Virus Control on a new laptop with only USB-C ports

    Hi,


    Maybe you already know that, I am sharing it anyway just in case it could help someone.


    If you have a computer with USB-C ports (especially a laptop, on which you can't add a dedicated USB card for the Virus), do not use an all-in-one adapter with multiple USB ports, video out, etc. even if it is powered up, and even if you just connect the Virus and nothing else on that HUB. It will interfere with the Virus driver present on the system. In fact, you'll be able to install the Virus, then it won't work: the Virus Control Center won't detect the Virus unless you start it in USB mode and the Virus Control plugin won't detect the Virus in your DAW.


    You'll have to use a simple USB-A to USB-C adapter — or a USB-A USB-C cable — directly on one of the USB-C ports of the laptop.


    Other USB-C devices or HUB can be attached on other USB-C ports without interfering. So you can still use a mouse, an external keyboard, another screen... as you have at least two USB-C ports on your computer.

    Cheers.

    Thank you for posting your findings!

    It might be helpful to know what model of USB-C hub(s) you tested and verified to not work for future reference.


    Just a note: This might also be related to the USB-C hub or Windows handling USB-C busses. I’ve been using a Belkin Thunderbolt Dock (TB 1 is sort of a less powerful predecessor to USB-C) with attached USB 3.0 MTT hubs and was able to control my Virus TI just fine for years.

    Bass Player and Synthesist.
    Virus TI2 Darkstar | Virus TI2 Desktop | Sub 37 | Voyager RME | Machinedrum | Analog Four | Digitone | MPC Live | NI Maschine+
    Mac OS 13.5.1 (Ventura) | Cubase Pro 11.0 | Ableton Live 9.6 | Logic 10.4 | MainStage 3.4 | NI Komplete Ultimate 13 | RME Fireface UFX+

    I've used one of the last i7 DELL XPS 15" laptops running Windows 10 (64 bits, RAM 32 Go), a Virus Ti 2 Desktop and the last Virus TI software.


    I have tried more than a dozen of USB-C devices (for free, thankfully) with the same result, all recent pieces of hardware: a powered up Belkin USB-C INC002 (https://www.belkin.com/us/busi…cking-station/p/p-inc002/), a couple of Amazon / EONO docking stations and many chinese brands you find in computer stores (VVB, SELORE, NOVOO, HOPDAY...). They all worked very well for everything but controlling the Virus.


    There are three USB-C ports on this laptop, so it is not a big problem: one for the Virus, two for everything else. The tricky part was to figure out the HUB or Windows considered the bus connected to multiple sources even with just the Virus on a docking station.