Keep the unit plugged in all the time?

[dale001]

Tomorrow, when I'm home (not home at the moment), I will look into the possibility that it's the cable and maybe a shielding issue.

Have a good rest of the day, guys,  -----Dale

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi Dale, if it's any help, I'll stick my USB lead in the post to you - I know it's a good one - from my old Fuji camera, the one supplied with my RB was u/s!    That'll prove if it's the lead or not.    PM me with details, you'll have it by Saturday.     My RB is stone deaf at the moment and arrived with Waters & Stanton yesterday, so I won't see it back for a few day!

[dale001]

Shielding issue . . . .

Through trial and error, I have discovered that it is the USB cable that is being affected.

Get this: when I turn off my PC desk light, the box changes from a steady green to the blinking blue. This does not happen every time I turn off the light, but it happens enough times for me to say, with confidence, that it is the cause. The light is plugged into the same power strip that my PC and other components are plugged into.

Questions: I don’t know too much about electricity, so can someone explain to me how this can happen, especially since Radarbox is not plugged into the outlet (obviously). And why wouldn’t it happen ALL the time when I turn off the light??? It's almost like it's a static issue which, ironically, was the initial reason I began this thread.

More importantly, I need some help and guidance in finding a “shielded” USB cable that will connect and work successfully with Radarbox? Can someone please provide a link on the Internet or give me the name/place of such a cable so I can buy one? It is not practical for me to plug the light into another wall outlet. I need a shielded cable.

Who has purchased one who also uses a power strip for their components?

I think the issue has been diagnosed, thankfully.
Now I need the medicine. . . .

---Dale

[nortonbeak]

Shielding issue . . . .

Through trial and error, I have discovered that it is the USB cable that is being affected.

Get this: when I turn off my PC desk light, the box changes from a steady green to the blinking blue. This does not happen every time I turn off the light, but it happens enough times for me to say, with confidence, that it is the cause. The light is plugged into the same power strip that my PC and other components are plugged into.

This certainly isn't the first occasion that a RadarBox has been affected by proximate electrical appliances being switched on and off. There are threads about that phenomenon in the forum, but I have no idea where to look.

Hopefully, those others that have been similarly affected will respond.

[EK01]

Shielding issue . . . .

Through trial and error, I have discovered that it is the USB cable that is being affected.

Get this: when I turn off my PC desk light, the box changes from a steady green to the blinking blue. This does not happen every time I turn off the light, but it happens enough times for me to say, with confidence, that it is the cause. The light is plugged into the same power strip that my PC and other components are plugged into.

Questions: I don’t know too much about electricity, so can someone explain to me how this can happen, especially since Radarbox is not plugged into the outlet (obviously). And why wouldn’t it happen ALL the time when I turn off the light??? It's almost like it's a static issue which, ironically, was the initial reason I began this thread.

More importantly, I need some help and guidance in finding a “shielded” USB cable that will connect and work successfully with Radarbox? Can someone please provide a link on the Internet or give me the name/place of such a cable so I can buy one? It is not practical for me to plug the light into another wall outlet. I need a shielded cable.

Who has purchased one who also uses a power strip for their components?

I think the issue has been diagnosed, thankfully.
Now I need the medicine. . . .

---Dale

Dale,

Maplins sell USB shielded cables with gold plated connectors. You can buy online or from your local shop (if you have one). Prices are from £8.99 - £13.99 depending on cable length. You want the ones marked USB 2.0 A to Mini B.
Check their website under'cables' for full descriptions.

Ian

[Jeremy]

Thats where I got mine from when I had RF getting into the RB box and it sorted the problem.
J.

[Fenris]

Worth noting that according to what I've seen Dale is located in the US.

[dale001]

Yes, thanks Brian; I should have mentioned that.
I'm in Pennsylvania, 30 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport, looking forward to getting on the network.

Dale

[eggplant]

Well done Dale.

Glad you managed to resolve the problem.

[dale001]

Thanks.

Well, I diagnosed it; wish me luck with finding a shielded cable here in the States and seeing if that takes care of the issue.


Dale

[eggplant]

Indeed you did. Very smart of you. Congrats !

And good luck..etc etc.

[dale001]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.buzzillions.com/images_products/00/57/staples-7-gold-series-a-b-usb-cable_359230_100.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.buzzillions.com/computer-accessory-reviews&usg=__OHy9m7yVItCSPq3PSqAbL4bFt78=&h=100&w=100&sz=3&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=C7uaTB5RGYqXLM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3DStaples%2B7%2527%2BGold%2BSeries%2BA/B%2BUSB%2BCable%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Any thoughts on whether this is what so many are suggesting that may do the trick?


---Dale

[Fenris]

That link simply opens to a page that asks for my zip code Dale.

What you want is a USB shielded A to mini-B cable. Length roughly 1.5m I think.

Look for part number L08BT at http://www.maplin.co.uk, you need to find an equivalent part to that. Scroll down the page a little and look at the "product features" section.

OK, I guessed a fake zip code, and I think that item #503472 should do the job, if you want to get the very best then #559966 but it's more $.

[dale001]

Sorry about that; I just tried fixing the link; maybe I didn't.

At any rate that info in the last post of yours, Brian, helps.

Thanks.

[dale001]

Yeh, I can take the supplied cable with me to a store, and with the help of someone at the store, find a shielded cable.

I won't get it on eBAY, but here's a link that should work:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-CTG-5m-Ultima-USB-2-0-A-Style-To-Mini-B-Cable_W0QQitemZ250530520485QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a54c85da5