Originally Posted by tomthebicycli

I've been using the Mobius 1 for about 5 years now without any issues. But since I've swapped out the battery a few times and put in a super-capacitor I started to have an issue where the camera wouldn't respond to button presses.

When I plugged in the Mobius to power with the super-capacitor installed, the indicator would turn green and then turn off. Previously, the super-capacitor set up worked just fine with an Anker power bank attached via USB. But it mysteriously stopped responding to button presses or the CPU reset and would only briefly light up green as though it was charging the super-capacitor.

After a bit of troubleshooting, swapping the battery back in, using different cards, verifying the card integrity and format, using different USB cables, different power sources, I finally realized the power socket on the board had become a bit loose from struggling to detach and reattach the batteries and super-capacitor. Sure enough, if I squeezed the power socket and the male port down against the case the board is fixed into (the side with the buttons), it worked just fine.

My solution is to use JB-Weld to attach a plastic twist-tie of the approximate width needed to apply pressure to the board when the male end is inserted in the board power supply socket. It's a bit of a hack, but perhaps this might help someone with a similar problem to avoid having to buy another camera. I'll update with how well this holds up!

P.S. Many thanks to all the posts on this forum, you all have helped me get the most out of this awesome little camera!

Congrats on finding the problem and a a work-around! If your socket is loose, it's probably because the solder pad(s) that connect the socket to the circuit board have cracked solder connection(s) from the stress of plugging and unplugging batteries or capacitors. The pins in the socket are soldered to the circuit board on the UNDERSIDE of the board. If you remove the three tiny Phillip's head screws that secure the board to the case bottom, you can extract the board and turn it over to examine the pads. I'm guessing that if you can do a brief touch to those pads with a low watt soldering iron, you can reflow the solder to anchor the socket again to the board. It's also possible the solder pad trace has become detached from the board, which would require more delicate surgery to do a permanent repair.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

I think your cable extension might be too long. Is it one of the Mobius stock extension cables or an off-brand?

I only just now realized you were talking about extension cable from the sensor not from power supply.
Sorry Tom I completely misinterpreted your advice.
The cable I bought is from banggood.
https://www.banggood.com/20cm-26PIN-...r_warehouse=CN
Honestly I don't need it so long, but having the extra length was for my own confidence that I won't straggle with CG issues on my build.
I will try to shield it somehow...

Originally Posted by jaen

I only just now realized you were talking about extension cable from the sensor not from power supply.
Sorry Tom I completely misinterpreted your advice.
The cable I bought is from banggood.
https://www.banggood.com/20cm-26PIN-...r_warehouse=CN
Honestly I don't need it so long, but having the extra length was for my own confidence that I won't straggle with CG issues on my build.
I will try to shield it somehow...

The vendor who sold the cable is a verified re-seller, so I assume you have the extension cable designed for the M1. But as Janke mentioned, it's the high data rate through that cable that limits the length, not the supply power as the root cause of your problem. That cable should normally work OK, but I don't think it's a shielded, so it' may be what else you have in your plane that could be causing the problem (e.g. FPV TX maybe?).

As another possible cause, make sure the cable ends are aligned straight and fully inserted into the sockets at each end, with the plastic cable clamp on the sockets snapped down (or slid forward on some sockets) to tightly secure the cable ends. Weak or misaligned cable connections can cause weird color artifacts like you describe.

mobius 1 or mobius maxi?

Originally Posted by bigbro3760

mobius 1 or mobius maxi?

Are you referring to the extension cable? Since this is the M1 thread, I'm referring to the M1, which has a 26 pin cable. The Maxi has only 24 pins, so this cable will not fit in the socket. BUT, a user reported that two pins on one side of the ribbon cable can be removed from each end so the ribbon will slide into the socket, and it worked on a different camera. I have not tried this, but I think the cable is just a straight-through parallel cable, so it sounds plausible. I'd trim the end of the ribbon cable VERY CAREFULLY so as not the cut any of the remaining 24 pin connections. And of course, double check that you are trimming the ribbon on the same side on each end! But a caveat is that the Maxi has a MUCH HIGHER data rate than the M1 at it's higher resolutions and frame rates, and that limits the cable length to prevent signal loss. Bottom line, it might not work because it's too long!

