USRP Users, I'm hoping for some advice on USB 3.0 PCI Express cards for the B2XX. I am aware that this is a recurring issue in the threads. In my scenario, I am connecting the USRP to a server. The server in question is an HP DL380 G5, with PCIe 1.0 slots. As such, there is no opportunity to attach additional power connectors, which are popular on consumer USB 3.0 cards. It was suggested in previous threads that the compatibility and benchmark matrix on the Ettus website will be updated. Is this likely to be made available in the near future? Does anybody have suggestions for cards worth trying given my constraints above? In particular, has anybody tried HighPoint RocketU cards? Thanks,James

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi James, at least the user guide found at http://www.highpoint-tech.com/USA_new/series_RocketU1142A-Series.htm contains an installation screenshot that shows this particular RocketU device is an AS media chipset based solution. AS media chips are known not to be standard-conforming enough to cooperate with B2x0s. Anyway, the complete RocketU series seems to take pride in being PCIe v2 four-lane devices. If your server only has PCIe v1, you won't gain automatically anything compared to using cheaper cards. I'd try to find a via vl80x based device, Ettus says these are fast :). In Germany, I've found a source for roughly 20?: http://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/inline-76666b-a806651.html?v=l Greetings, Marcus On 04.03.2014 13:50, James Balean wrote: > USRP Users, I'm hoping for some advice on USB 3.0 PCI Express cards > for the B2XX. I am aware that this is a recurring issue in the > threads. In my scenario, I am connecting the USRP to a server. The > server in question is an HP DL380 G5, with PCIe 1.0 slots. As such, > there is no opportunity to attach additional power connectors, > which are popular on consumer USB 3.0 cards. It was suggested in > previous threads that the compatibility and benchmark matrix on the > Ettus website will be updated. Is this likely to be made available > in the near future? Does anybody have suggestions for cards worth > trying given my constraints above? In particular, has anybody tried > HighPoint RocketU cards? > > Thanks,James > > > > _______________________________________________ USRP-users mailing > list USRP-users@lists.ettus.com > http://lists.ettus.com/mailman/listinfo/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1 Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://www.enigmail.net/ iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJTFhnBAAoJEBQ6EdjyzlHt/C4IAKQ4rY0rD4VqfdBIOnds8GV3 AXQaUHXMlqxcOsqQPyllE5UYoZ+jPUkGbpj0QzKChbD0CtkFrybsHclAqw7FE+jD TqwCOtXzC+Yb9Q6m87KUA5ac3z2e4aDU0tYg93EE9RUuetdvGqnBf7oZ1Hyrk+qH Y353u+MQSn7XBLeqiI44fmVg29f8foANcpCt1xaSsZWxn8dI/kaAQIaVI9oDRfXH zmM58UOECq2x0W28jhO2JqxD2iPtH9uuEwo509GwhVKDwB4QFE6i/ZNJUJ3Dcejc c7Sh2QQQJR0RmSSlmTHL91U7eNApVfLN1AegIG30dQ3bJjz7DW3XvxnlqrcELW0= =43k2 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Hi Marcus, Thanks very much for your response. I always find your responses to others very helpful too. Regarding the InLine 76666B card, it looks similar to the Syba SD-PEX20122 card others have mentioned in the past. Could you just confirm that it is able to function without SATA power connected? Also, is it able to supply enough power to operate a B200 without an external adapter? My reasoning behind the HighPoint RocketU was based on: the lack of extra power connectors; Intel standards compliance; and increased likelihood that it would be able to operate at full PCIe 1 throughput. However I'd prefer to minimise risk of incompatibility by buying a card which others have had success with. I'm curious as to the cause of the chipset compatibility issues with USRP's. Particularly since you mentioned that some cards are not 'standard-conforming enough'. My assumption was that standards conformance was black and white - if the card and the B2XX device/libusb/drivers/etc conformed to the USB standards, I presumed that they should be able to communicate. Is this not the case? Or does the B2XX/UHD not conform to the USB standards? Thanks again, James From: jamesbalean@hotmail.com To: usrp-users@lists.ettus.com Subject: B2XX USB 3.0 PCI Express Card Compatibility/Suggestions Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 23:50:27 +1100 USRP Users, I'm hoping for some advice on USB 3.0 PCI Express cards for the B2XX. I am aware that this is a recurring issue in the threads. In my scenario, I am connecting the USRP to a server. The server in question is an HP DL380 G5, with PCIe 1.0 slots. As such, there is no opportunity to attach additional power connectors, which are popular on consumer USB 3.0 cards. It was suggested in previous threads that the compatibility and benchmark matrix on the Ettus website will be updated. Is this likely to be made available in the near future? Does anybody have suggestions for cards worth trying given my constraints above? In particular, has anybody tried HighPoint RocketU cards? Thanks, James

