USB 3.x PCIe Cards for Classic Mac Pro

DPUser said:

was to disconnect the internal Bluetooth chip and plug a USB Bluetooth adaptor into my wired Apply keyboard. My wireless mouse is inches away. Perfection!

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Had you used Apple's IO Tools You could have chosen the BT source and you wouldn't have had to physically disconnect the internal BT card.

I don't use an Apply Keyboard. I have a Logitech Gaming Keyboard that I really like. It's lighted, my reason for getting it, and with the Logitech software, I can launch programs from it.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1733267/

Lou

Warning: KT4004 won't let you use CF cards

I purchased The inertek KT4004. It's working perfectly with my Kinsgton USB 3.0 card reader in the first few months since I mostly use SD cards until I purchased Canon 5D III that needs faster speed for raw recording. I purchased bunch of high speed CF cards.

Non of the CF cards I have can be used with KT4004, all cards mount and eject in loops. Other USB cards I purchased 2 ports generic NEC chip USB 3.0 cards can be working with CF reader in OSX 10.9 without any problems.

If you have CF card readers, might want to give it a try and help see if yours working with KT4004.

^^^^I have a 7D and don't use a card reader. I hook the camera up to the front USB 2.0 ports and go from there. I download to and open up my picts in Bridge.

Lou

Prince134 said:

I purchased The inertek KT4004. It's working perfectly with my Kinsgton USB 3.0 card reader in the first few months since I mostly use SD cards until I purchased Canon 5D III that needs faster speed for raw recording. I purchased bunch of high speed CF cards.

Non of the CF cards I have can be used with KT4004, all cards mount and eject in loops. Other USB cards I purchased 2 ports generic NEC chip USB 3.0 cards can be working with CF reader in OSX 10.9 without any problems.

If you have CF card readers, might want to give it a try and help see if yours working with KT4004.

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you can still plug your Lexar into your USB 2.0 ports and transfer the raw files from your CF card. Correct?

flowrider said:

^^^^Have you seen my previous posts in this thread? I was exasperated with the interference I was having, and my posts spell out my issues. My Post #985 describes how I finally solved the problem. Apple software, BT dongle and a USB 6' male to female cable. I've had no interference since this mod.

Lou

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I have now seen your topic

Korican100 said:

you can still plug your Lexar into your USB 2.0 ports and transfer the raw files from your CF card. Correct?

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Yes, the USB 2.0 port on my Mac Pro works. But KT4004 is not working with CF cards is disappointing.

Prince134 said:

Yes, the USB 2.0 port on my Mac Pro works. But KT4004 is not working with CF cards is disappointing.

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I am using the reader from LEXAR connected to the KT4004 and it's working flawless so far...

http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-usb-30-dual-slot-reader?category=203

back when the LEXAR USB 3.0 reader came to market, it had lot's of problems on the newly released MacBooks sporting USB 3.0. LEXAR then released a firmware upgrade utility which solved these issues.

http://www.lexar.com/support/downloads

It's Kingstone USB 3.0 reader that won't work

ActionableMango said:

Is it a Lexar reader? The first post summary says in the bullet list for the KT4004:


Other CF readers are known to work fine.



Well, that's interesting since another reader has reported they don't work.

This is part of why I gave up on the first post summary. Too many anecdotal problems here and there, and repeatedly being told what I "had" to say in the first post.

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It's this reader and KT4004 that won't work with CF cards:

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Memo...404150913&sr=8-1&keywords=kingston+3.0+reader

mikeboss said:

back when the LEXAR USB 3.0 reader came to market, it had lot's of problems on the newly released MacBooks sporting USB 3.0. LEXAR then released a firmware upgrade utility which solved these issues.

http://www.lexar.com/support/downloads

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I have that reader as well, flashed to latest firmware, and it is still troublesome on my KT4004. Interestingly, I have disconnects with SD cards, not with CF cards. Go figure!

I am glad I kept the older USB 2.0 version of that reader which works flawlessly.

Forgive me if it's been stated in the 41 pages of replies, but I believe that the Inateck KT4004 does have a dedicated USB 3.0 controller for each channel. From the Fresco Logic web site:

Fresco Logic's 4-port USB3.0 host controller, FL1100EX, equips hardware-based multi-stream, multi-threaded parallel processing engines that deliver full bandwidth to each USB 3.0 port, and have been further optimized for multiple device operation simultaneously.​

This four-port controller diagram shows each of the four ports as a root port.

fiatlux said:

I have that reader as well, flashed to latest firmware, and it is still troublesome on my KT4004. Interestingly, I have disconnects with SD cards, not with CF cards. Go figure!

I am glad I kept the older USB 2.0 version of that reader which works flawlessly.

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I am using a Hoodman "RAW STEEL USB 3.0 UDMA Reader" with the KT4004 ... so far, no issues

http://www.amazon.com/Hoodman-Rugge...sr=8-1&keywords=raw+steel+usb+3.0+udma+reader

There is no KT-4004 available in Hong Kong, but I can get a Orico PME-4U. AFAIK, this card use the same controller as the KT-4004, and someone can use it without connect the power cord.

Is there anyone own both of these 2 card? Any comment about them? I am planing to get a powered USB 3 hub anyway. And if required, I can easily connect the cable to my empty optical bay (or the Sonnet Tempo SSD card empty SATA 3 slot).

h9826790 said:

There is no KT-4004 available in Hong Kong, but I can get a Orico PME-4U. AFAIK, this card use the same controller as the KT-4004, and someone can use it without connect the power cord.

