can't get 4th USB camera to work (was: Help!!)

[cleadistj]

okay i have 4 life cams hooked up to vidblaster studio all the life cams work but for some reason i cant hook up life cam 2 and 3 together or have them running at the same time?? i can have life cams 1, 3, 4 running or 1, 2, 4 but never all 4 ? can some one tell me why?

[cleadistj]

please help???

[dan]

Gidday, are these all USB inputs?
I would imagine its the same old trouble alot of people have with multiple USB inputs especially of the same device. VidBlaster seems to have trouble figuring out which is which and can't seem to handle more than two the same.

I'm not sure if there is a resolution, try searching the forums some more.

Regards
Dan

[CarRoomJoe]

I'm kind of a newbie myself, but I had a similar problem when I first tried this. I had to reboot my computer each time I added a camera.

You may also be running the cams at too high a res for your computer - just a thought. Again - newbie here.

I had a lot of luck with a powered USB hub. I'm running four Logitech Pro9000s, at 320x280. But I do occasionally have to reboot or restart VB if they don't all appear. You may also want to try clicking the camera module drop down menu and try to find each cam - each module should call out any/all of the recognized cameras. Mine each say "USB device, USB Device #2, USB DEvice #3", etc., and I have to click them on once in a blue moon.

Please take all the above advice with a BLOCK of salt - I'm no expert, just a guy into car models - but I hope this helps! Love this software, truly the real deal, so good luck.

[dan]

We had the same issue where it would work fine until we added a 3rd or further device on the USB ports. I put it down to lack of power and resource available.
We may have to try the reboot option.
As they weren't cameras we were plugging in as such, they were USB Video Grabbers, with AV ports so we could then patch our standard cameras in.
I think we've ended up getting a decent capture card.

[Johan Lundberg]

Try to put the forth camera on a different USB port. You are likely overloading the USB-bus on the USB controller(s) you are using. Most computers have many USB ports actually using the same USB controller. If you plug in more than one or two cameras to the same controller the bandwidth just wont be enough. Same thing when using a USB hub.

If you are out of controllers there are add-on controller cards (PCI/PCI-express) that you can buy to solve the problem.

[ssmyth]

Your usb bus may be over loaded overload ... Try post at back or if it a laptop try adding a USB express card and routing one camera over that . Or id a desk top you could also add a USB card for more options .

What type of system are you running? what other USB devices are plugged in?

S

[timothychew]

If USB overload problem ... for Desktop .. Can I add another PCI USB card
will it help??!!

[Mike]

It will help for a USB bus overload. But you can also overload the system bus (depending on the number of USB devices and their data rates = resolution used), and that can only be fixed by faster motherboards. I am setting up a configuration using exclusively webcams, just to see how far you can go. Send me your question as video feedback and I'll discuss it on the show.

[weconverse]

My two cents on that there is something strange when it comes to USB cams and their drivers. On my laptops I can generally not get more than one USB device of the same brand working at the same time, even though I add extra USB through en Express card. And it also seems than more than three USB devices on one laptop is the limit for me.
On my desktop PC it is slightly better. I can for example have 2 lifecam cinemas, 1 Deltaco TV-58 frame grabber and one Easycap frame grabber. Adding a Logitech 9000 or another Deltaco TV-58, etc to that is not possible (black image in camera module). Don't feels like it is related to a bus overload, rather a between drivers issue.
And there are slight variations betweens how much different makes of laptops can handle.

[timothychew]

After I test out .. I felt that ..
is it USB power overload or Bus overload ..

even I test it will i7 mb still the same

I can only connect 2 easy cap on my MB
if more then that it will be having blue board error and restart

after that I try a PCI .. USB .. it work ., I get to connect
3 easy cap ..

it work .. when I am overload with 3 easy cap ..
with 2 easy cap .. I can still connect a DVC170 on the mb
( just problem to find the 64bit driver for dvc 170 )

What about putting a power USB hub ..
mike do u mean usb overload power or bus

[Mike]

Data bus.

[timothychew]

but mike ..
I am aready using

GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R
8GB (4X2GB) DDR3
INTEL I7 930 2.8GHZ


is that board not powerful enough ..
I can only connect 2 easy cap on the PC

the 3rd one will overload ..!!

if I add a PCI express USB card will it help my 4th easycap

I have 2 onboard and 1 on PCI usb card ,, and add one more PCI e USB . is it OK ( will it work or not

[Mike]

I can't tell. All I can say is that I have not had good experiences using multiple EasyCaps, but then there are so many types. In general, I do not recommend these for higher resolutions anyway, as quality is poor. I have used 4 USB2821 succesfully, but in 320*240 only.

[timothychew]

Easy Cap 100% work now

Mike - Good news After a few month of testing
Finally .. the main problem is the extension cable for USB

I am using DC60 .. at 640 x480

it will working now

but still need to test

Hope that this topic will help those who use easy cap ...thanks mike

[kstenqvist]

Hi guys,
I have the same problem, is there any news in this issue?

[chackl]

I am using 5 Cinema Lifecams with 640*360 resolution on 10 meter active USB cable without any problems. Using on extra usb controllers with an Z68 mobo.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Tapatalk

[chackl]

I forgot: you have to use ACTIVE extension cables! (10m for 40 euros)

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Tapatalk

[Zekday0]

Having some issues with this as well! 4 Logitech cams only can get 2 to pick up.