Camera Control Pro 2 is extremely buggy! (connection issues)

[john_davis24]

<p>I'm having a lot of trouble with this app, it's almost unusable from connectivity issues. It won't connect to my camera much of the time though it eventually does usually, it seems to take a random amount of time to connect, then when it does it disconnects shortly afterward. When I plug everything in it sits there with the "no camera connected" box, and sometimes it takes 5 minutes to figure it out and connect sometimes more. Every once in a while it happens immediately. Sometimes I give up on the app before it connects. Using interval timer shooting I get around 30 shots (at 1shot/10sec) before it disconnects while trying to download an image and I have to force everything to quit and start over, but then it won't connect again when I plug in and I have to sit there waiting for it. Quitting the app and restarting, turning the camera off, unplugging and replugging the USB cable don't seem to make any difference.</p>

<p>All computers are Macs running the latest 2 versions of OS (I've tried both in case it couldn't handle the most recent one)<br>

I'm using the latest versions of the CCP2 and ViewNX2, and running ViewNX2 so that the images show up there after each shot in interval timer mode. <br /> I've tried both a D3 and a D3s both with up to date firmware, and have the same issue with both<br /> I've tried numerous USB cables with no difference<br /> Multiple USB slots<br /> I've tried 3 different computers now, all new laptops with different OS versions, and no difference. The one I have now has solid state HD, 10.6.8, 2.66 Ghz, 8GB Ram. <br /> <br /> I've tried uninstalling all Nikon apps and reinstalling.</p>

<p>I think I have tried everything and isolated all other problems I can imagine other than user error and the app itself, but I can't imagine what I could be doing wrong.</p>

<p>It seems like some people have no problem with this application. Can anyone help? I've contacted Nikon and they are not helpful at all, they take weeks to respond and then all they have to offer is "try upgrading your firmware" (I have) or "try updating the application" (I have). And I have tried much more than that as can be seen above. <br /> <br />I'd really like to use this for a project so I can see images on the computer screen as they are taken in interval timer mode. But it's so frustrating when it's constantly disconnecting and I have to sit there waiting...</p>

[john_davis24]

<p>I think I may have figured it out. </p>

<p>I realized LR4 has tethering capability, so I tried it and ran into very similar problems. Which shocked me! I was playing around with it and noticed the green light on the back of the camera acting strange. I had noticed that before, but now that LR was exhibiting the same problem it seemed like it must be the camera, and it looked like the camera was confused or wasn't able to make the connection properly. I tried taking out the CF cards and it worked fine. <br>

<br />I guess you can't tether with CF cards installed? It seems the camera was confused as to which mode it was supposed to be in. I have never read that anywhere, but it seems to work fine now. We'll see if it continues to work. I'm amazed that none of these tethering apps tell you to remove CF cards for tethering. Or maybe I just missed it? I don't know why the camera can't figure it out, seems a bit silly. </p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>I've run this app on a Win XP netbook with a D50, D90, D300 and D700, all with cards in, either SD or CF, and never had this kinda problem.</p>

<p>I wonder if it is a Mac specific problem regarding how it 'sees' the memory cards. There used to be a requirement to say in camera what form of 'mass storage' or PTP you need to set. The D3 series is 'old' enough that this may still apply. The more modern bodies don't need (have) this option.</p>

[terry_meyer]

<p>The problem you describe mirrors a recent experience. The setup here is completely different from yours ( Thinkpad T42,XP-SP3, D200-FW 2.01, CCP 1.3) but issue “appears” to be the same, or at least acts like it. You wrote almost word-for word-what happened to me a couple of days ago.</p>

<p>Using the gear listed above, tethered shooting has worked well in the past. What changed was the layout of the work area, increasing the distance from the laptop to the camera. Many USB cable configurations were tested and two worked every time…even pulling in the largest RAW files for display.</p>

<p> 1/ Any 3-4’ A to Mini-B cable – with the cam sitting next to the laptop.</p>

<p> 2/ The highest quality 16’ A to B cable / B to A “gender changer” / the Nikon supplied A to Mini-B cable – with the cam placed across the room for normal shooting.</p>

<p> Presence of a CF card made no difference.</p>

<p> The 16’ cable is from Belkin, but any high quality cable should work.</p>

<p> A point about the Nikon supplied cable that I noticed in composing this post. Near the B connector there is a ferrite bead. These are used to suppress high frequency noise.</p>

<p> No testing was conducted to see which of the two variables (Belkin or the bead) was most important in the longer configuration. I was just happy to label the cable set as “D200 only”.</p>

<p>Good luck...</p><div></div>

[john_davis24]

<p>So both 1 and 2 worked? I have now tried 3 different USB cables and they made no difference. That was the first thing I checked because the first cable I was using had an extension on it. But even a short belkin cable has the same issues. <br>

