FM3 USB Dropout from Edit; OK with Fractal Bot/FracTool

[forresal]

Recently acquired a pre-owned FM3 (non-turbo). Updated the device to the current firmware. Using the current FM3-Edit.

I can connect to FM3-Edit ok, however, after a few minutes it seems to freeze and lose connection. It also takes several minutes to upload a preset - clocked one preset taking about 14 mins. to upload to the FM3 via Edit.

I'm running a 2017 MacBook Pro; macOS Ventura Ver. 13.6. The laptop only has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports so I use a docking station for USB, HDMI ports.

I've followed the steps found on this forum (where appropriate for Mac's): usb-connection-issues-with-the-editor-help-is-here (I think I'm too new to the forum to share a link but that was the title). But the issue persists. I've tried different cables, different ports on the docking station, as well as an Apple specific dongle.

Again it seems like this only occurs between Edit and the FM3. I should also mentioned that there were no issues for a few days until it started cropping up earlier this week.

Any other help would be appreciated.

 

[forresal]

POSSIBLE FIX: I was able to get ahold of an Apple USB Type-C digital AV multiport adapter. I've left the FM3 on and connected to my MacBook for an hour and checking the connection periodically. Does not seem to have lost any connection to FM3-Edit. Odd that the other two docking stations had the drop outs but this doesn't. Regardless, all seems good for now.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

The laptop only has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports so I use a docking station for USB, HDMI ports

I’d recommend doing some triage. Disconnect the docking station (with the appropriate number of intermediate restarts) and plug ONLY the modeler into the laptop, with no other devices attached. This is to determine whether the problem is the computer -> modeler connection. If you can connect with Edit, and the connection and transfers occur at a reasonable speed then you know that the problem is not the modeler or the computer.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Odd that the other two docking stations had the drop outs but this doesn't.

I don’t trust docking stations but that’s probably just me.

Hubs and multiple USB devices can cause problems. Prioritize the modeler’s connection by disconnecting all other USB devices, then attach the modeler directly to the computer and see what happens when using Edit. Then, directly attach your second-most important device to a subsequent USB port and see if they both work correctly. Incrementally step through the devices until you have either run out of things to try or nothing else can connect then add in the hub and systematically step through those. Sometimes it makes a difference when connecting ONLY the USB cable first, waiting about 5 seconds then connecting the device to the cable because it lets the computer wake the port and settle the connection.

Multiple USB devices that don’t have their own power supplies take their power from the USB connection, which isn’t able to handle a lot of more modern devices. Fractals don’t require the USB power source to be the USB connection but others that do reduce the signal to other devices to the point they drag the others down with them.

I use two powered hubs that connect to my iMac Pro, which feed at least four other external drives plus multiple other ancillary devices, with my Fractals directly attached to the computer. The connection reliability with all the devices is great. And, I’m pretty sure that the same would happen if I made similar connections to my laptop. It’s a matter of connecting and testing the devices to ensure they’re not conflicting.

USB is an improvement over previous ways of attaching multiple devices to our computers, but it’s not perfect so we have to get involved sometimes. My initial go with the modeler was annoying, but I tore apart all my connections and it’s been really consistent since.