USB Extention

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SvennSound
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:01 am

USB Extention

Post by SvennSound » Thu Mar 30, 2017 2:17 am

Hello All, Here is my question, I would like to leave my ASIO audio head (Focousrite 18i20) in the booth or on the deck and then run a USB extention (via CAT5/6) out to me in the house with my PC and spare monitor. Now I have tried with a very cost effective (really cheap) USB extention I had from an older event, with no luck. The computer saw the USB connection as did the 18i20, but the required drivers did not.

Has anyone had any luck doing this? And if so what product works.

Cheers and thanks, great program eh! (oh I am from Canada)

BritGeek
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am

Re: USB Extention

Post by BritGeek » Thu Mar 30, 2017 7:51 am

I haven't tried the USB extension approach; instead, I take a laptop down to the house and I control my booth SCS computer remotely from the laptop.

Both computers are networked via a Wi-Fi router (no internet connection necessary), and I use RealVNC for the remote control software. Works great for audio; I got it working for video cues too but I had to tweak the RealVNC settings a bit. I only use this for rehearsals, I don't know that I trust the Wi-Fi connection well enough for use during a production.

I guess it's not a very cost-effective solution unless you happen to have an extra computer/laptop lying around...

Buyaicia
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:36 am
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
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Re: USB Extention

Post by Buyaicia » Thu Mar 30, 2017 3:20 pm

SvennSound,
It should work but, Scarlett 18i20 requires usb2.0 and your cheap USB expander may be 1.1

Regards,
Lluís

SvennSound
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:01 am

Re: USB Extention

Post by SvennSound » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:56 pm

Thanks all, very good point about being sure I am using 2.0 USB extender.

I am using Teamviewer at the moment... works but there is a bit if lag between the remote PC in the house and the PC off stage. Teamviewer handles dual screens quite well and I have used it for before on another project.

I will get through this show and then purchase the USB 2 extenders and let you know how I made out in.

Cheers,

PhilVale
Posts: 142
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:00 pm

Re: USB Extention

Post by PhilVale » Mon Jul 10, 2017 1:43 am

I've certainly had my PC in the auditorium connected to a USB sound box (M-Audio Fast Track Ultra) and run the show from there. I used a long (I think about 30 foot) USB cable and it worked fine.

The issue I suspect is that it needs to be a quality cable to run that sort of length with no signal loss and in simple terms this was of course a relatively small theatre. But it worked fine for the dress rehearsal and level checking which is what I wanted it for.

I could of course have sat at the back of the auditorium and run the show if I'd wanted during performance.

An alternative might be a long multi core from the PC in the auditorium back into the control box.

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