I posted on Steam Forums also, but you probably got out of there as the user are everything but professional... (I am sure you know what I mean)

Hello,
So I have purchased the last ps3 eyes I needed, for a total of 6.

I require support advice (from IPiSoft) regarding hardware purchase.

I read all the faq and doc on your site and forums.
My Motherboard (Dx 5400XS, Skulltrail) has one ONE USB enhanced host controller (USB2)

So I need to purchave additional (x2) USB host controller.
You said that USB3 is a safer buy.
----------------------------------------
But question :
How many camera can we plug on a usb3 host ? Is it 2 like usb2 ?
So how many USB 3 Host pci express card do I need to buy ? :

2 card with 2 USB3 port ?
or
1 card with 4 to 7 USB3 port ?

Can you recommand me with a tested pci-express 1.1 (!!!) controller card ?
Usb2 or 3
NOT pci-express 2.0 (as i don't have that)

I have to connect 4 cams using the new Host(s) Controler(s)

I am aware that :
PCIe 2.0 cards are also generally backward compatible with PCIe 1.x motherboards, using the available bandwidth of PCI Express 1.1.

But then can one card handle 4xPsEye...
-----------------------------------------
2sd question :
My computer is a Huge beast (REALLY), because of that host controller limitation, can you recommand a "portable configuration", laptop or something ?
I don't think my Macbook Air will do ^_^
-----------------------------------------

I look forward to your reply and testing your software, please don't hesitate to be technical about your answer, I have been building pc for +15 years.

Merci,

Ol

We had not tested any 4 ports USB3 cards, so cannot say for sure. One user said he was able to connect 4 cameras through 4-port USB3 card, at least at 50fps. Don't know what's the model, maybe it was actually some dual-controller implementation. You may try to contact him directly.
http://forum.ipisoft.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=18425
From the specs of your mainboard I see that it has 4 PCIe x16 slots and 2 PCI (not PCIe) slots. USB3 usually are PCIe x1 cards, USB2 are PCI. Though you should be able to fit PCIe x1 card into PCIe x16 slot, this may effectively slow down other PCIe x16 slots, which are used for video card(s), depending on how they are linked internally. So, if your PCI slots are empty and not covered with video card cooling, I'd recommend to get 2 USB2 PCI cards. For example, I have ST-Lab U-164 card based on VIA VT6212. It can handle 2 cameras at 50fps (there are frame rate problems on 60fps). If you go with USB3 cards, prefer cards based on the NEC/Renesas chipsets - they prooved to work good with PS Eye, and avoid VIA VL800 chipset, which has known compatibility issues with PS Eye.
Also, first test your onboard USB controller - maybe it can handle more than 2 cameras?

As for portable solution. Of course, configuration with PS Eye cameras is by nature less portable than Kinect-based configuration. You need more powerful PC, more USB ports, more time for setting up and calibration. We have one Dell Alienware M17x laptop which we use sometimes for recording with 6 PS Eyes. It's pretty expensive though. Generally, the laptop should have at least 4 USB ports and an ExpressCard slot for installing external USB controller, 4-core CPU, and SSD (at least 7200RPM HDD). Anyway, before buying, it would be very wise to test whether its USB ports actually can handle 6 cameras - at local retailer or elsewhere you can find it.
If by portability you mean just less weight and size, then it's certainly more easy (and much cheaper) to get a modern desktop of mATX size, which has dual USB 2.0 and single USB 3.0 controllers onboard.

Thank you for your thorough reply, it give me good insight.

I have ordered yesterday a simple usb3 controller card and see what happens.
There are very very low investment (like 25 euro), so it's worth testing different configurations.
It will arrive tomorrow
(pci-e 2.0, 2usb3 port + a intern 19 point usb3 connector and chipset NEC µPD720201)
FYI : http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00B27X ... UTF8&psc=1

My MB was ok with only 2 camera, tried everything, so no problem for 2, 60fps no dropped frames (on Raid 0 of 2 1ToWDVeliciraptors)

The card will arrive tomorrow so I will keep this post updated for other users also, and post the performance I have.
I may have to buy another one, so we'll see.

Regarding the Laptop there is also the M18, with a 4 usb3 port too.
This is just prospecting for the laptop side as my TJ-07 based system (http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=92) is absolutely non transportable ^_^
It will be for my next project.

