MP 1,1-5,1 Sonnet Allergy Pro usb card question

[Krisz]

Hi all!

Sorry for the incorrect English

I would like to ask for your help because of an annoying problem!
I bought a sonnet allergo pro usb card from ebay 1 year ago, they sold it quite cheaply, but since it was advertised as used, I thought that's why it was cheap...
then after the card arrived, it became apparent that the appearance of the card did not completely match the card displayed on the official website!
e.g. In the lower right corner of the card on the official website, there is a serial number (1825). The card I bought is missing this number and the parts are also different!
I was like, that's why you shouldn't buy anything cheap..
I just bought it from an official store and received the same card!
Before that, I used a cheaper usb 3.0 card and even that achieved a better transfer speed, e.g. with my external drive
I have an oculus rift eyepiece and it doesn't work either, and I've already seen a video of a mac pro 5.1 with vr working!
There is a picture for a few seconds and then the glasses always disconnect!
The same is the case with the card you just bought
My question is, is it possible that this card might be counterfeited and I managed to buy such a copy?
I am attaching pictures too!
There is a picture of the "original" card on the box
however, if you look at the card, you can see the differences!
Sorry for the long and incorrect English
Thank you in advance for your answers

 

[mattspace]

My question is, is it possible that this card might be counterfeited and I managed to buy such a copy?

First picture shows "Type A X2", Second picture shows "Type A X3", so presumably a revision and update, or the first one is a PCI 2 card, and the second is a PCI 3 card?

 

[tsialex]

e.g. In the lower right corner of the card on the official website, there is a serial number (1825).

1825 is not a serial number, but a PCB production date marking:

• first two digits are the year, 18 = 2018
• last two digits are the week of production, week 25 = June 18 to June 24

The second card PCB production date is 2130, 2021 week 30, more than three years later.

The card I bought is missing this number and the parts are also different!

Photo from the box is a revision 2 card while yours is a revision 3 PCB.

 

[Krisz]

Thank you for your answers!
But then I don't understand why there is no performance improvement compared to the cheap usb card?
And I know it's an old machine (mac pro 5.1) But I read on several forums and saw on YouTube that the oculus rift - s glasses should work with this card
There is an image on the lens of the glasses for a moment, but then it disconnects and this goes on continuously, connecting up and down

 

[tsialex]

Thank you for your answers!
But then I don't understand why there is no performance improvement compared to the cheap usb card?

Most USB3.0 cards that are Mac Pro compatible are very similar design wise, use more or less the same components and have very similar performance, only high end USB 3.0 cards with PCIe switches and independent controllers have better performance. The standard Sonnet Allegro that you bought is not a high end USB 3.0 card.

And I know it's an old machine (mac pro 5.1) But I read on several forums and saw on YouTube that the oculus rift glasses should work with this card
There is an image on the lens of the glasses for a moment, but then it disconnects and this goes on continuously, connecting up and down

From the Oculus Rift specs the base requirements is a i5-4590, this CPU is two generations newer than a Westmere Xeon. Anyway, your issue is probably not the USB 3.0 card, but the CPU requirements.

Use the search and see if anyone was successful getting the Oculus Rift to work with a Mac Pro.

 

[Krisz]

Most USB3.0 cards that are Mac Pro compatible are very similar design wise, use more or less the same components and have very similar performance, only high end USB 3.0 cards with PCIe switches and independent controllers have better performance. The standard Sonnet Allegro that you bought is not a high end USB 3.0 card.



From the Oculus Rift specs the base requirements is a i5-4590, this CPU is two generations newer than a Westmere Xeon. Anyway, your issue is probably not the USB 3.0 card, but the CPU requirements.

Use the search and see if anyone was successful getting the Oculus Rift to work with a Mac Pro.

I knew that the Allergo USB card was in the top category, especially if we look at its price
I have already read on several forums that the oculus should work and I will share a YouTube video
even the much newer glasses work here with 5.1!

 

[tsialex]

I knew that the Allergo USB card was in the top category, especially if we look at its price

A lot of things changed in the last 5 years, let's say that if you look back in 2018, it was a top of the line card, but not in 2023.

It's a USB 3.1 5Gbps only card, today we have newer cards that support USB 3.2 2x2 20Gbps cards with four independent controllers or even USB 4.0/Thunderbolt cards like GC Titan Ridge that work fine with a MacPro5,1.

Allegro Pro is an old card for today's standards and Sonnet already moved it to legacy support a year or more ago when it was superseded by Allegro Pro Type-A USB 3.2 PCIe.

I have already read on several forums that the oculus should work and I will share a YouTube video
even the much newer glasses work here with 5.1!

So, it's better to change your thread title and ask for help installing an Occulus Rift. You are not going to solve your real issue asking for help with a Sonnet Allegro Pro.

 

[Krisz]

A lot of things changed in the last 5 years, let's say that if you look back in 2018, it was a top of the line card, but not in 2023.

It's a USB 3.1 5Gbps only card, today we have newer cards that support USB 3.2 2x2 20Gbps cards with four independent controllers or even USB 4.0/Thunderbolt cards like GC Titan Ridge that work fine with a MacPro5,1.

