Matchboxscope / Omniscope-MultiCamViewer

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Multi-Camera Microscope Setup with ESP32 Cameras and USB Hubs: Communication and Power Issues #1

Open beniroquai opened 10 months ago

beniroquai commented 10 months ago

Description:

Overview:

I have built a microscope using 24 ESP32 cameras, connected to six 4-port USB hubs. These hubs are then connected to a powered 6-port USB hub. I'm attempting to read out frames using Python or Node.js, but I'm encountering several issues.

Configuration Details:

Issues Encountered:

Power:

Signal:

Software:

Operating System Behavior:

Potential Problems Identified:

Observations:

Seeking Suggestions:

I am looking for insights or suggestions to troubleshoot and resolve these issues, particularly focusing on the signal integrity and power supply stability in such a multi-camera, multi-hub setup. Perhaps @ethanjli has experience with this? ;)


Possible Error Analysis:

  1. Power Supply Issues: The voltage drops and fluctuations, especially when all components are connected, suggest a power supply issue. This might be due to the cumulative power draw of all devices exceeding the capacity of your power supply or USB hubs.

  2. Signal Integrity: The interruption of data communication when using an oscilloscope suggests potential signal integrity issues. This could be due to interference, inadequate shielding, or limitations in the USB hub's ability to handle multiple data streams simultaneously.

  3. Software and Baud Rate: While different baud rates have been tested, there could be other software-related issues or limitations in the ESP32's ability to handle high data rates, especially when multiplied by 24 cameras.

  4. Operating System Compatibility: The varying performance across different operating systems indicates potential driver or compatibility issues.

  5. Hardware Limitations or Faults: The lack of a quartz component might be affecting the timing and synchronization between the devices. Additionally, there might be hardware limitations or faults in the USB hubs or cameras themselves.

ethanjli commented 10 months ago

To what extent do these issues appear when you have less than 24 cameras deployed? E.g. just one USB hub of cameras, or just a few cameras on each USB hub?

beniroquai commented 10 months ago

Thanks @ethanjli for your comment. The situation looks as follows: I'm always filling every Camera Hub (4x USB) with all slots. The picture should illustrate this:

image

What I have not tried yet is if I only had one camera in every 4x hub after the 7x master hub.

EDIT: Also notable, the hubs use their integrated oscillator, no external quartz have been used (yet).

beniroquai commented 10 months ago

Brief update: I managed to hook up external oscillation (i.e. 12MHz Quartz). Let’s see if this makes a difference. Data wires are not same length unfortunately. Unclear if this may cause problems.