These are the three individual wires inside this 3.5mm audio cable. Why do they look like this? Aren't they supposed to be shielded individually? My multimeter isn't indicating any continuity between the ends—what am I doing wrong? Do I need to unwrap them or something?
I have no experience with this stuff. Thanks Sup Forums.
It's hard to get a proper reading from such a thin wire.That colored stuff on each wire? It's actually insulation.You need to very carefully scrape some of it off or make solid contact with the face of the end of the wire (it's not easy,you need very steady hands).
>You need to very carefully scrape some of it off or make solid contact with the face of the end of the wire (it's not easy,you need very steady hands)
Thanks
each of those wires are individually shielded. that actual conductor wire is within the wrappings
What is the best way to scrape it off, btw?
>each of those wires are individually shielded. that actual conductor wire is within the wrappings
and this is actually higher quality shielding btw... this also shields the wires from cross-talk between each other, whereas with only a single shielding within the insulator all of the wires would be susceptible to cross talk.
its tough. it should be wound either counter clockwise or clockwise. simply unwind a portion of it, pull all the slack to one side, and cut with wire cutters or razor
I'd use a razor blade. Put the wire flat on a firm surface and scrape gently, away from yourself.
All I've got are these colored wires and some white fluffy stuff
Get a real multimeter for starters
Pic relate, like 35 bucks best u can get before spending real money
>Get a real multimeter for starters
Maybe I will when I have a bigger project. Right now I'm just splicing a couple of wires together.
Would this be easier with a "regular" 3.5mm audio cable like pic related?
>Aren't they supposed to be shielded individually?
chinkshit man
at least one of the conductors isn't the shielding, that's usually the case with chink wires
I'd add, heating the end of the wire briefly in a flame makes the enamel coating come off easier when you scrape it.
They're enameled wires, set your iron to an extra high temperature and plenty of flux to burn it off.
Better get a 200$ Fluke, everyone knows an expensive multimeter magically makes isolation go away...
Thanks, I'll give it a shot/
This is a pain in the ass REEEE
it's really annoying to do. make sure you flux the CRAP out of the ends, and twist them tightly so or they'll unravel. don't bother trying to get the nylon out. you'll be best off getting a big blob of solder on the end of your iron, sticking the fluxed end into it, and waiting while it burns off the nylon and enamel. you'll see black scale forming on the surface of your solder ball; this is good, it means it's working. take it out once the smoke slows down and repeat. hate fixing headphones.
I'm having luck just lighting them on fire and then scraping with a razor blade, is this a bad approach?
in my experience, putting the end in a flame tends to toast the wires and they end up brittle and friable.
if it's working go with it d00d
Use SANDPAPER. Apply tape so you only expose the ends. I put on a new headphone jack a few months ago and it took FOUR attempts to get it right cuz of these shitty enameled wires. It can be done.
just get a fucking lighter and burn tip of those cables. i fixed thousands of headphone cables. just hold in the fire for 1 milisecond then scrap with your fingers
worked
It's kevlar/polyamide fibers. They make them stronger. They're able to make these wires with very little copper so they're cheaper. Kevlar makes them a bit stronger so they don't fall apart immediately.
All these wires are fucking frail as hell. One tug or snag and you'll break them and will never be able to repair them.
Before soldering them, use a lighter and burn the ends to expose copper.
Dafuq is with all you idiots telling OP to scrape the wire? The enamel is so thin that it burns off when you're soldering. Seriously, don't tell me you stupid cunts have been scraping those wires.
I had to rub a little bit to ensure proper contact you salty negro
It doesn't burn off that well.
Tin the ends while using a generous amount of flux for a decent connection.
Melt it off very quickly with a lighter, but you have to be super careful or you will burn the wire or burn too much of the insulation. Been repairing shit earphones since I was a child.
Red and green are likely to be your left and right signals, not necessarily in that order and copper is ground.
Also after you do this, you will need to clean the wires properly by scraping off the soot and then heating the ends up in some flux.
>scraping off the soot
With a razor.
this lighter is the best way of getting rid of enamel on wires.
You still need to scrape them or the solders flux wont stick for shit.
I'm wiring the 5v pin of a USB cable to the tip of a 3.5mm audio cable, any idea if I should I also splice USB ground to the 3.5mm cable's ground?
5v -> tip of half of the cable (cut from other half)
using this to power a 3.5 mm device that requires 5V
there are 2 wires and 1 string by the looks of your pic..
They are shielded, it's called enamel.
Lighter
Yes.
figured, ty
the generic ones use audio channel l and r hot wires and a ground wire.
That's how literally all of them work.
>he doesn't know about the fourth channel in Monster sound cables which makes FLAC sound good
Still has positive L&R channels and a ground
just joshing
It works! Thanks for the help, Sup Forumsuys.
Nice. Good work.
Do you happen to know how I can test to ensure that this is sending data properly when I press a button? An LED on the device lights up and I know which pin should receive data, just not sure what setting to use on the multimeter.
Just buy 3.5mm male connectors, and solder them yourself with decent wire.
if you have a soldering iron, just melt a bit of solder on the tip and touch the wires with the solder that is enough or just use a lighter
You'd need an oscilloscope for that.
Figured it out anyway, now I just need to figure it out on the software side of things. Trying to use this Comcast RF receiver with LIRC, just having no luck with the alsa driver
>2017
>alsa
Neat.Good luck.
thanks.