A lot of “dead” electronics are really a bad connection. The fault comes and goes, it changes when you wiggle something, and it’s easy to blame the wrong part.
Topics in this note
- Wiggle testing, carefully
- Checking continuity end to end
- Cleaning oxidized or dirty contacts
- Spotting loose or badly done crimps
- Cracked solder joints on board-mounted jacks
- When to replace the connector instead of fixing it
If a problem moves when you move the cable, start at the connector.