Moshe, The competent bodies I have dealt with (3) have required ESD testing to metal shells of D connectors and have specifically excluded requirements to test the pins. The rationale has been that the mfr put the connector for a cable to connect to it, meaning the pins will be somewhat protected. The mfr should not be penalized because the user does not choose to configure the system in the way it was designed.
Connecting cables to all ports and then testing ports at the cable juntion seems to me to satisfy both the spirit and the letter of the requirement. The(exposed) pins would then not be accessible to the user, and the vulnerability of the EUT can be still tested at locations where cable type may not afford much protection, eg, where flat ribbon or unshielded cables are employed. Tom Cokenias.