I have a new Mobius 1 (Firmware=2015/09/24 v2.41) (purchased a five years ago, but just starting to use it), it's the one with the 90 degree rotation

It will record for only a minute and a half.

Conditions:
--battery charges up to 3 red blinks
--other light signals seem normal
--SD card is Kingston 32/gb 10 HC I1, supplied by the approved vendor with the camera, proven good in another mobius
--pressing record, the yellow light blinks normally, and keep blinking for up to 20 minutes
--pressing stop record button, but only one and a half minutes of video is in the file
--battery blinks 2 times after recording for 5, 10 and 20 minutes

How can I get it to record longer?

Originally Posted by johnleeke

I have a new Mobius 1 (Firmware=2015/09/24 v2.41) (purchased a five years ago, but just starting to use it), it's the one with the 90 degree rotation

It will record for only a minute and a half.

Conditions:
--battery charges up to 3 red blinks
--other light signals seem normal
--SD card is Kingston 32/gb 10 HC I1, supplied by the approved vendor with the camera, proven good in another mobius
--pressing record, the yellow light blinks normally, and keep blinking for up to 20 minutes
--pressing stop record button, but only one and a half minutes of video is in the file
--battery blinks 2 times after recording for 5, 10 and 20 minutes

How can I get it to record longer?

Assuming you are using the battery that came with the camera, I'd test that first. The three red light blinks only measures the battery voltage, which can show normal after charging, even though the battery cannot deliver the current the camera needs while keeping the voltage up due to high resistance internal deposits. The camera will stop recording when the voltage under load (i.e. recording) drops to a nominal 3.6V. If you have a fresh battery, try replacing the original one. Or, charge the battery, start a recording, and immediately plug in an external USB (5V) power source (not from a PC USB port). Does the camera keep recording normally then. If so, replace the battery.

Also, try a different memory card. The card specs you gave looks like its a speed Class 10 memory card? The camera only needs a Class 4 card to record properly. Some early CL 10 cards had problems in the camera.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

external USB (5V) power source

Thanks for your quick reply.
I have a USB power source rated at 5.1v .07A, and one rated 5.2v 1.2A, Would one of these be OK for this test? Would it be OK to use either one of these for routine charging?

Originally Posted by johnleeke

Thanks for your quick reply.
I have a USB power source rated at 5.1v .07A, and one rated 5.2v 1.2A, Would one of these be OK for this test? Would it be OK to use either one of these for routine charging?

USB voltage standard allows 5V+- 5%, so either is OK, but use the one rated at 1.2A The battery charger in the camera will limit the amps delivered to the battery at a safe level while it's charging, with enough extra to power the camera while it's recording. The one rated at only .07A doesn't even have enough amp capability for routine charging. It would take many hours to charge a discharged battery back to full.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

camera only needs a Class 4 card .

A class 4 card solved my recording problem. I thank you for your effective help. --John

Originally Posted by johnleeke

A class 4 card solved my recording problem. I thank you for your effective help. --John

Great! I should have also suggested to format that CL10 card IN the camera using it's internal formatting routine. That might also allow it to work reliably.

Hello !

I am still using my last Mobius1 for my racers and dashcam in my car.
I removed the battery long ago and have jst 2pin servo cable hanging out to attach to 1s at drone balance plug when flying, but now I want to power it from my car and not through usb 5volts as no place for that.
(I am mounted it on a small alexmos gimbal, the 3d printed frame has no space for usb cable.)

At the moment I have the cheapest mini360 stepdown set to 4.12V output to power it through the battery rail, but most of the time after the first 3 led flashes it does not turn on, need to push reset, try it again.
Only about every 10th attempt works and then it can record fine once turned on.

