remove. I wonder how many people have had a glass light globe break in their hands due to this? Edison screw fitting makes more sense - at least mechanically.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:04:18 am
content: Quote from: Shred on August 18, 2013, 06:04:07 amYes! I *hate* these! Also because the modern ones use plastic-body receptacle, and when it gets hot the retaining tabs break off, letting the bulb fall out. It's like the designers foresaw the forced switch to CFLs, and schemed to break as many incandescent bulbs as possible in preparation. (jk.)Incidentally speaking of weird plugs, does anyone know what this thing is called, and where I'd find some mating connectors? These are on HP 35652B plugins for a HP 3567A I want to get going. Seehttp://everist.org/HP_notes/Parts_I_need.htm

author: Dago
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:08:07 am
content: Let me present you.... X-jack!Chessmate!Other poor connectors include SCART, all kinds of DIN-connectors and RJ45 (the damn clip always breaks!!). Theres tons more though that I cant think of right now.I quite like SMAs.

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:51:14 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 18, 2013, 07:04:18 amThe small center part looks like a 10/32 MicroDot connector. The connection between a charge mode accelerometer and a charge amp takes special "low noise" cable and, since it's a high impedance connection, the connection has to be absolutely clean. The oil from your finger on the connector pin will result in problems. Endevco is probably the most well-known source for MicroDot connectors but PCB-Peizotronics or CTC-online will be more affordable sources. Be sure to look for the low-noise cable options.PCB MicroDot Cables

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 08:09:30 am
content: These connectors are really bad, at least for this usage.There's no male/female, just one type which is a mirror image on each side.Can you think of a reason why this is a bad idea for a battery

author: Shred
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 08:19:32 am
content: Quote from: Dago on August 18, 2013, 07:08:07 amWinner!

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 08:21:21 am
content: Quote from: Shred on August 18, 2013, 06:04:07 amWhen Light globes were made in Australia this didn't happen-----why,I'm not sure!Ain't free trade great!The worst problem would be that the solder contacts would wear a bit,making contact a bit dodgy.With Edison screw fittings,the metal body is connected to one side of the Mains (in theory,Neutral) presenting the possibility of a shock if the wiring is reversed,with the light switch in the Neutral side.It really can happen---my Mum got a shock from the light inside her fridge years ago.(Secondhand fridge,Neutral/Active reversed)That was about the only use of Edison screw on 240V in Oz!Of course,Edison screw is used all the time in the USA on 120V.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 09:00:51 am
content: Quote from: Psi on August 18, 2013, 08:09:30 amWhy is that bad? You can't insert them the other way around and those 4mm bullet connectors can handle high currents easily. Also you can unplug them without stressing the soldering connections.

author: Tepe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 09:19:29 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on August 18, 2013, 08:21:21 amOver here we use them on 230V. Judging from the accident statistics, it isn't a big problem.

author: TheWelly888
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 09:21:26 am
content: Likes:- UK 3-pin mains plug - rugged, cannot plug in the wrong way and fuse in the plug.- BNC - rugged and easy to plug (when not stiff with corrosion!)Hates:- Lemo plugs - lots of medical equipment uses them and it's too easy to damage them by plugging in the wrong way round.- Belling Lee UHF TV aerial plugs - does that company still exist?- anything that requires crimping with expensive special tools such as RJ45.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 09:44:36 am
content: Like:BNC - easy to use, cheap, ruggedD-style connectors - first choice for universal and cheap multiway connectorAutomotive multiway connectors - those that have a lever to lock or eject the connector. Easiest usage ever.Hate:USB - falls out after several yearsSCARTTV antenna plug - fragile, falls outBarrel jacks - usability depends on luck, either it fits perfectly, or does not fit at all or falls out...

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 10:32:31 am
content: Quote from: Jon Chandler on August 18, 2013, 07:51:14 amThanks for that. Hmm... I guess I'd better find some dust covers for those connectors, and think of a way to clean the contact surfaces. I'm not planning to use it with capacitive accelerometers, in fact the signal source has yet to be determined. But it could well be very high impedance - think space-charge pickup in vacuum. So the same problems will be there.Back to connector love/hates...To all the USB detractors, have you seen the new(ish) 'flat-USB' thumb drive package? I think it's really cool. You really can't get any simpler than this, and so what if you have to look at it first to insert it the right way up? These things are nearly as small as micro-SD, but are USB directly. Very very nice. See the blue things in the pic.And of course, how could I forget to praise the micro-SD connector format? A device that's virtually nothing but connector, is tiny yet robust, refuses to go in the wrong way, and just works. Not to mention providing up to 32GB of file storage, in a format that can be very effectively hidden almost anywhere.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 10:41:44 am
content: Quote from: rollatorwieltje on August 18, 2013, 09:00:51 amBecause you often have more than one battery in bigger RC planes which means lots of connectors all of which connect to each other.There have been many instances of people plugging two batteries together (one battery will happily connect to others in reverse polarity). The end result of two high current lipos shorted together being predictable. The metal fuses together and fire ensues

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 12:23:28 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 18, 2013, 10:32:31 amSomeone calling?QuoteDoes it harm the thing if it goes in upside down? I can't tell by looking at it.Here's what irritates me about USB connectors. I have a bunch on my PC here. on the back, on both the motherboard and an expansion board, on the front at the bottom of the case, and also on a memory card reader expansion device that goes in a 3.5" drive bay. The USB openings are in several orientations. On the back they are vertical and horizontal, and on the front they are all horizontal - but here's what irritates me. If you look at the USB-A connector there is that thick part that won't let it go in but one way. The problem is that if you can't look directly at the port you have to guess which way to orient it. Now, that wouldn't be so bad if all the ports were all always in the same orientation. They aren't. For example, the USB ports on the front of my PC (the ones built-in) have the fat part facingdown. The expansion device has the fat part facingup. Then we get to the vertical ones ...I just tried an experiment - I got a USB stick and made sure the thing was oriented the right way. If you hit the port a little high it won't go in. Between the case and the USB port there is a small gap all around the port, and the edge of the USB device can try to go in a little bit and make you think you are holding the USB stick the wrong way. So, IMHO the design is flawed from a useability point of view, I should be able to look at the receiving port from any angle and easily see what orientation to put the plug, and it should not have little gaps that can catch the connector if you are off just a little bit.That's where the cartoon I posted earlier in this thread comes in. You are in a hurry and you first try one way (which is the right way) but for some reason you don't line up right. Then you turn the connector over (now it's in the wrong orientation) and it won't go in. Then you flip it again and get down on the floor and start cussing trying to see where the fat part goes ... it's true.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 12:49:02 pm
content: Hmm.. I've just never considered it that annoying. Yeah, it takes me a couple tries to insert the plug... but 1) oh, that didn't work, 2) hmm... still doesn't work, 3) bingoI can see it being a massive pain in the ass if you had to regularly move connectors on the back of a desktop PC, but that's what hubs or front panel ports are for!

