Oculus Link works on my Strix z390, but not TB3 port on Asrock z390 PG itx. Ideas?

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We just got a Quest 2 and a official Link cable. Its great.

I was able to connect it to my Z390 Strix ITX system without any issues.

When I connect it to mu son's Asrock Phantom Gaming ITX/ac system which has USB C Thunderbolt interface on the back, it never works, it says the usb device is not recognized.

I installed the TB software from Asrock, checked the settings, it never connects. It semi connects with a crappy USB A to C cable but in USB2 crap mode.

(TB USB support in the bios seems to be for usb devices on the other side of a Thunderbolt device)

(Error message is when plugged into the TB3/USB C port on the back. Goes away when you unplug)

Any ideas?
 

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We just got a Quest 2 and a official Link cable. Its great.

I was able to connect it to my Z390 Strix ITX system without any issues.

When I connect it to mu son's Asrock Phantom Gaming ITX/ac system which has USB C Thunderbolt interface on the back, it never works, it says the usb device is not recognized.

I installed the TB software from Asrock, checked the settings, it never connects. It semi connects with a crappy USB A to C cable but in USB2 crap mode.

(TB USB support in the bios seems to be for usb devices on the other side of a Thunderbolt device)

(Error message is when plugged into the TB3/USB C port on the back. Goes away when you unplug)

Any ideas?
Have you tried turning on the Thunderbolt usb support option?
 
Have you tried turning on the Thunderbolt usb support option?

Yeah, i tried it both ways, same error

When I try to reinstall the TB3 software it just gives the option to remove only.
 

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Re ran the intel motherboard inf and rebooted.
I opened the Oculus app and connected the Link. It showed green and working for 2 seconds then failed. These pics are taken about 2 seconds apart. Then the previously shown usb error pops up.

Edit:
Updated the Nvidia drivers (were only a month or two old)
Removed the Thunderbolt software - USB connection still fails.
Removed the Oculus software - still fails.
 

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I had the same problem with a b450 itx and its usbc port as well as the usb c port on my rtx 2080, ended up having to use a usb c to a adapter from cable on Amazon and Oculus works fine. I know apples to oranges but if there is a setting that fixes it let us know.
 
I had the same problem with a b450 itx and its usbc port as well as the usb c port on my rtx 2080, ended up having to use a usb c to a adapter from cable on Amazon and Oculus works fine. I know apples to oranges but if there is a setting that fixes it let us know.

Thanks, I have that cable adapter arriving tomorrow.

Edit 1:

The USB A to C adapter "works" but no matter which port I plug it into, it seems to only run in USB 2 (72 Hz) and recommends USB 3.

No idea what's up with these USB ports and where the issue is.

Edit 2:

Didn't realize that USB C could be USB 2 - the adapters I got were USB A to USB C but only USB 2 compliant.
 
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Thanks, I have that cable adapter arriving tomorrow.

Edit 1:

The USB A to C adapter "works" but no matter which port I plug it into, it seems to only run in USB 2 (72 Hz) and recommends USB 3.

No idea what's up with these USB ports and where the issue is.

Edit 2:

Didn't realize that USB C could be USB 2 - the adapters I got were USB A to USB C but only USB 2 compliant.

All the cheap USB C cables/adapters are internally USB 2.0, it makes shopping for the right cable a pain in the butt.
 
All the cheap USB C cables/adapters are internally USB 2.0, it makes shopping for the right cable a pain in the butt.
Yeah, it's the same fuckery we've been dealing with ever since they thought it was a good idea to have "full speed" and "high speed" USB2 peripherals. The USB Implementers Forum is the only entity which can give Intel a run for its money when it comes to garbage naming conventions.

For USB 3.whatever, you've gotta look for [superspeed|5gbps|10gbps]. Otherwise, you're probably looking at a funny-shaped USB2 cable.
 
It's been pretty interesting to see what works - my basic conclusion is that the Quest 2 is a major pain to use on the PC unless your hardware is really current.

