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Kinect V2 and Azure USB controller drama
🕑 Added 2024-01-30 12:02:09 +0000 UTCI recently upgraded my PC workstation, and decided to go with an AMD CPU based motherboard and chipset (AMD 7950x + B650 AX, of course with an nvidia RTX GPU).
My reasoning for going with an AMD CPU was that the current top Intel models are the last of their socket generation, meaning if I wanted to upgrade my CPU in the future I'd have to buy an entirely new motherboard. On the other hand AMD has pledged a few years of support for the AM5 architecture. Cool, I like flexibility, and the performance is pretty equal, if not better.
I spent a month speccing this PC, researching each component meticulously but silly old me forgot something: Kinect. They are notoriously sensitive to USB controller chips. An issue I never really had to face as I've always been an Intel user and specced installations with Intel as well.
Turns out AMD chipsets most often come with ASMedia USB controller chips which are explicitly not supported by either Kinect V2 or Azure.
No problem, I have free PCIe slots, and after some research I found some old forum post about the V2 compatibility and they listed a cheap ~15 EUR one that they claimed worked (based on Fresco FL1100). Arrived next day from Amazon, didn't work.
I then ordered another with UPD720201 inside, https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0BPRWR4PV for ~25 EUR.
Kinect V2 now works flawlessly with this one, success!
...
Or so I thought... I borrowed Acrylicode's Orbbec Femto Bolt, the "new" Kinect Azure.
Spent the last night testing vigorously, and found some weird latency issue when in Azure mode. The "raw" Orbbec TOPs work well though, but if I want to use the Azure TOP and both Color + PlayerIndex/Skeletontracking, there's a considerable latency between the two streams as well as skips. Kinda defeats the purpose. I updated the firmware which slightly improved the situation, but still non-presentable.
Did some more research and the manufacturer recommends a very specific USB 3.2 PCIe controller which costs a whopping 100 EUR. https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00HJZEA2S?psc=1
Stay tuned...
Comments
melt.immersive
playerindex in azure was always lagging when used with anything else so you're good
Function Store
👀🤔🧐 Even the Mega acting up. Kinect v2 remains to reign so far...
Brad Emery aka Velo Mane
I read over the forum post and plan on replying there soon, but with the Mega connected via USB C with the supplied cable and a .toe that's simply an azure top showing RGB (limited to 1280x1280) linked to an azure select top showing player index, the index does not have latency but the RGB does occasionly encounter latency and stutter. Then if I add a 2nd azure select top set to point cloud then the point cloud and RGB show occasional latency while the player index is rock solid with no latency. I plan on testing a bit more with all other software shutdown and altering the power management plan.
Function Store
Just tested the same things on Acrylicode's Intel based PC. When it came to the Orbbec/Azure we experienced the same issues!!! Will order the manufacturer recommended controller and let u know if that solves. If not then it's suspicious that Orbbec/TD is the culprit?
Woody Poulard
Sorry to hear of the headaches, but good to know as I was thinking about AMD for my next machine....Maybe I'll stay with Intel after seeing these issues
Function Store
Also hopeful, keep us updated!
Brad Emery aka Velo Mane
I have the Femto Mega and will test whether it suffers from the same latency as your describing with the bolt. I'm hoping not since it has the onboard Jetson processor that the bolt does not have. Also I had tried to use Kinect V2s with my ASUS laptop with AMD CPU but found that they completely crash the Windows audio service and thus won't work at all.
Function Store
thanks! thought I'd spare others the pain I'm going through disassembling my PC for the Nth time :D
xFR ZNx
Nice write up.