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 12:56:14 pm
content: Quote from: xrunner on August 18, 2013, 12:23:28 pmNope. It just doesn't connect.You know with USB sockets, virtually all are horizontally mounted, and they are supposed to be oriented with the plastic blade at the top. Reason - then the contacts in the equipment socket are facing down, which means they don't get dust settling on them. RJ45 sockets have the same predominantly 'contacts at the top' orientation for the same reason.The result is that if you simply look at the plug before inserting it, without needing to look at the socket you can generally get it right first time. See the little squareish holes in the shroud? On one face they are filled with plastic, on the other face they are open. You just turn it so the open holes are UP, and 99% of the time it plugs straight in.Just like in the photo you posted.

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 01:27:48 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 18, 2013, 10:32:31 amThey're actually up to 64GB now, I have one in my phone.

author: HammerFET
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 02:10:31 pm
content: I love rounded connectors, can never go wrong with them. If only life was so simple to need just a couple conductorsConnectors I hate:24pin ATX... just too many wiresmicro USB3.0 looks like a frankenstein usb connectorthose small jst like connectors where the clip on the connector is stronger than the ones holding the wires in

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 05:01:19 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on August 18, 2013, 03:59:05 pmSo ethernet cables shouldn't lock into place (RJ45)?TV coax cables shouldn't screw on (F connectors)?They both can be run in the same ares as USB cables. So how do we decide which ones should lock, and which shouldn't?

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 06:10:19 pm
content: Think about what will happen if someone plugs two batteries together! Sure, that would be a stupid thing to do, but I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later.The Anderson Powerpole, at least as standardized by the amateur radio crowd, gets this right. It's also a genderless connector. But unlike the example shown in the photo, as long as powerpoles were initially wired correctly, it's impossible to plug two of them together improperly. They always mate positive to positive and negative to negative. Connect a bunch of powerpoles together in parallel, and you've just made a DC bus where you can plug in various combinations of batteries, chargers, power supplies, and loads, assured that the polarity will always be correct. Sure, some combinations might not work really well, so you've still got to use common sense, but at least you'll never short positive to negative.They also are capable of handling high current, they're relatively compact, and they use a wiping action when they mate, providing some self-cleaning ability.http://w8kvk.com/nc4l/page12/Powerpole_Benefits.pdfQuote from: rollatorwieltje on August 18, 2013, 09:00:51 am

author: smashedProton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 06:14:10 pm
content: Those connectors look like they could handle a TON of current. I would use them in rc planes or cars like it is intended for. They only have one battery in them anyway, not much could go wrong.

author: skipjackrc4
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:37:37 pm
content: Good:BNC - For all reasons mentioned above.Neutrik PowerCon - Excellent locking, super easy to plug in. Fairly high current capability.HPIB/GPIB - SUPER solid, and just feel great in the hand.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:39:06 pm
content: Problems with USB-A:1. Snaps the plastic inside too easily.2. People do find ways to insert them upside down.3. They fit in ethernet ports.4. They do also fit in DB9 ports.5. Jacks spaced too closely can cause issues when something like a thumb drive blocks a cable because it is too fat.Barrel jack power connectors on laptops.1. Not very sturdy.2. Can't explain to people that you can't stress them. They yank cables out at 45 degree angles! AH!3. Center pin tends to work loose from board causing arcing and burning the PCB.4. Toshiba tends to mount them on pigtails that are easily replaced, but they are slid into a plastic slot which breaks and the jack goes inside the laptop with a hole on the side.5. The newer Dell and HP ones are much better than the old ones but sometimes have a broken pin in the cable.Magsafe:1. Good damage protection design2. Exposed contacts can get dirty causing connection problems.3. Not easily replacable.30 pin Ipod/Pad/Phone1. Too easy to damage / snap inside.RJ45 / RJ11:1. Should have made a snagless cable the original spec.AT Power Supply:1. Plastic was too soft so you could easily swap the cables backwards. (Remember black goes to center on both)Good designs (for the most part)1. 3.5mm / 2.5mm / 1/4" audio jacks. Work well and easy access to test cables, pretty sturdy usually.2. Centronics parallel port. Sturdy works well doesn't damage too easily.3. 80 pin SCA. Never had a problem, the alignment pins pretty much prevent any damage.

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 07:59:07 pm
content: Quote from: smashedProton on August 18, 2013, 06:14:10 pmI doubt it.One amp is 6.241E18 electrons/secElectrons weight = 9.109E-31 kgSo 1 amp = 6.241E18 * 9.109E-31 = 5.6849E-12 kg/s5.6849E-12 kg/s * 2.2 lbs/kg = 1.2533E-11 lbs/s2000 lbs = x * 1.2533E-11 =>1.5958E14 amps = a ton of electrons.The would be 15980 giga-amps for a ton (US) of electrons/s.

author: dfmischler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 10:29:54 pm
content: Quote from: Jon Chandler on August 18, 2013, 07:59:07 pmFirst I love your post, so take this in the same spirit. BTW - "Not even in a million years" was a typical playground taunt when I was a kid.smashedProton said a TON, not a TON per second. Let's assume that connector will handle 10 A. That means it can handle a ton if it is allowed to take 1.595E13 seconds.1.595E13 / (60*60*24) = 1.846E8 days1.846E8 / 365.25 = 5.05E5 yearsSo it would not be accurate to say that the connector couldn't handle a ton of current even in a million years (because it would only take half a million).P.S. I realize that my calculation provides for a ton of charge, and since we measure current in coulombs (charge) per second it's not really right.

author: timonthegreat
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 18, 2013, 11:55:08 pm
content: Connectors I hate :Pal TV antenna - falls out to easily, sometimes doesn't fitApple 30 pin - non standard , should just be usb , but apple wants more money so that would never happenVGA - pins get bent to easily==================Like:HDMI - most people are smart enough to work out how to use itScart , I've never had any issues , good quality pictureIEC , standard on most appliances

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 12:01:43 am
content: Quote from: dfmischler on August 18, 2013, 10:29:54 pmGood point. A slightly different interpretation than I made, but the answer is pretty clear! Those connectors won't handle a ton of amps no matter how you look at it!

