A480 w/ SDM freezing problem

[rxninja]

I posted earlier today requesting new user help. I've been fumbling through things all day and I'm finally at the point where I'm using a trigger to take pictures with two cameras simultaneously with SDM, but it isn't working right. I'm using two identical Canon A480s with SDM installed the exact same way on each, but one of them freezes every so often and requires a hard reset (batteries out and back in) to come back. I've reset it maybe 4-5 times now but it keeps crapping out after just a few pictures. It isn't the battery, because I just changed those. Any ideas on what to do and how to troubleshoot it?

[Jurriaan]

Is it the same camera that keeps freezing up? Have you tried switching memory cards and usb connectors between the two cameras yet?

[daniel_reetz]

Hmm that is tough. Does the A480 have more than one firmware version? I have two A530s each with different firmware, and they don't work interchangeably, there is a version of SDM for each one.

Alternately you could try the CHDK build instead of SDM, if there is one.

[rxninja]

It was the same camera freezing up, but I eventually figured it out after lengthy experimentation.

The firmware was the same version, so that wasn't the problem. The SD cards were identical models and the USB cables were both part of a van de Kamp trigger. Everything that could be changed was.

It turns out that with a van de Kamp trigger and this particular camera, you need to hold down the trigger button for about as long as a breath in or out. A faster button press worked just fine for the non-freezing camera, but for whatever reason it just kept locking down the other one.

With the longer button press, I was able to scan an entire book last night without any problems. Problem solved.