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Thanks for all the replies and words of support. Look how many reports of similar damage have come in in less than 24 hours! Whilst one cannot argue away personal responsibility in these accidents it nonetheless points out what I would consider to be a rather large point of vulnerability in the design of both the ST-i and the Lodestar. Sure, it's "efficient" to build the USB connector right onto the circuit board but it's a bit like a land mine. I doubt that even epoxying the USB feet down could have prevented the damage. When I get mine back I'm going to do two things. 1. use a right angled connector. 2. build some sort of clamp on protective device to protect the cable as it emerges from the camera. I'm imagining something like an old empty 35mm film canister held onto the ST-i body with an automotive hose clamp.
ST-i is going back to SBIG today.
Peter
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