<br />I will be re-checking this to make sure it wasn't a fluke, but as soon as I removed both CF cards, all 3 cables worked better than they ever have, unplugging, replugging I regained connection within seconds every time. <br>

<br />Mike, the D3 and D3s are supposedly always in PSP mode, so there's nothing to set in the menu according to Nikon. I haven't seen anyone say that you need to remove CF cards for tethering and I don't see why you'd have to. Maybe I missed something in the manuals. <br>

I'll have to confirm with my D3 as well. </p>

[terry_meyer]

<p>Curious, I went back and did some testing. Many of the cables aren't marked so non-scientific results here.</p>

<p>BTW, I'm assuming two things.<br>

1\ You understand what I mean when referring to a USB cable with a ferrite bead.<br>

2\ Neither a USB hub or Active USB cable is in use</p>

<p> Short<br>

Cam > 3' > Laptop</p>

<p>Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Non-Ferrite Pass<br>

Non-Ferrite Pass<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

<p>Long<br>

Cam > 3' Cable > A/B Gender Changer > 16' Cable #1 (quality) > Laptop</p>

<p>Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

<p>Cam > 3' Cable > A/B Gender Changer > 16' Cable #2 (quality) > Laptop</p>

<p>Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Ferrite Bead Pass<br>

Non-Ferrite Pass ?<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

<p>Cam > 3' Cable > A/B Gender Changer > 16' Cable #3 (so-so) > Laptop</p>

<p>Ferrite Bead Fail<br>

Ferrite Bead Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

<p>Cam > 3' Cable > A/B Gender Changer > 16' Cable #4 (active) > Laptop</p>

<p>Ferrite Bead Fail<br>

Ferrite Bead Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail<br>

Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

<p>Spot checks with/without the CF made no difference<br>

This was written pretty quickly, but wanted to help before heading out.</p>

<p>Terry</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>Crikey, what a mix! </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Short<br />Cam > 3' > Laptop<br>

Ferrite Bead Pass<br />Ferrite Bead Pass<br />Non-Ferrite Pass<br />Non-Ferrite Pass<br />Non-Ferrite Fail<br />Non-Ferrite Fail</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Bit confused, are you putting a ferrite bead on this otherwise 'bare' 3' cable or what? Anyway, I'd get rid of that short 3' cable. Period.</p>

<p>There's an interference problem here if the ferrite beads helps, and statistically, they seem to. Could the 'random' interference not be <em>random</em>? Is it some kind of localised effect from a WiFi node or mobile repeater station, bit like a mobile 'handshaking' ever 10mins or so?</p>

<p>As it's happening with 2 different cameras, it's not the mini-USB connection on the camera end, anything hinkey with the laptop end? Change to a different socket maybe?. Not that it's an active connection as such, but one of my netbook sockets is designed to 'allow' more power draw.</p>

[terry_meyer]

<p >Actually there are six separate short cables and four long ones</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Two of the six short cables have a bead molded into the cable near the Mini-B end.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >For more:</p>

<p >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead</p>

<p > </p>

<p ><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cable_end.JPG" alt="" /></p>

<p > </p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>You can always add a ferrite bead to any cable. There are some nice clip-together 'halves' on flea-bay for peanuts. I've got them on a couple of long-run cables.</p>

<p>To quote from.. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus)<br>

<br>

USB 2.0 provides for a maximum cable length of 5 meters for devices running at Hi Speed (480 Mbit/s). The primary reason for this limit is the maximum allowed round-trip delay of about 1.5 μs<strong>. If USB host commands are unanswered by the USB device within the allowed time, the host considers the command lost</strong><strong> </strong></p>

<p>The last bit is especially relevant for this problem.... Looks like Mac USB handling is being tricksy!</p>

[timbavati]

<p>Hi<br>

I have a slightly different problem with it. I used to have the problem as described above, but resolved it with a proper cable. <br>

I use a 7.5m (24.6') usb cable bought from Lindy cables. (no beads)<br>

<a href="http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapters-c1/usb-c449/usb-2-0-c450/7-5m-cromo-usb-2-0-type-a-to-mini-b-cable-p7306">http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapters-c1/usb-c449/usb-2-0-c450/7-5m-cromo-usb-2-0-type-a-to-mini-b-cable-p7306</a><br>

The problem I have is the interface between Camera Control Pro 2 and View NX2. Both applications recognise my D200. However in the Camera Control Pro settings the only option for receiving an image from the camera is "Do Nothing".<br>

In ViewNX2 I have selected "Show Image Immediately After Shooting" and it does as a thumbnail, but not in full screen mode. I know I could do this previously on my Windows 7 laptop, but on this Windows 8.1 laptop I cant get it to work correctly. <br>

Any help out there ??<br>

Cobus</p>