Thank you again for you reply.

Ok so here we are.

I bought 2 controller cards based on NEC uPD720201 (RENESAS/NEC)

-One with 2 ports and a 19 internal pin header
-the other with 4 ports

After Driver updates, and firmware update and some troubles I finally got 6 Camera at 60fps, no drop.

Now information for you guys :
-------------------------------
About the cards :
http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0091T8 ... UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00B27XP8O/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(Amazon France)
These card seems generic cards, with rebranding, so on your area (not France) they should be named otherwise.
What's important is the chipset : NEC uPD720201

There is a uPD720202 on the driver page, so there may be other cards with it, no idea
-------------------------------
About the troubles I had.
First get the latest driver here :
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/renesas.htm

Install ONE card,
Install Drivers, then update it's firmware.

Shutdown and :
SWAP with the SECOND card.
Then update it's firmware also.

Shutdown
install (physically) BOTH card.
You should be good now (let's hope so)

( i actually spend the whole morning... ) Had some Code 10 error etc...
I am on Windows 7 Pro btw
--------------------
Notes
If you install (physically) both card the firmware updater will tell you there is 2 cards and won't be able to update.

Once I had the Molex connector off, and I was still able to run 2 cameras (on that card) at 60fps.
I guess USB3 need it, but not USB2 based hardware.

You cannot run 4 cameras one 1 card on Pci-e 1.1
4 cameras on the same card is around 25fps.
3 Cameras on the same card is around 35 fps
(this is on my system, you may have a different experience as I don't have a Pci-e 2.0 I am running on a 2009 very high end card, but still with 1.1 Pci-e)

I had to get rid of a Raid controller I had on one of my pci-e ~_~
It was not working on the last port shared with the 690 GTX, that probably sucks all the bandwidth and power to it's twin pci-e port (that is particular to my motherboard, the first Intel board with SLI)

So that's it. I still have to start using and discovering the software, but at least the hardware is ready.

OK, you're running :)
Do not hesitate to ask any questions if you get stuck somewhere.
We are watching the Steam community hub as well, so you may go there if it's more convenient to you.

Ouch, yiikes, I've seen to much blue (screen) for today.
I taken the two card off...

What a day I had, my system became unstable and had lockups and blue screens all evening, even when doing nothing.
I am guessing installing too much pci-e cards on this old beast is too much for it.
I got a little scared when one of my CPU was acting blue... Core2 X9775 Extreme.... so I took everything off, I am not risking my system health for 2x20 Euro Usb3 Cards...
Now all is back to normal.

I may have to run with only 4 cameras, but I have to build a Pc I can carry around for MoCap anyway...
I still have to try and buy regular pci usb2 controller card also...

Mmm.... that will be next week then...

I have ordered 2 usb Controller PCI card, 480 Mbps/s
Based on NEC D720101GJ

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B007MCD ... uctDetails

I hope these will do and not kill my system.
I will update this post of course.

All right, so the card arrived, but were based on VIA VT6212L Chipset not on NEC as expected...

I could only install one, as one of my other PCI slot is under the 690 GTX...

So for the final configuration
-One usb 3.0 pci-e card
-One usb 2.0 pci card
-1 Mother board usb 2.0 controller

All is well, 60 fps for the 6 cameras.

When installing the renasas drivers and changing versions, don't forget to delete the older version using Control Panel > Program and features>...
Otherwise you'll get BSOD etc... with 2 drivers versions installed.

I also encounter deadlock.
I use the asus g74 laptop bbk7.
I plug the 4 camera into 4 usb ports available in laptop but only received 3 ipisoft camera, the frame rate is reduced from 60 Hz/s down about 30hz/s.
Please you help me, what I need to improve the bandwidth from the USB port to ps eye camera.
Thank you so much.

From the specs I see that 3 ports are USB 2.0 and one port is USB 3.0.
Most probably, all USB 2.0 ports belong to the same USB controller - that means you can connect only 2 cameras to them without trouble.
If a camera connected to USB 3.0 port does not suffer from incompatibility issues (not much frame drops, normal frame rate, etc), then you can use an USB hub to expand the number of ports belonging to USB 3.0 controller, and connect 4th camera.