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I am now using Windows 10 upgrade and on attempts to run the Kinect Verifier Tool, the tool would crash every time it was opened, so I am unable to use it.

If you are still using Windows 8.1 the tool may work, I can not confirm this personally, if someone using Win 8.1 and the Kinect v2 could, it would be good to know.

Also, in Windows 8.1, I read there is a path through settings to confirm your USB controller is running at Super-speed, through the devices and printers window, this may or may not be accurate, especially if your Kinect will still not function properly in iPi Recorder 3, I again, can not test this. (This path isn't available in Win 10).

The developer tools are stated to have tools for checking USB bandwidth speed, if you have this downloaded/installed.

A search for Kinect compatibility issues may give some insight if anyone is experiencing problems with their Kinect to PC connection.

Components for my second machine upgrade should arrive today, so I hope this will rectify my issues, I will post when I know if it has, or not.

Kinect v2 is a bandwidth hog, no other devices can be plugged into the same controller, or it will not function properly.

Kinect v1, even through a USB 3.0 adapter, does not require the bandwidth of Kinect v2, it states the Kv2 upon load stores the bandwidth it needs and doesn't release it until the Kinect is disconnected.

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**This is a re-post from another topic, that is more suitable to be placed under this topic**

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In researching the Kv2 connection issues for several days now, it seems the Kv2 is a very picky device on what system configs. it will run on properly.

It also seems if your PSI-e x1 slot isn't a Gen2 or above, the cam will fail to start or not operate properly, (drop outs).

It does work through my main machines motherboard using the Renesas USB 3.0 controller using its PCI-e 2.0 slot.

Some PCI-e x1 slots, even if 2.0, seem to not work properly and MS is saying use your PCI-e x16 slot, but some machines this can't be done and run a graphics card also, or properly, so this is a catch 22 for some configurations.

MS hasn't done a very good job with this camera being ready for consumer purchase and run consistently across the broad range of computers out there, even if they are newer and support USB 3.0.

A list of compatible and incompatible components is far from optimal and a very poor job of MS trying to explain the cams issues.

My suggestion is to do your research on every component you will be using this camera with before you purchase it and find out you will still need upgrades just for it to work properly.

There are reports of certain model ASUS motherboards not compatible with its USB 3.0 Host Controller. (but my ASUS board seemed to be ok).

Reports that the Renesas USB 3.0 controller not being recognized by the Kinect on some configs., and the Renesas controller with D720200 chip working, where the same controller with D720201 or D720202 chip will not on some machines, mine is Renesas D720202 chip and seemed to be ok though on my main machine, but I use a direct 3.0 port.
(MS saying use this if you have issues with others: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J8D ... UTF8&psc=1 ... or similar D720200.

Intel Chipsets are reported as "Mostly Working", so may be a lottery draw there also.

This device seems not to be just a PnP device on just any computer, (even if a fairly new model), but seems the new components I just ordered should be compatible, at least I hope so, now that I read all these issues.

These are all just issues I am reading about and may not pertain to your system, but I would check first before you would buy the camera.

Issues may be more prevalent when trying to use 2 or more Kv2 on a lower powered, or older machine or laptop.

If anyone would like to add to, dispute, or leave more information on compatibility issues on this topic, please feel free.

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Thanks for continuing to document your experience. All this info is good to be aware of.

I've been busy working with my daughter Sienna on one of her projects but I think I've reached a stage where I can come back to this one now.

Will start testing multi-Kinect v2 tonight. First I'll find out if my system even supports Kinect v2 of course. Fingers crossed. :)

G.

_________________
Greenlaw
Artist/Partner - Little Green Dog | My Demo Reels (2013,) (2015,) (2017,) and (2019)

Watch a one minute excerpt on Vimeo now!

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Yeah, it's just the way MS has rolled out their explanations for issues is not well done, so in my view it will seem to be hit and miss per system configurations.

I am sure you will post your findings as soon as you know, it's always good to have other users state them also.

The camera was developed under the Win 8.1 platform, so with the Win 10 upgrade there may be issues even unknown to MS as of now, but I never used Win 8.1 for the cameras or even for iPi for that matter.

I do know it works without issue on my main machine now, after I removed my old USB dongle from the USB 3.0 port it was in, that caused camera freezing.

Hopefully what I have upgraded to for other machine will work without issue, but I won't know until tried, at least the MSI mobo I chose, nor the processor were on the list of components with issues.

Yes, ~fingers still crossed here too~

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Installed new mobo and processor, set up the machine and VOILA! iPi Recorder recognized the Kv2 immediately with no issues, running at full 30 fps.

Started up with the 300w PSU and GT610 video card, 500W Haswell ready PSU may not even be needed, since I rarely will put that machine to sleep, if ever.

I will test the dual camera set up tomorrow and see how it goes to make sure it fully works well under full load.

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Quick test update...

First dual connection and calibration between the 2 cameras went ok, actually got a perfect on first attempt, surprising.

The tracking worked well so far, 360 degree turns and feet were much better with the dual cams of course.

Only issue I had, which isn't related to iPi, is after these machine upgrades, I have to start all over with a complete format of the drive, re-install Win 7, then re-upgrade to Win 10 again, that part sucks, it's a long process, but is what it is, a call to MS support was no help, that's also what they stated to me had to be done.

I figured I would have to do that from past experiences.

No issues at all with the cameras, steady 30 fps, slave to Master connection worked, merging worked as should, so for this first quick test just to see if everything functioned as it should went well and my capture volume increased to approx. 12ft x 12ft, over the PS Eyes at 9 ft x 9ft, cameras set 20 ft apart in a 180 config.

Some slight tracking errors, which I expected, but easily corrected with track backwards and refine backwards after.

