Anybody Else get Stream Deck dropouts with a USB extender?
I'm really sick of this issue, I've tried 3-4 different USB extenders and thought I finally found one that worked but alas, my stream deck has stopped working until I restart soundflow.
Annoyingly, the stream deck still stays lit up and appears to be functioning normally until I push a button and realize nothing is working.
If I just restart soundflow it starts working again or if I launch the streamdeck app, it works fine so I'm starting to think this might be a soundflow issue.
Anybody else have this issue?
I cannot plug it directly into my computer as my computer is too far away, I have to use an extender and I can't be the only soundflow/streamdeck user with this situation.
Chris Shaw @Chris_Shaw2022-12-14 23:29:07.048ZIs the extender just a passive cable? How long is the cable run from your SD to your computer?
In general, the best way to extend a stream deck is with a powered USB hub.
Phil McGowan @Phil_McGowanIt's a powered extender plugged into a powered hub that sits behind my Mac Pro.
I've also tried plugging it into the powered hub that is at my desk but it's way more finicky there so I figured it's so much a diva that it needs it's own cable, hence what I've tried.
It baffles me that it still doesn't work despite all the power that it gets.
What I'm trying now is setting it up through the streamdeck app, which so far is working but I won't really know until I leave it for a few days to see if it mysteriously stops working again...
Mitch Willard @Mitch_WillardI've had this happen a few times a system with an extender and another system on a hub connected directly to the computer. At a loss of why it's happening, but usually it last a few seconds and I only notice after it's happened.
- Phil McGowan @Phil_McGowan
Good to know it's not only me but unfortunately once it stops working, the only way to get it working again is to restart soundflow.
The whole time this is happening the streamdeck backlight never goes out, implying to me that it has plenty of power and that this might be a soundflow bug.
- Mitch Willard @Mitch_Willard
For me it just drops out for a second then my deck resets. It’s almost like soundflow is rebooting itself.
- In reply toPhil_McGowan⬆:
Christian Scheuer @chrscheuer2022-12-15 10:29:32.333ZHi Phil,
See our article here:
https://soundflow.org/docs/help/stream-deckThe issue is indeed 99% of the time a lack of power to the device (or a sudden surge in power requirements) which makes it restart and sometimes restart in a mode where it doesn't report itself back as active to the OS.
- Christian Scheuer @chrscheuer2022-12-15 10:31:28.111Z
Hopefully somebody here can chime in with USB extenders they know to work. Personally, I used some 10 meter active USB3 cables which worked quite well for my use case. I know of many who use Ethernet based extenders as well, and several KVM systems are known to work although those might be out of the budget.
I do also think there are some old threads in our FB group with examples where people shared what they're using :)
- In reply tochrscheuer⬆:RRyan Billia @Ryan_Billia
Hello Christian,
Sorry to jump into this chain, but I am having similar issues. My Soundflow deck works fine at home when direct to computer, but when I bring it to the mix facility, it doesn't work over a powered Ethernet extender. It works fine with the Streamdeck/Elgato app which is what most mixers use because of the issues with Soundflow. Unfortunately, I have spent weeks building my deck that covers everything I need and there is no way (or simple way) to port over to Elgato. Since it works fine with Elgato I assume it gets enough power. Any thoughts? Thanks.
- Mitch Willard @Mitch_Willard
Hi @Ryan_Billia
we are successfully running the Stream decks via sound flow with Ethernet extenders, they are about a 10m to 20m for each of the 3 suites.
We were having the issue you are having, but we manage to figure out that depending how many devices on the one Extender you have will affect the performance of the Stream deck dropping out.
We found that you at max can have 2 things connected on the Ethernet extender, one being the Streamdeck, and a keyboard.I'd suggest you try to even limit it to just the Stream deck if you can, as they are power hungry, and run another Extender for everything else to give you the best performance.
- RRyan Billia @Ryan_Billia
Hello @Mitch_Willard,
Thank you very much for your response. It’s good to know that it should work so we can continue to troubleshoot. I believe it is on a single Ethernet extender, but I will review with the tech team today. Fingers crossed.
Much Appreciated,
Ryan- Mitch Willard @Mitch_Willard
Hi @Ryan_Billia
Is you extender powered? Particularly on the streamdeck end? As we found that was also a factor to having it work.
- MIn reply toPhil_McGowan⬆:mikkeljm @mikkeljm
Have anyone had any luck with a stream deck connected to a powered dock that’s connected to the computer with an optical thunderbolt 3 cable?
In my new studio I have a machine room and anything that makes the least amount of noise is in there. Therefore everything connected to the computer from The control room is connected to powered usb 3 docks that connected with optical thunderbolt cables.
@chrscheuer- Mmikkeljm @mikkeljm
I’m thinking of trying this dock wich is then connected to the computer with the optical thunderbolt cable.
- MIn reply toPhil_McGowan⬆:mikkeljm @mikkeljm
Just for info. I now run my stream decks connected to the Kensington SD5560T usb dock. It’s connected with a 25 meter optical Thunderbolt cable to the computer in the machine room of my studio. Works perfectly for anyone who need to have their computer in another room.