SmartNav USB Hardware Problems

This is the place for comments, criticisms and even the occasional compliment related to the SmartNav drivers and profiler. Also the place to discuss and review support issues.
Post Reply
mroth
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 5:00 am
Location: San Diego, CA

SmartNav USB Hardware Problems

Post by mroth »

USB Hardware Problems

When switching to a new computer, the USB hardware for SmartNav did not work initially. It always ended up in a state where the USB device would permanently identify itself in the device list as "ECT NaturalPoint Firmware Loader". This is supposed to only be a transitory state while the camera gets its firmware loaded - after a few seconds, it should identify itself as "ECT NaturalPoint Tracker". In this state, the SmartNav software would start up without complaint (when the camera is not plugged in, it complains about "File not found" right away). Also, the green LED on the camera was constantly on, but there was of course no camera picture (in advanced page).

It turned out that when plugging the camera directly into the USB port on the machine, without the little 3 foot extension USB cable that came with SmartNav, everything works. I also tried a different, higher-quality USB extension cable, and the problem also existed with that. I've tried to use an externally powered USB hub, but that didn't work either. So the device only works on my new machine when attached directly to the machine's USB port. Given the really short cable on the camera, this forces me to put the computer on my desk right beside/behind the monitor.

While I can live with this situation, I would prefer to be able to put the machine under my desk to dampen some of the cooling noise. I would like to suggest that a future generation of SmartNav camera hardware should come with a higher quality USB cable that is long enough to put the camera on top of a large monitor with the machine sitting under the table without resorting to the extension cable. Also, if the problem might be the power requirements of the camera, it should have the option for an external power supply.

Once it works (and it did so without problems on all my other computers), I'm really happy with SmartNav, and I get the impression was a big help in coutering my developing RSI by eliminating most of the right hand movement between mouse and keyboard.

Greetings,
-Martin Roth
Post Reply