Processing speed of .34 s/f @ 2.5 f/s on Master machine.

Now, on with the show, just happy I got it functioning properly.

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I tried connection tests with one computer last night but ran into a problem. The USB 3 card and drivers appear to have installed correctly and the card shows up in Device Manager, but any device connected to the cable fails to show up.

My guess is that I have a faulty cable but that was all I had time for testing. Tonight I'll try different cables and also try connecting devices directly to the USB 3 card just to be sure. I would have done that last night but I was tired and didn't feel like messing with the rack.

So close, yet... :)

G.

_________________
Greenlaw
Artist/Partner - Little Green Dog | My Demo Reels (2013,) (2015,) (2017,) and (2019)

Watch a one minute excerpt on Vimeo now!

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Yeah, best to start with direct connection to USB 3.0 card, also if Kv2 still not recognized, you can try going to settings through start menu and go to devices/printers, then to connected devices and see if it shows there, even if it does, you can try removing it (right click/remove) and unplug it from the card and plug it back in, then click off connected devices and back on it and see if it loads and gets recognized by iPi Recorder then.

I have had to do that several times now to get things working, I don't know why, but refresh in iPi Recorder doesn't do it.

Good Luck, hope it's only a bad cable.

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Getting closer. I have possibly two problems to overcome but at least I know what they are.

1. It's possible that the cable is bad because when I plug the Kinect v2 sensor directly into the USB 3.0 controller card, Device Manager recognizes the device and loads the Kinect drivers. Good sign...

2. ...but then it has trouble enabling one of the drivers. I did a little research into the error and found that MS has a tool called Kinect Configuration Verification. I downloaded it and ran the tool and it reported that the computer lacks a graphics card with a Direct X 11 compatible GPU.

D'oh! I guess that makes sense. These computers were never meant to be more than network render boxes so I never bothered to install a real graphics card in them. They just use the motherboard's on-board graphics. Another unexpected setback but I think this one shouldn't cost too much--I should be able to use a fairly low-end GPU card since it's only going to be used for Kinect v2 compatibility, not tracking.

I did run one other test: I connected the Kinect v2 sensor to my main workstation, the same machine I normally connect three Kinect for Windows v1 sensors and three PS Move controllers to. It worked just fine! And you were right, the depth data quality is so good, the RGB reference really isn't necessary. As for the RGB data, the quality of that is also really good so there is no need for gaining or color correcting it like I do with the K4W v1's controls. I'm very impressed.

At this point, I also feel pretty optimistic that this is going to eventually work with the other computers. My workstation is a 6 year old HP and the render boxes, also HP, are about 3 - 4 years old, so if it's working with the old one, it's probably going to work with the much younger computers--when I get the graphics updated anyway. Also, the Kinect Configuration Verification program cleared these boxes for all other requirements. I know that's no guarantee but it's probably not too bad an assumption either.

For now though, I really need to get back to finishing the Brudders music video project and I'm going to have to set aside this upgrade project for a later date. Oh, well...at least we still have a functioning mocap system that we were already happy with.

I'll post again after I get the GPU cards and resume Kinect v2. testing.

G.

_________________
Greenlaw
Artist/Partner - Little Green Dog | My Demo Reels (2013,) (2015,) (2017,) and (2019)

Watch a one minute excerpt on Vimeo now!

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That's great, I am guessing they have all been upgraded to Win 10 also?

Yeah, it would have been nice if the Verifier Tool would have worked for me, it just crashes though, even on my main machine.

I am sure you can get a compatible video card for around $50 or less for a low profile 800MHz core clock, that's still $200 for you, maybe a bit off for multiple buy.

I have the MSI Nvidia GT 610 low profile and it works fine and low watt draw, (but now I have PCI-e x16 3.0 on both machines), MS states the minimum on-board graphics is the HD 4600, I haven't tested that, but not good reviews of that graphics working well for others.

There is no way to know for sure until they are all working on the machines they will be primarily used on, and at full 30 fps continuous at least on depth only, but yes, please post when you know and your machine config., so other users can get a better idea to compare with, not much talk in this forum on multiple Kv2 camera configs.

Took me all day yesterday to reformat the drive, then reload Win 7, and then the Win 10 upgrade and get things reset up again, but I may get to do some more dual cam recording today.

BTW, for those interested, a motherboard is a major change and if you have Win 10 upgraded already before that, it WILL deactivate your free upgrade, even if attempting a clean install from USB or ISO Disk.

For a new HDD or SSD add/change, if you have downloaded Win 10 to a USB drive or ISO Disk, you can do a clean install as long as the drive is mounted on the same machine, you can not use the USB/ISO upgrade unless a verified OS is on the drive, or if a mobo upgrade is made.

For my experience and what I see all over online about issues, I don't believe just buying a cheaper or lower end machine just as a slave will work out for many, but as I am not a computer repair shop with many brands and configs. laying around to test on, no one can really know until it either works properly or doesn't.

I am sure MS was banking on this knowledge factor for camera sales and then just put out lists of non-compatibility as users have issues!

It should have been designed like the Kv1 to be more of a PnP device that works on many machines easily, since Xbox One has now gone to an App on Win 10 for those upgrading to it from older machines and want to use the Kv2.

I just took a shot with the little Dell Inspiron 531 I had laying around collecting dust, I wasn't really expecting it to work just based on the minimum requirements MS stated.

It was worth the shot, I knew I could use the VC on upgrade and needed that anyway, I just didn't want to risk another OEM machine having issues, so just did the USB 3.0 board change and a better processor, but its a nice new Win 10 machine now, even if I decommission it from being the dedicated Kinect machine.

Good Luck with your further testing.

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