conflict with computer

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ve1drg
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Location: Windsor, Ontario Canada

conflict with computer

#1

Post by ve1drg »

I have a USB 3.0 hub installed and all my plugins attached to this hub works great. All except sharpcap.

I have to plug sharpcap directly into the laptop. Which operates ok with USB 3.0. I have tried different length cables and after I start with sharpcap I start seeing dropped frames. The only way I can correct this is to plug sharpcap directly into the laptop. And another thing is, when I tryto run sharp cap through the USB hub I hear the computer give off little noises like burps or whatever. It does this about every 4 seconds or so.And it is at this time that I start losing frames.

I have tried different cable lengths and no luck . And all the cables are new and tested.

I want to keep using the hub as it keeps things organized. And the hub is new and expensive. It is an 8 port hub run by DC. And all other items running through it works finel
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Ted Gervais
Windsor Ontario Canada
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admin
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Re: conflict with computer

#2

Post by admin »

Hi,

not sure what camera you have, but assuming it is a USB3 camera then it will load the USB system much more than any other device you are testing (except perhaps a USB3 external SSD drive). See the USB troubleshooting page (linked from the bug reports forum) for more hints on USB troubleshooting, but it's not unknown to find that USB3 cameras only work correctly (or at least at top speed) when connected directly to the computer by a cable of about 3m or less.

Robin
ve1drg
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Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 9:15 pm
Location: Windsor, Ontario Canada

Re: conflict with computer

#3

Post by ve1drg »

Robin..

I bought a new cable and will be trying things out soon. Maybe tomorrow. But some how there is a confictt with the computer.
And the conflict simply disappears when I plug the ASI294 camera directly into the laptop. And the laptop has 16 gigs of memory and runs an i7 intel processor.

But frames dropped appears almost immediately when going through the USB3 hub. There definitely is a conflict as when I have things plugged into the HUB the computer emits a burb or something like that every 4 or 5 seconds. So I see that the computer is saying there is something wrong here.
I figured that perhaps the cable was the problem. So I have a new one with me now. I will see if it works tomorrow. I hope it does. I certainly want to stay with the USB3 hub for cable manangement etc..
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Ted Gervais
Windsor Ontario Canada
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turfpit
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Re: conflict with computer

#4

Post by turfpit »

If the laptop, SharpCap, USB bus, USB cable and camera all work when directly connected then there is no conflict. Clearly the problem is elsewhere.

The beeping you hear from the computer will be a USB device repeatedly connecting/disconnecting.

The camera relies on the USB connection for 2 things:
  • data transfer
  • power
If the camera does not have enough power it will likely drop frames. Or the camera will drop frames because the USB bus is congested with traffic from all the devices.

You mention an 8-port hub powered by DC.
  • How is the hub actually powered?
  • Have you tried to power the hub with mains electricity?
  • What is the make/model of the hub?
  • What is the individual length of all the cables used?
  • What devices are actually connected to this 8-port hub?
The best way to answer the last question is to download USBtreeView from
https://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtreeview_e.html . Upload the following 2 graphic images from the left hand pane of the display:
  • nothing connected to the USB ports of your machine
  • the full configuration you are trying to run
A pragmatic solution to your issue is to run with the camera directly connected to the laptop and everything else connected via the hub. Not your cable management utopia but it works ;-(

A setup with i7, 16Gb and expensive hub is no guarantee that everything will work. I suggest that your USB connection (all via the hub) is simply running out of power.

Hope this helps.

Dave
robrj
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Re: conflict with computer

#5

Post by robrj »

How long is the usb cable you're using from the hub to the computer? Have you tried different ports on the computer and the hub? Have you tried it through the hub with nothing else attached but the camera? If it works through the hub with nothing else attached, start hooking things up until it fails.

I run my ASI294MC Pro, Starlight Xpress Filter wheel and the mount through a powered 6 port Cirago USB 3.0 hub and a 15' cable to an i5 Dell Laptop with no problems. I've also run the hub with my battery with no problems.
ve1drg
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Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 9:15 pm
Location: Windsor, Ontario Canada

Re: conflict with computer

#6

Post by ve1drg »

You and I are running almost the same equipment. I run the asi294 with a xagyl filter wheel. And the USB hub is a DC USB hub from Kendrick. Its a really nice unit but expensive. And of course it is a 3.00Hub. And my cable length is 15 feet and the hub plugged into a 33amp Hr battery. Lots of power there.

I don't have that much running in the HUB now other than the mount, the hub, the xagyl wheel, the asi294, and heater for the scope. I think. Maybe something else, but rightnow that is all I can think.

But tonight I will try running as little as I can through the hub and see if sharpcap acts up. Its funny, sharp cap starts out ok. No dropped frames and than after a minute or so, that is it. Only dropped frames from that point on. Grrrrrr. makes me mad.


I
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Ted Gervais
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turfpit
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Re: conflict with computer

#7

Post by turfpit »

heater for the scope
Try running without the heater connected and see what happens.

Dave
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