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Heads up on USB3 port Surface 2 and 3 (power issue)

Paul2660

Well-known member
I wanted to start this in a new thread, as it's more about an issue I have discovered with the Surface 2 and 3 USB3 port.

It appears that even plugged in, both of my Surface (2 and 3) will not power some external hard drives, reliably and there is problem in trying to power external DVD and Blue-Ray burners.

With the burners, they will attempt to be discovered, and the Surface device will see them, but as you start to spin up a disc, the burner drops from the Surface pro, since the port can't give enough power to run the disc. If you add either a powered USB2 or USB3 hub, all the problems go away.

My point in all of this, when you tether, to a IQ back, you have the option to charge the back, slow or fast. In the past, I have noticed some strange behavior when I have this set to any type of charge, and I think I know why. I believe that the power from the Surface 3 especially when only on battery, is not giving a consistent enough power/charge signal to the IQ back. When you tether, and tell the connection. NO CHARGE, then things for me go a bit more smoothly. I am sure that the IQ backs are looking for a pretty narrow range of power for the charging and since the Surface 2 and 3 are not really given a fully charged port, you might do some damage to the IQ back over time. I have no way of knowing this for sure, but the fact that the Surface USB3 port is running below the standard power output, does concern me.

Just a heads up to others out there tethering.

Paul
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
I wanted to start this in a new thread, as it's more about an issue I have discovered with the Surface 2 and 3 USB3 port.

It appears that even plugged in, both of my Surface (2 and 3) will not power some external hard drives, reliably and there is problem in trying to power external DVD and Blue-Ray burners.

With the burners, they will attempt to be discovered, and the Surface device will see them, but as you start to spin up a disc, the burner drops from the Surface pro, since the port can't give enough power to run the disc. If you add either a powered USB2 or USB3 hub, all the problems go away.

My point in all of this, when you tether, to a IQ back, you have the option to charge the back, slow or fast. In the past, I have noticed some strange behavior when I have this set to any type of charge, and I think I know why. I believe that the power from the Surface 3 especially when only on battery, is not giving a consistent enough power/charge signal to the IQ back. When you tether, and tell the connection. NO CHARGE, then things for me go a bit more smoothly. I am sure that the IQ backs are looking for a pretty narrow range of power for the charging and since the Surface 2 and 3 are not really given a fully charged port, you might do some damage to the IQ back over time. I have no way of knowing this for sure, but the fact that the Surface USB3 port is running below the standard power output, does concern me.

Just a heads up to others out there tethering.

Paul
That's correct. When connecting by USB3 you should normally turn charging to None/Off unless you have desire/time to test if you can get away with Slow without sacrificing stability.

You'll notice that the new default (with current firmware) is None for charging so that you have to actively turn charging on. This reduces the chance someone will have stability issues without knowing the cause.

Generally on native FW800 or a powered FW Hub you can expect to use Slow or Fast and, for most kinds of shooting, avoid changing batteries at all.
 

cunim

Well-known member
Is there a "for dummies" summary of how to run an IQ back off USB3 - so as to allow a decent period of live view? Too many issues with power on USB3 so best would be to power the back via FW and interface via USB.

I have tried this but the results are mixed up in my head with all the other tethering problems.
 

narikin

New member
That's correct. When connecting by USB3 you should normally turn charging to None/Off unless you have desire/time to test if you can get away with Slow without sacrificing stability.
Had my SP3 set to slow charge for 9 months, and had no problems, including a couple of firmware updates.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Had my SP3 set to slow charge for 9 months, and had no problems, including a couple of firmware updates.
Yep, and for many it will work just fine. But enough of the time it's a problem that we suggest using None, "unless you have desire/time to test if you can get away with Slow without sacrificing stability".

It can vary literally from one sample to another within a specific model (e.g. SP3 with a certain configuration).
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Is there a "for dummies" summary of how to run an IQ back off USB3 - so as to allow a decent period of live view? Too many issues with power on USB3 so best would be to power the back via FW and interface via USB.

I have tried this but the results are mixed up in my head with all the other tethering problems.
Yes, absolutely. I suggest you consult with your dealer about the specifics of your setup so they can suggest a specific setup. We do this with customers frequently.

Generically a powered FW hub which is not connected to the computer, and a USB cable which is works very well. Other solutions include using Live View over wifi for an IQ250 to an iPhone or iPad or iPad Mini, including an HDMI out to a large TV near set if desired, and using FW for the connection to the computer.

Lots of options. Best to consult with your dealer on which works best for your needs.
 
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