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 02:09:24 am
content: Quote from: Jon Chandler on August 18, 2013, 07:59:07 pmSo how many Volts to make that 1.21 Giggawatts?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 02:38:15 am
content: Quote from: dfmischler on August 18, 2013, 10:29:54 pm10A is a bit conservative, a really fast/big RC plane can draw up 90-140A and maybe 200A peak.You'd usually have 2 or 3 batteries in parallel though for that sort of power, since high C rating battery aren't cheap.So 70A is probably more realistic for the max current out of one battery.Not that its really going to do much to the answer

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 02:53:37 am
content: Worst, Alligator ClipBest, Pomona 5481 Minipincer

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 04:54:25 am
content: Quote from: timonthegreat on August 18, 2013, 11:55:08 pmI could have swore there was some law passed in the EU several years ago that mandated standardizing all phone charging ports. And across the board everyone but Apple moved to MicroUSB. How did Apple get away with it? I mean they redesigned their port with the iPhone 5 and had the opportunity to standardize but didn't.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 05:04:09 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on August 19, 2013, 04:54:25 amMassive hole in the standard (which isnotlaw). Making available an adaptor is considered compliance.

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 05:21:24 am
content: like:1-BNC2-USB (how to plug it in is not an issue, they have the top of the plug identified by that three pronged USB logo, so look for the logo and plug it in the right way right away, duh)3-HXT Gold Connector w/ Protector, good to 93A, can't short or mistake polarity, holds, up to 10AWG wire for 4mm size connectors; need to handle more power, use 8mm for 170A.don't like:DC plugs (like the plug that charges laptops), they always come out or get loosecheap DIN plugsRCA

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 06:00:50 am
content: Quote from: staxquad on August 19, 2013, 05:21:24 amDo those ones have anything to stop you connecting two power sources together and shorting them in reverse polarity?I'm wondering if it maybe just the cheap hobbyking copies that have this issue.Pic here of what i meanhttp://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1180337

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 06:50:26 am
content: Quote from: Psi on August 19, 2013, 06:00:50 amI suppose if they put a polyfuse, or circuit breaker in there somewhere it might help save people from themselves (or just their small children playing around)

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 08:47:40 am
content: I find the pins a B!#^% to remove on 20/24 pin ATX power connectors.Yeah, i know you can get a tool for it but i'm just cheap.For most connectors you can find something around the lab to easily push the metal tabs back in so the pin will come out, but with ATX connectors they just drive me crazy.

author: Tasman
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 12:05:58 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 17, 2013, 01:52:39 amMain reason why they were banned - too easy for the diyer (and even some electricians) to make up an extension lead with male pins on both ends. That is also why the fully moulded ones are still sold

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 12:49:46 pm
content: You can't beat the Dezifix connector used in old Rohde and Schwartz RF test equipment like their Polyskop and Diagraph. It was huge, very strong and unisex. You could hang all sorts of heavy accessories like directional couplers on it without it flinching:

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 01:28:29 pm
content: Did anyone mention RCA?They take up a lot of space but always fit snugly, whereas the jack type audio connectors can lose they're springiness and go intermittent.The difference must be in the concentric spring action, much less travel for a tight fit.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 01:48:25 pm
content: Quote from: timonthegreat on August 18, 2013, 11:55:08 pmhdmi is pain in the ass for me the damn cable looses the socket on the tv without support and from the self heating of the tv wont make contact and the signal dissappears and comes back all the time why they couldnt get a damn locking mechanism like the displayport small connector yet rugged

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 01:51:58 pm
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on August 19, 2013, 01:28:29 pmI believe they were mentioned, but complained about: the shield weakens and eventually doesn't make good contact. I haven't had that problem, myself...

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 05:38:25 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on August 19, 2013, 06:00:50 amknowing you're connecting one power source to another power source would be bad enough idiocy but to continue to plug red on black and black on red would qualify as total idiocy, so I guess those connectors are not total idiot proof. (people don't normally connect two power sources, a gen to a gen, using BNC connectors or a power supply to a power supply using banana plugs, because it goes against logic, and if you ain't got no logic, you're quickly going to blow something up, rightly so, and find another hobby/profession)they are probably designed by Hobby King (Turnigy), so cheap copies would be from DX (as the XT60 plugs).cheap/best, same design, the onus is on the user to notice wtf they are doing, other than that, for people who aren't idiots or total idiots, they work impressively well

author: CodyShaw
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 05:50:51 pm
content: I really like BNC connectors.I hear those magnetic charging connectors on Apple laptops are great. Zero (human) force connection, magnets simply hold the connector on the laptop. Sounds great. Never used one.

