USB-to-computer cable for DP-32?

[shredd]

I currently use a USB cable to connect my O/G DP-32 to my mac for backups and AudioDepot and such. It's a standard-issue A-to-MiniB, 3 feet, with a noise choke. Works FINE, exactly as designed/intended.

My problem: I need a TEN footer for my studio arrangement. I bought one - and it DID NOT WORK. Connected it, opened the USB connection on the DP, and DP DID NOT appear on the mac.

Does anyone have any experience with using a long/er cable for that connection? Did it connect/function?
Or was my problem that the USB connection won't support a 10' cable run?
Or did I just get a cable that doesn't pass data unless it's connected to a phone or something?

Did a deep dive in the OM, but the section on connection via USB to a computer sez nothing whatsoever about the cable, other than to ensure it has the right connectors (DUHHH!)...

TIA!

 

[-mjk-]

You need a USB repeater most likely, if the cable run is too long. I have several long USB extension cables and they happen to work for what I'm using them for. They could just as easily not though. The voltage drops over the length of the cable.

 

[shredd]

Hm.
Thnx @-mjk- …I had a suspicion that the LENGTH of the cable was the problem, not compatibility or whut-eva.

I didn’t expect that to be the culprit, ‘cuz I’ve connected various USB devices with cables at least that long (10’)…but - perhaps they had different voltage needs, or the cables carried it better, or or or…

But there’s no way I’m going to buy a device (the repeater) just to resolve this this one stoopid problem. I’ll just relocate the computer (closer, to use the 3-footer I successfully use now) - or just use something else.
It’s just that the ‘studio’ (also known as “spare room”) is gettin’ a liiiiittle busy!!!

 

[Mark Richards]

Shredd, I just cobbled together an 11 foot usb cable using the original 5 footer that came with my DP-24 and two extensions cables, each 3 ft long. Worked fine connected to my Dell/Windows laptop. The two extension cables were at least as thick as the original DP-24 cable. So I'd look to the quality of your cable.

 

[shredd]

THNX @Mark Richards - I have a suspicion you're right...the 10-footer I have that doesn't work with the DP-32 is a very light/thin one, surely 28AWG or less.

The REAL irony (I forgot to mention this in OP) - that cheapo 10-footer works FINE connecting my DP-008 (converted to EX) to a puter. WTFLOCK???

 

[shredd]

I know y'all are utterly riveted by my DP-to-computer-via-USB connecting problem, so I'm fleshing it out completely here, in the hopes that it might ever have some value to someone researching a similar problem.

I just spent HOURS doing this long-winded cable-swapping, computer-swapping, DP-swapping process-of-elimination campaign, using every possible combination of different cables, different computers, and both my DP's (O/G '32, and a '008 converted to EX).

The bottom line: I DID get connections (with both my DP's, different 'puters, and with the above-mentioned 10-foot USB cable) - and also had numerous FAILURES to connect. So I haven't really resolved my ORIGINAL problem, which is connecting my DP-32 to my 'studio' iMac, which is a good 10' away (and no room to rearrange).

If it helps anyone, here's the details:

• DP's: an O/G (MIDI & CD) '32, and a more recent '008 firmware-updated to EX (see elsewhere on forum).
• Computers: a late-teens iMac AND a mid-teens Macbook Air, each running Monterey; early-teens iMac running High Sierra.
• Cables: both generic-grade USB-A to USB-MiniB; one 4'-er and one pretty cheap 10'-er.
• Tried connections to the various computers' actual USB ports; and also via generic "octupus" dongle (plugs into a puter's USB, and branches out to 4 USB ports).

Here's a list of hits & misses:

• Macbook Air: DP-32 would not connect with EITHER cable; DP-008 DID connect, with EITHER cable.
• Early-teens (studio, High Sierra) iMac: LOTS of different results...the DP-008 connected with EITHER cable, whether into an onboard USB port, or into the "octopus"...the DP-32 was ALL over the place: I got it to connect once with the 4'-er and an extension, through the "octupus" - but it also failed numerous times, with both cables, both into the onboard AND into the "octopus".
• The late-teens/Monterey iMac: couldn't get it close enough to the studio to test a connection to the DP-32...BUT: I got the DP-008 to connect to it with BOTH cables and BOTH onboard and "octopus" ports.

////////////////////
EDIT:
I borrowed a mid-teens Dell Latitude laptop running Win10 64-bit, and tried the same stuff as above. Results:
With the 4'-er: the DP-32 connected INSTANTLY. With the 10'-er: it connected as a generic USB drive (NOT identified as the DP-32) and would not display ANY drive info or contents.
//////////////////////
SO: it appears there's multiple culprits:
The 10'-er is clearly a weaker connection.
And more importantly: it appears that individual computers have different degrees of success making this connection. This is confusing, because the DP-32 has connected reliably/unfailingly to my Macbook Air for years...was my "go-to" for backing up/file transfer.

So - if any of youse guyz are in the neighborhood...please stop over and put me out of my misery.
Sorry to sound like a cranky old geezer (which I am)...but this kind of horse-puckey is exactly why I utterly despise the integration of computers into musical endeavors. Now - "get off my lawn"!!!

 

[Max Relic]

@shredd Even iMacs sometimes may get confused, if this is the case try a selective reset before worrying too much:
https://www.macworld.com/article/224955/how-to-reset-a-macs-nvram-pram-and-smc.html

 

[shredd]

THNX @Max Relic - I dunno why I didn't think of that...I have heard of this before, but not only have I done it perhaps 3-4 times in 20 years of using apple's...but didn't consider that this could be contributing to my various macs' spazz-out.

I'll get on it and see what comes out in the wash. Thnx again!!!

 

[shredd]

Computer Hell continued...

Have attempted the NV-RAM reset on all three mac's, per the above-linked instructions.
NONE of the three did what was indicated (the startup key-combination leading to a check-settings screen)...but ALL appeared to have been reset to some sort of default, as my screen-brightness settings had changed, that sorta sstuff.

Meanwhile: the studio iMac (that's the early-teens High Sierra one) STILL does not connect with that cheapo 10'-er...leading me BACK to what @-mjk- said about cheap cables causing problems. It DID connect using the better-quality 4'-er, even WITH a USB extender-cable AND going into the USB "octupus"!!!
Yet that 10'-er still DOES work connecting the DP-008 to whatever. Go figger...

And one more bizarro observation:
When trying to connect the DP-32 to the studio iMac using the 10'-er, it had an odd behavior: a screen popup saying it was looking for (and not finding) a B/Tooth keyboard!?!?
This is likely the iMac mis-interpreting what was connected to it, because of the crappy cable/low-quality signal it was passing.

It seems the next step (and the last one I can think of!) is to simply find/purchase a better-grade 10'er.

So...I've basically gotten nowhere with this. Am going out for nachos and beer.