Allegro Pro is an old card for today's standards and Sonnet already moved it to legacy support a year or more ago when it was superseded by Allegro Pro Type-A USB 3.2 PCIe.



So, it's better to change your thread title and ask for help installing an Occulus Rift. You are not going to solve your real issue asking for help with a Sonnet Allegro Pro.

The sonnet allergo pro is a usb 3.2 gen 2 card! It is equipped with 2 controllers!

 

[tsialex]

The sonnet allergo pro is a usb 3.2 gen 2 card! It is equipped with 2 controllers!

So, you have how much cards, this one is not the same as the photo from the first post.

Maybe Sonnet is being creative with the marketing here…

 

[Krisz]

So, you have how much cards, this one is not the same as the photo from the first post.

View attachment 2203077

Damn it! You're right. This card was sold to me as 3.2 gen2! And that's what it says on the box! However, there is really 3.1 on the motherboard

 

[tsialex]

Damn it! You're right. This card was sold to me as 3.2 gen2! And that's what it says on the box! However, there is really 3.1 on the motherboard

So, Sonnet is really being creative with the marketing and packaging, but not with the URL and PCB markings?

Even the URL still says allegro-pro-usb31-pcie, damn USB Implementers Forum and the spec rename that allowed this type of mess.

Allegro Pro Type A USB 3.2 PCIe Card (4-ports • USB-A 10Gbps/USB 3.2 Gen 2 • Dual controllers • USB charging)

Mac, Windows and Linux PCIe adapter card with four USB-A ports and 7.5W of power dedicated to each port for bus-powered USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) devices. Backwards compatible with USB 3.1 and 3.0 peripherals.

www.sonnetstore.com

 

[Krisz]

So, Sonnet is really being creative with the marketing and packaging, but not with the URL and PCB markings?

View attachment 2203081

Even the URL still says allegro-pro-usb31-pcie, damn USB Implementers Forum and the spec rename that allowed this type of mess.

View attachment 2203082

Allegro Pro Type A USB 3.2 PCIe Card (4-ports • USB-A 10Gbps/USB 3.2 Gen 2 • Dual controllers • USB charging)

Mac, Windows and Linux PCIe adapter card with four USB-A ports and 7.5W of power dedicated to each port for bus-powered USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) devices. Backwards compatible with USB 3.1 and 3.0 peripherals.

www.sonnetstore.com

This is a pretty big scam and I wrote a complaint letter to the seller! I will be curious as to what answer I will get

 

[tsialex]

This is a pretty big scam and I wrote a complaint letter to the seller! I will be curious as to what answer I will get

I bet that they will say that the box and site were updated to reflect the USB-IF renaming of the prior USB 3.1 spec as USB 3.2 Gen 2.


USB 3.2 spec itself can be called a marketing scam:

• USB 3.2 Gen 1 (originally called USB 3.0)
  • Product capability: product signals at 5Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 (originally called USB 3.1)
  • Product capability: product signals at 10Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
• USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
  • Product capability: product signals at 20Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps

 

[Krisz]

I bet that they will say that the box and site were updated to reflect the USB-IF renaming of the prior USB 3.1 spec as USB 3.2 Gen 2.


USB 3.2 spec itself can be called a marketing scam:

• USB 3.2 Gen 1 (originally called USB 3.0)
  • Product capability: product signals at 5Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 (originally called USB 3.1)
  • Product capability: product signals at 10Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
• USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
  • Product capability: product signals at 20Gbps
  • Marketing name: SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps

I was well deceived The problem is that I don't think they will take back the card and so I won't get the money back either
Do you know of a USB card that is really 3.2 and has a separate controller for each port?

 

[tsialex]

I was well deceived The problem is that I don't think they will take back the card and so I won't get the money back either
Do you know of a USB card that is really 3.2 and has a separate controller for each port?

If you don't need independent controllers transferring full throughput all the time, your current card have the same performance if you connect just 2 devices, one to each controller.

There are several cards that support USB 3.2 2x2, but since the chipsets that support it are PCIe v3.0 x4 (to get the full 20Gbps), you won't get the full throughput when the card is installed to a MacPro5,1, only to a MacPro7,1. Also, the connector for USB 3.2 2x2 is the USB-C connector.

Seems that the best card that you can install to a MacPro5,1 continue to be the Highpoint RocketU 1244A, with 4 independent controllers, each port have its own dedicated USB 3.2 10Gbps controller, and a PCIe v3.0 switch - but it's a very expensive card (listed $239).

 

[Krisz]

If you don't need independent controllers transferring full throughput all the time, your current card have the same performance if you connect just 2 devices, one to each controller.

There are several cards that support USB 3.2 2x2, but since the chipsets that support it are PCIe v3.0 x4 (to get the full 20Gbps), you won't get the full throughput when the card is installed to a MacPro5,1, only to a MacPro7,1. Also, the connector for USB 3.2 2x2 is the USB-C connector.

Seems that the best card that you can install to a MacPro5,1 continue to be the Highpoint RocketU 1244A, with 4 independent controllers, each port have its own dedicated USB 3.2 10Gbps controller, and a PCIe v3.0 switch - but it's a very expensive card (listed $239).

Thanks for the help
It's really very expensive I think the sonnet allergo will remain.