Firmware installer failures - what is currently known

[MartyG]

Hi everyone,

As numerous people have reported that the camera's firmware updater fails to detect that the camera is connected - I myself are among the people dealing with this issue - I thought I would gather together all the information about the problem that seems to be available so far.

*  A USB 3 port that is directly on the computer (i.e not a hub) is definitely required.  Most people seem to recognize this though and are using direct connections to their computer.

*  Once the camera is connected to a USB port, its imaging and audio drivers appear in the Device Manager and one may even be able to use it as a basic webcam (as is the case for myself), but the firmware installer still states that it cannot connect to the camera.  This would seem to defy logic, unless the message really means that it cannot connect to the part of the camera where the firmware is stored so that it can update it.

*  One community member reported being able to run the camera on a 3rd Generation CPU, so this suggests that it is not an issue with requiring a 4th Generation processor.

*  No amount of holding the camera in different positions and adjusting the cable as though holding up a TV aerial to get a better picture or jiggling the connector in the USB port seems to make a difference.  :)  This was a worthwhile suggestion though, since some USB devices do need cable wiggling to get them to connect to the computer properly - this happens with my tablet charging cable.

*  The majority of people reporting the problem stated they were using Windows 8.1, so it does not seem to be a problem related to people using an earlier Windows version such as 7.

*  It seems unlikely that it is an issue relating to needing the Gold version of the SDK rather than the Beta one, since the firmware updater file is downloaded from the internet separately from the SDK, and device firmware can usually be flashed without needing the help of an SDK.

If I find a solution myself, I will of course report it here immediately.  Good luck everyone!

[Yvan_R_]

Marty G. wrote:
Yes Yvan, Steve-vink above corrected me on my error in knowledge about what CPU gen the i-series started.  Thanks  ^_^

Hopefully the model number thing will help others... I wasn't sure which generation mine was until I learned this.

[Yvan_R_]

I plugged it in at home and it is appearing correctly in device manager. It didn't do that on either of the office machines I tried. Screenshot attached. I don't have the SDK installed at home, but I never got this far before.

Unfortunately I have no I idea what differences there might be.

The machine that worked is:

• Core i5-3337U
• Windows 8.1 Pro x64

The other two are also 3rd gen Core and Windows 8.1 Pro x64.

My main workstation has very little installed on it, because everything is on virtual PCs. Just Office 2007 and a few other basics.

I really don't think 4th gen processor is a "requirement" as much as it is a "may not work well on slower processors" warning.

[Andrei_P_]

Hi,

I cannot get the camera to work correctly more than 2 minutes in a row. It disconnects after some time, and sometimes doesn't reconnect. It's quite frustrating as I've tried to (re)install everything a few times and I think it might be an firmware issue.

I cannot work on my application.

My only surprise was the hardware requirement specifying a 4th gen Intel CPU. I have a 3rd gen one. Can we have some light shed on this spec please ?

My specs :

• i7-3930K
• Windows 8.1 64-bit
• USB 3.0
• Unity 4.5.x PRO

Thanks,

Andrei

[MartyG]

Andrei,

I am running Windows 10 Preview on a budget Pentium G2020 processor - definitely not 4th gen.  It's a 3rd gen Ivy Bridge CPU, I think.  So the cam does definitely work with non-4ths.  Windows 8.1 or better is an absolute need though.

[Arun_D_]

Just received my camera... :D

The problem is I have two 2nd generation machines 

(i) core2 duo

(ii) core2quad

now should i try with these machines or buy a new machine?

[MartyG]

Hi Arun,

I don't see any harm with trying the existing Gen 2 machine before you pay for a new one.  After all, I'm running the cam with an obscure Gen 3 Intel G2020 budget processor.  The most important thing is to have Windows 8.1 or better.  If you can't afford a Windows 8.1 upgrade, you can download the pre-release version of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website for free - that's what I'm using.

I would install it on the faster quad-core machine to help make up for using a Gen 2 CPU.

Edit: I realized that if you're thinking of buying another machine, paying for a Win 8.1 upgrade for the Gen 2 machine probably wouldn't be a cost issue for you.  :)

But since the camera requires a modern USB 3.0 port that is connected to the computer (it can't use a USB hub), I imagine that you would have to buy a USB 3 internal expansion card for your computer due to its age.  They're very cheap though.

[Arun_D_]

I have windows 8.1 installed but dont have USB3.0 slot. But I think I should give it a shot before buying a new machine....

Edit: Would the camera be connected in usb2.0? By this I will atleast know whether the camera is working with 2nd generation and then I will buy the USB3.0 expansion card (I just dont want to bust my camera :) )

[samontab]

Arun, the camera will definitely not work in a USB2 interface, it requires USB3.

[Dirk_R_]

Now I'm within the game ;-)
As I told you on Wednesday my MacMini with a 2 gen processor doesn't recognize the cam.

But today I've got my (self payed) new Intel NUC
Intel NUC Kit D54250WYKH
512GB Samsung 850 PRO 2.5" (6.4cm) SATA
2 x 8GB Crucial CT102464BF160B DDR3-1600
round about = 900 USD

Wow, it is so small - not much bigger than the camera.
And the camera works!
Have fun and luck!

 

[MartyG]

Awesome news about  the NUC working with your camera, Dirk!