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 06:58:38 pm
content: Quote from: CodyShaw on August 19, 2013, 05:50:51 pmI've got a Panasonic rice cooker with a magnetic connector for the power chord. If I move the rice cooker, the connector disengages. Magnetic connectors, meh.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 07:07:17 pm
content: Like:- Harting industrial connectors, e.g. the HAN series. That is a manly connector- DIN 41612 connectors. I love these things, use them on many of my projects. Can't be beat for reliable Euro card interconnects.- This kind of connector (Tuchel) was used in pre-XLR days for professional studio equipment. Had self cleaning spring loaded contacts, great engineering work. The threaded lock is annoying though.- Anderson Power unisex high current plugs. Good stuff.- Schuko mains power plugs. The best mains plug on the planet. Period. (Don't take this too serious, please.)- CEEform.- BS1363 main plug. I like it, it's so over engineered. Looks like it could easily carry 50A.Dislike:- The piece of crap commonly used on christmas lights. Just two pins in a molded plastic shell and the thinnest stiffest wires they could find comming out the back. Wires always break straight after the plug.- Old German (pre 1980) three phase connector. Outright dangerous design, can be plugged in the wrong way possibly putting the metal (!) case onto a live pin. Hurt and killed many, was banned in 1980.- Mini DIN. Crap.- 2,5 and 3,5mm phono jack plugs. They're too flimsy for my liking, especially cheap ones can be nasty.- Every USB connector smaller than standard A type. Flimsy.- All DC power connectors apart from the 2,5/5,5mm variety. Why do we need so many different ones? Why aren't the different sizes standardized for different voltages? Why do some manufacturers use the centre pin as ground?- RCA audio plug. The cheapest way to connect two pieces of HiFi equipment. The cheapest, not the best way but we're lumbered with it. DIN plugs were way better.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 07:17:00 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on August 19, 2013, 07:07:17 pmIt really, really can't, though.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 07:18:21 pm
content: Like:BNCXLRNFDislike:Molex (with a vengeance).USB3 (what were they smoking?)Belling Lee(they always fall apart/cable pulls out etc)DIN audio plugs, especially the two pin one (which no-one else has mentioned yet).RJ45 with shrouds that prevent you pushing the tag down far enough to get the plug out.That horrible thing they use for car radio aerialsEquivocal:Most things really as almost everything has some good and some bad features - some are quite nice in use but can be fiddly to assemble eg RJ45 which needs a special crimp and can be fiddly to get the conductors to fit down the holes in the plug. Audio jacks can also be fiddly to wire up, particularly 2.5mm ones (or even worse 1.5mm) and even some 1/4" ones are poorly built and difficult to get any decent sized cable onto the tag connected to the tip.

author: Bloch
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 07:42:35 pm
content: Are there no love for M12 connectors

author: ddavidebor
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 07:51:45 pm
content: I love smb connettorLittle, cute, nice click and even the crappiest one is good quality

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 10:22:00 pm
content: Quote from: ddavidebor on August 19, 2013, 07:51:45 pmI've never run across any in the wild but I looked at some today from an Ebay Hong Kong dealer (I'm getting ready to stock up on RF adapters) they sound like a nifty connector.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 10:40:20 pm
content: BEST : APC-7WORST : Anything used for vacuum tubes...

author: sarm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2013, 11:26:17 pm
content: I hate the micro-USB , the type A B and mini i like.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:18:41 am
content: Quote from: staxquad on August 19, 2013, 05:38:25 pmAgreed, but a good connector should be designed so its impossible to do anything stupid.It's not always obvious which connector is the powersource and which is the load. You may have many connectors packed into a small area and all disappearing off through ducting or whatever.Relying on the user to pay attention and not connected red to black when other connectors make it impossible is just bad design.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 07:04:23 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on August 19, 2013, 10:22:00 pmThey are the ones you see on a box of cables at a Hamfest,or rescue from a Dumpster--everybody thinks they are going to use them,but the bit of gear at home with vaguely similar connectors is always bloody SMA!

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:03:55 pm
content: Good1) BNC, but only the good quality ones like H&S - these are electrically very good too.2) BS1363 mains plug. Cheap ones can be a bit marginal at the full 13A due to heat from the fuse but otherwise very well thought out and works well. If you know what you're doing you can also put a second neutral pin in and make a fuseless plug that's good for about 30A in a good quality socket.3) D connectors, but not the high density series. Simple, cheap and reliable.4) XLR5) The most useful and versatile mains power connector, for single and three phase up to 100A - the M10 wingnut.Bad1) DC coax power connectors. Too many non-interchangable types and no standard for what each is used for.2) The 7/16 RF connector, seems good in theory but at anywhere near the rated power the centers seem to overheat followed by arcing and complete destruction.3) RJ45s where the clip always breaks off.Ugly1) F connectors. Who thought using the cable center conductor as the pin was a good idea?2) The Belling-Lee connector for all the reasons previously mentioned.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:10:15 pm
content: Quote from: richard.cs on August 20, 2013, 12:03:55 pmNo. Just no. They have never been safe for 30A with any socket.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:12:42 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on August 20, 2013, 12:10:15 pmI didn't say it was a good idea, but they do survive it without any noticable heating which is a) useful for getting you out of a mess and b) shows a significant safety margin for their normal application.

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:13:52 pm
content: I like any connector that is made of metal and snaps into place. XLR and BNC both come to mind. For more serious applications, I also like N connectors, but they are rather bulky for everyday use.I dislike stereo headphone jacks, all plastic connectors, and essentially anything that can come lose. I also dislike connectors that are either easy to break (like SMA) or wear down over time (like banana). Nothing lasts forever, but some are better than others."There are some things money can't buy. For those things, there's Bitcoin!"

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:15:05 pm
content: Quote from: richard.cs on August 20, 2013, 12:12:42 pmNoticable heating of the plug, maybe. The contacts, which are marginal as is, are another matter.. The old war horse needs retiring and replacing with something with more contact area, badly.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 12:26:37 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on August 20, 2013, 12:15:05 pmStarting to get a little off topic perhaps but I don't think contact temperature will be that far from pin temperature. I'll have a play tonight, crack the back of a socket open and attach a thermocouple. It will of course be heavily dependant on contact springiness and cleanliness. The ones I've had apart make contact on the two longer flat sides.

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 07:20:49 pm
content: Quote from: M. András on August 19, 2013, 01:48:25 pmBlame this on marketing. HDMI connector was designed when USB was becoming big with consumers and the idea was to introduce HDMI as being just like USB, just plug it in, anyone can do it ! Too bad if it breaks the connector from the weight of the cable., that is all after warranty stuff anyway.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 07:43:38 pm
content: Quote from: ptricks on August 20, 2013, 07:20:49 pmwouldnt be a problem if the cable wouldnt be so stiffs the damn thing vant be bent in the right angle to support it after replugging the thing its good for a few months next time i will put some silicone over the connector but its pain cos the tv is on a console fixed to the wall 2.5m above ground...displayport is not much bigger if not the exact same size and it still have a lock built in with easy removal

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 07:50:27 pm
content: I am of the "if it stays connected for a week or longer it should bolt to the chassis like a D connector" group...