On 03/05/2014 03:47 AM, James Balean wrote: > > > I'm curious as to the cause of the chipset compatibility issues with USRP's. Particularly since you mentioned that some cards are not 'standard-conforming enough'. My assumption was that standards conformance was black and white - if the card and the B2XX device/libusb/drivers/etc conformed to the USB standards, I presumed that they should be able to communicate. Is this not the case? Or does the B2XX/UHD not conform to the USB standards? > > > Thanks again, > > James I worked in the technical-standards community for nearly 15 years. For "new" standards (and USB-3.0 is "new") it's not unusual to find that the finer points of any standard have "rough edges" where implementers disagree on the interpretation of parts of the standard, and I believe this to be the case here. Other projects, most notably RASDR, have had issues with USB-3.0 compatibility, and have had to either dis-recommend a card, or in a couple of cases, install new *firmware* on the USB-3.0 card to allow it to work properly. It's unfortunate, but it appears to be the state of the USB-3.0 ecosystem--when you step outside those devices that fit into a standard USB "class" (like storage, network, HID, etc), then you can run into "rough bits". > > > From: jamesbalean@hotmail.com > To: usrp-users@lists.ettus.com > Subject: B2XX USB 3.0 PCI Express Card Compatibility/Suggestions > Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 23:50:27 +1100 > > USRP Users, > > I'm hoping for some advice on USB 3.0 PCI Express cards for the B2XX. I am aware that this is a recurring issue in the threads. In my scenario, I am connecting the USRP to a server. The server in question is an HP DL380 G5, with PCIe 1.0 slots. As such, there is no opportunity to attach additional power connectors, which are popular on consumer USB 3.0 cards. > > It was suggested in previous threads that the compatibility and benchmark matrix on the Ettus website will be updated. Is this likely to be made available in the near future? > > Does anybody have suggestions for cards worth trying given my constraints above? > > In particular, has anybody tried HighPoint RocketU cards? > > > Thanks, > James > _______________________________________________ > USRP-users mailing list > USRP-users@lists.ettus.com > http://lists.ettus.com/mailman/listinfo/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com

Hi Marcus, Thankyou for the clarification on Marcus M's comments. Hmm - it seems as though a standard was inadequately standardised if flexibility in implementation can cause Universal Serial Bus to no longer be universal. You mentioned that vendor-specific USB classes have 'rough bits' in terms of device support. As an aside to my original query, can you advise if it might be worthwhile attempting to add appropriate descriptors such that USRP's communications conform to a better supported class such as HID? Do you have any suggestions on 'known-good' USB 3.0 PCI Express cards for the B2XX in addition to those provided by Marcus L and the benchmark web page? Particularly, those without additional power requirements? Thanks again, James ---------------------------------------- > Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 06:45:49 -0500 > From: mleech@ripnet.com > To: usrp-users@lists.ettus.com > Subject: Re: [USRP-users] B2XX USB 3.0 PCI Express Card Compatibility/Suggestions > > On 03/05/2014 03:47 AM, James Balean wrote: >> >> >> I'm curious as to the cause of the chipset compatibility issues with USRP's. Particularly since you mentioned that some cards are not 'standard-conforming enough'. My assumption was that standards conformance was black and white - if the card and the B2XX device/libusb/drivers/etc conformed to the USB standards, I presumed that they should be able to communicate. Is this not the case? Or does the B2XX/UHD not conform to the USB standards? >> >> >> Thanks again, >> >> James > I worked in the technical-standards community for nearly 15 years. For > "new" standards (and USB-3.0 is "new") it's not unusual to find that the > finer > points of any standard have "rough edges" where implementers disagree > on the interpretation of parts of the standard, and I believe this to > be the case here. > > Other projects, most notably RASDR, have had issues with USB-3.0 > compatibility, and have had to either dis-recommend a card, or in a > couple of cases, > install new *firmware* on the USB-3.0 card to allow it to work properly. > > It's unfortunate, but it appears to be the state of the USB-3.0 > ecosystem--when you step outside those devices that fit into a standard > USB "class" (like storage, network, HID, etc), then you can run into > "rough bits". > >> >> >> From: jamesbalean@hotmail.com >> To: usrp-users@lists.ettus.com >> Subject: B2XX USB 3.0 PCI Express Card Compatibility/Suggestions >> Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 23:50:27 +1100 >> >> USRP Users, >> >> I'm hoping for some advice on USB 3.0 PCI Express cards for the B2XX. I am aware that this is a recurring issue in the threads. In my scenario, I am connecting the USRP to a server. The server in question is an HP DL380 G5, with PCIe 1.0 slots. As such, there is no opportunity to attach additional power connectors, which are popular on consumer USB 3.0 cards. >> >> It was suggested in previous threads that the compatibility and benchmark matrix on the Ettus website will be updated. Is this likely to be made available in the near future? >> >> Does anybody have suggestions for cards worth trying given my constraints above? >> >> In particular, has anybody tried HighPoint RocketU cards? >> >> >> Thanks, >> James >> _______________________________________________ >> USRP-users mailing list >> USRP-users@lists.ettus.com >> http://lists.ettus.com/mailman/listinfo/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com > > > _______________________________________________ > USRP-users mailing list > USRP-users@lists.ettus.com > http://lists.ettus.com/mailman/listinfo/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com