Question: Best way to add extra USB ports for VR?

RaiderX · 13 Dec 2016 at 14:34

Looking for expanding my USB3 port count to allow VR, been looking at external hubs but not sure if getting a PCIe expansion card would be better and what cards would be best.

Current spec in sig

xyphic · 13 Dec 2016 at 14:45

RaiderX said:
Looking for expanding my USB3 port count to allow VR, been looking at external hubs but not sure if getting a PCIe expansion card would be better and what cards would be best.

Current spec in sig

Assuming you're talking about Rift (as you don't need so many ports for Vive) then there's a PCI-E adapter that is confirmed to work. I can't link it here because OcUK don't stock that particular model and sell competitor brands.

I would recommend PCI-E over a external hub, as an external hub will be sharing the bandwidth of an existing controller with everything else that's hanging off that controller. Using a PCI-E card will give you an extra controller and allow you to dedicate it to your VR setup.

Note that you might have enough ports anyway. I have mine setup with the Rift in a 3.0 port, two sensors in 3.0 ports and a third sensor in a 2.0 port and that works fine with my motherboard (Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7).

Rilot · 13 Dec 2016 at 14:46

Get a USB expansion card. The one Oculus recommends (I forget the brand) is fine. I have one in mine and it give me 4 x USB3 ports.

RaiderX · 13 Dec 2016 at 14:54

My motherboard only has 2x usb3 and 2x usb2 ports, found a post on oculus forums seemed to recommend inateck cards with the FL1100 so just ordered a 4 port card. How many ports does the oculus use? is it one for the headset and one for each sensor?

xyphic · 13 Dec 2016 at 15:07

RaiderX said:
My motherboard only has 2x usb3 and 2x usb2 ports, found a post on oculus forums seemed to recommend inateck cards with the FL1100 so just ordered a 4 port card. How many ports does the oculus use? is it one for the headset and one for each sensor?

Yeah, one for the headset and one for each sensor. I think they recommend that you put the headset and first two sensors in 3.0 ports but extra sensors (e.g. if you're going for roomscale) can go in 2.0 ports. Would probably work with 1 sensor in 3.0 and the other in 2.0.

SupraWez · 13 Dec 2016 at 15:29

If you download the Oculus compatibility tool it will check and then provides info on a recommended card. Sadly OC do not stock them.

I found that the headset required USB3 but the sensor worked fine in USB2.

RoyMi6 · 13 Dec 2016 at 15:38

I've got the "Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card" (Amazon - £20.99)

It's the one recommended by Oculus (somewhere) and it works fine.

Cool Breeze · 13 Dec 2016 at 15:40

Been through this exact conundrum, I use a renesas controller for the Headset, Oculus doesn't moan and use the Intel onboard for the sensors.

Works and gives me no issues. I bought the said card with the FL1100 controller que sensors dropping out and oculus loosing connection to the HMD. obviusly something unique to my system but didn't work for me.

I have an ASMedia usb 3.1 card too but it only has 1 type A port but it works fine too with latest drivers.

kthula666 · 15 Dec 2016 at 10:01

I just ordered an internal usb 3 extender to reach my upgrade to the BitFennex case front panel usb3 module as it wont reach. But if not I would buy a pci-e usb 3 card would work just as well.