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Tandum
08-08-2017, 11:16 PM
Has anyone seen or heard of these?

I'm involved with setting up computers for recording multiple hi speed cameras and they recommend using optical USB cables per camera for distances over 3 meters.

I googled it and corning make them and claim they are USB 2 or 3 compatible and work up to 30 meters to self powered clients and can carry 5Gbs. Has anyone used one to connect to a powered hub on a mount at all?

I rang 4 suppliers today and none had heard of them, but neither had I.
troypiggo
09-08-2017, 07:13 AM
Interesting. Never heard of them either. It reads like they can't deliver power at all, which may explain their limited market. So you wouldn't be able to use them for a wired mouse, or a guide cam like QHY5 that needs the 5V USB power.
RickS
09-08-2017, 08:57 AM
They must run wire as well as the optical cable to power the device end electronics (in the cable itself) so I'd guess they don't provide galvanic isolation, which is a shame.
Tandum
09-08-2017, 10:04 AM
https://www.corning.com/optical-cables-by-corning/worldwide/en/products/usb-optical-cables.html

Yes they run copper in the cable.

I see them on amazon at $110 for 10meters. I guess that's US$ +post.
Wavytone
14-08-2017, 02:34 PM
They specifically state:

"USB 3.Optical Cables by Corning are designed to be used with self-powered peripherals only. No significant power is available after powering its internal opto-electronics. A self-powered USB 3.0/2.0 hub can always be used at the peripheral (B-side) to provide power if desired."

So that's a clear no to USB-powered cameras.
Camelopardalis
14-08-2017, 09:12 PM
Thunderbolt was originally meant to have a longer range optical version but I don't recall seeing it materialise.

Given they both run down the same cable now...
Camelopardalis
14-08-2017, 09:14 PM
But that shouldn't preclude using a powered USB hub at the remote end...
Tandum
15-08-2017, 09:40 PM
I agree. I never ran more than one USB cable to a mount to run multiple cameras, focusers etc. Always into a powered hub.

Doing it from 30 meters away instead of 5 would have been the bees knees though.

We didn't need those cables for this particular job. Got a single PC with 3 separate USB 3 controllers in it to within 3 meters of the treadmill, so all 3 hi speed cameras capture just fine.