Cameras switch off randomly

[aforetaste]

I'm using Vista 32-bit.
AMD, Dual Core, 4 gb ram. NVidia GeForce 7800 GTX.

Arena, 1.5 beta3
8 Cameras in a 18' x 18' x 8' high area. Upper cameras at 8', lower cameras turned 90 degrees and about 2' to 2.5' lower than upper cameras.

I have 2 USB hubs (powered) on the system.

enhanced USB controllers:
In device manager: I have one "standard enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller." Screenshot: [img:left]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2xHYY9YxwhQ/Su8Bl ... _issue.jpg[/img]

I am using at least one USB 2.0 extender that came with the NaturalPoint camera system. Might that be causing the problem?

Thanks for the help, Vincent!

[VincentG]

Do you have a hub, plugged into a hub, then to the PC?

[aforetaste]

No, but I do have a hub plugged into a usb extender (shipped with optitrack) then into the computer.

[VincentG]

Are there one, or two enhanced host controllers installed on the system?

Are the 2 hubs plugged in, on the PC, above or below each other?

Try moving one of the hubs to a different USB port, not next to the other plug.

[aforetaste]

I did try moving the hubs (two days ago) to a different USB port... and that seems to have fixed things. I just haven't used the system enough to really put it through the ringer (yet).

Thanks for the help!

[aforetaste]

Hmm... well it's definitely working better, but I still occasionally have about 3 or so camera's kick-off at the same time which you can generally tell by the performance drop.

How can I tell about the one or two "enhanced host controllers"? Would I find that in device manager (PC)?

[VincentG]

Yes in the system device manager - under USB, you will have 1 or more enhanced host controllers listed here.

What hubs are you connecting the cameras to?

What power supplies do you have for the hubs?

[russfrancis]

Not sure if this helps but I've had one or two cut out on me due to static build up. it's rare but I've had it happen a few times when I'm adjusting a camera. I am in a very dry location though (Utah). I don't recall it ever happening in the middle of a shoot before though. To remedy I just have a metal grounded bar I touch before working too close to the cameras.

[aforetaste]

Looks like I only have one enchanced host controller listed within device manager. Would installing a seperate (additional) usb2 pci card solve that?
Thanks for all the help!!

Russ, I thought about that (static). I'm not touching the cameras but I am working on a carpeted surface. Thanks for the tip!

[VincentG]

It is possible that the single controller is being overloaded with data, and adding a second controller can help.

It would also be useful to know :

* What cameras you are using (V100 or V100R2)

* What USB hub you are using, and its power supply (D-Link branded or NaturalPoint branded)

* Whether you have used other builds of Arena and if so whether they also had the same issues