It's one of these days: I just killed my second Osmo Pocket by charging it with a non-DJI USB C-cable.

Yes, somewhere it's mentioned that you should only use the provided cable, but due to the fact that those cables all look the same, I used the wrong one today. And after just a minute or so, the Osmo Pocket was bricked.

Hat the same issue more than a year ago with my first Pocket.

What I don't get, DJI: If you use something propietary the don't use and standard-shaped plug. I really love you products and bought a lot of them. But this - pardon my french - is total crap. If you build in a USB C-port that use it according to the standards.

Anyone else with this experience?

Thanks for the warning.

I doubt there is anything proprietary about DJI's cable. Almost every manufacturer advises to use the supplied cables as measure to reduce chances of a failure caused by non-compliant cables and to sell more of their overpriced spares, but if you go with reputable aftermarket brand and mind the condition of your cables they are unlikely to brick your OP IMO.

I thought the same, but now it happened the second time. I only use top quality cables. It is is strange, I know. But it seems to be that way.

Sorry for this, EMBE, please refer to the link below to start a repair case and send the unit in for diagnosis and repair.
Your suggestion regarding the cable will be forwarded to the designated team.
https://repair.dji.com/repair/index?site=brandsite&from=nav

DJI Natalia Posted at 5-22 03:01
Sorry for this, EMBE, please refer to the link below to start a repair case and send the unit in for diagnosis and repair.
Your suggestion regarding the cable will be forwarded to the designated team.
https://repair.dji.com/repair/index?site=brandsite&from=nav

Thanks ... is there any way to find out the serial number. It's not on the device - I guess it's on the box, that I no longer have. Connecting with the app is of course not possible. S/N is asked when opening a ticket.

Could it be the charger?
It would seem to me that, no matter what cable is used, only the terminals for charging would be connected to the charger.


Possible power is leaking onto the wrong conductors

Curt1591 Posted at 5-22 03:14
Could it be the charger itself?

No, its the original that came with the package. I measured it and the voltage output is standard and nothing special. I also tried the other one from my older "bricked" one. And I also tried the charging case, which also didn't charge the Pocket. The Osmo show no reaction at all - normally while charing it's blinking, but now it's simply dead. When using the charing case, the case-led is green for some seconds and then switches off, like when the charing has finished. But nothing happens.

There seems no way to make some kind of hard reset on the Pocket ... at least I couldn't find any related information.

My guess would be that wires are getting crossed somewhere, either in the cables of the charger. It could be an intermittent thing.

When I was working telco repair, I wish I had a nickel for every time I had to close a ticket NTF, "No Trouble Found".

Curt1591 Posted at 5-22 03:28
My guess would be that wires are getting crossed somewhere, either in the cables of the charger. It could be an intermittent thing.

When I was working telco repair, I wish I had a nickel for every time I had to close a ticket NTF, "No Trouble Found".

Yes, I'm sure it's something like that. I don't have the tools to check the USB-C wiring, but there seems to be an issue.

EMBE Posted at 5-22 03:04
Thanks ... is there any way to find out the serial number. It's not on the device - I guess it's on the box, that I no longer have. Connecting with the app is of course not possible. S/N is asked when opening a ticket.

There is a QR code at the bottom of this unit,  please scan the QR code via your phone, then, you will be able to see the Serial Number.

Hi .


I lost my charging cable at an event within a few months of having my Osmo Pocket and bought on two separate occasions another four cables for both charging and file transfer. You have to avoid cables that allow higher charging amperage's.

USB Type-C to USB-A Male 3.1 Gen2.  Link to product

Ray.

This is good to know. Think I'm going to mark the cable so I don't
make that mistake. Hope everything works out.

DJI Natalia Posted at 5-22 03:56
There is a QR code at the bottom of this unit,  please scan the QR code via your phone, then, you will be able to see the Serial Number.

Took a while get a scan of this smaaaall QR, but it finally worked out just fine. Thanks.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 5-22 05:10
Hi .

Thx. That could be the problem. But any USB C-spec cable should work just fine. For me that's in DJIs responsibility.