We got a USB 3 cable with USB A on one end and USB C on the other end - it's 10ft long, says it's made for the Quest 2, but it disconnects/reconnects a lot.

This is what's happening:
1. My system - Strix Z390 - has a proper USB 3-C port. Works fine with the official Oculus Link cable, no issues.
2. Oldest kid - has an Asrock Z370 ITX/ac - no USB C port: Issues with the 3rd party A-C cable.
3. Second oldest - has an Asrock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX - the USB C port is also Thunderbolt 3 and utterly useless. A-C cable works poorly as described above

The kids generally like the Quest 2 for it's built in VR - it's a good product.

I'm ready to buy a PC focused headset for PC VR but there are issues:

1. Rift 2 is cheapest and would probably work for all but the oldest kid (who wants to do some VR dev) $299 feels pretty low risk and shouldn't have the USB and battery issues (Quest 2 discharges even on my PC)

2. I'd like to buy an Index or maybe a Vive Pro but they both use the Light House boxes so sharing it with my oldest son doesn't seem practical (my home office is down stairs, his room is upstairs, I don't want to port lighthouses around. Maybe I buy 1 headset and an extra set of lighthouses and maybe a breakout box or whatever? Not sure.

I can barely use the Quest 2 - it's super cramped with my glasses and most of the time, they get mashed into my face and end up smudged which makes it very hard to get a decent session - but I can see enjoying a nicer headset with prescription inserts, but I'm not sure how much I'd really use it after the novelty wore off. I pretty much just like fps games...
 
It's been pretty interesting to see what works - my basic conclusion is that the Quest 2 is a major pain to use on the PC unless your hardware is really current.

We got a USB 3 cable with USB A on one end and USB C on the other end - it's 10ft long, says it's made for the Quest 2, but it disconnects/reconnects a lot.

This is what's happening:
1. My system - Strix Z390 - has a proper USB 3-C port. Works fine with the official Oculus Link cable, no issues.
2. Oldest kid - has an Asrock Z370 ITX/ac - no USB C port: Issues with the 3rd party A-C cable.
3. Second oldest - has an Asrock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX - the USB C port is also Thunderbolt 3 and utterly useless. A-C cable works poorly as described above

The kids generally like the Quest 2 for it's built in VR - it's a good product.

I'm ready to buy a PC focused headset for PC VR but there are issues:

1. Rift 2 is cheapest and would probably work for all but the oldest kid (who wants to do some VR dev) $299 feels pretty low risk and shouldn't have the USB and battery issues (Quest 2 discharges even on my PC)

2. I'd like to buy an Index or maybe a Vive Pro but they both use the Light House boxes so sharing it with my oldest son doesn't seem practical (my home office is down stairs, his room is upstairs, I don't want to port lighthouses around. Maybe I buy 1 headset and an extra set of lighthouses and maybe a breakout box or whatever? Not sure.

I can barely use the Quest 2 - it's super cramped with my glasses and most of the time, they get mashed into my face and end up smudged which makes it very hard to get a decent session - but I can see enjoying a nicer headset with prescription inserts, but I'm not sure how much I'd really use it after the novelty wore off. I pretty much just like fps games...
I used virtual desktop, and so do all my friends. Basically uses wifi instead of a USB C cable, and oddly, it works better than the cable does for me.
 
It's been pretty interesting to see what works - my basic conclusion is that the Quest 2 is a major pain to use on the PC unless your hardware is really current.

We got a USB 3 cable with USB A on one end and USB C on the other end - it's 10ft long, says it's made for the Quest 2, but it disconnects/reconnects a lot.

This is what's happening:
1. My system - Strix Z390 - has a proper USB 3-C port. Works fine with the official Oculus Link cable, no issues.
2. Oldest kid - has an Asrock Z370 ITX/ac - no USB C port: Issues with the 3rd party A-C cable.
3. Second oldest - has an Asrock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX - the USB C port is also Thunderbolt 3 and utterly useless. A-C cable works poorly as described above

The kids generally like the Quest 2 for it's built in VR - it's a good product.

