HDMI Conversion-YES That issue AGAIN!!

[Giovanni59]

This one is really baffling me and if you have any insight it would be appreciated.

This is the set up: Sony Nex7 HDMI out with Hyperthin cable to HDMI converter to Immersion 600mw Video TX.

What happens is 70 - 80 % of the time I get an image on my ground station but then sometimes when I am flying the image goes black. A lot of times the image will come back during the flight but it is intermittent. I still get telemetry graphics from iosd but no image so that rules out the video TX and RX.

As you know these converters have been an issue but mostly with the GH4. I have about 6 of them now laying around. When I switch to different converters some of them don't work at all but I have four of them that do.

When on the bench and I have image I jiggle and tap all along the route. The only thing that makes the image go out is sometimes when I just touch the converter. It goes out and then come back on but I rarely can get it to do this while on the bench. What baffles me is that it does it with every converter I have tried which lends me to believe it is not the converter. However, if it is not the video TX then the only other thing it could be is the Nex7. If so then there is nothing I can do except try another camera but I don't have another Nex. I do have a Sony RX10 II. Maybe I will try that. (BTW if anyone is thinking of getting the RX10 ii which records 4K video to the card you might want to think about that. I have been getting terrible micro vibrations and jello. I did not realize it but this camera has image stabilization and even if you turn it off it still effects the image. It has a built in lens so you can't swap it out for another lens. This one is going on sale at e-bay.)

Thanks

 

[Bartman]

Giovanni,

Try a wad of hot glue at the base of the HDMI plug where it goes into the camera and at the other end where it plugs into the converter. HDMI plugs aren't aircraft grade, they were never really meant to be used in such a high vibration environment. Hot glues works great wherever you have delicate hardware or thin wires that won't survive high vibration environments very well.

 

[Giovanni59]

Bart, good advice and I can see where I can do it on the HDMI side but it is not practical on the Camera side, I would have to break off the glue each time I removed the camera. I will give it some thought. I should point out that in my tests I never got the drop out by touching and jiggling along the HDMI connections. thanks

 

[Bartman]

if you're losing signal when touching things then something is loose. with my camera I secure the wires out of the camera to the should strap eyelet with a zip-tie so there's no strain on the connectors. also, is the HDMI board wrapped in heat shrink? it could be failing due to overheating

 

[Giovanni59]

OK, I will secure and check connections and hot glue everything as a test. Yes, I took the converter out of the white plastic box and shrink wrapped it but it is open on the sides. I have an old Flux Capacitor (TM) that I am not using (just don't have the time anymore) maybe I will cannibalize it and make a mini cooling unit. :- )

 

[Giovanni59]

I have been using one of these, different brands of course, in different ways.

Sometimes I take the circuit board out of the plastic box and shrink wrap it and sometimes I leave it in the box and drill holes for ventilation. However all of them give me that video drop out after two flights.

I remembered that I had one of these that I had not tried

View attachment 26673
The HDMI plug is attached to the circuit board and the whole thing hangs on the side of the camera. I tested it on the bench and it seems to be working well. I will do a few flights and see how it works in the air.