Seek Compact Pro power current draw - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: pauledd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 12:07:32 pm
content: HiI just got my new Seek CompactPro (UQ-EAA). I am just curious about its current draw. I somewhere read on the internet that it is usually around 250mA...Today I put a usb current meter* between the OTC cable and the imager and it showed 25mA in standby and max. ~55mA while the image was active...is this normal? So far everything seems to work absolutly satisfying. I also tried another (homemade) OTG cable, same result. And connected directly to pc I get the same low current draw... Can someone confirm this on his/her device too?(*https://www.amazon.de/Digital-Multimeter-OLED-Display-Leistungskapazit%C3%A4t-Kapazit%C3%A4tsmessger%C3%A4t-Unterst%C3%BCtzung/dp/B00XL0W1D0)

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 12:36:28 pm
content: I do not know the Seek current draw but it is always a good idea to test a USB current draw meter with a known load before trusting its measurements. Some can be very inaccurate and others have low sample rates that cannot cope with a pulsed load current that some equipment draws.Fraser

author: pauledd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 05:35:01 pm
content: I read their spec sheet and found "Low power provided by smartphone (280 mW)"... That would indeed fit the 0.058A@5V...

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 08:38:48 pm
content: I was also of the conviction that it was in the 0.250ma ballpark, recall it was one of the tear apart videos on YT here mention it.So thx for that info, cant check it myself, as I got IOS version and all my portfolio of USB-meters dont play along with lightning and yep 0.280mW is impressive and any drain on the host's battery are almost a non-issue..Btw that model number you stating in the first line, where do you see that, is it solely on the retail-packaging..?Quote

author: pauledd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 08:29:47 am
content: below is UQ-AAA

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 07:33:44 pm
content: Roger-that so solely the retail packaging.Purchased mine so-called new, but IOS and non-retail packaging, only the waterproof casing which I was fine with as it made the risk for taxing and all of that, lesser.but have wondered what model it was, as all the mediumdump states is SDK vers. nr. and camera details like serial.But it also seems there is an extra sticker on your casing. so I reckon EAA sticker, like other users, have mentioned above the norm AAA

author: ThermallyFrigid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 01:11:47 pm
content: I was having trouble getting my Compact PRO to work properly on an older Samsung Galaxy S3. It kept dropping out during normal viewing and got worse during recording. Although occasionally, it worked fine for brief periods. It turned out to be a USB port issue where the phone was not able to supply adequate current to the SEEK Camera.I then obtained a Galaxy S6 and that completely cured the problem.As far as the actual mA draw...I haven't measured it yet but it seems to be slightly more when recording than when not.

author: pauledd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 04:53:29 pm
content: Well if I understood correctly it should be irrelevant if you record or not because the camera only sends raw data to the app, not matter of you record or not, all the encoding/postprocessing should take place in the phone. But I could imagine that maybe long usb cables, bad internal wiring, bad shielded could have an impact on the actual raw data signal, maybe the logic levels are to low or distorted from outside or the phone itself.. just as an idea