Is there anyone own both of these 2 card? Any comment about them? I am planing to get a powered USB 3 hub anyway. And if required, I can easily connect the cable to my empty optical bay (or the Sonnet Tempo SSD card empty SATA 3 slot).

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I am using the Inatek KT-4004 four port USB 3.0 and works fine with Mountain Lion 10.8.3. I don't have the Orico so I could comment further. The KT-4004 also supports other USB devices like printers, card readers, keyboards, mouse. Not sure about USB hubs as I have not tried this on the KT-4004. For the Orico PME-4U, as you mentioned this can run without connecting the Molex power cable. Just a guess, with the Molex cable, the file transfer may be a bit faster compared to without the power cable. I read from the Amazon reviews, the Orico PME-4U is also good.

Macsonic said:

I am using the Inatek KT-4004 four port USB 3.0 and works fine with Mountain Lion 10.8.3. I don't have the Orico so I could comment further. The KT-4004 also supports other USB devices like printers, card readers, keyboards, mouse. Not sure about USB hubs as I have not tried this on the KT-4004. For the Orico PME-4U, as you mentioned this can run without connecting the Molex power cable. Just a guess, with the Molex cable, the file transfer may be a bit faster compared to without the power cable. I read from the Amazon reviews, the Orico PME-4U is also good.

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Thanks for your reply. My plan is connect the USB 3 HDD through a powered hub to keep the super speed. I am not sure will it work. If not, than I will connect the Molex cable.

I really want to get the KT-4004. However, if thats the same controller of PME-4U, it's much much easier (and cheaper) for me to get the PME-4U.

h9826790 said:

Thanks for your reply. My plan is connect the USB 3 HDD through a powered hub to keep the super speed. I am not sure will it work. If not, than I will connect the Molex cable.

I really want to get the KT-4004. However, if thats the same controller of PME-4U, it's much much easier (and cheaper) for me to get the PME-4U.

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Welcome H9826790. Glad to help out. There's a guy in YouTube who installed an Inateck USB 3.0 card on his Mac Pro though this is a different model and came with a Molex power cable. Just thought of sharing this to you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO-jUTNEBzs If you have friends or relatives in the US you can ask them to order the card for you and have it shipped to you. I'm at Manila and I asked a friend in the US to send over the Inateck card. Another card you may want to look into is the Highpoint RocketU 1144C that supports other USB devices http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._ru1144c_rocketu_usb3_storage_controller.html

h9826790 said:

There is no KT-4004 available in Hong Kong, but I can get a Orico PME-4U. AFAIK, this card use the same controller as the KT-4004, and someone can use it without connect the power cord.

Is there anyone own both of these 2 card? Any comment about them? I am planing to get a powered USB 3 hub anyway. And if required, I can easily connect the cable to my empty optical bay (or the Sonnet Tempo SSD card empty SATA 3 slot).

Click to expand...

Write to this ebay seller:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Inateck-USB-...omanbindung-fuer-mac-pro-KT4004-/191066804713

They are actually Orico representatives in Europe and will most probably ship to Hong Kong.

Thanks for all the info, will check that out

malcbo said:

Write to this ebay seller:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Inateck-USB-...omanbindung-fuer-mac-pro-KT4004-/191066804713

They are actually Orico representatives in Europe and will most probably ship to Hong Kong.

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I did send them a message, but no reply for a week. So, I went to a computer store to pick up a Orico PME-4U today.

According to the official website information, there should be a cable included. However, the seller show me few packages, there is no cable in the box. So, he just give me a non-official cable.

I didn't check if that's the correct one. After back home, I found that the cable is wrong (the male/female reversed). For testing purpose, I'd try to install the card without the power cable, no luck. The card showed up in system information with driver properly loaded. However, it can't detect anything (HDD, USB drive, powered hub, etc).

All the cable, device, and the hub is working properly with the USB 2 port. Therefore, it must be the card. Even though the driver is properly loaded, iStat shows that the card draw zero current from the PCIe slot (I'd try both slot 2 and 3, same situation), may be this is the reason why it doesn't work (I really can't understand why they design a card that don't use the PCIe slot power, but force us to get it from other source).

Anyway, I will try to get a correct cable tomorrow and test it again (hopefully I can find one, otherwise, I will have the card in my hand, but forced to stay with USB 2 for a while).

Lucky enough to find the correct cable for my Orico PME-4U for just $2 today. With this power supply, this card works flawlessly (all keyboard, mouse, HDD, USB driver, CF/SD card reader tested via a USB 3.0 hub), no driver required, high speed, and no crash.

Since I only have one SSD on my Tempo SSD card, so I can simply connect these 2 card together to power up the PME-4U.





The cable length is just perfect, not too long, not too short, and doesn't make the inside looks too messy.

^^^Pretty clever solution

h9826790 said:

Lucky enough to find the correct cable for my Orico PME-4U for just $2 today. With this power supply, this card work flawlessly, no driver required, high speed, and no crash.

Since I only have one SSD on my Tempo SSD card, so I can simply connect these 2 card together to power up the PME-4U.

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Wow ... great solution!

Way to "think outside the box" on this.

Well done!

h9826790 said:

Lucky enough to find the correct cable for my Orico PME-4U for just $2 today. With this power supply, this card work flawlessly, no driver required, high speed, and no crash.

Since I only have one SSD on my Tempo SSD card, so I can simply connect these 2 card together to power up the PME-4U.

View attachment 486915

View attachment 486916

The cable length is just perfect, not too long, not too short, and doesn't make the inside looks too messy.

View attachment 486892

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Good Thinking! Nicely done. Enjoy your new USB 3.0 card. Thanks for sharing.