Windows 10 Help configuring Win10 to view multiple webcams

[esskaykay]

Hello,

I have been struggling to resolve an issue I am having attempting to view two Logitech webcams simultaneously on my Dell XPS13 9350 laptop when connected to a 4-port USB-A hub. Problem is I can only view one camera at a time when both cameras are plugged to the hub. However, if I plug one camera to the hub and the second directly into a USB port on the laptop it works fine – but for various reasons I’d much rather not do that.

I believe this is a Windows 10 issue. I have two XPS13 machines configured very similarly. The only difference I am aware of is one is an i5 processor, the other an i7 (i.e., same video, hard drive, memory, OS version, etc.).

When I run the cameras on the i5 thru the 4-port hub all works perfectly. As a test, I “cloned” the i5 machine to an external USB drive. I then connected the external drive to the i7 and configure it to boot from the external drive – all cameras worked perfectly. So I know it’s not a hardware issue but presumably an OS issue.

I next performed a Windows reset on the i7 machine reinstalling Win10 but leaving all programs and files intact. The machine rebooted and the reinstall “appeared” to be OKAY. However, I could still only view one camera through the USB hub at a time. Apparently the “reset” didn’t work.

My question if you please – what Win10 setting could possibly be causing this? I really don’t want to do a complete Windows 10 reinstall if possible as you can imagine this would be very invasive. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve K.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like the issue you're experiencing with your Logitech webcams on your Dell XPS13 9350 laptop might be related to USB bandwidth allocation. To troubleshoot and potentially resolve this problem, here are some steps you can take: 1. Check USB Hub Power: Ensure that the USB hub is externally powered if possible. Webcams can consume significant power, and an unpowered hub might not be able to supply sufficient power to both cameras simultaneously. 2. USB Bandwidth Allocation: USB controllers have a limited bandwidth shared among the connected devices. If both cameras have high video resolutions, it might exceed the USB bandwidth capacity. Try reducing the video resolution on one or both cameras to see if they can both function simultaneously. 3. USB Port Speed: USB ports can have different speeds, such as USB 2.0 or USB 3.0. Connecting both cameras to USB 3.0 ports might help in case they are currently connected to USB 2.0 ports. 4. Check Device Manager: Navigate to Device Manager and examine the USB controllers. Ensure there are no warnings or errors related to USB devices. You might also want to update the drivers for the USB controllers. 5. Power Management Settings: In Device Manager, locate the USB Root Hub, go to its properties, and disable the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" option. 6. USB Selective Suspend Setting: Under Power Options, check the USB Selective Suspend Setting. Disabling this feature might prevent USB ports from entering low-power states. By addressing these points, you may be able to resolve the issue without the need for a complete Windows 10 reinstallation.