[pvrusb2] SOLVED: 29xxx pvrusb2 fails on "Device being rendered inoperable" after firmware load

[Mike Isely]

On Thu, 26 Nov 2009, Roger wrote:

> On Fri, 2009-11-27 at 00:04 +0200, Antti Pyykko wrote:
> > On Thu, 26 Nov 2009, Mike Isely wrote:
> > 
> > > Can you try a different USB port, controller, hub, and / or cable?
> > 
> > Unbelieveable.
> > 
> > I went through every single USB cable I have nearby or in use and the 
> > device worked with ONE (1) cable out of the 8 cables I have at hand.
> > 
> > That PVR is one picky sucker!
> > 
> > Thank you for your help, Mike! Sorry for wasting your time with a 
> > stupid hardware problem.
> 
> Not really.  6-7 of those ports could be operating on one USB Hub or PCI
> card.  Try to connect it directly to the actual PCI interface instead of
> using a HUB.  Also, be aware of faulty or using too long of a cable.

Keep in mind that using a USB hub is not "wrong".  The device should 
work just fine behind a hub.  But also realize that with the hub in use 
you have more complexity - more circuits between the device and the host 
along with more mechanical connections any one of which could trash 
things.  There's nothing wrong with a hub; just make sure everything 
there is really healthy.  It might be a useful test to plug a USB hard 
drive into that same hub and see how well it works - though even if that 
works perfectly there might *still* be problems.  But if it fails as 
well then you've just figured out another technique to help diagnose USB 
issues.

> 
> As for me, I've had my old PVRUSB2 working on a 50 foot Belkin USB cable
> without too many issues.

A fifty foot USB cable is, I believe, just *slightly* outside the 
spec...


> 
> Check for loose connectors too.
> 
> Again, I haven't had many issues with USB or even Firewire connectors.
> The only real problem has been poorly designed or cheap addon hubs or
> poorly designed/cheap USB hard drive enclosures.  One or two loose USB
> connectors/ports.  And the problem with laptops pcmcia USB ports not
> being able to support full-power usb devices without an additional usage
> of a (wallwart) power supply.

Yes those are all things to watch out for.

  -Mike


-- 

Mike Isely
isely @ isely (dot) net
PGP: 03 54 43 4D 75 E5 CC 92 71 16 01 E2 B5 F5 C1 E8