Not sure how to solve the problem.
I already put a 4700uF cap inside Mobius to have a small buffer cap at battery rail, put 4.7nF to reduce noise, added a 220uF to the out of the small stepdown...

When I added a 2.2F supercap the stepdown died due to reverse current maybe as this small stepdown has no Schottky to protect its chip from reverse voltage and current...

Now using a spare mini360 stepdown without supercap buffer.
I might try to add a series Schottky and increase voltage as SS14 drops 0.2-0.5 volts based on load...

My questions:
1) what is the max current the M1 drains when powered on/recording from battery rail?
2) what is the max voltage it can accept there (4.2volts or a bit more?)
3) can it be some contact issue on battety plug or sdcard etc? (it spent months in the forest while lost so has a hard life )

Thanks

Originally Posted by FotoAmg

Hello !

I am still using my last Mobius1 for my racers and dashcam in my car.
I removed the battery long ago and have jst 2pin servo cable hanging out to attach to 1s at drone balance plug when flying, but now I want to power it from my car and not through usb 5volts as no place for that.
(I am mounted it on a small alexmos gimbal, the 3d printed frame has no space for usb cable.)

At the moment I have the cheapest mini360 stepdown set to 4.12V output to power it through the battery rail, but most of the time after the first 3 led flashes it does not turn on, need to push reset, try it again.
Only about every 10th attempt works and then it can record fine once turned on.

Not sure how to solve the problem.
I already put a 4700uF cap inside Mobius to have a small buffer cap at battery rail, put 4.7nF to reduce noise, added a 220uF to the out of the small stepdown...

When I added a 2.2F supercap the stepdown died due to reverse current maybe as this small stepdown has no Schottky to protect its chip from reverse voltage and current...

Now using a spare mini360 stepdown without supercap buffer.
I might try to add a series Schottky and increase voltage as SS14 drops 0.2-0.5 volts based on load...

My questions:
1) what is the max current the M1 drains when powered on/recording from battery rail?
2) what is the max voltage it can accept there (4.2volts or a bit more?)
3) can it be some contact issue on battery plug or sdcard etc? (it spent months in the forest while lost so has a hard life )

Thanks

If you already have a servo 2-wire cable exiting the camera case, I think you'd be much better off connecting a 5V @ 1A regulator on that circuit input and soldering the servo wires directly to pins 1 and 5 on the circuit board USB plug solder pads. That will replicate the way the camera was designed to function on external power. You could still put a super cap on the battery pins to provide momentary power to close and save a recording in progress should the external power supply get disconnected.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

If you already have a servo 2-wire cable exiting the camera case, I think you'd be much better off connecting a 5V @ 1A regulator on that circuit input and soldering the servo wires directly to pins 1 and 5 on the circuit board USB plug solder pads. That will replicate the way the camera was designed to function on external power. You could still put a super cap on the battery pins to provide momentary power to close and save a recording in progress should the external power supply get disconnected.

Thanks I was thinking in this too but not works as when using on drone I use balance plug to add one cell power and no 5volt reg for mobius power, have to power it from battery rail.
Will experiment more than if no info about max amps when turning on etc...

Originally Posted by FotoAmg

Hello !

1) what is the max current the M1 drains when powered on/recording from battery rail?
2) what is the max voltage it can accept there (4.2volts or a bit more?)

Highest current I measured was 0.53A:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...ostcount=14240

This issue with powering it directly from a Lipo cell is that the voltage may sag under load in flight (depending on the particular quad and flying style), causing the camera to shut down. On very small micro quads (running on 1S) I used a boost regulator that would step up the voltage if required (see picture - this is an old keyfob camera). On anything else I'd use a regulator (1A rated, typically) taking the full pack voltage in and providing stable 5V to the USB pads, as Tom described. Some modern flight controllers have 1.5A or 2A 5V outputs that can be used directly, but otherwise tiny (1 gram) ones are readily available (and very cheap) on Banggood etc.