I'm ready to buy a PC focused headset for PC VR but there are issues:

1. Rift 2 is cheapest and would probably work for all but the oldest kid (who wants to do some VR dev) $299 feels pretty low risk and shouldn't have the USB and battery issues (Quest 2 discharges even on my PC)

2. I'd like to buy an Index or maybe a Vive Pro but they both use the Light House boxes so sharing it with my oldest son doesn't seem practical (my home office is down stairs, his room is upstairs, I don't want to port lighthouses around. Maybe I buy 1 headset and an extra set of lighthouses and maybe a breakout box or whatever? Not sure.

I can barely use the Quest 2 - it's super cramped with my glasses and most of the time, they get mashed into my face and end up smudged which makes it very hard to get a decent session - but I can see enjoying a nicer headset with prescription inserts, but I'm not sure how much I'd really use it after the novelty wore off. I pretty much just like fps games...

There are two main problems with getting the Quest 2 to work on PC through a link cable. Crappy USB ports on motherboards and crappy USB cables.

By the sounds of it, your cable is either faulty or not up to spec. What make and model is it?

In my experience only two cables work reliably. USB cables from Anker (which are recommended by Oculus) and ones from Kiwi design.

About getting a PCVR headset. You know you can prescription lenses for the Quest 2? Also have you tried the glasses spacer? Are you sure you even need to wear glasses, the lenses might be close to your face but the focal distance is around 2 metres.

There are some really good FPS games in VR. Pavlov, Onward, Contractors, Population One for starters.
 
There are two main problems with getting the Quest 2 to work on PC through a link cable. Crappy USB ports on motherboards and crappy USB cables.

By the sounds of it, your cable is either faulty or not up to spec. What make and model is it?

In my experience only two cables work reliably. USB cables from Anker (which are recommended by Oculus) and ones from Kiwi design.

About getting a PCVR headset. You know you can prescription lenses for the Quest 2? Also have you tried the glasses spacer? Are you sure you even need to wear glasses, the lenses might be close to your face but the focal distance is around 2 metres.

There are some really good FPS games in VR. Pavlov, Onward, Contractors, Population One for starters.
Yes, I was surprised that the overall experience came down to the USB implementation. My Strix board worked flawlessly but it's more or less a flagship ITX board and was the only system that used the official cable.

This is the 3rd party cable that didn't work so well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083WQGL66/
"USB C Cable 10FT, VOKOO Oculus Quest Link Cable, High Speed Data Transfer & Fast Charging Cable Compatible for Oculus Quest and Gaming PC"
$18.99 4.5 stars, over 1000 ratings.

I know you can get prescription lenses for the Quest 2 - i'm just not convinced that I have any long term interest in the Quest 2 or that it's worth it. If I'm going to go through the trouble of getting lenses, it will be for a premium headset - probably the Index.

I know there are PC VR games that I would be interested in, but I'm part of a small but active Apex Legends community and despite my curiosity and interest in novelty, the thing that compels me to play a game and stick with it is community and friendships you develop when you play squad based games.
 
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I also use Virtual Desktop for PCVR. I bought a $70 (which is cheaper than the official link cable) wifi 6 router that I use exclusively with the PC and Quest 2 and it works great.

I don't think the Index or any PCVR headset right now is really a premium headset. They all have trade-offs. The Quest 2 is cheaper but is actually superior in many ways. It has the best wireless PCVR experience, very good resolution and the best motion clarity.
The Index has worse resolution, you have to be wired, have to use base stations. The Reverb G2 has slightly better resolution than the Quest 2, but worse tracking and you need to be wired. You can get Pimax headsets with higher FOV, but they kind of suck at everything else. If you want the most premium setup you'll have to hack together stuff from a bunch of different headsets, spend thousands of dollars, and there will still be tradeoffs.


