How to connect to pc many trackers?

[O_and_N]

After speaking to staff on the live chat, I was redirected here as they couldn't help me find the answer I needed.

 

Im a new user and interested in purchasing the vive pro full kit and separately add to it 2 more base stations and 13 trackers 3.0.

It is going to be mainly used as a motion capture suit and not much gaming.The problem is that i have NO IDEA how to connect so many trackers to the pc? Obviously I dont have 13+ free usbs(almost no one does). What is the correct way to do it.

I know that for example a motherboard may have 5 usbs but only one usb controller.Do the trackers(their dongles maybe?) need a separate usb controller per tracker to work, or without any headaches can I just buy a external usb hub like this ACASIS 16 usb

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Jh5h0Vi4L._AC_SL1500_.jpg

 

Plug everything in it and it will work all simultaneously??

 

The software's I will use does support big amount of trackers.I actually saw on the now defunct Ikinema orion page docs, way down bellow that they are using a amazon usb hub for 8 trackers??? (not sure if im mistaking)

This is the link with image

https://www.ikinema.com/docs/s317i325.html

 

That is why I am confused.Is the correct way to use 13+ trackers, to just buy one big usb hub, plug it to the wall current and the other cable in the pc usb 3.0? So 13+ trackers will be all using at once simultaneously 1 usb from the pc ? What is the correct way?

 

Thank you for your time.

[JoeJ]

I've connected about 30 trackers to a single machine for some testing and ran into issues using the 13 port hubs before.  On "some" machines windows has an issue and they become unreliable.  It all has to do with how many hubs are connected together internally in the machine, the boot sequence of drivers in the operating system, etc.  It was very messy for me and hard to figure out when it did not start up properly. 

Anyways, I would recommend using 2 powered usb hubs with 7 ports rather than 1 hub with 13. 

[O_and_N]

On 6/21/2022 at 6:30 PM, JoeJ said:

I've connected about 30 trackers to a single machine for some testing and ran into issues using the 13 port hubs before.  On "some" machines windows has an issue and they become unreliable.  It all has to do with how many hubs are connected together internally in the machine, the boot sequence of drivers in the operating system, etc.  It was very messy for me and hard to figure out when it did not start up properly. 

Anyways, I would recommend using 2 powered usb hubs with 7 ports rather than 1 hub with 13. 

Thank you for the info mate.Much appreciated  as i didn't found that nowhere.So as you say , better to have 2 hubs than one big one. So 2 powered ones with 7 or 8 ports and no more than that.Six or seven trackers/dongles per hub to be on the safe side,correct?

 

Another thing i want to ask as its related, if you are so kind.I understand there is interference when all the trackers dongles are connected next to each other.Do I have to buy something like 12-13 usb C to usb A cable extenders to plug in to the usb hubs so that the dongles have more space between them? It will be one big octopus XD

[JoeJ]

On 6/22/2022 at 2:58 PM, O_and_N said:

Thank you for the info mate.Much appreciated  as i didn't found that nowhere.So as you say , better to have 2 hubs than one big one. So 2 powered ones with 7 or 8 ports and no more than that.Six or seven trackers/dongles per hub to be on the safe side,correct?

 

Another thing i want to ask as its related, if you are so kind.I understand there is interference when all the trackers dongles are connected next to each other.Do I have to buy something like 12-13 usb C to usb A cable extenders to plug in to the usb hubs so that the dongles have more space between them? It will be one big octopus XD

I have always run my trackers wired since I was not trying to move my trackers around too much.  At one point I did try to run that many of them wireless but seemed to hit a wall when I got over 8 or 9 of them.  I am guessing there are limitations on the bandwidth available to a wireless tracker but am not sure of that.  
  
Also, the limit of 7 usb ports per hub was more related to how Windows itself dealt with my hubs rather than any physical limitations. Technically speaking a 13 port hub "should" work but I could never make it 100% reliable so that is why I would just get 2 hubs to plug all your devices into rather than one (plug them directly into a usb port on your pc btw, don't try to daisy chain the two hubs as that is the same as what a 13 port hub does)