Question / Help Elgato Cam Link 4K freezes - Sony a5100

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FitzFuchs

New Member
Hi, I've now switched it to a new second streaming PC, but the camera feed freezes after a while. I can reset it by going into the source properties in OBS and deactivate/reactivate it, but that only seems to last a few minutes before it freezes again. This is even when not streaming/recording - just with the OBS window open and preview enabled.

Hardware: Gigabyte Aorus x570 Elite, Ryzen 7 3700X, 16Gb RAM, Geforce GTX 1660 , Elgato 4k60 Pro Mk.2. GPU is in the first PCI-Ex16 slot, 4k60 is in the second. Only USB devices are the aforementioned Cam Link 4k, a Stream Deck XL, a USB mouse and a keyboard. Camera: Sony a5100.
Software: Windows 10 64 Pro 1909, OBS 25.0.1 64 bit.

I have already tried the different USB ports. The four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports integrated in the CPU and the two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Red) ports integrated in the chipset. In each case only with the Cam Link 4K connected to the corresponding ports. But each time the Cam Link 4K froze from time to time. You hear the typical Windows 10 USB disconnected sound.

You can deactivate and reactivate the Cam Link in OBS. But it only works for a short time.I found out that if I plug the Cam Link 4K into another USB 3 port while the stream is running, the Cam Link 4K works through the whole stream. It doesn't matter if the Cam Link 4K has been used with this USB port before or not. Not a real solution, but a workaround for the moment.

I also found that when I move large amounts of data over the network from streaming PC to gaming PC, the Cam Link 4K freezes directly. This is probably because the chipset is totally loaded for the integrated network card?

We discuss this on reddit in the elgatogaming subreddit and u/dorthak42 noticed this:
"I also noticed that if I just leave it on a full screen camera view, with no video from the game PC showing, it doesn't freeze. Which makes me think that capturing with both devices at once is overloading.... something. No idea what - task manager shows that CPU load never goes above 10-15% and GPU load never goes above 30% or so. (That's when it is nor streaming or recording, just showing the preview window.)"


Could this be an OBS problem or an Elgato Cam Link 4K problem with Ryzen CPUs?
Maybe some data overload and OBS kicks the Elgato Cam Link 4K out?
Does anyone have an idea?
 
FerretBomb

FerretBomb

Active Member
If you're getting the Windows 'USB device disconnected' sound, this is a hardware issue or conflict, not an OBS issue. Please reach out to Elgato support, we cannot provide support for hardware-based issues here.
 
Sukiyucky

Sukiyucky

Member
You need to use a constant power source to your camera. Don't use USB as your power source because it only puts out 5V.
Your Sony camera needs 7.4V. That is why its probably disconnecting.

Get a dummy battery with AC power. Something like this:

Amazon.com: Gonine AC-PW20 AC Power Supply Adapter and DC Coupler Charger Set, Replace NP-FW50 Battery for Sony Alpha A6500, A6400, A6300, A7, A7II, A7RII, A7SII, A7S, A7S2, A7R, A7R2, A55, A5100, RX10 Cameras.: Electronics

Buy Gonine AC-PW20 AC Power Supply Adapter and DC Coupler Charger Set, Replace NP-FW50 Battery for Sony Alpha A6500, A6400, A6300, A7, A7II, A7RII, A7SII, A7S, A7S2, A7R, A7R2, A55, A5100, RX10 Cameras.: Adapters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Amazon.com : Selens External Portable DC Dummy Battery Pack for Canon EOS 5D3, 5D2, 60D, 7D, 6D, 60Da LP-E6 Semi Decoding Power : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Selens External Portable DC Dummy Battery Pack for Canon EOS 5D3, 5D2, 60D, 7D, 6D, 60Da LP-E6 Semi Decoding Power : Camera & Photo
www.amazon.com
 
carlmmii

carlmmii

Active Member
It wouldn't be his camera dropping out if he's hearing the USB device disconnect sound. If it were, the HDMI signal would stop and the camlink would continue to operate properly, with no device disconnect alert.

For whatever reason, the camlink itself is disconnecting, which either means a bandwidth issue or a power delivery issue to the camlink. As you've already tested all your USB ports, the next thing I would try is to plug the camlink into a powered USB3 hub. If that doesn't work, then you'll definitely need to contact elgato for further troubleshooting or a replacement unit.

If the powered hub does work, then that points toward something going on with your motherboard's USB power delivery.
 
F

FitzFuchs

New Member
FerretBomb said:
If you're getting the Windows 'USB device disconnected' sound, this is a hardware issue or conflict, not an OBS issue. Please reach out to Elgato support, we cannot provide support for hardware-based issues here.
Click to expand...
Thx for your answer, i contactet the elgato support.


Sukiyucky said:
You need to use a constant power source to your camera. Don't use USB as your power source because it only puts out 5V.
Your Sony camera needs 7.4V. That is why its probably disconnecting.

