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Can not get any extension cables to work on sensors

K1ppers
Honored Guest

Hi all.

I am a relatively new to Oculus and have only recently bought my first headset (CV1). I also bought the touch controllers as after using them round a friends house I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread!!

My problem is this.....

I am lucky enough to have a relatively square open play space of around 15 feet by 10 feet. No matter where I place the sensors using the cables provided I am unable to get good coverage/tracking when facing the back wall. I understand that my body is blocking the view to the sensors etc.. so I bought a recommended cable matters 5m USB3.0 Active extension cable in order to place one sensor in the opposite corner. No dice. During setup all I get is SENSOR DISCONNECTED or POOR TRACKING. So I decided to try another active cable (CSL), still same issues.

I've now tried 6x Active 5m 3.0 USB and 3 passive 2/3 meter USB 3.0 and can not get anything to work at all. Every cable I plug in I get the same errors. Remove the extension cable and error goes away and all is good in the (vr) world, except I'm back to having bad occlusion on my rear wall. I've considered buying a 3rd sensor, but I'll need around 5m extension to get that in a useful place so there is no point as I wont be able to get a cable to work and the addition of a 3rd sensor might give me even more issues.

I love the rift and the touch controllers, they are seriously the best thing I have ever bought (in terms of a computer experience) but I am getting massively frustrated with the inability to simply extend a cable without getting errors.

It is driving me mad and I have read through endless forums and posts about what cables work, but none of the recommended ones work on my system. The only thing I can think is that it is some kind of USB power issue. could this be the case? I get no problems when there isn't an extension cable so its the only thing I can think of. I'm thinking of buying the recommended Inatek Pci-e usb 3.0 card to plug just the sensor with the extension cable in. Maybe it will solve the issue, but I'm not hopeful if I'm honest and am rapidly running out of funds and love for the Oculus.

Has anybody had a similar experience and if so how did you solve it? I really am at my witts end.

😞

21 REPLIES 21

danknugz
Superstar
fyi i have a 10m active usb 3.0 extension and it will not work (doent even detect a device) on the standard mobo ports, only works through the add in inateck usb expansion card
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing on forums?

K1ppers
Honored Guest


danknugz said:

fyi i have a 10m active usb 3.0 extension and it will not work (doent even detect a device) on the standard mobo ports, only works through the add in inateck usb expansion card



That's reassuring, maybe getting the inatek usb expansion card is the way forward then!

K1ppers
Honored Guest


danknugz said:

fyi i have a 10m active usb 3.0 extension and it will not work (doent even detect a device) on the standard mobo ports, only works through the add in inateck usb expansion card



K1ppers said:


danknugz said:

fyi i have a 10m active usb 3.0 extension and it will not work (doent even detect a device) on the standard mobo ports, only works through the add in inateck usb expansion card



That's reassuring, maybe getting the inatek usb expansion card is the way forward then!




Out of curiosity what cable are you using?

danknugz
Superstar
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-SuperSpeed-Female-Extension/dp/B00DMFFL2W
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing on forums?

flexy123
Superstar
The "poor tracking quality" message, just to mention this again, is NOT related to cables or USB. This is a msg which I understand pops up when the sensors are too far away from the HMD. The sensor need to "see" the Rift.

As for USB3.0 extensions, I have no problem with the cheapest of the cheapest 3.0 passive 2m extensions which I got from ebay. They work flawlessly and connect at USB3.0. I also have a 3m extension but not tested yet but I am sure it might work as well.

Saying: There is a likelihood that all extensions 2-3m SHOULD work, and there is actually no reason to get longer ones, like 5m or 10m.

Here's the deal: Original sensor cable length is 2.5m (correct me if I am wrong). With one extension that is merely 2m and works perfectly, this already extends the range of one sensor to the PC to 4.5m

Making for a theoretical distance of two sensors of NINE meters. 9m is a lot. This already far exceeds, imho, most indoor sizes since you will hardly need to cover 9m from one sensor to the other. Saying that simple 2m extensions should be all that you need. Longer ones might just introduce problems.

