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Nikon D800 not tethering with USB 3 repeater and Mac Pro

Andrew Lawrence
C1Pro 7.2.2, I can't get the D800 to tether to a 2013 Mac Pro using a tether tools USB 3 active extension and 15 foot USB 3 cable. I've tried multiple active extensions with no luck. Also have tried a Tripp-Lite 7 port USB 3 Powered HUB with the active cord just incase it was a power issue etc. It will work when directly plugged into the mac pro with the usb 3 cord without the active extension. The only way I can get it to work with active extensions is if I use a USB 2.0 active extension. It will also work on a macbook pro laptop just fine with the active extensions. So I'm guessing there's an issue specific with the mac pro and USB 3 active extensions, at least that's the problem I'm having. Any suggestions/insight or similar stories? I would like to get this resolved since my client has invested in a new decked out 2013 Mac Pro and understandably wants it to work seamlessly with USB 3 tethering.

So basically:

For 2013 Mac Pro:
- USB 3 Regular Cord = Works
- USB 2 Active Cord + USB 3 Regular Cord = Works
- USB 3 Active Cord + USB 3 Regular Cord = Doesn't Work
- USB 3 HUB + USB 3 Active Cord + USB 3 Regular Cord = Doesn't Work
- USB 3 HUB + USB 2 Active Cord + USB 3 Regular Cord = Works
- USB 3 HUB + USB 3 Regular Cord = Works
- No problems with Macbook Pro

Thanks!
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • Permanently deleted user
    Try installing Nikon Camera Control 2 and try your cable with that.

    Should help you isolate the problem

    Capture One USB3 is not very solid and hardware that does not work with Capture One often works with other Camera Control Software.

    Your client could use Nikon's Software and a hot folder for Capture One.

    You should also turn off other camera detection in Capture one and only have Nikon selected.
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  • Andrew Lawrence
    [quote="FredBGG" wrote:
    Try installing Nikon Camera Control 2 and try your cable with that.

    Should help you isolate the problem

    Capture One USB3 is not very solid and hardware that does not work with Capture One often works with other Camera Control Software.

    Your client could use Nikon's Software and a hot folder for Capture One.

    You should also turn off other camera detection in Capture one and only have Nikon selected.


    I did try having every other camera detection turned off except Nikon, trying Nikon's software to see if it works to isolate the problem is an excellent idea though, thanks! Unfortunatly the hot folder idea will probably not be an option considering the USB 2 active extension with USB 3 cord option will be faster and doesn't add another step in the workflow. I do know that Final Cut Pro was open last time I tested it and a dialog box would pop up for import into final cut except when I used the USB 3 extension, so I'm guessing it's specific to USB 3 extensions and Mac Pro.
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  • SFA
    [quote="Andrew Lawrence" wrote:
    I do know that Final Cut Pro was open last time I tested it and a dialog box would pop up for import into final cut except when I used the USB 3 extension, so I'm guessing it's specific to USB 3 extensions and Mac Pro.


    Have you got another USB3 device you could plug in to test the cable set up?

    I don't have a Mac but I do have a top end Dell Laptop Workstation and have found that Hi-Speed USB3 to connect an External USB3 disk works fine with the relatively short cable supplied but is erratic with a 3mtr cable I bought for convenience. When it connects it works fine but does not always connect at the first (or second) attempt after hibernation, etc.

    It's just a cable, not a powered cable, but the USB3 spec suggests that it should work consistently especially as the drive has its own power supply. The same cable attached to the drive, plugged into USB2 sockets, connects every time. I have had the same result with 2 drives.

    My guess is that USB3 hardware and firmware may need a little more time to properly mature and then probably only in new equipment.

    That said since you have tried multiple powered hubs (if I read your post correctly) I would imagine the lack of satisfactory results is very frustrating yet it's difficult to see what might be worth testing next, other than a different powered hub if all those you tested were of the same brand.



    Grant
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  • dale11833
    For me, the D800 is solid with os 10.9.4 and C1 7.2.3 I am on a Mac Pro 8 core d700 video.

    I've noticed Tethertools 15' active cords don't play well with usb 3 hubs. They seem best when going into the computer directly.

    CableMatters active usb 3 cords 30' and 15' seem to work best with hubs and not so good going directly into the computer.

    (This is all with the Nikon brand 6' usb3 cord on the end, with the Nikon cable lock, to camera. The hub is a Plugable 4 port usb3.)
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