Prometheus said:

On Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:02:27 -0400, Greg wrote:
Seriously though, I have owned two cheap HP cameras. Both, while not
the most high tech and feature laden, have performed as advertised for
many years. (I've found that the more crap, the faster it breaks.)
...

I'll take that under advisement- the last one was a Poloroid, but it
died after two uses. Just wouldn't turn on any longer, and it had
been sitting on the desk for longer than the return period. I might
look at the HPs, though- I just don't want to blow another $100-200
for something that doesn't work.

I hear ya.
I'm becoming quite the Luddite in my "age of enlightenment."
I've seen far too many camcorders bought as Christmas gifts die
sitting on closet shelves as dozens of SMD electrolytics spew their
chemicals all over the PCB, etching it beyond repair.

I'm of the belief that we no longer buy electronic items, we lease
them for a very short period of time. Then toss them into a landfill
when they die, and stand in line to pony up for a another replacement.

Needless to say, I own little that is "new". I was foolish enough to
believe that WW equipment would be a relief from such nonsense...

And now this - From the VFD manual:
-----
3. If the AC motor drive is stored for more than 3 months, the
temperature should not be higher than 30 °C. Storage longer than one
year is not recommended, it could result in the degradation of the
electrolytic capacitors.
-----

While not exactly a new phenomenon, I have a cabinet full of older
electrolytics from the 80's that are still good. Even when the large
values degrade, careful application of voltage at low currents will
"heal" them. The tiny SMD types are self-destructing within a year or
so - even with a charge stored. Their ESR drops to the point they are
useless, and that assumes they don't leak corrosive liquid over
everything first.

Just Lovely...


Greg G.