And active ones (if you're lucky to find one that works) you will likely only need for needlessly long cables.

Edit: if you get the "poor tracking quality msg", do your testing and calibrating of your space with the Rift on your head or holding it in your hands, like in the approx location you're later playing...NOT stored away on a shelf or a box or something. Look more at the distance of your sensors to each other and to the HMD....rather than your cable quality and USB. Chances are that with some tweaking there you should be able to get this working.

K1ppers
Honored Guest

flexy123 said:

The "poor tracking quality" message, just to mention this again, is NOT related to cables or USB. This is a msg which I understand pops up when the sensors are too far away from the HMD. The sensor need to "see" the Rift.

As for USB3.0 extensions, I have no problem with the cheapest of the cheapest 3.0 passive 2m extensions which I got from ebay. They work flawlessly and connect at USB3.0. I also have a 3m extension but not tested yet but I am sure it might work as well.

Saying: There is a likelihood that all extensions 2-3m SHOULD work, and there is actually no reason to get longer ones, like 5m or 10m.

Here's the deal: Original sensor cable length is 2.5m (correct me if I am wrong). With one extension that is merely 2m and works perfectly, this already extends the range of one sensor to the PC to 4.5m

Making for a theoretical distance of two sensors of NINE meters. 9m is a lot. This already far exceeds, imho, most indoor sizes since you will hardly need to cover 9m from one sensor to the other. Saying that simple 2m extensions should be all that you need. Longer ones might just introduce problems.

And active ones (if you're lucky to find one that works) you will likely only need for needlessly long cables.

Edit: if you get the "poor tracking quality msg", do your testing and calibrating of your space with the Rift on your head or holding it in your hands, like in the approx location you're later playing...NOT stored away on a shelf or a box or something. Look more at the distance of your sensors to each other and to the HMD....rather than your cable quality and USB. Chances are that with some tweaking there you should be able to get this working.



K1ppers
Honored Guest
Thank you for the reply, I appreciate you taking the time to respond, but I'm afraid you are incorrect about the error not being related to cables or USB power. 
I can set up the sensors perfectly without any errors in a set position on my desk in front of me without extensions. I've tried them in the exact same position with an extension cable and the Error immediately pops up. The only thing changed to the entire set up is the addition of the extension cable. 
And your comment on needlessly long cables is assuming that your pc has a central position in the play space, which mine unfortunately does not. Because of the layout of my room the pc is in one corner, my room is not completely empty either has furniture around the edges making the cables travel further to cover my play space. A 5 meter extension only just reaches the opposite corner I need the sensor in and that is without routing it nicely and I still have to drape it across the wall, which the Mrs is not overly happy with! 
As ive mentioned before I've tried passive 2m and 3m lengths and active 5m but still same errors. 
If the only thing changing to a working set up is the cables and other people have no issue with the cables I'm using then the error HAS to be something else. 
Interestingly another response to the post above had same issue and the Instek USB pci-e add on solved it. There must be other factors that cause these errors like USB power, signal stability etc that We just don't understand. 
Im gonna order the USB hub and will post back when it's arrived. Fingers crossed it's the answer to my issues! 

Expediter
Expert Protege
I highly recommend getting a third sensor.it is amazing and dam close to vive tracking. I have a bit larger play area than you and with 3 I can crawl on floor and it works almost everywhere. ( playing onward) 

I'm not sure what your problem is because when I tried the 2 sensor 360 setup I could use any USB extension I had in my house and it worked. From 2m to 5m. I used USB 2.0 from my Asus mb , no special card. Also download the oculus tray tool and set your USB ports to high power. 

K1ppers
Honored Guest
Hi, I'd definitely consider the third sensor if I can get a cable to work so I can place it behind me! 🙂
thanks for the tip on oculus play tool, I'll take a look st it later when I'm home. 🙂