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 07:53:48 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 20, 2013, 07:50:27 pmdvi comes to mindthose have no problem ever

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 08:28:27 pm
content: Quote from: M. András on August 20, 2013, 07:53:48 pmApples come to mind. The only connector on an Apple that's worth a damn is the magnetic power adapter on their laptops, and I'm not even sure if THOSE are worth it. Very convenient and nice when someone trips over the cord, but otherwise somewhat unreliable. Every other connector is a piece of crap, especially the power connector on their Mac Mini. What a piece of junk, and completely baffling to me how it ever made it to market. That display port garbage that they use is absolute crap too. Pretty much all of their connectors are crap.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 08:30:46 pm
content: But they look nice...

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 08:50:45 pm
content: MagSafe is great... until the connection looses slightly, and massively heats up... resulting in:http://www.babilim.co.uk/blog/jpg/magsafe_fire_01.jpg

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 08:58:51 pm
content: Those who had to live through SCART*consider HDMI an improvement. However, the fix for SCART and HDMI is the same:Hot glue.* May the French inventors and the French government who forced it onto the rest of the world rot in hell - twice ...

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 10:05:59 pm
content: Those car radio antenna connectors were just called Motorola connectors.I read somewhere (here?) that the design brief for HDMI was a mechanical life of 100 connects? I mean who was ever going to keep connecting stuff over and over to the TV?The problem with hot glue for fixes is what happens when it gets hot. I remember a car kit for a Motorola brick phone I had, after parking in the sun on a hot Aussie summer day, finding the holder in pieces all over the floor - manufactured with a thermal glue!I used to go out of my way to find RCA and the like connectors with bakelite/fibreglass insulation that wouldn't melt while soldering.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2013, 10:57:01 pm
content: HDMI was originally a "change rarely" thing, but with every camcorder, laptop, smartphone supporting HDMI now, it's a silly design as you will be frequently changing ports to connect these portable devices.... Plus most entry level TVs only have 2 ports, which means that you will be swapping if you've got a camera and two fixed devices (HD receiver, blu-ray...)

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 01:07:04 am
content: Not sure if it really qualifies as a connector, but BGA test sockets are by far the worst I have worked with. They're guaranteed to have contact issues after only a few uses. Of course, where those are used, there's no other choice...F connectors often have the center pin out far enough that it's easy to accidentally bend it, but the part I dislike most is that it takes a lot of turns to connect/disconnect...The 9V battery connector is designed so that it's easy to short it out or touch it backwards.Not a problem with the connectors per se, but I have seen a lot of adapters (mini HDMI to regular HDMI, for example) that put a lot of stress on the connectors.IEC mains connectors are pretty good, but someone mentioned poorly made connectors that are loose. I found that it's usually because there's a little too much plastic (as in an extra 2-3mm) and a knife fixes that in seconds.SMA and BNC connectors are very good. Pretty robust and they just work.I also like pin headers. While they are pretty fragile as far as connectors go, they're generally supposed to only go inside equipment.QuoteAgree with all of them. The sad thing is, I can think of simple ways to fix the problems without breaking compatibility in either direction.QuoteAnd to add to that, some Xilinx boards have a 12V power connector that looks just like the PCIe connector but is incompatible with it. But yeah, if I were to design it, I would just use the 8 pin EPS connectors for GPUs.QuoteI have never heard of an Ethernet chip being damaged by shorting the pins in the connectors. ESD is more likely, but that's because some engineer decided that the 1M resistor to ground "did nothing", not a fault of the connector. The locking clip breaking off too easily is indeed a real problem, but the better quality cables have covers over them.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 06:52:11 am
content: The stupidest connector ever designed is the MHV high voltage BNC. Its only good thing about it is one of its fatal flaws: it can be forcibly mated with a regular BNC. That is good when you have some stupid piece of equipment that uses one and you don't have an adapter cable, but defeats the entire purpose of a special high voltage connectors. In general, it is an unmitigated failure as a high voltage connector.Probably my most hated connector (MHV is stupid, but too rare to be most hated) is GPIB. It is bulky, expensive, hard to orient due to the thick, stiff cable coming out the side, and the retaining screws always disconnect at the wrong point. This is particular bad when you have more than one connector stacked as the left and right screws will disconnect in different places and you won't be able to remove the connectors at all until you go grab the knurled surface (no hex nut!) with a needle nosed pliers.Rounding out my list would be F connectors and USB-A for the reasons already mentioned.Honorable mention to BNC. True, it is convenient and the connector body is mechanically rugged. However in practice most commercial cables use inexpensive but unreliable crimp connections for the ground shield. They have a high out-of-box defect rate, and a high failure rate in service. The frustrating thing is that a broken ground shield may result in something that appears to work but has strange behavior or very poor noise performance, and it may only show up when connecting two cables with a barrel connector. It is possible to get reliable cables, so I don't count this in the same category as the above connectors, but because of its ubiquity it gets judged harder than other flaky connectors.Connectors I like are SMA, ordinary dsub connectors, and IEC mains plugs. USB-B is not too bad, although not great. Of course several of the high-end circular connectors such as those from LEMO and Fischer are nice, but for what you pay they had better be.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 08:41:40 am
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on August 21, 2013, 06:52:11 amOf course this is even worse if you have older equipment with the unified threads. It becomes a real mess and you end up with horrible bodges or cables that fall out unexpectedly.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 03:29:50 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on August 20, 2013, 10:57:01 pmThe biggest fail with HDMI is the one-wire 'system control bus' the hardware guys thought to include. Hey, so you can control all your interconnected devices with one remote control! The early HDMI adverts actually boasted this.Only problem... they failed to work out a protocol. How exactly would that 'one remote control' thing work, with TV, DVD, etc gadgets from multiple different manufacturers? End result - you still have to have multiple remotes, and the DVD player (say) can't be mounted on the other side of a wall from the TV, and controlled via the TV remote.Supposedly the 'power off' command is recognized fairly universally. Terrific.Or has this been fixed since the last time I struggled with HDMI and read the specs?