For VR FPS I really like Hyper Dash. It's the VR equivalent of an arena shooter like Unreal Tournament or Quake 3 Arena. It kind of gives me the same feeling I got playing Unreal Tournament on PC back in 1999.
It's very fast paced and you move around using a translocator and rails. You can move using the joystick or walking IRL too, but mostly get around using the other stuff.

Population One is a Battle Royale FPS, most of the others are Counter-Strike type games.


I've found the most fun VR games aren't normal games adapted to work with VR, but games designed exclusively for VR that allow you to do things that just wouldn't work well outside of VR.
 
Yes, I was surprised that the overall experience came down to the USB implementation. My Strix board worked flawlessly but it's more or less a flagship ITX board and was the only system that used the official cable.

This is the 3rd party cable that didn't work so well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083WQGL66/
"USB C Cable 10FT, VOKOO Oculus Quest Link Cable, High Speed Data Transfer & Fast Charging Cable Compatible for Oculus Quest and Gaming PC"
$18.99 4.5 stars, over 1000 ratings.

I know you can get prescription lenses for the Quest 2 - i'm just not convinced that I have any long term interest in the Quest 2 or that it's worth it. If I'm going to go through the trouble of getting lenses, it will be for a premium headset - probably the Index.

I know there are PC VR games that I would be interested in, but I'm part of a small but active Apex Legends community and despite my curiosity and interest in novelty, the thing that compels me to play a game and stick with it is community and friendships you develop when you play squad based games.

For a simple cable test, use the charging cable that came with the Quest 2. If it works, then, the issue is the cable. If it doesn't work, then both of your son's computers have poor USB ports. It's one of the areas that motherboard manufacturers have skimped on for years.

And What do you mean by your Quest 2 discharges? It you don't power it off, then it will lose some battery power overnight.

Like others have suggest, I think you should seriously consider trying Virtual Desktop and wireless PCVR gaming.

Having access to all three of the headsets, Quest 2, Valve Index and Reverb G2, I don't think any one is more premium than the other. They all have their issues and all have their strengths. The Quest 2 is the best all rounder with the added bonus of been able to play completely wirelessly either Standalone games or PCVR games. IF you haven't played a room scale game untethered, I really think you should give it a go. Any game where you have to duck or dodge or turn a lot.

Just on your last sentence. If developing friendships is what makes gaming great for you, then, you really need to start playing more VR. Social experiences is one of the best things about VR.
 
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For a simple cable test, use the charging cable that came with the Quest 2. If it works, then, the issue is the cable. If it doesn't work, then both of your son's computers have poor USB ports. It's one of the areas that motherboard manufacturers have skimped on for years.

And What do you mean by your Quest 2 discharges? It you don't power it off, then it will lose some battery power overnight.

Like others have suggest, I think you should seriously consider trying Virtual Desktop and wireless PCVR gaming.

Having access to all three of the headsets, Quest 2, Valve Index and Reverb G2, I don't think any one is more premium than the other. They all have their issues and all have their strengths. The Quest 2 is the best all rounder with the added bonus of been able to play completely wirelessly either Standalone games or PCVR games. IF you haven't played a room scale game untethered, I really think you should give it a go. Any game where you have to duck or dodge or turn a lot.

Just on your last sentence. If developing friendships is what makes gaming great for you, then, you really need to start playing more VR. Social experiences is one of the best things about VR.
1. The systems that are not working do not have a USB C port - except one, which has a ThunderBolt 3 port which does not seem to work right - it gets USB errors when connecting with the Link cable. I have some proper USB 3 A to C adapters coming today or tomorrow so that may improve things.

2. The Quest 2, connected to my PC, using the official Link cable, was losing battery power while we were using it and it eventually went dead. I thought it was because the Link cable was all fiber optic and doesn't carry a charge, but when I plug my Note 10 into it (and the other end into my PC) it says it's fast charging so I have no idea why the Quest 2 is discharging on the PC, but it is.

EDIT: *** The Note 10 says it is charging, but it is actually slowly discharging - 10 minutes ago it said "fast charging 92% - 12 minutes remaining" - now it says "fast charging 91% - 13 minutes remaining" - so this Link cable does not seem to charge...

