ASI1600MM Pro through Startech USB hub

[david_taurus83]

Bit of a long shot, but is anyone here using a 1600MM Pro through a Startech USB 2.0 to CAT 5 extender? My Startech hub has been brilliant since I got it. Works great with DSLR, ASI120 and mount plugged in. Never have any drop outs unless a battery dies. I set up my new 1600MM last night indoors and tried to avail of the 2 extra ports on the 1600 for the EFW and ASI120, with the single USB3.0 cable into the Startech. Everything connects fine but after looping for a few seconds PHD hangs and trying to snapshot a quick exposure of the main camera in APT I just get the dreaded BUSY... Tried swapping the supplied 3.0 cable for a good quality 2.0 one and it makes no difference.

 

Revert back to original cable management but with 1600 plugged into the laptop, everything is fine. I tried a 15m USB 2.0 extender cable and even with both EFW and 120 plugged into the 1600, and then plugged into the 15m cable, that works a treat. I left PHD and APT looping short exposures for a good while and the download times were less than a second. Not the end of the world, I've ordered another USB 2.0 extender for the EQMOD cable as its a bit of a faff to set up the Startech just for the mount. I'm just a bit annoyed as the Startech cost me 100 quid as they are supposed to be the bees knees and its trumped by a cheap and cheerful £10 cable!

[LightBucket]

The Startech device is  only USB 2.0 (don’t make USB 3.0 version) hence the busy notice, as the date flow is slower over USB 2.0.. 

But that said, you have no such issues over a USB 2 extender cable....very strange indeed, I used the same Startech device for a couple of years and it was superb...

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I tried using a USB 2.0 hub, with abject failure. I have since updated to a StarTech USB 3.0 hub with everything connected through it, apart from the Mount (AZ-EQ6) which prefers a USB 2.0 connection.

But I also site a PC locally, so never any extenders (which I have always found problematical).

 

[david_taurus83]

4 minutes ago, LightBucket said:

The Startech device is  only USB 2.0 (don’t make USB 3.0 version) hence the busy notice, as the date flow is slower over USB 2.0.. 

But that said, you have no such issues over a USB 2 extender cable....very strange indeed, I used the same Startech device for a couple of years and it was superb...

Yes, it is strange. If I took the 120 out of the 1600 and plugged back into the Startech then PHD looped fine again but 1600 still hung. Even with a 2.0 cable. The settings box in APT where you select the gain showed it connected as 2.0. My laptop is only 2.0 anyway so no point getting a 3.0.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

What USB limit have you set in the ZWO\ASI driver for the camera?, try setting it lower.

[david_taurus83]

1 hour ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

What USB limit have you set in the ZWO\ASI driver for the camera?, try setting it lower.

40

[Thalestris24]

I've not used a usb 3.0 camera myself, but you have to bear in mind that if you connect a usb 2,0 hub to a usb 3,0 port then the hub will only run at the total bandwidth of usb 2.0 so if you have 4 ports each one will be 1/4 usb 2.0 speed. There may also be incompatibilities. So probably best to get a usb 3,0 hub.

Louise

[Allinthehead]

I use the startech usb cat 5 extender with Asi 1600 and asi 120 without issues. I have the mount plugged in to one port. The Asi 1600 plugged into another and i use the 1600 to connect the 120 and the Efw. I've run like this for 2 years and the only issues I've had are when i use the black cables that came with the asi cameras. When i use the grey one that came with 1600 and the blue one that came with the 120 it works a treat.

Richard.

[david_taurus83]

1 hour ago, Allinthehead said:

I use the startech usb cat 5 extender with Asi 1600 and asi 120 without issues. I have the mount plugged in to one port. The Asi 1600 plugged into another and i use the 1600 to connect the 120 and the Efw. I've run like this for 2 years and the only issues I've had are when i use the black cables that came with the asi cameras. When i use the grey one that came with 1600 and the blue one that came with the 120 it works a treat.

Richard.

Thanks Richard. What capture program do you use? I tried both APT and Sharpcap and they both hung. The EFW works fine btw. I got another active cable today for the mount so not a deal breaker really. Just waiting for clear skies!

[Allinthehead]

4 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Thanks Richard. What capture program do you use? I tried both APT and Sharpcap and they both hung. The EFW works fine btw. I got another active cable today for the mount so not a deal breaker really. Just waiting for clear skies!