author: wkb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 05:11:59 pm
content: good: N-connectors, subD connectors, bC and C connectorsDiabolical: SCART, F, RJ45 without cable shrouds to protect the always breaking bleedin' retention clip

author: MichaelKavanagh
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 06:30:24 pm
content: Good:BS1363 - Cause its British, and therefore amazingCommando style connectors (IEC 60309/BS 4343) - Not really 'electronics', but still good. Big and beefy and I like that. Difficult to breakThe normal IEC 'kettle plug' thingXLRSpeakonBad:Clover leaf, WHY!?PS/2 - Surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier, glad its now redundant. What idiot thought delicate pins, useless keyway and 'arm round the back of a pc' would be a good mix?Hate:Any type of connector which isn't bloody suitable for the environment its in. Have to keep replacing these 'link cables' at work which have £20 worth of connector on each end because they keep getting broken due to not enough mechanical strength. Idiot designers.

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2013, 08:15:28 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 21, 2013, 03:29:50 pmIt is sort of fixed. Most items like a blu ray player will let you do commands like play, pause through the tv remote but things like menus, subtitles ,etc still require the original remote.

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 01:02:32 am
content: S-Video connectors are stupidly delicate. The pins can easily get bent and just like PS2 there's no way to know if you have it oriented correctly when you're reaching around the back of something.

author: tealsuki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 01:42:04 pm
content: I've started to develop a dislike of RCA plugs, especially since I accidentally ripped the centre plug out of one when I was removing it from my TV. D'oh.My first MP3 player had a USB B-mini connector. It took me nearly 6 months when the first one broke to find a CHEAP replacement for it, since nobody actually used them at the time (This was back when every cellphone used a proprietary data connector). Then when I got my 4th mp3 player (this one could play video!), the b-mini connector was so fragile I had to send it away for service, TWICE.That being said, I also strongly dislike any non-standard connector for consumer electronics (cameras, cellphones, mp3 players) because I'm bound and determined to break the frickin' cord, and I end up having to order a new one from China, or wait 3 months to get one from the manufacturer (pushing my device out of the warranty period, if I'm really lucky)The only true honest to god hate I have is for the early SATA connectors in my computer, especially since I swap parts and fiddle now and then. Newer ones are of better quality, but you still have to hold your tongue at the right angle and get your fingernails good and in the crevice to pop the retaining doohickey out. They make the molex connectors easy to use by comparison.tl;drHateUSB (and its spawn, B and B-mini)SATAProprietary doohickies, dongles, and cords I'd rather hang myself withDVI (Seriously, why make 4 different types of connectors for different levels of use when the only obvious difference is that little + shaped thing)Cheap ethernet retainer tabs on LONG EXPENSIVE cableCheap DIN connectors (PS/2, S-Video) with cheap pins on cheap cable (that is stupidly overpriced because it carries a video signal in S-Video's case)MehMolexAll the nonsense I've encountered when trying to install a car radio including a few pigtails covered in tapeMarrette connectors for my mainsLoveThat co-ax thing I can't seem to name that connects the cable box to the house, and the telly to the box. Seriously that thing has an iron gripSorry, I think I needed to get those years of frustration off my chest LOL

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 02:34:53 pm
content: 4mm banana plug. Period.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 02:41:05 pm
content: Quote from: fcb on August 23, 2013, 02:34:53 pmBest or worse?

author: ddavidebor
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 07:05:39 pm
content: Both for me

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 11:20:16 pm
content: Quote from: tealsuki on August 23, 2013, 01:42:04 pmExpensive RJ45 ethernet cables? Are you a monster cable customer? or even worse.... Denon!!!http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9967991-1.htmlHere is the solution to everyone that is complaining about RJ45 locking tabs...http://www.frys.com/product/3065009?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

author: tealsuki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 12:14:38 am
content: Quote from: Smokey on August 23, 2013, 11:20:16 pmOh god no. I may be on medication but it's not for severe delusions.I spent a little over $30 on (iirc) a 20ft cable. I didn't have a wireless modem at the time so I networked the apartment the old fashioned way. I could have spent $3 on a won hung lo 7ft cable, but it just didn't have the reach.

author: jamesp15
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 01:58:57 am
content: Quote from: tealsuki on August 24, 2013, 12:14:38 amIs Canada that much more expensive than the US? you can get 500ft of Cat 5E cable for ~$50 or even less without too much looking in the US...Premade cables cost more per foot, but a 50ft pre-made cable is still only ~$10-15 again without too much looking.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 02:14:50 am
content: Quote from: Smokey on August 23, 2013, 11:20:16 pmThose suck, get the type that presses flat on the connector like this:These don't have anything that can be bumped/warped out of alignment. The price difference is not even worth mentioning.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 07:38:19 am
content: Here's a CAT-5 RJ-45 connector locking tab protection method I hadn't seen before I found these today.Looks like it might even work.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 03:58:08 pm
content: Quote from: Shred on August 18, 2013, 08:19:32 amActually, in the days of MODEMs and PCMCIA card, I rather like the XJack. PCMCIA cards without XJACK uses dongles - as easy to break as the XJack and a hack of a lot easier to loose.I suspect a forward thinking hotel staff back then could have made a good business selling left-behind used dongles of all sort.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 02:31:05 am
content: Quote from: Smokey on August 23, 2013, 11:20:16 pmFor that price, it better do at least 10G or preferably 40G...