3. I'm open to getting a dedicated wifi - the place where the kids would use it is the furthest place in the house from my main wifi router.

4. I'm not sure my 70+ IPD is ideal for the Q2, even with scrip lenses. On paper, I like Vive Pro the best, but everyone says it has issues and the Index is better. Mostly I feel like waiting for the next gen headsets to see what they're like.

5. I'm not really looking to "meet people" to play with - I like the people I play with currently, but it's good to know there is a good multiplayer side of VR, I have a very short attention span for single player games.
 
When you use the link cable to play it doesn't charge as fast as it uses the battery. It's a very slow drain though. If you were at a full charge to start it should last all day.

If you haven't tried the Quest 2 elite strap with battery It's really nice. You can basically play for 8 hours straight, but you can't use the link cable while using the extra battery. But if you're doing wireless or standalone it's a much better experience. It doubles the battery life which is nice, but more importantly it holds the headset in place much better. When I switched to the elite strap the visual clarity actually improved a bit because it was able to keep the headset centered better than with the strap it comes with. It might help with it banging against your glasses.

There are a bunch of youtube videos about what the best stuff is to use with glasses, and all the lens options. I've seen youtubers I watch have videos on them, but haven't watched them myself since I don't wear glasses.
 
When you use the link cable to play it doesn't charge as fast as it uses the battery. It's a very slow drain though. If you were at a full charge to start it should last all day.

If you haven't tried the Quest 2 elite strap with battery It's really nice. You can basically play for 8 hours straight, but you can't use the link cable while using the extra battery. But if you're doing wireless or standalone it's a much better experience. It doubles the battery life which is nice, but more importantly it holds the headset in place much better. When I switched to the elite strap the visual clarity actually improved a bit because it was able to keep the headset centered better than with the strap it comes with. It might help with it banging against your glasses.

There are a bunch of youtube videos about what the best stuff is to use with glasses, and all the lens options. I've seen youtubers I watch have videos on them, but haven't watched them myself since I don't wear glasses.
Not sure about the Link cable charging at all - it didn't charge my phone in the least.

I got the elite strap - the battery that goes with it seems to be completely sold out - not surprising since the battery life seems to be the primary weakness of the Q2.

Going to try wireless tonight to see how it works. Sadly, the only PC in close range is the one that works with the Link cable already - but if we like it, I might get a dedicated router for the upstairs.
 
Not sure about the Link cable charging at all - it didn't charge my phone in the least.

I got the elite strap - the battery that goes with it seems to be completely sold out - not surprising since the battery life seems to be the primary weakness of the Q2.

If the Link cable can't charge your phone (assuming the phone isn't doing anything strenuous), something's weird. Are you maybe daisy-chaining it through an unpowered hub?


Nothing magic about the elite strap with battery. Get a 10,000mah USB C battery bank for $20 and a couple velcro straps to hook it to the back of the headset. Viola; probably half a day of battery life, and the extra weight on the back of the headset balances it and takes some of the pressure off your face.

Of course, that doesn't help if you're tethered to the Link, but I have an idea about that.... I'm thinking that one of these USB y-cables has potential. Either plug it into two ports on the PC for double the amperage, or {PC -> long USB extension to me -> Y-cable w/ battery bank -> short USB A to C -> VR headset}. I've got it sitting in my Amazon cart, so the next time I pull the trigger on a purchase of <insert random bullshit here>, I'll be able to give it a go.
 
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1. The systems that are not working do not have a USB C port - except one, which has a ThunderBolt 3 port which does not seem to work right - it gets USB errors when connecting with the Link cable. I have some proper USB 3 A to C adapters coming today or tomorrow so that may improve things.

2. The Quest 2, connected to my PC, using the official Link cable, was losing battery power while we were using it and it eventually went dead. I thought it was because the Link cable was all fiber optic and doesn't carry a charge, but when I plug my Note 10 into it (and the other end into my PC) it says it's fast charging so I have no idea why the Quest 2 is discharging on the PC, but it is.

