USB issues, please talk to me about your USB arrangement

[troypiggo]

I've had a MacBook Pro for a while now, and have been able to survive with the 2 USB ports only. Never used the Firewire port and never thought I'd need to. But I've recently had some issues...

The other night I had some serious show-stopping issues with my USB devices. Although everything had been working fine for the 3 sessions prior, this last outing I couldn't get any reliability out of my 40D and guide camera. They kept locking up. There was some communication going on, because I could connect to the cameras, the 40D shutter would open, but then lock up and freeze. The QHY5 guide camera would start capturing images for guiding, but then freeze after a while as well.

Other USB devices worked OK, but they're not as "hungry" as cameras I guess - EQMod to the mount, gamepad, FCUSB controller all worked fine.

My setup is one USB port goes straight to the 40D imaging camera. No hub. The other USB port goes to a powered USB 4 port hub that feeds QHY5, EQMod, FCUSB, and gamepad controller.

Discussing the issue with Peter (peter_4321, oops, I mean peter_4059 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=72086)) he had a suspicion that the FCUSB is only USB 1.0 and that may drag down the whole hub to USB 1 speeds, and explain the QHY5 issue. Not sure if anyone can confirm that?

We thought that maybe if I can get the QHY5 on a direct line to the notebook, the other USB devices on the hub may be fine at only USB 1 speeds. Trouble is only the 2 USB ports.

So now I'm looking at a Firewire to USB adapter or lead. I know nothing about Firewire. USB I know keep cable lengths down to 3m long, use powered hubs if need to go longer, that's about it.

Firewire - how long can cables go? I understand data rates are very high, but assume if it's a USB adapter the data would be limited by USB rates? Do you reckon I'd be better off using the FW/USB cable for the imaging camera or guide camera? Does it matter?

Any other thoughts on what might have been causing my problems? What is really puzzling me is that the setup had been working fine just nights before. And the problem was on both USB ports, not just the hubbed one. I tried swapping them over. Same problem.

[troypiggo]

Ok, done some more digging and it appears that Firewire to USB adapters would not only be extremely complicated to make, they don't really exist. Which is kinda frustrating because websites like this one led me up the garden path: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/firewire-to-usb-adapter.html Had some feedback that this webpage was complete "codswallop" according to those more knowledgeable than I. Sooooo....

Given that I only have 2 USB ports on my computer and at least 5 USB devices needing to connect to it, could I have some advice on what to connect where? Keeping in mind that one of the devices is potentially only USB 1.

Should I get a second USB hub and plug both cameras (imaging and guide) into that, and keep the EQMod/FCUSB/Gamepad on the other?

Or is it best to keep cameras on separate cables?

Another, less desirable, option could be to get and use a Firewire camera as a guide cam, but reluctant to lose the QHY5.

How do you have yours arranged?

[tlgerdes]

2 USB hubs. Cameras in one, everything else in the other.

I have my Canon and SSAG (QHY5) in a powered USB2 hub with no issues.

[troypiggo]

Ok, thanks Trevor. Will try that arrangement next. Need to improve the reliability of my setup. Wasted hours upon hours trying to figure out this problem.

[Exfso]

Troy, in addition to two powered USB hubs, I use Active USB leads as well, dont have any issues at all now I am using the active leads.

Here is an example of where you can get them if you decide, Dick Smith has them as well.

https://www.lindy.com.au/online/arrshop.exe?anonymous=true&cat=e3

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. Actually, I'm already using active leads. The 2 out of the notebook are active USB leads. One direct to the imaging camera, the other to a powered USB hub.

[Merlin66]

I have a "collection" of cameras and other gear connected to my NEQ6pro mount and C9.25 scope. CdC and PHD + Al's reticle.
Atik16ic, MX916, DSI II, focuser etc as well as guide cameras QHY5 or a DMK...I use a couple of Lindy powered USB cables into a powered 7 port USB hub (powered from a 12V gell cell battery -12V to 6V t/x) everything then gets loaded into the hub - USING THE SAME PORT every time.
The DMK is firewire...I started with the small 4 pin connector (Acer laptop) with an additional 12V power connector ( The IS cameras won't work on just the USB voltage of 5.5V) eventually the socket on the laptop broke under the constant use... I then when to a powered PCMCIA firewire card this has a socket for 12V and the larger 6pin cable.
I've now added a similar card (Express type) to the "back up" Dell laptop.
This set up works 110% for me with the spectroscope.
HTH

[troypiggo]

Gotchya. Thanks mate.

[troypiggo]

Did a whole lot more testing on Friday night and while I have yet more questions than answers about the USB issue on my MacBook, I did test my little netbook and it seems to work fine.

On the MacBook Pro I added a USB2 powered hub to the second active USB able. So on one MBP port->hub I had EQMod, FCUSB, and the gamepad, and on the other I had the imaging camera and the guide camera. Here's the bizarre bit...

The VMWare Windows XP seems to have just started treating the 2 separate USB ports and hubs as one 7 port hub. Hence, I think, one USB1 device is dragging all devices down to USB1 speed. WinXP is giving a warning when I plug in the guide camera that it can perform much better if plugged into a USB2 hub. It is.

Despite the above, I fired up PHD guiding and connected the QHY5 no worries. But as soon as I start looping (ie it tries to capture images) I get the Blue Screen of Death and WinXP restarts itself. So it's talking to the QHY5 but image capture is serious problems.

Keep in mind this was working fine earlier in the week, exact same setup.

I tried 2 other guide cams - DSI II Pro and a DBK21. Same problem. Connects to them fine but as soon as I start trying to capture images, BSOD.

Thinking maybe the USB drivers/device were corrupted in WinXP, I completely uninstalled them and reinstalled. Still same problem.

I'm going to investigate more about how VMWare handles these USB devices and maybe a VMWare/WinXP reinstall may be required. Bugger. That's a bit of a deal for me.

In the meantime, the little nettie chugs along fine. Not the fastest or biggest screen, but works.

[DavidTrap]

I'm having success thus far with a 4m cable plugged into a 4 port Belkin powered hub. The devices plugged in are QHY5, 350D, Shoestring shutter box and keyspan USB-serial adapter.

This combo has worked with a MacBook running XP through bootcamp. I should be shortly moving to a Win 7 laptop - fingers crossed. I have had issues trying to use some devices through virtualization on the Win 7 laptop running XP mode (need XP for the 350D). My hunch is your problem relates to virtualisation of ports - have you tried running XP through bootcamp?

DT

[troypiggo]

Haven't tried Bootcamp. If that means a complete reinstall of all operating systems, I'll be reluctant unless it's the only way. Frustrating thing is the virtual system has worked fine for a year and a half. Something must've corrupted, in which case I'm hoping it's only a VMWare and maybe WinXP reinstall.

[DavidTrap]

Not sure Troy if using bootcamp means a reinstall.

Try holding down option as you turn the power on. It should give you the option to boot between Mac & PC.

DT

[BlueAstra]

I'm also having problems with USB.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=72791

Still trying to find an answer.

[troypiggo]

Guys, I think I solved the USB2 issue. It was a setting in the VMWare itself, not MacOS and not WinXP. I don't know how/why the setting changed, because I certainly didn't click the box that disabled USB2! And it can only be accessed when the VM isn't running, which is why I hadn't come across it.

Graham (BlueAstra), sorry mate. Can't help much but might post a couple of suggestions in your thread.