Headphone jack - be gentle.
 

I just learned a lesson . . .

I should have known better, but I messed-up anyway. I was using my A1 with headphones. The headphones had a 1/4" jack so I was using an adapter down to mini. This made a significantly longer rigid section emerging from the back of the camera. Well, the adapter got bumped and it broke the headphone jack in the A1. Ugh. Off to Canon for repair.

What upsets me is that on previous shoots with this set-up I noticed that this could happen. Sigh.

Sorry to hear that. A simple accident like that creates a lot of frustraion and expense. The Sony MDR-7506 headphones have a clever adapter that probably will prevent this problem. Uncrew the 1/4 jack and inside it is a 1/8 inch jack.

http://66.218.69.11/search/cache?ei=...icp=1&.intl=us

Happened to me too. My headphone wire was too long and I stepped on it ripping the jack out of the camera.

$250 and 10 days later my camera is fine and I strap the extra cord now..

I'd love to see headphone manufactures come out with the same type of flat right angled plug as some guitar cords have.

The moral of the story is...

Don't monitor your audio.

Bluetooth it <g>.

Steven,

Is this the type of connector you are thinking about?

I am using these Sony Fontopia (model MDR-EX51, I think) with my XH-A1. Works well, and the sound isolation properties of the in-the-ear design help to monitor what is being recorded, except for loud bass which transmits through the body. My earphones have a 3.5ft (105cm) cable, but Sony also makes a model with a 2-part cable (1.6ft -50cm- cord and a 2.3ft -70cm- extension cord) which has the same type of connector.

I believe this type of design is not unique to Sony; e.g. at least some Shure models use the same type of setup.
---
Fred

Close, I have a cord that has this type of plug http://www.youdoitelectronics.com/2ad2f3bf0.png

I guess I could hack my cord and splice one on hmmmm.

My solution
 

I did the same thing on my 3 day old XHA1. Actually it was one of my assistants. Went to move the tripod while headphones were attached and he stepped on the headphone cord (which BTW was a 1/4" plugged into a 1/8" adapter hanging out of the jack a good two inches). Anywho, it snapped nice and good. I sent it to the Canon repair facility in Cypress. They found it had actually cracked the PCB inside as well. Fortunately they were gracious enough to replace it at no charge! Not sure how I managed that...

Obviously a little plastic jack needs some form of strain relief for protection. My solution going forward? 8 dollars worth of Hosa parts:

Right angle 1/8" cord

1/8" female to female barrel adapter

I'm also gaff taping the cord to the tripod for extra strain relief. No more headphones plugged directly into the jack!