EDIT: *** The Note 10 says it is charging, but it is actually slowly discharging - 10 minutes ago it said "fast charging 92% - 12 minutes remaining" - now it says "fast charging 91% - 13 minutes remaining" - so this Link cable does not seem to charge...

3. I'm open to getting a dedicated wifi - the place where the kids would use it is the furthest place in the house from my main wifi router.

4. I'm not sure my 70+ IPD is ideal for the Q2, even with scrip lenses. On paper, I like Vive Pro the best, but everyone says it has issues and the Index is better. Mostly I feel like waiting for the next gen headsets to see what they're like.

5. I'm not really looking to "meet people" to play with - I like the people I play with currently, but it's good to know there is a good multiplayer side of VR, I have a very short attention span for single player games.

1. Sorry, my bad, I completely forgot that I am using a short phone charger as my USB A to USB C cable for the Quest 2 when I am charging it. Forgot that it isn't the cable that came with it. A phone charging cable with USB A to USB C will do for testing through, to see if the cable you bought is faulty.

2. hmmm, does the link cable charge the battery when you aren't playing? Are your USB ports falling asleep I wonder, going into selective suspend mode? A good way to check if it's charging while the screen is off is If you download and install Sidequest. When you open Sidequest, the bar at the top will show the Quest 2 IP address and if it's charging and what the current battery level is.

3. As long as the PC where your kids play is wired back to the main router, then you can setup virtual desktop without any trouble. You would need another router though.

4. Do you know your exact IPD? But, Don't buy a headset based purely on IPD. There is a lot more to it than that.

5. Single player in VR is a lot different than single player in pancake gaming. Playing Alien Isolation with the mothermod for VR and you will soon be paying a lot of attention!!
 
If the Link cable can't charge your phone (assuming the phone isn't doing anything strenuous), something's weird. Are you maybe daisy-chaining it through an unpowered hub?
It's connected directly to the USB C port on the back of my Strix Z390-i

1. Sorry, my bad, I completely forgot that I am using a short phone charger as my USB A to USB C cable for the Quest 2 when I am charging it. Forgot that it isn't the cable that came with it. A phone charging cable with USB A to USB C will do for testing through, to see if the cable you bought is faulty.

2. hmmm, does the link cable charge the battery when you aren't playing? Are your USB ports falling asleep I wonder, going into selective suspend mode? A good way to check if it's charging while the screen is off is If you download and install Sidequest. When you open Sidequest, the bar at the top will show the Quest 2 IP address and if it's charging and what the current battery level is.

3. As long as the PC where your kids play is wired back to the main router, then you can setup virtual desktop without any trouble. You would need another router though.

4. Do you know your exact IPD? But, Don't buy a headset based purely on IPD. There is a lot more to it than that.

5. Single player in VR is a lot different than single player in pancake gaming. Playing Alien Isolation with the mothermod for VR and you will soon be paying a lot of attention!!
Some misc googling and it seems that the official cable does not charge while in use:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQues...cial_oculus_link_cable_with_the_quest_2_does/
 
It's connected directly to the USB C port on the back of my Strix Z390-i


Some misc googling and it seems that the official cable does not charge while in use:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQues...cial_oculus_link_cable_with_the_quest_2_does/

If you look farther down in the comments on that post, the OP updated it:

J. Random Redditor said:
Sorry this is a bit of an old thread now, I should have done an update.

They released a patch and after that it started charging much better than it was, I can now stream for an entire night (around 6 hours ish) and it keeps things charged enough using link and PC.
 
It's connected directly to the USB C port on the back of my Strix Z390-i


Some misc googling and it seems that the official cable does not charge while in use:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQues...cial_oculus_link_cable_with_the_quest_2_does/

That's old news. The official link cable definitely charges while playing. Do you know that it won't start charging, if it's in use, until the battery level drops to 80% or something like that. Can't remember the exact level off the top of my head.
 
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