BB60C Working Well On USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 Port w/ Adapter Cable

[Jason]

I don’t know if anyone else has tried this, but it works well with my rig. A Startech USB-C male to USB-3.1 Micro-B male cable 0.5m connecting a BB60C to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port on a Dell XPS.

I had high hopes because Thunderbolt 3 spec provides more total amperage than two parallel USB 3.x, and it’s backward compatible with USB-3.x data transfer. I was worried that the PC might throttle its power supply when in USB-3.x mode, but I had uninterrupted connection for about 12 hours running realtime 27 MHz span before I ended the test.

The cable seems to have shielding good enough for the application. I don’t see any obvious signs of leakage in the SA traces.

Just thought you might be interested.

Here’s a link to the product on Amazon. It’s fairly inexpensive. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XX7F7QJ

• This topic was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by Jason.

[Gary]

I’m going to second this. I bought two, different types of USB-C to USB micro-B 3.0 cables from Amazon. I’m testing the first one now on my BB60C. I’ve had it jumping between swept, real-time and zero span for about 45 minutes, all with no issues. Of interest is that this cable is a 2 meter one to give me maximum flexibility in setting up my BB60C in relation to the laptop controlling it.
I’ve dealt with the BB60C when it was on the ragged edge of not having enough power. You’d hear it as it dropped off from the USB, then come back. Again, no such issues here. Assuming the other cable is just as effective, I now have backups in case on cable gets damaged or broken.
I cannot speak of the interference issues, however. Right now, I’m surrounded by so much active electronics it would be difficult to specify if any interference was coming from the cable, or coming from one of the many, other electronic devices active near me.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by Gary. Reason: Added that the cable was 2 meters long

Another point on the USB connection of the BB60C
We need to use our BB60C on differents tests installation with different distance from the computer.
Sometime need bulkhead interface, the fact that the BB60C have a correct connexion (and not made USB connection / USB disconnection / USB connection…. as long as we try to connect) is more depending of chance or magical way.
We have now 4 BB60C, and they do not with all our cabling, depending of something we do not understand.

We have think in the past we have understand and could be fine in any case. But after buy a new one, we discover that this new part work on a cabling, but not on the two other.

The fact is, the BB60C is always working with the useless delivered Y cable. But as you try whit another cable or lenght, this is onther story.

We now use type C cable, but it still be sensitive.
From where could come the problem, as we solve the power issue ?

Hi Serpi,

Yes, we have seen issues with bulkhead connectors in the past with USB 3.0. Our USB 3.0 devices requires high throughput real-time zero data loss links over USB 3.0. This usually limits cable length and additional connections, like bulkhead connectors.

If you need longer cable lengths than the typical 1-2 meter cables look into some active USB 3.0 cables. Here are some that other customers have used with success.

• SIIG USB, 3.0 Active cable, 20 meters.
• Cable Matters, Daisy chained 2 10-meter active cables.
• Corning, USB to optical, 20 meters.
• Firenex-uls-05, USB 3.0 active repeater cable, 5 meters

Regards

Thanks for the cable recommendation. I’ve been using the Startach USB-C cable with a 2019 MacBook Pro running Windows 10 under Parallels very reliably for the last month.

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