Kinect 2.0 - Windows 8.1 Pro - not working right?

Community Forums/General Help/Kinect 2.0 - Windows 8.1 Pro - not working right?

Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#1]
Hi all. Does anyone here use USB 3.0, and can tell me why when I plugin my Xbox One Kinect 2.0 / USB 3.0 cable into the computer, why it keeps sporadically disconnecting and reconnecting even though I downloaded all the windows updates, all the graphics card updates, all the firmware updates, etc...? And YES, I tried several different Ports. It's not broke. I got it new for Christmas.

Thank you much!

~Guy Fawkes


xlsior(Posted 2015) [#2]
And YES, I tried several different Ports. It's not broke. I got it new for Christmas.


Just because it's new doesn't mean that the USB controller / chipset itself isn't flakey, I've had one USB 3 controller die on me in my PC -- started working perfectly, then started having intermittent disconnects, then stopped altogether....

More annoyingly, my on-board USB 3 chipset worked flawlessly under windows 8, but windows 8.1 changed -something- and it will no longer connect at USB3 speeds, only USB2. (known issue, found lots of people with the same chipset running into the exact same problem)

Anyhoo -- it could also be an iffy cable causing intermittent connection issues, or possible a connector that not making a full contact connection -- try straightening out your cables a bit (especially right at the USB connector itself) and see if that makes any difference.

Another option: It's possible that for whatever reason, your computer may not provide enough power over the USB lines to adequately power the device, causing it to periodically reset itself. If you have one laying around, you may want to try plugging a powered (!) USB hub into one of your computers USB ports, and plug the kinect into the hub. (If that does fix the issue, then it could be either an issue with the powersupply, or with the motherboard)


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#3]
How would I check the event logs to find out what the exact problem is? I mean in Event Viewer, what would I click? Also, my laptop is ALOT less powerful than my Desktop, and it works FINE on there. Problem is, it doesn't have a lot of RAM, and I can't afford another laptop.. So I need help with it...


GfK(Posted 2015) [#4]
It says here that it only works on very specific hardware configurations.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#5]
Will this work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Speed-7-Port-USB-3-0-Hub-w-3-ft-USB-3-0-Cable-12V-3A-Power-Adapter-/181137276829?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2c9f7f9d


GfK(Posted 2015) [#6]
No - it'll still be going through a USB port that doesn't work.

Probably your only option (short of a new motherboard) is to get a PCI-E USB card with either an Intel or Renesas chipset.

Probably something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Functions-2x-USB-3-0-2x-SATAIII-PCI-Express-PCI-e-Card-Renesas-Chipset-/131293998585?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e91bb6df9

Note: I take no responsibility if you buy that and it still doesn't work.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#7]
I have a BIOStar H61MLB Motherboard.


GfK(Posted 2015) [#8]
Hm, seems it only supports USB2* (which Kinect v2 doesn't like).

[edit] * At least, that's what it says here.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#9]
see, what's weird is it works fine on my laptop. and my laptop is much slower than my desktop... I don't understand...


GfK(Posted 2015) [#10]
Microsoft. Don't attempt to rationalize it.

Is laptop USB2?


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#11]
I believe so, yes. How would I check?


GfK(Posted 2015) [#12]
In Device Manager.

Open up "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" and look for something along the lines of "USB3 extensible host controller".


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#13]
Yea, it's 3.0 apparently.


GfK(Posted 2015) [#14]
so, looks like you need a USB3 card for your other PC then.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#15]
I HOPE my motherboard is powerful enough to work with it. I'm sure it is though.


Rick Nasher(Posted 2015) [#16]
I was gonna say for intermittent disconnect issues; in device manager>USB Root Hub>Power Management, disable "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", but.. appears you already found the cause: USB2.X<>USB3.0 problems.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#17]
I don't understand why though cuz' before my SeaGate 2.0 TB External Hard drive broke, it worked just fine in a 2.0 port, and it was 3.0.


Rick Nasher(Posted 2015) [#18]
Some 3.0 devices are backwards compatible, some aren't. Depends on how much throughput they'll need for correct operation. A hard drive can get away with data at slower rates, won't change the functionality, will just be slower, while real life data such as from your device may require more bandwidth?

Assuming the Kinect uses USB 3.0 then probably would sent too much data filling up the buffer of the port, which then halts until emptied.


Gabriel(Posted 2015) [#19]
Assuming the Kinect uses USB 3.0 then probably would sent too much data filling up the buffer of the port, which then halts until emptied.

That's what I was thinking too. Kinect 1 was using a 640x480 camera whereas Kinect 2 uses a 1920x1080 camera. That's a huge increase in bandwidth (over 4 times) alone. According to the specs, Kinect 2 can process 2GB of data per second. USB 2 tops out at 60MB per second, and even that's highly theoretical.


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#20]
Yea. true. but I hope my motherboard can handle it...


Rick Nasher(Posted 2015) [#21]
If your motherboard isn't too old, it probably can. A matter of checking what the speed of your PCI Express is really:

Speed

Per lane, in each direction:
v1.x: 250 MB/s (2.5 GT/s)
v2.x: 500 MB/s (5 GT/s)
v3.0: 985 MB/s (8 GT/s)
v4.0: 1969 MB/s (16 GT/s)

For a 16-lane slot, in each direction:
v1.x: 4 GB/s (2.5 GT/s)
v2.x: 8 GB/s (5 GT/s)
v3.0: 15.75 GB/s (8 GT/s)
v4.0: 31.51 GB/s (16 GT/s)


See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express


Guy Fawkes(Posted 2015) [#22]
Yea, I had my dad take a look at it yesterday. He said it should work.


GfK(Posted 2015) [#23]
Your motherboard has PCIe 1x v2, so, 500MB/s. source

USB2 (which apparently isn't enough) is 60MB/s.

USB3 (which Kinect2 requires) is 640MB/s.

You'll probably be fine, assuming that a USB3 PCIe card would work, topping out at the 500MB/s PCIe transfer rate - rather than just not working at all. I can't see that the Kinect is going to need ALL of the USB controller bandwidth. But who knows for sure? :/

If your motherboard was a bit newer with PCIe v3, there'd be no doubt at all.


skidracer(Posted 2015) [#24]
Sounds like a power issue, if you had issues with an external HD followed by problems with kinect it's possibly time to replace the mobo as it has either been slightly fried or there is a bent or loose connection in the mix.