I use Sequence Generator Pro. 

[david_taurus83]

7 minutes ago, Allinthehead said:

I use Sequence Generator Pro. 

Might be why then. It clearly all works through a single USB port on the laptop but I'm not going to risk the next clear night experimenting. Thanks

[Allinthehead]

21 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Might be why then. It clearly all works through a single USB port on the laptop but I'm not going to risk the next clear night experimenting. Thanks

Yes you're right not to mess about with clear sky. You should experiment during the day.

[david_taurus83]

Update on this. I've managed a few sessions so far with the laptop by the scope in a plastic box while Teamviewing from the living room. I'm trying to streamline things by replacing 2 batteries by the mount to running off a PSU from the house so it didn't make sense to run an extension lead back out to the laptop in the box!!

 

I spent 30 odd quid on some Super Duper Lindy usb cables hoping this would solve everything! Yeah?! NO!!! Still get the dreaded BUSY...

 

So I checked the settings again. Where it says "lower usb traffic limit if no image get" ? i had it set to 40 as its the lowest it goes. I decided to do the exact opposite and whack it straight up to 100. Hey presto, images start downloading thick and fast. So I swapped back to the original usb cables and the same, images download no problem. I ran 2 short image plans and it downloaded 120 subs without fault. So the Lindys are going back for a refund. Im usually sceptical of Super Duper Gold Platinum Ununpentium plated cables and I'm still sceptical!

 

Couple of things still not 100% though. The ASI120 won't work through the 1600 hub, even with "premium" cable. No probs in the Startech so that's fine. If I start an image plan while the camera is cooling, and it gets to temp mid plan, the notification seems to upset either APT or the 1600 as it hangs. Simple disconnect camera in APT and connect solves this. So let camera get down to temp before starting a plan is the way to go.

 

What's the odds my findings are turned upside down come the next clear night? ?

[LightBucket]

I totally agree with you on super duper USB cables, waste of money they make no difference other than empty your wallet a bit quicker...

I have run a dual rig with cheap Chinese USB cables for years with no issues, and a 10m USB repeater cable costing £9  

[StuartJPP]

There's definitely benefit to using "decent" cables regardless of their origin. There are a few things that do make a difference, the wire gauge used should be correct (to be able to carry the current), the data lines should be twisted to eliminate cross-talk and shielded and the connectors should be decent quality, preferably gold plated.

Anything more is more than likely snake oil.

A cable with an integrated ferrite can also help interference issues.

I keep all the cables I get from various equipment, in that way I have all manner of USB cables, with different connectors (Micro, Mini, A-B etc and also some right-angled ones) and lengths...comes in handy as they are effectively "free".

There's also a difference between setups where the cables are left plugged in indefinitely or plugged in every session...plugged in indefinitely can have issues with dissimilar contact platings causing contact issues over time whereas being plugged in each session can have a self cleaning action.

I have thrown rubbish cables away before as they were definitely the cause of my issues but I certainly wouldn't pay crazy money for a USB cable.

[noah4x4]

I have an Atik Horizon which is similar to an ZWO AS1600 (same sensor, both desire USB3). Both cameras are capable of exceeding 4K UHD and are great with a suitable 4K UHD monitor. I also run an MKIT20 autofocuser also remotely from my warm 'mission control'. These were my findings;

1.  Wireless even between two Intel NUCs each with Iris Plus Graphics using TeamViewer or Windows Remote Desktop was flaky. Too unreliable.

2.  'Active'  USB2 cable over 10 Metres was also a bit flaky. I also suffered from conflicts between the USB3 camera, USB2 focusser and Celestron Nexremote that demands Win8 compatibility mode. I upgraded to USB3 cable with no greater success.

3. I now use Cat6 cable between NUCs and that works superbly. I could instead have used an AV/HDMI extender and a single NUC (with cat6 cable), but I already had two computers capable of handling 4K graphics.

4.  Power was also a challenge. I now power all by a Tracer 22Ah 12v.

These cameras are also very good at mere 1080p (1920 x 1080) but I wanted to run at maximum resolution, especially on Hyperstar where <zoom> is desirable because of the 5x increase in FOV. My advice, don't underestimate the power and bandwidth demands of these cameras, especially if seeking the full 4K experience.