USB 3.0 Connection Issue with OAK-D Lite

shimizuakihiko

Subject: USB 3.0 Connection Issue with OAK-D Lite

Dear Luxonis Support Team,

I am currently integrating the OAK-D Lite into a robotics system and have encountered an issue where the device consistently connects via USB 2.0, despite being directly connected to a USB 3.0 port using a certified USB 3.0 cable.

Here are the details of my setup:

- Device: OAK-D Lite

- Host: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (ARM64)

- OS: Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS (64-bit)

- SDK: depthai-python v2.21.2.0

- Cable: Certified USB 3.0 cable (verified with other devices)

- Port: Raspberry Pi USB 3.0 port (blue)

- Power: 5V/3A regulated supply

Observed behavior:

- `device.getUsbSpeed()` returns `HIGH`, indicating USB 2.0

- `dmesg | grep -i usb` shows enumeration as USB 2.0 device

- No other devices are connected to the same bus

- Tested with multiple cables and ports, same result

I have reviewed the documentation and verified that the cable and port support SuperSpeed. I also tested the same cable with other USB 3.0 peripherals, which connect correctly.

Could you please advise on the following:

1. Is there any firmware or hardware-level constraint that could force USB 2.0 mode?

2. Are there known compatibility issues with Raspberry Pi 4 USB 3.0 ports?

3. Is there a recommended method to confirm SuperSpeed negotiation from the device side?

4. Would a powered USB 3.0 hub improve negotiation reliability?

I would appreciate any guidance or troubleshooting steps you can provide. If needed, I can share full `dmesg` logs and SDK initialization traces.

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,

Akihiko

OskarSonc

Hey @shimizuakihiko - quick clarification first: the OAK devices shows up as USB2 only in bootloader. After DepthAI sends firmware it disconnects and re-enumerates as USB3.
You can check speed like this:

import depthai as dai
d=dai.Device()
print(d.getUsbSpeed())

If it still reports HIGH on the Pi 4, this points to the host side. The device always tries SuperSpeed if the host negotiates it. I know some Pi 4 running ubuntu had problems with VL805 controller. I think rpi-eeprom-update should fix this, but check online... Two more things you can try:
-Try the camera on a desktop/laptop USB3 port. Does it come up as SUPER there?
-Power it through a powered USB3 hub or a USB-C Y-splitter (data to the Pi, power from a separate 5 V source) to rule out Pi power/negotiation quirks.

Thanks,
Oskar

shimizuakihiko

Hi Oskar,

Thanks for the helpful information. Unfortunately, the microSD card on my Raspberry Pi got corrupted, so I'm currently recovering it. I got a USB Y-cable so I'll try it out. I will report back with results.

OskarSonc

Happy to help, let me know 🙂

shimizuakihiko

In conclusion, I was able to connect using UsbSpeed.SUPER. I tried three different USB 3.0 cables, and one of them was effective. Also, the auxiliary power supply using the Y-Cable required a separate power supply rather than using the Raspberry Pi's USB socket. Thank you.

OskarSonc

Yes, power is very limited on Raspi, so outside power is recommended.