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 06:09:57 am
content: Like:4mm Bananas, easy to connect/disconnect, good enough current carrying capability,stackable sometimes, pretty sturdy unless you cheap outThe IEC kettle/computer/anything plug, it makes good contact, earth connects first, good insertion feel, solidJST-XH Mini connector, good retainer, solid feel, standard 0.1" spacing! just don't get the cheap ones, which take the socket housing with the plug leaving just the pins on the board when you disconnect them.The new apple lightning connector - the only problem is it is proprietary and has a fucking IC in the cable.DisplayPort and MiniDisplayport - they fit solidly and don't anywhere near as bulky cables as HDMI.Dislike:USB connectors in general, the type A connectors should be uni directional, like the lightning connector, the micro b just isn't solid enough for repeated insertions like it is.USB "thin" thumbsticks/drives/flash devices - usually one side is metal, so if you put it in backwards, you short your USB port, sometimes turning off the computer.HDMI - not enough physical support for such large cables, also, you can mash a USB plug into it.BS1363 - I find they sit too flush and make them too hard to remove from sockets, feel solid though."Lighter" sockets - they're old, big, don't fit well, don't carry much current, just bad all roundAlmost all terminals for cylindrical batteries - you have a bunch of batteries in a holder, bump the holder and you lose connection for a moment, making the device restart!Undecided:DVI - while it isn't entirely clear which way it connects, its pretty damn solid for being such a big connector - i have never felt a flimsy dvi connector.Australian Power Plug AS/NZS 3112 - I haven't ever really had any issues with it, and it's somewhat compatible with the chinese plug too, however, it can be a bit odd to plug in "blindly"RJ45/8P8C/ethernetthingo - For new plugs and sockets, they feel solid and feel nice to insert, however the tabs can break off or act like hooks on other cables, there are plugs wiht flanges to fix this but no "diy" plugs have them."DC" barrel jacks - they carry current well and are easy to connect and disconnect but there are so many varieties that it is too confusing to use, also, the sockets often seem to ahve inadequate strain relief and break off the boards.Apple Magsafe - they're good in theory for not smashing your laptop, and they're reversible, but they're proprietary, i haven't had one wear out but others have mentioned it, i can see this being an issue as with exposed contacts.Other:I noticed a bit of mention of RC connectors in this thread and I thought I'd chime in with opinion;I use packs in series very often, 12S packs are ungodly expensive, so I need a connector that can join packs in series, which pretty much any "safe" connector can't do, because it requires positive to negative connection, so usually you have to use bullet style connectors, but these leave the bullets exposed when disconnected, and that is a very bad situation, my connector of choice is the XT150,it's pretty big, and rated for 150A~, it comes in three colours (so you can use them from motor to ESC too), there are shrouds on both male and female connectors to avoid shorts but can be connected in series.Just a pic of them:https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/677635/IMG_20130825_151357.jpg

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 06:53:00 am
content: Quote from: peter.mitchell on August 25, 2013, 06:09:57 amoff-topic, but if this is happening to you, your computer is defective.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 07:19:30 am
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on August 25, 2013, 06:53:00 amIn a word, no.http://lmgtfy.com/?q=usb+over+current+shutdown

author: vsq
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 04:36:30 pm
content: Quote from: tealsuki on August 23, 2013, 01:42:04 pmNeutrik makes an excellent RCA-connector. Will endure almost any kind of abuse and makes ground contact first!And here's a link:http://www.neutrik.com/en/phono-rca/profi-cable-connectors/

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 09:19:39 pm
content: Is anybody really stupid enough to make one of those flat USB keys out of metal? I've only seen plastic ones that can be inserted upside down.I use one similar to this:And another one that does have a metal back like this:But that one cannot be inserted upside down as it still has the side edges of the connector.I didn't expect the first one to survive as long as it did, but I have it for several years now on my keychain without the protective cover and it still works.

author: tealsuki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 12:29:38 am
content: Quote from: vsq on August 25, 2013, 04:36:30 pmThose look lovely. They don't appear to be very expensive either. +1!Quote from: ejeffrey on August 25, 2013, 06:53:00 amComputers have all kinds of over-current protection built into them nowadays. If it didn't shit down I'd be worried

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 12:31:45 am
content: I'd hope the overcurrent protection could limit the current without shutting down the entire computer.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 02:27:04 am
content: Quote from: ablacon64 on August 16, 2013, 09:07:47 pmThey just had to ruin it with the worst PVC-free cable insulation they could engineer.

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 03:18:44 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 26, 2013, 12:31:45 amSometimes short-circuits can cause your PC to shut down, but just a device pulling too much current will throw an error in most modern OSes and shut down that port, usually until reboot.I don't know exactly how the 5V from the PSU is supposed to be connected to the USB, but I would guess that a dead short could trip the protection in the PSU causing shutdown.

author: ve7xen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 06:24:44 am
content: There's supposed to be per-port current limiting per the specification.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 09:04:49 am
content: Often there is driver level support where if an overcurrent condition is held for more than x period of time, shut down computer gracefully. Then there is also the per port polyfuses, which are nice in theory but you have to remember, they start close to closed circuit so if your PSU has sensitive OCP, it will still trip from the inrush.All in all it depends on implementation, but i think we can all agree, shorting your USB port is not a good thing to do.Also, the USB sticks that are small, yeah, sometimes they sit in a little aluminium "cup", which means one side is fine, the other side is metal.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 01:34:12 pm
content: Hah. I just noticed that the 'BNC' connectors on the front panel of a piece of gear I have are actually not BNC.Well it's lucky I probably won't ever need to connect to these! Have no idea where I'd get a mating plug.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 01:56:14 pm
content: That's a triaxial connector, often used for low level signals in eg. electrometers. They feature an additional shied (often used as driven guard) to reduce capacitance and leakage to ground. Cables are rare and expensive.

author: TheWelly888
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2013, 03:05:28 pm
content: Quote from: tealsuki on August 26, 2013, 12:29:38 amActually if it did, I would be worried!

author: Rigby
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 05:46:37 pm
content: like:Apple Lightning connector. (if we're talking connector only.) It's what USB should have been from the start.Those genderless high-current power connectors. Anderson? I forget.Most Molex connectors, as I can make them myself for the task at hand.Dislike:USB. USB A, USB B, micro, mini, full size. All of it sucks; every last bit.F connector.RJ45. All the RJs.

