Re: Raspberry Pi 4B does not detect devices in USB 3.0

From: Archimedes Gaviola <archimedes.gaviola_at_gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:19:15 UTC
On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 6:47 PM Archimedes Gaviola <
archimedes.gaviola@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 6:22 AM Daniel O'Connor <darius@dons.net.au>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> > On 14 Feb 2022, at 23:10, Archimedes Gaviola <
>> archimedes.gaviola@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I just tried my new RPI4 board and it seems to work fine the same as my
>> old board. I just observed that the problem is when my VFD (vacuum
>> fluorescent display) device is connected to either of the two USB 3.0
>> ports, this device having uplcom(4) driver is not detected.
>>
>> I wonder if the VFD is causing interference - it likely has a high
>> voltage supply and those are notorious for generating electrical noise.
>>
>> > It's a Prolific USB-serial device having PL2303 chipset. However, when
>> plugged-in to USB 2.0 ports, this device is detected and functioning. I can
>> send characters with the echo command and redirect it to /dev/cuaU0 for
>> display without any problem. Other observations when this VFD device is
>> connected to either 3.0 ports, the 2.0 ports will not function i.e.
>> plugging-in any USB devices like my keyboard or my EMV reader. When this
>> device is also connected to either of the 2.0 ports, the other 2.0 port is
>> functioning for other USB devices while 3.0 ports are not. I attached two
>> dmesg outputs when the device is detected with 2.0 ports and undetected
>> with 3.0. I also include kldstat and usbdump.
>>
>> I would be curious if putting the VFD on a longer cable, or wrapping the
>> cable through a ferrite, or using an external hub fixes it.
>>
>> Any of those would give a bit more isolation between the VFD and USB3
>> hardware.
>>
>
> Thanks Daniel for your recommendations, I've tried extending it to a long
> cable and using an external USB hub however the outcomes were still the
> same, it cannot be detected. As per checking, this device has a default
> ferrite bead clamped over its USB cable.
>
> Using the same RPI 4B hardware, this VFD device has been tested as well
> with OpenBSD 6.9 and CentOS 8. They both work with USB 3.0 except OpenBSD
> system will panic the first time you plug-in the device but will work fine
> after a forced reboot or when you unplug and plug back the power.
>
> Thanks,
> Archimedes
>

Based on Fred's recommendation here
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2022-February/001010.html
with FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT, my VFD device is now detected and functioning in
3.0 while the rests of the ports are now functioning as well with my other
USB devices. So, I will now close this raised concern. Hoping this working
state will still be available until release.

Thanks for your inputs and support!

Best regards,
Archimedes