Mouse problems with Sonnet Allegro USB3 card

[nigelbb]

I have had a Sonnet Allegro USB 3 card installed in my Mac Pro 3,1 for some time but have rarely used it except infrequently with a Compact Flash card reader so I didn't notice a problem. However I jut bought a 4TB USB3 external disk & discovered that when it is powered up that I get all sorts of erratic behaviour with my Magic Mouse. It's very laggy & sometimes just stops responding. If I power off the external disk the problem goes away. I have now tested with a couple of other USB3 devices (external disk docks) & exactly the same problem occurs when they are powered up.

I did some Googling & found references to others seeing similar behaviour with USB3 cards in the Mac Pro. I am running Mountain Lion 10.8.2 & the latest Sonnet Allegro drivers (1.0.8b).

Is there anyone running the same card without problems with a Magic Mouse or conversely can anyone recommend a USB3 card that does not interfere with the Magic Mouse? I had been considering saving a PCIe slot by buying the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 combined USB3 & 6G eSATA card but would like to be certain that I won't encounter the same problem.

[wonderspark]

I have the Caldigit FASTA-6GU3. I used it with my Magic Mouse for a very long time when the Mac Pro was two feet from the mouse with no problem. As soon as I moved the machine to the other side of my desk, about four feet away, I got erratic mouse woes during USB 3 drive use.

I solved it by using a (much better) Logitech mouse with the little USB receiver plugged into the back of my 30" Apple Cinema Display. Now it's all perfect again, but yeah, no Magic Mouse. Meh.

[nigelbb]

That's a disappointment regarding the CalDigit card. Which Logitech mouse are you using? I like the Magic Mouse a lot & while I am not using most of the gestures & touchy-feely stuff sideways scrolling is important to me as I need it for easily moving about a Premiere Pro timeline & stroking the Magic Mouse left & right accomplishes that very well. If the Logitech mouse can do the same then it would be a workaround

[wonderspark]

It's a Logitech Anywhere MX. Not the newest of their mice, but maybe they have a newer one that would do sideways swipes.

I use Premiere and After Effects for hours every day for my work, and while I did like using the Magic Mouse in Pr, it wasn't nearly as good for detailed work in Photoshop or Illustrator, and it was also so sensitive that I found my fingers would occasionally touch the sides and change my zoom settings unintentionally. The benefit of side swipes was outweighed by the annoyances for me, so I don't mind grabbing the slider to navigate the timeline. Not only that, but battery life is multiples greater with the Logitech mouse.

Anyway, I hope you find a good solution!

[sunman42]

I have a hard time understanding how the card is interfering with the frequency-agile 2.4 GHz Bluetooth communications, but it s....l....o....w....s my Magic Mouse response to a crawl, even when there's just a USB thumb drive plugged in --- so it can't be blamed on a poorly shielded cable. I have to assume something goes active on the other, unused ports, when one is in use, that produces the interference.

I suppose my next step is to try covering the unused ports with tinfoil to see if that stops the interference. EIther that, or my head.

I guess the interference could be inside the Mac Pro: something is radiating, or affecting a ground line (?), at a Bluetooth-like frequency. I get queasy thinking that could be it, so I'll try the external foil and see what happens.

[nigelbb]

When I initially saw this problem I assumed that it must be some hardware issue like an IRQ conflict on a PC/Windows system. It still seems bizarre that it's RF interference but evidently the Bluetooth reception is marginal on the Mac Pro anyway.

This reminds me that I still have the extension wires & external aerial for Bluetooth that I ordered months ago. It's just that I have been so busy that I haven't wanted to take my Mac Pro to pieces while in the middle of projects.

I have been using the Microsoft Touch Mouse which doesn't have the sideways scrolling of the Magic Mouse but my wife just got a Logitech LS1 Laser Mouse which is not wireless but does have a sideways scrolling wheel.

[handheldgames]

USB3 in general comes with a host of interference related issues. It's the technology in general not the specific implementation. If anything, blame the location of the MacPro bluetooth antenna where there haven been issues reported for years before USB3 even added it's host of issues.'