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 10:10:50 pm
content: Dislike:RJ45 - Pain to assemble. Clips break if you undo cable mess. Missing clip = jacks falling out of connectors. As majorly used for ethernet in my case, pinouts are weird. Staggered mounting holes for footprints, mirrored = grr. Non standard shielding footprints. And then, there are special versions with/without LED's and magnetics. Aargh!Sub D9. The tons of accesoires you get is incredible. And they all come with screw mounting posts which you have to undo on every null modem or gender changer.Even worse, practically if you want to use this connector for anything else than RS232, you need to make sure your circuit can survive +/- 15V on those inputs/outputs. Because one day some monkey will fit a RS232 cable into it.Any fine pitch connector. Because; soldering the connector onto a PCB must be a pain, the pins are fragile and chances are you can't assemble your own cables, thus you're stuck with the cables you can buy (which are very expensive, of course!)And the worst (I know this is #4):: TERMINAL BLOCKSWeird pitches (1.5x2.54mm), thick pins that don't fit into veroboard. Takes up ton of space & height. Normal wires always fall out, even if you strip off a long end and fold it double. If you put a cable lug on it, the cable lug is too long (sticks out), too wide (micro terminal blocks), too thick (cable lug 'modified' for micro terminal blocks) or falls of. Moreover, the assumption is always made with terminal blocks you can fit multiple cable lugs into 1 terminal which is a lie (just like the cakewas a lie too).Finally everything is connected and you realize you have to disconnect everything because you cannot access the underside of your PCB inside a junction box. Great, now I have to take pictures of the pinout to put them back correctly.Unless, you use one those multi-part terminal blocks with the separate plugin part, but they take up even more room.I practically hate terminal blocks so much, I have had PCB's where I rather solder wires on the bottom of the PCB, than use the blocks themselves.Like:Wireless - PCB antenna. No connectors, no cables,! Except for maybe radio modems locking up (go Trimble go), bad signal quality and low bandwidths.Deutsch DTM. Industrial connectors that clamp on tightly, housings with integrated connectors (= zero cables inside a product, only cable harnesses) and plenty of current capability.The only downside I can think of is you need very expensive crimp tools for them.Pin-headers, DIN 41612 & C-grid - simple, elegant. Just works. If you know what goes where.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2013, 04:41:23 am
content: Worse with RJ45 is that if the wire is pulled it often breaks out a small piece of the socket which was the retainer. Then you need to either make a bodge with a piece of plastic wire insulation to make the plug stay in ( and provide a strain relief so it will not just pull out) and keep contact. Not always economical to replace the socket because it is broken.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2013, 01:45:33 pm
content: What I hate about RJ45 is not the clip, but the copper "blades" that "bite" into the copper wires. I'm talking about the things at the top:Some time ago, I've worked at a place that has poor air conditioning in the server room, so the temperature was always about 30c (85F+) or more and it was quite a lot of humidity.Every 2-3 months, one of the 100+ custom made patch cords would become unreliable and people complained about packet loss, and it turned out that due to heat/humidity one or several of the copper blades would come loose/wiggle inside the channel...Now, I have to admit the jacks were also cheap... but still. Looks like a weird way to ensure connection, just pressing a blade or two sharp needles into a copper strand.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2013, 02:25:47 pm
content: with RJ45's you have to remember that they are designed for the multi-strand patch leads, if you use them on solid core ethernet cable then they will work initially but fail after a bit of use.

author: dfmischler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2013, 02:35:50 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on August 29, 2013, 02:25:47 pmActually, there are appropriate 8P8C connectors made for both kinds of cable. They are not the same. Use them with the correct cable and they will not hurt you.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2013, 01:15:39 pm
content: Like:- UK mains plug- 2.5/3.5/6.35mm mono / stereo jacksDislike- SCARTCould be better:- Displayport / thunderbolt - no positive click / it's in moment- USB - orientation

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 04:33:48 am
content: Quote from: Oli on August 30, 2013, 01:15:39 pmbummer... that's one of my favorite moments

author: mmagin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 08:52:18 pm
content: Instead of coming up with a list:Can we just all agree that we love easy-to-mate, durable connectors with good electrical characteristics (e.g. BNC)?And that 50% of the connectors that we hate, we hate because they are hard to mate correctly (DVI), and the other 50% of the hated connectors are mostly just bad because they're typically cheap crap (RCA phono).

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:46:21 am
content: My thoughts:What is wrong with RCA? I've never had a problem with them. Their spring lasts and they make good connection because of the large contact area.USB have never been a problem for me except for one micro usb once.Not really sure why bnc are so popular but obviously they do their job.RJ connectors not that keen on because of the broken latches.Actually not that keen on latches for many cabling jobs, as I think its better that the cable pulls out if pulled hard.I dislike audio jacks because over time they tend to loose their spring in the contact.DC barrel connectors are problem because you can have intermittent connection if you use plugs and sockets of different sizes.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 07:20:45 am
content: QuoteThey're ok whilst mated but during mating the signal pin makes connection before the grounded screen which typically results in putting a few tens of volts of mains hum onto the audio input which is pretty annoying if the equipment is switched on and can actually damage some sensitive input stages wether they're on or off. I also find the outer connection on the plug a bit too easily damaged.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:35:50 pm
content: QuoteThat seems a pretty reasonable criticism, especially for unbalanced inputs for which they are normally used. Have you ever experienced them damaging input circuits?But I don't think we should discount the fact that they are low cost plugs. The consumer AV manufacturers seemed pretty happy with them until digital became the norm.It's unfair to compare them to BNC and if you have the space I think they are a better connection than jacks.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:48:39 pm
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on September 05, 2013, 01:35:50 pmNot directly, I have seen JFET inputs (poorly protected in some cases due to bad design) killed with induced mains hum but not specifically in conjunction with this connector. I don't see any particular reason this shouldn't apply to any connector that mates the signal pin first. This is particularly bad when interconnecting class 1 and class 2 audio equipment. In the former the audio ground tends to be connected to mains earth, in the latter the audio ground often floats at half the mains voltage on the filter capacitors.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:53:59 pm
content: That's a bit sad, considering it could be solved for the cost of two back-to-back Zeners across the input...

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 02:06:00 pm
content: It gained some back-to-back zeners when I replaced the JFET.These connectors are used for baseband video in the 0-5 MHz region and for that the extra capacitance of zeners isn't always acceptable. Fortunately those inputs tend to be less sensitive.