Low profile 2.5mm AV plug

Here are the last steps in constructing an AV plug that will fit inside the GoPro waterproof housing-

3689486883?profile=originalAll the parts are cut down to leave room for the soldered connections, don't cut them too short or the plug will be weak and floppy. The plastic insulation has NO heat tolerance at all! be very careful if you have to solder near it, even high temp hot glue will distort it if you are not careful and conservative with the heat!

I use a small amount of hot glue to insulate anything that needs it and to help hold everything together as I put the parts back together, this is a bit fussy, you may prefer to use something that gives you more time, like epoxy or liquid tape. Just be very careful to not make a mess on the outside of the plug, also be careful not to mar any of the contact surfaces of the poles during all this taking apart and putting together!

3689486786?profile=originalLooks like a plug again!

Now just use some hot glue or epoxy etc. to create a strain relief that holds everything down as flat as possible. Hot glue is nice here because it can be shaped or removed very easily.

This plug is very fragile! Never pull it out of the camera by the wires, simply wedge a fingernail under the metal shoulder and pull it out.

3689486828?profile=original

Now drill a small hole in the back of the case, feed your wires through and terminate them with the connector of your choice, seal the penetration and go fly!

If you don't need the audio signal this project can be done much easier, as the video and ground are very simple to solder, that audio wire is a bit of a bitch to attach without adding too much bulk and making it impossible to slip everything back together. I don't recommend omitting any of the parts even if they are not attached to a wire, the plug gets really weak and the female jack in the camera likes to have the original form of the plug. If the plug comes apart inside the camera it's not that big of a deal to take the camera apart and push the pieces out of the jack, but obviously you'll be happier to avoid this.

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Comments

  • Thanks man, I'm going to try and make some isolation standoffs by embedding small bolts in this stuff, I'll just use some of the regular mold release products, should work fine. 

  • Its hard to describe.It could,i suppose could it be used in a mold.Water would do just fine.Its kinda like silicone to some extent and also like rubber.Sorry i cant explain it better.

    If you take a look at the site and view some of the ideas submitted it might give a better idea.Pity they dont do a tester pack.

  • Hey Dez, Is it possible to use the sugru in a mold? I read through their site a bit, they say it sticks to most things, but you can wet a surface as a release before it dries, just wondering if some pva or wax would work as a release even after it dries.

  • They do free shipping sometimes if you keep an eye on them.Good for custom mounts and vibration dampening also for your camera.

  • Developer

    I forgot to mention that I am using the skeleton case.

    The sand and dust blowing around gets right in there :(

  • Thanks Dez, I have seen that stuff and I keep meaning to try some, it seems much easier to work with.

  • Hey guys

    Can i offer a flexible colourful solution? Try some of this stuff.

    Its called sugru. Its waterproof, mouldable and flexible instead of the hot glue.Think it would be a nice touch to things

  • Cool.

    Do you live in Tasmania? That seems like beautiful country to fly in.

  • nice stuff, need to buy some ;)

    thxs

  • TC, I use the sides of the case for the attachment of my tilt axis, so the naked case won't work for me. How do you seal up yours and still be able to remove the camera when needed?
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