Get a dummy battery with AC power. Something like this:

Amazon.com: Gonine AC-PW20 AC Power Supply Adapter and DC Coupler Charger Set, Replace NP-FW50 Battery for Sony Alpha A6500, A6400, A6300, A7, A7II, A7RII, A7SII, A7S, A7S2, A7R, A7R2, A55, A5100, RX10 Cameras.: Electronics

Buy Gonine AC-PW20 AC Power Supply Adapter and DC Coupler Charger Set, Replace NP-FW50 Battery for Sony Alpha A6500, A6400, A6300, A7, A7II, A7RII, A7SII, A7S, A7S2, A7R, A7R2, A55, A5100, RX10 Cameras.: Adapters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Amazon.com : Selens External Portable DC Dummy Battery Pack for Canon EOS 5D3, 5D2, 60D, 7D, 6D, 60Da LP-E6 Semi Decoding Power : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Selens External Portable DC Dummy Battery Pack for Canon EOS 5D3, 5D2, 60D, 7D, 6D, 60Da LP-E6 Semi Decoding Power : Camera & Photo
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Of course I used the official Sony Power pack for the camera. As I said, not the camera, but the Cam Link 4K Stick freezes.


carlmmii said:
For whatever reason, the camlink itself is disconnecting, which either means a bandwidth issue or a power delivery issue to the camlink. As you've already tested all your USB ports, the next thing I would try is to plug the camlink into a powered USB3 hub. If that doesn't work, then you'll definitely need to contact elgato for further troubleshooting or a replacement unit.

If the powered hub does work, then that points toward something going on with your motherboard's USB power delivery.
Click to expand...
On my old gaming PC, when I used a single streaming setup, the camera also froze as sporadic. But never so often.
It's a new board and a new power supply in the new streaming PC. So it would be strange if the USB port could not supply enough voltage.

As far as powerd USB hubs are concerned, I have already found some information about them on the internet. That it was tried, but also did not work.

Theoretically, there is still the possibility that I could install a USB 3.0 PCIe card internally, which is also powered by a SATA power supply. But on the mainboard I only have one PCIe 4.0 x1 port free. This reaches theoretically 2 GByte/s transfer rate, but I have not yet found a USB 3.0 PCIe card, which is specially designed for PCIe 4.0. Only maximum PCIe 3.0, but it only reaches 1 GByte/s and the Elgato Cam Link 4K Stick reaches up to 2 GByte/s in data transfer.
 
dorthak

dorthak

New Member
The aforementioned u/dorthak42 here. Unlike FitzFuchs, I never had freezes when it was on the gaming PC, at all. And I don't get the USB disconnected notice. It just.... freezes. I set in the OBS properties window "Deactivate when not showing", and now if I click the little eyeball by the source off and on, it resets things and it starts working again. Until it doesn't....
 
Sukiyucky

Sukiyucky

Member
"Of course I used the official Sony Power pack for the camera. As I said, not the camera, but the Cam Link 4K Stick freezes."

You never said that you were using a dummy battery power pack. Once again, to make sure you are reading this right, are you using the actual batteries or a dummy power supply. They are not the same. Dummy battery power is an adapter that is in the shape of the battery that gets its power from AC outlet. It is NOT the battery pack itself.

Post a picture of what you are putting into the battery slot.

And for its worth I use a Sony RX100V with Cam Link 4K and a dummy battery pack and do not have a problem. So its something on your end that is messed up. When I did not use a dummy battery pack and just the USB to try to drive my camera, I got USB disconnect issues.

If you are having problems with CamLink and your camera, Elgato should have been your first contact. Did you even consider that the problem was your Elgato Cam Link 4K itself before even posting here?
 
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F

FitzFuchs

New Member
Sukiyucky said:
"Of course I used the official Sony Power pack for the camera. As I said, not the camera, but the Cam Link 4K Stick freezes."

You never said that you were using a dummy battery power pack. Once again, to make sure you are reading this right, are you using the actual batteries or a dummy power supply. They are not the same. Dummy battery power is an adapter that is in the shape of the battery that gets its power from AC outlet. It is NOT the battery pack itself.

Post a picture of what you are putting into the battery slot.

And for its worth I use a Sony RX100V with Cam Link 4K and a dummy battery pack and do not have a problem. So its something on your end that is messed up. When I did not use a dummy battery pack and just the USB to try to drive my camera, I got USB disconnect issues.
Click to expand...
Again, the Cam Link 4K freezes, not the camera. I use the dummy battery pack Sony AC-PW20 AC. The camera is works all the time. I can see it on the flipped camera display from the back! I hope it make this point clear now. :D

Sukiyucky said:
If you are having problems with CamLink and your camera, Elgato should have been your first contact. Did you even consider that the problem was your Elgato Cam Link 4K itself before even posting here?
Click to expand...
As already mentioned, I have contacted Elgato, but unfortunately I have not yet received an answer.
Because both dorthak and I were not sure if OBS could be the guilty one, I opened this thread here. Please don't stone me just because we wanted to clarify all possibilities. ¯\_ツ_/¯

FitzFuchs said:
I found out that if I plug the Cam Link 4K into another USB 3 port while the stream is running, the Cam Link 4K works through the whole stream. It doesn't matter if the Cam Link 4K has been used with this USB port before or not.
Click to expand...
I just can't understand it. How is it working so well when I change the USB port that wasn't in use before? This must have something to do with the fact that the USB port was in use at startup, or was in use before at shutdown.

Can it have something to do with Windows 10 quick start? I think I read somewhere that I should disable it. But I am not sure anymore. Because it doesn't shut down the PC properly, only "half of it" and that can cause errors. Has anyone heard of it or has experience with it?
 
FerretBomb

FerretBomb

Active Member
FitzFuchs said:
I just can't understand it. How is it working so well when I change the USB port that wasn't in use before? This must have something to do with the fact that the USB port was in use at startup, or was in use before at shutdown.

Can it have something to do with Windows 10 quick start? I think I read somewhere that I should disable it. But I am not sure anymore. Because it doesn't shut down the PC properly, only "half of it" and that can cause errors. Has anyone heard of it or has experience with it?
Click to expand...
That is definitely a question to ask Elgato Support, not here.
This is either a problem with the Camlink, Camlink drivers, or your USB subsystem. None of which are within-scope for OBS support.
 
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