Originally Posted by nigelbb

That's a disappointment regarding the CalDigit card. Which Logitech mouse are you using? I like the Magic Mouse a lot & while I am not using most of the gestures & touchy-feely stuff sideways scrolling is important to me as I need it for easily moving about a Premiere Pro timeline & stroking the Magic Mouse left & right accomplishes that very well. If the Logitech mouse can do the same then it would be a workaround

[crjackson2134]

Originally Posted by nigelbb

I have had a Sonnet Allegro USB 3 card installed in my Mac Pro 3,1 for some time but have rarely used it except infrequently with a Compact Flash card reader so I didn't notice a problem. However I jut bought a 4TB USB3 external disk & discovered that when it is powered up that I get all sorts of erratic behaviour with my Magic Mouse. It's very laggy & sometimes just stops responding. If I power off the external disk the problem goes away. I have now tested with a couple of other USB3 devices (external disk docks) & exactly the same problem occurs when they are powered up.

I did some Googling & found references to others seeing similar behaviour with USB3 cards in the Mac Pro. I am running Mountain Lion 10.8.2 & the latest Sonnet Allegro drivers (1.0.8b).

Is there anyone running the same card without problems with a Magic Mouse or conversely can anyone recommend a USB3 card that does not interfere with the Magic Mouse? I had been considering saving a PCIe slot by buying the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 combined USB3 & 6G eSATA card but would like to be certain that I won't encounter the same problem.

USB3 generates RFI that most definitely interferes with Bluetooth. Some have found relief by moving their external USB3 devices away from the tower and mouse (by way of a long USB3 cable). It's a real turn off for me, I love my magic mouse and if I have to chose between the two, the mouse wins. I'm guessing it won't be too much longer before a new USB spec. comes along and fixes the problem and delivers faster transfer rates. With PCIe 3.0 the bar is raised higher, so it stands to reason faster HID's will follow.

For those who need USB 3.0 now, it seems to be a crap shoot. If it's really worth it to you, ditch the mouse. I'm a new Mac Pro owner myself (very first Mac, no kidding). This is the first desktop I've ever owned that had BT built in. Obviously one can easily live without it.

[lssmit02]

I also have had problems with the Fast-6gu3 card and a UBS 3.0 Seagate GoFlex Desk Media. I upgraded my cable to a StarTech usb 3.0 cable, which appears to have additional shielding. So far, at least, it appears to have improved bluetooth reception. I currently use a bluetooth keyboard and trackpad, and a 2.4ghz wireless mouse with the receiver plugged into my monitor. No lags or stuttering at the moment, although you can never be sure.

[ActionableMango]

Intel has a whitepaper describing this problem.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/...nce-paper.html

Basically, it's a problem with the technology itself and not inherent to any specific manufacturer. They were able to reduce the problem by applying shielding to various locations.

I believe OWC even sells a bluetooth module shielding kit for use in a Mac Mini to protect it from its own USB 3.0 solution.

I am a bit disappointed that this is the new standard. Couldn't they have done a bit of RF testing? Hopefully the USB standards people can fix this by requiring all cables be shielded or something.

[bsbeamer]

Have the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 in a MacPro5,1 and removed the motherboard's Bluetooth jumper cable from this machine. Added in a $10 IOGEAR GBU521 to my Apple USB wired keyboard's hub (on the right side since I'm right handed) and there are no longer any Magic Mouse connectivity related issues. Mouse is basically as close to the receiver as it can get being in that location. For this machine's setup, the workaround works perfectly, even when USB3.0 devices are connected to the CalDigit card.

The Bluetooth rewiring solution has mixed results from what several people have reported.

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by bsbeamer

Have the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 in a MacPro5,1 and removed the motherboard's Bluetooth jumper cable from this machine. Added in a $10 IOGEAR GBU521 to my Apple USB wired keyboard's hub (on the right side since I'm right handed) and there are no longer any Magic Mouse connectivity related issues. Mouse is basically as close to the receiver as it can get being in that location. For this machine's setup, the workaround works perfectly, even when USB3.0 devices are connected to the CalDigit card.

The Bluetooth rewiring solution has mixed results from what several people have reported.

Other people who have done this report that their bluetooth devices no longer wake the MP from sleep when connected to a third party BT dongle. Have you tried this yet?