I have a problem with my new STT-8300. It worked briefly, then the next time I tried connecting I got a Windows 7-64 error message saying my USB device had malfunctioned. Disconnect and try again. Didn't work. When I try to connect I get a "No device/camera found." I can't connect using USB or Ethernet. My STT-3200 connects fine. I'm using TSX but it won't connect in CCDOPs either. The power LED is green so I assume the fuse hasn't blown. Help! Steve
I got the same message recently when I tried a longer USB cable -- device malfunction message with my STT8300. As soon as I went back to my shorter USB cable, it worked fine again. The difference was only 4 feet. The USB connection is definitely sensitive to length and possibly any active repeaters along the way and cable quality of course. And that's the case for me since I have the USB routed from a warm room through conduit to the pier, through various connections, and up the mount and around to the camera. I believe I have an active repeater to help things out -- it's been awhile since I connected everything and enclosed it nicely, but I know I have at least one repeater and a couple of passives depending on what worked best for each connection. I recommend a 1m cable directly attached to PC -- to eliminate the majority of these issues -- and then work your way from there.
Thanks for the reply. I have tried several different USB cables, but I will try some very short ones. The fact that the STT-3200 is working suggested that it wasn't a cable issue, but who knows. My computer sits right next to the pier so it isn't a long cable run. I was also concerned that the Ethernet connection would not work, but I have never used it before so I may not be doing it right.
Make sure you plug it into the back of the computer, not the front or top. There's usually a modest impedance mismatch where you plug in the cable, and the internal cabling in the PC greatly amplifies the magnitude of the problem (adding additional mismatches and also increasing the time delay of the resulting signal echos). Use the cable that came with the camera, or the one that already works with the STT-3200. Also make sure that you're using the power supply that came with the camera.
Hi Doug, Using the same USB cable that works with the STT-3200 and plugged into a port in the back of the computer and using the SBIG power supply I get a SBIG driver error device not found 30027 when I plug in the STT-8300. Windows also throws the malfunctioning USB device error when it is connected.
Device Not Found / Error 27 means that the SBIG driver can't find the camera. That is consistent with the USB device error reporting. Some more suggestions: 1. Download and run the latest SBIGDriverChecker from https://www.sbig.com/support/software/ . If your computer had an older version of the driver checker it may not update the drivers correctly. 2. Run the driver checker, download drivers, and update. If the drivers aren't up-to-date and installed properly the camera may not boot up, because the USB firmware is downloaded into the camera when you plug it in. The camera then disconnects and reconnects. If that process does not happen the camera will not function and you will get Error 27. 3. Try plugging the camera into a different USB port on the computer. There could be a configuration problem with that port. In Windows each port has a separate configuration. 4. Also inspect the USB connector in the camera for physical damage, just in case something happened there. If the above doesn't help, then it may have to go in for service.
Greetings, I have the same issue as Steve. I have tried connecting my STF-8300 with both the short and long USB cables that came with it. I reinstalled the whole software package and checked multiple times the Drivers. The camera does turn on as I can hear the fan turning. Sometimes the pc just says the device couldn't be installed, and others it keeps trying to connect (there's the sound of device connecting and disconnecting over and over. Can anybody suggest something else to try?
I am having the same issue, which may also relate to the long download times that I posted earlier. I haven't been able to try diagnosing either one yet. But I am curious about why the issue exists in the first place. If USB is so sensitive to cable lengths, impedance matching and port configurations, is there a better, more stable way to connect to the camera? Would an ethernet or a serial connection be a better option?
Serial is far too slow. Ethernet is available for STT and STXL cameras, but it is also slower than USB and is much harder for users to configure properly. (Yes higher speed Ethernet is possible but is currently difficult to implement in embedded hardware, and it doesn't solve the usability issue.) If you have a problem connecting to the camera, I suggest you start a separate thread. "I have the same issue..." is often highly misleading, as there can be very different causes for similar-sounding problems.
I have tried all 9 USB ports, 4 USB 2.0 and 5 USB 3.0, and the camera is still not seen on any of them.
Not looking good. Please contact Bill at SBIG Service & Repair Center http://www.sbig.com/about-us/contact/