EMBE Posted at 5-22 05:55
Thx. That could be the problem. But any USB C-spec cable should work just fine. For me that's in DJIs responsibility.

Actually. No.
There are different specified cables for different applications and devices. DJI should have specified which cable other than their own granted but they stuck to the minimum legal requirement of giving required information if no more, but you can work that out from the Osmo Pocket charging requirements.
Why would they specify using their cable?
Doesn't set off alarm bells?
Some cables even specify what they are not for but that depends on the manufacturer.
In the past various cables only fitted certain items but that is changing, partly due to the EU insisting all future equipment stick to using one type of charging / data streaming port on phones. This has led to some changes in the USB-C specs and although they use the same sized connector the pin distribution is different and rated for different currents and voltages  dependent on the device requirements.  

Ray.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 5-22 10:44
Actually. No.
There are different specified cables for different applications and devices. DJI should have specified which cable other than their own granted but they stuck to the minimum legal requirement of giving required information if no more, but you can work that out from the Osmo Pocket charging requirements.
Why would they specify using their cable?

Any cable that adheres to the USB specs should charge OP, as all subsequent versions are backwards-compatible. It's just a matter of compliance. DJI didn't specify any charging requirements, just stated that the charging time will be shortest with a 2A charger and did not state that only the original cable must be used for charging, at least not in the manual.

I remember reading it on the package Irvin the manual after I killed my first Pocket with an Apple cable and charger. The I always used the one from DJI. Until today, when I just plugged in while editing at the same time. Multitasking is not my strongest talent ;)

Bought a used one for €99 on eBay now - that’s cheaper if I should kill it again ;)

I think it is significant that, as far as I am aware, you are the only one having this problem.  Personally I don't think I've ever used the original cable - I probably left it in the box.

Sorry - I had no clue that you personally know all Osmo Pocket user ;)

Had a call with an DJI technician after opening a support ticket. In fact I’m not the only one. Maybe you should explain your point to him too

I mean the only one here.  Of course I can't remember every single post but I sure don't recall this coming up before, and I would have thought that few people would keep track of which lead goes with which device.  So why is this not happening to everyone?

Put it this way - my Pocket has a standard USB socket and it works with any reasonable connector for charging.  Your first one, you assert in your first post, does not have a standard USB socket and it was supplied with a non-standard USB cable to match.  So that must be a different production run from mine.  Yours died when you used the wrong cable.  Then you bought another one that also happened to be one of the non-standard production run, which also died when you used the wrong cable.  The chances of DJI putting out different models, some with one kind of socket and cable, and others with normal socket and cables, and then you happening to buy two from the non-normal batch, is close to zero.  Therefore the problem must lie in the cable you chose to use - perhaps it has a defect - or in the charger - or somewhere else.  But your assertion in your first post is the least likely scenario - in my view anyway.

Something really seems to be weird here. I also have a very strange issue with my Osmo Pocket: It often begins to charge for a few minutes, then the charging stops and it begins to discharge, so there is no current flow from the charger to the Osmo, but from the Osmo to the charger, until the battery is empty! This doesn't happen always, but very often, and it seems that it only happens with third-party (high quality) USB-C cable - but is independent of the used charger.

Az5456.  How do you know it is discharging ?   

Out of interest,  used a number of USB A > C cables to charge it, including the GoPro one .

If the pocket was charged with a voltage above the standard usb 5v potentially I could see the problem exhibited as you have described.

However, I’m not sure how this could happen unless  the charger is faulty.

With USB C , and power delivery  - the charge voltage is increased which hence allows a greater charge current. This is done by communication with the device, so  the osmo would have to request the higher charge power - and there is nothing to suggest the pocket supports PD.    The charge current is not a function of the cable, it’s the enumerated power and draw from the device.

Different cables support different data rates and may not support say full power delivery but this in itself would not damage the pocket.

I’ve mentioned this on the forum before but this where the little usb power monitors are invaluable. They can show you if the charge voltage is above 5v, and also show the charge current - allowing you to diagnose any charging issue.

Eg
https://www.amazon.co.uk/COOWOO- ... 539332524&psc=1