Time Tagger Ultra and Time Tagger X support USB3 connection. Always connect them to a USB3 port on your PC using a high-quality USB3 cable, preferably the one provided with the product. This helps prevent connection issues between the Time Tagger and the PC. A misconfigured connection may cause a failure, with an error message stating: “device is plugged to USB2, it will be slow, but when the device is plugged into a USB 3.0 port."
Or, if using the Time Tagger Lab:
In such cases, you can verify the USB connection between the Time Tagger and your PC by using a USB tree viewer, e.g., USB Device Tree Viewer. The Time Tagger will appear as Opal Kelly, as shown in the picture below ([AMD USB 3-Port 8]).
Please note that USB controllers can differ in their data transfer capabilities. Although a USB 3.0 controller supports a maximum bandwidth of 5 Gbps, some ports on the controller may operate at USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mbps). It is important to ensure the Time Tagger is connected to a port that supports the correct speed to avoid performance limitations. For multiple Time Taggers, the controller’s bandwidth becomes crucial. A USB 3.1 controller with a 10 Gbps limit can reliably support up to two Time Taggers, while a USB 3.2 controller with a bandwidth of 20 Gbps can handle up to four Time Taggers without performance degradation. In such cases, using a docking station or similar hardware may be required to accommodate the higher number of devices effectively. By understanding your USB controller’s specifications and ensuring correct port usage, you can optimize the performance of your Time Tagger devices.
