USB Short-circuit

[HUGH]

We had some trouble recently with warnings, non-operation, and then sudden shut-down, when using USB devices in a small desktop PC. As this got worse, I decided to dismantle the case and investigate.

The problem was quite simple, on a stacked or "double-decker" pair of USB sockets, the gold-flashed contact wires were gradually distorting and eventually went so far back as to short on the screening shield round them. Removal of the rear part of the shield fixed the short but there wasn't much to be done about the contact wires which were, in my parlance, "knackered".

Some of these leads from motherboard to front panel seem to meet a sort of standard pattern but not this one. I bought a new case which is an improvement anyway.

[koØm]

We had some trouble recently with warnings, non-operation, and then sudden shut-down, when using USB devices in a small desktop PC. As this got worse, I decided to dismantle the case and investigate.

The problem was quite simple, on a stacked or "double-decker" pair of USB sockets, the gold-flashed contact wires were gradually distorting and eventually went so far back as to short on the screening shield round them. Removal of the rear part of the shield fixed the short but there wasn't much to be done about the contact wires which were, in my parlance, "knackered".

Some of these leads from motherboard to front panel seem to meet a sort of standard pattern but not this one. I bought a new case which is an improvement anyway.

Planned obsolescence


Planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1) in industrial design is a policy of planning or designing a product (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_(economics)) with a limited useful life, so it will become obsolete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsolete), that is, unfashionable or no longer functional after a certain period of time.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1) Planned obsolescence has potential benefits for a producer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production,_costs,_and_pricing) because to obtain continuing use of the product the consumer is under pressure to purchase again, whether from the same manufacturer (a replacement part or a newer model), or from a competitor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_(economics)) who might also rely on planned obsolescence.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1)

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence)

The technology is here to build a car that could last "Forever" but, that would kill the new car market. Back in an Engineering class we were designing a simple drive system, motor, gears, chains and pulleys; the tension of the belt, the hardness of the metals in the gears and chain as well as the pitch of the teeth of the gears all made a difference in the life expectancy or hours-between-service because of predictable wear of the parts.

I would even go so far as to imagine that Intel or some Off-shore electronics manufacturer plan on certain parts failing after a given number of cycles.


ETA: I believe that "this" week "Joe's Tire Dealership" buys 10 pounds of nails and salts the streets and expressway with them and "next" week "Will's Tire Dealership" will salt the roadway with nails in order to sell tires; I really believe it!

.

[NQ6U]

The technology is here to build a car that could last "Forever" but, that would kill the new car market.

It would also cost $200K.

[kb2vxa]

With financing there's no problem with payments until the end of days, except for the bank that will end up owning a hell of a lot of cars. (;->)

[n2ize]

I had a bizarre problem one cold night. My old computer suddenly lost all its network capability (except for the loopback 127.0.0.1) there was no ethernet traffic although the device showed proper functionality. All other systems on the network were communicating fine. Turns out that a section of ethernet cable leading to my machine was running very close to a heater. Since it was cold the heater came on and started blowing hot air onto the cable, eventually melting the insulation and causing 2 or more internal wires to bridge. As soon as I replaced the cable we were back onlline. my new machine is wireless so no hassles with ethernet cabling. overall, my network is a hybrid of wired and wireless connections.

[W9JEF]

Planned obsolescence


Planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1) in industrial design is a policy of planning or designing a product (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_(economics)) with a limited useful life, so it will become obsolete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsolete), that is, unfashionable or no longer functional after a certain period of time.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1) Planned obsolescence has potential benefits for a producer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production,_costs,_and_pricing) because to obtain continuing use of the product the consumer is under pressure to purchase again, whether from the same manufacturer (a replacement part or a newer model), or from a competitor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_(economics)) who might also rely on planned obsolescence.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence#cite_note-CIWeb-1)

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence)

The technology is here to build a car that could last "Forever" but, that would kill the new car market. Back in an Engineering class we were designing a simple drive system, motor, gears, chains and pulleys; the tension of the belt, the hardness of the metals in the gears and chain as well as the pitch of the teeth of the gears all made a difference in the life expectancy or hours-between-service because of predictable wear of the parts.

I would even go so far as to imagine that Intel or some Off-shore electronics manufacturer plan on certain parts failing after a given number of cycles.


ETA: I believe that "this" week "Joe's Tire Dealership" buys 10 pounds of nails and salts the streets and expressway with them and "next" week "Will's Tire Dealership" will salt the roadway with nails in order to sell tires; I really believe it!

.

I suspect that exterminators breed bedbugs and other pests.

The key phrase in engineering is "design life."
Most of us could design a bicycle that would last a lifetime.
It takes an engineer to design one to fall apart
the day after the warranty expires. :sick: :irked:

[n2ize]

I suspect that exterminators breed bedbugs and other pests.

