A Challenging USB Issue!

[JSeaman]

I thought I had put all my USB issues behind me but I still have one left and it's a very difficult one so apologies it's a long intro:

My setup is fixed and I have a USB/Ethernet extender (like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extender-Repeater-Keyboard-Gamepad-synchronously-USB2-0-U2EX50/dp/B01EV33R8S) which runs to the scope.

My USB devices are a Lakeside focuser, the mount (NEQ6), ASI 120mm mini guide cam, ASI 1600mm imaging cam

All has been fine with the set up for a long time with various equipment changes but now I have bought the ZWO ASI 1600mm it will not play nice with the rest of the rig (previously used QHY8L/Atik 314L with no problem)

After I introduced the 1600 I had horrendous unreliability, if you took pictures with the 120 and 1600 at a fast rate it would immediately fail. I'm using Nebulosity (but the issue occurs in APT as well) and PHD2 for the capture. Any combination of the ASCOM drivers fails (either the 1600 or the 120 or both using it). I thought I had solved the issue by moving to the ZWO native drivers in both pieces of software but I have a problem that keeps plaguing me which is this...

I start imaging and everything is good. After an indeterminate amount of time, I lose ALL USB devices. CDC sees the mount disconnect, PHD2 loses the guide cam, Nebulosity gets CAPTURE ABORTED and everything stops. All I do is reconnect in each piece of software and then it appears to work perfectly and I can't break it again. This is a one time deal, once it has failed it seems to keep working no matter what I do. 

I have tried USB 2 and USB 3, all devices have power management disabled in Control Panel and it's very erratic when the death will occur but it's generally every imaging session at some point.

Today I ran a second USB/Ethernet extender with a separate power/USB cable just to deal with the 1600 thinking that would surely fix things. Alas, no, same failure mode.

The only thing common that I have left is the ZWO driver / USB on the PC itself being taken out so I'm running out of ideas. Any thoughts?

[Budgie1]

It may seem a bit of a strange question but; what sort of quality are the USB cables you're using? 

When I got my ASI120mm Mini and started using that with an ASI294MC (both using the ZWO supplied flat USB cables), the 120 would occasionally drop out.

I've now change both to better quality "round" USB cables and the drop-outs seem to have stopped.

[JSeaman]

Thanks for the suggestion, used 4 different types of usb cable and same behaviour sadly. I downloaded the latest zwo ascom drivers earlier and thought it had fixed it but sadly not

[CedricTheBrave]

i had a similar issue with a starlight express costar

sent it bak to them for testiing and they found a problem and fixed it with a new board.

obviously not the same device but similar issue

[JSeaman]

Interesting thanks, I can't think what would cause an issue to occur once though, very confusing!

[Colinhunter]

I had the same issue when both the asi120mm mini guide cam and the Asi294mc which were all plugged into the same powered usb hub. I bought another powered usb hub and now plug the Asi294mc into one of the hubs and the asi120mm mini in the other. I plug the mount usb into the one with the asi120mm and the focuser into the one with the Asi294mc. Just meant I had to run two cables into the computer instead of just the one. Never have a problem now

Edited March 14, 2021 by Colinhunter
Typing errors

[JSeaman]

Thanks, that's what I did yesterday. I now have two separate powered USB-->Ethernet boxes, one goes to the hub with everything connected and the other just has the 1600mm on it. Sadly the problem persists

[david_taurus83]

Is your PC USB2? When I bought an ASI1600 I had some issues with dropped frames, connectivity etc. It turned out to be my laptop (Win 7 USB2) didn't like USB3 devices. I bought a new Win 10 USB3 laptop and the issues went away. 

[JSeaman]

The PC has USB2 and USB3, I have tried both. Currently using Win 10 on USB2, it's the pro camera which has the larger buffer for USB transfer

I am currently tyring the motherboard USB port rather than through the case but that shouldn't have much effect. I've gone back to my shorter ASI120 USB cable. My gut feel is that it's the 120 causing the problem although I have only seen it since the 1600 was added. The reason is that it tends to do lots of connect/disconnect if I try APT and I have seen it have more hiccups than the 1600 but I may be wrong.

[scotty38]

I can't tell but have you tried taking the laptop to the rig and having, maybe just, the camera connected directly to see if that resolves the issue? I had a very similar setup to you that worked just fine but I had a 294 vs the 1600 and a different powered usb/ethernet extender from Amazon.

[JSeaman]

No laptop, this is a desktop set up. I considered going down the NUC route to resolve this if I can't get past it. My latest test using the motherboard port and shorter cable took 300 pics without issue, perhaps it is just that marginal. I'll keep testing and see what I find (no doubt it will fail as soon as I leave it next time!)