The key phrase in engineering is "design life."
Most of us could design a bicycle that would last a lifetime.
It takes an engineer to design one to fall apart
the day after the warranty expires. :sick: :irked:

It's funny you used bicycles as an example as they are the exception to the rule. While they may become "obsolete" with respect o their style 7 features most bicycles I have owned and that others I know own will last a lifetime with proper maintenance. I cannot say the same for many other products. Modern day desktop computer systems seem to last indefinitely as well. In fact it is rare that they ever go bad on me. Most of them that I no longer or that I scrapped were taken out of service as newer, faster systems became available. Wish I could say the same for household appliances. Most modern day appliances do seem to have an average mean time to failure and ultimately an end of life... where they either can;t be fixed or at not worth the bother of trying to fix. Although I do have some antique appliances that were built to last and are still going strong 50+ years later. Seems like in the early days they genuinely built stuff to last.

BTW , years ago there was a local glazier who when business was hiring junkies and folks down on their luck to break shop windows. next morning he would get calls to fix broken windows...that he paid to have broken.

[W9JEF]

.



You're right, bicycles seem to be an exception.
I should have specified kids' tricycles. On the one
I had as a kid, the frame broke; my Dad welded it.
Most of them probably got junked.

[kb2vxa]

Back in the good old days things were built to last, except TVs that kept the repairman in business. Then came Yapanese solid state throwaways and today repair shops are as rare as hen's teeth, not because they're throwaways, they're built to LAST. Mine is over 15 years old and still going strong with just one problem, the manual control buttons are so badly oxidized from disuse they no longer function. I don't care, the remote works and a few functions exclusive to manual I never did use.

Pretty much the same with computers, I had to replace a card in one and a RAM stick in another, only replaced them when they became SO obsolete they were practically unusable. Between fark the Jones and waste not want not sometimes I feel like Spock trying to make a mnemonic memory out of stone knives and bear skins.

"It takes an engineer to design one to fall apart the day after the warranty expires."
No it doesn't, anyone hired off the street can install a timer and a few well placed thermite charges. Then for those of you with connections to Al Querida and/or enjoy kiddie porn worried about getting raided and your computer confiscated there's a DIY that is faster that a secure delete of the hard drive. Just make some thermite from a formula easy enough to find on the internet or if you have a copy of the Anarchist's Cookbook hanging around and pick up a model rocket engine igniter from the hobby shop. I'm sure you have a switch you can mount on the front of your computer and some wire in the junk box. Just form the thermite around the drive(s), stick in the igniter(s), let it dry and harden, I'm sure you know how to wire it up. Then when the door comes flying off its hinges you won't have time to overwrite the data three times so just flip the switch and stand back... oh, they'll do it for you when they slap the cuffs on and drag you out the door. If you can hold up under torture and they having a pile of slag for evidence you're home free.

[NQ6U]

I have used thermite. It is a powdery/granular substance. You can't form it around anything, or let it dry.

[PA5COR]

My homebrew callgenerator still works fine after 37 years, running 24/7 in th EQplus that is on 24/7 ;)

[W9JEF]

.



Our Sanyo flat-screen TV still works perfectly after 5 years of use.

It's that damned remote on which half the buttons don't work.

It has an 800 number printed on it, presumably to order another.

Yeah, right. We now use a generic remote made by RCA.

[W9JEF]

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Back in the mid-70's, I had a compact Buick station wagon.
The windshield wiper linkage separated from the pivot point.
Way up under the dash--the worst place to try to do a repair.
Every time they were needed, had to reach out the wing window,
and manually operate the wipers. :irked:

[w6tmi]

The other thing about "cars built to last forever", after a few years all the gadgetry, and the design and look of the car itself would become obsolete, so you would have cars that few want.
Not unlike old radios, even though perfectly good, many want newer tech in 'em.

So it's not like if you bought 1 of those cars you would want to keep it forever, and as mentioned the cost would tend to be prohibitive.

[n2ize]

My Westclox "Pocket Ben" pocketwatch built in November of 1949 still works and keeps perfect time. The radium dial still glows (very faintly) and its still quite "hot" when placed very close to a Geiger tube. Bear in mind these particular watches are called "dollar watches" because they sold for a dollar back the 1940's and 50's. The watch movement contains no jewels. Not bad for a cheap pocket watch. I guess we can say that although they were inexpensive they were built to last.

[kb2vxa]

"Not unlike old radios, even though perfectly good, many want newer tech in 'em."

I like TRF sets that have 4 pin tubes with tits in them.

[NQ6U]

"Not unlike old radios, even though perfectly good, many want newer tech in 'em."

I like TRF sets that have 4 pin tubes with tits in them.

None of them newfangled tubes for me. I say, rotary spark gap!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3xYJmEWssk/TJQENCY0dhI/AAAAAAAAAZU/A2s5YDjJxvc/s1600/SparkGap.jpg

[koØm]

I have used thermite.

Yeah, what's the asking price, can I get a break since it isn't new?

.

[kb2vxa]

"None of them newfangled tubes for me. I say, rotary spark gap!"

I tried that too, and set the Tennessee Valley Indians on the warpath! My S wasn't heard across the Atlantic, it was however heard across town, before it came back and the neighbors handed my S to me.