# USRP B200 host BW with USB 3.0/2.0 **URL:** \ **Category:** GNU Radio\ **Created:** [January 29, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994 "2015-01-29T13:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/addis_a)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/1 "2015-01-29T13:49:04Z")
I understand the given values of host bandwidth for each protocol: USB 2.0 8 (MS/s @ 16-bit I/Q) USB 3.0 61.44 (MS/s @ 16-bit I/Q) However I would like to process 40MHz of analogue BW in GNURadio over USB 2.0 I fully understand a continuous reception is not possible to manage since it would require 40 IQ MS/s and I am limited to 8MS/s. However, is it possible to take snapshots of 40MHz over the time so that I am able to receive bits of 40MHz with USB 2.0 which are not continuous in time? Are there buffers in the FPGA that manage this kind of operation? The idea is to receive the high speed 40MHz in the FPGA and then send it over the USB 2.0. When it is accomplished we would be ready to receive another 40MHz sample block. I am afraid the only alternative is to receive 5 times 8MHz (each at 8Ms/s) so that I get 40MHz of analogue BW in 5 different readings/reconfigurations of my GNURadio flowgraph. However I ask just in case… Many thanks in advance, Jorge. ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/2 "2015-01-29T14:08:56Z")
On 01/29/2015 01:48 PM, Jorge G. wrote: > I understand the given values of host bandwidth for each protocol: > > USB 2.0 8 (MS/s @ 16-bit I/Q) If you go down to 8-bit I&Q, you will get twice that amount, if that’s any help. > However, is it possible to take snapshots of 40MHz over the time so that > I am able to receive bits of 40MHz with USB 2.0 which are not continuous > in time? > > Are there buffers in the FPGA that manage this kind of operation? None big enough for anything useful. It seems like attaching a USB3.0 connector would be simpler than running 5 USRPs? Not that I would complain about the sales 🙂 M ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/3 "2015-01-29T15:15:59Z")
I understand his question that he just wants to let the whole thing pump out samples, and he takes only a portion of it. I have no idea if this works in a controlled manner, but at least for spectrum display this works just fine, the lost samples are not a big issue. Ralph. ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/4 "2015-01-29T16:13:09Z")
Martin, The alternative of a USB 3.0 is not having 5 USRPs. It is just reading 5 times at different centrer frequencies in order to get 40MHz information although that information will not be gathered at the same time. For my application I just need to “see” the sprectrum. I do not need to demodulate data so that it would be fine to proceed that way. However i would rather get 40MHz in a row. Many thanks, Jorge ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/5 "2015-01-29T16:45:44Z")
How is that possible since only 8MHz can be placed over USB 2.0 ? On one hand I have a B200 which is supposed to deliver 56 MHz. On the other hand, for my final application, I am thinking of a low-cost host (such as BeagleBone Black) which I am afraid only has USB 2.0 My question was about getting 40MHz BW over USB 2.0 without tuning the central frequency of the USRP several times. Regards, Jorge On 29 January 2015 at 16:35, Ralph A. Schmid, dk5ras [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/6 "2015-01-29T16:37:14Z")
I made tests with the bladeRF at 30 MHz bandwidth, and I was able to see the spectrum just fine, not matter if I used a USB2 or a USB3 cable. No hacks, no switching chunks of the spectrum, just using a standard receiver program. The lost samples are not a problem as longs as you do not want to listen in. Ralph. From: [discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [[mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] On Behalf Of Jorge G. Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 4:07 PM To: Martin B. Cc: GNURadio D.ion List Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] USRP B200 host BW with USB 3.0/2.0 Martin, The alternative of a USB 3.0 is not having 5 USRPs. It is just reading 5 times at different centrer frequencies in order to get 40MHz information although that information will not be gathered at the same time. For my application I just need to “see” the sprectrum. I do not need to demodulate data so that it would be fine to proceed that way. However i would rather get 40MHz in a row. Many thanks, Jorge On 29 January 2015 at 14:07, Martin B. \<[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) \> wrote: On 01/29/2015 01:48 PM, Jorge G. wrote: > I understand the given values of host bandwidth for each protocol: > > USB 2.0 8 (MS/s @ 16-bit I/Q) If you go down to 8-bit I&Q, you will get twice that amount, if that’s any help. > However, is it possible to take snapshots of 40MHz over the time so that > I am able to receive bits of 40MHz with USB 2.0 which are not continuous > in time? > > Are there buffers in the FPGA that manage this kind of operation? None big enough for anything useful. It seems like attaching a USB3.0 connector would be simpler than running 5 USRPs? Not that I would complain about the sales 🙂 M ---
**Author:** ![jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jorgegetafe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jorgegetafe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/usrp-b200-host-bw-with-usb-3-0-2-0/233994/7 "2015-01-30T07:56:42Z")
To be honest, I have no idea 🙂 However I did not yet test this with the B210, as now USB3 works flawless. In the beginning the BladeRF was not compatible with my USB3 setup for whatever reason, so I had to stay with USB2 for a while until those issues were sorted out both in BladeRF software and VMware. Let’s see…FPGA loading really takes a while through a USB2 cable…HDSDR is starting…master\_clock\_rate=56e6… Tadaaa – here we go: [http://dk5ras.dyndns.org/screenshots/B210\_USB2.png](http://dk5ras.dyndns.org/screenshots/B210_USB2.png) with an USB 2 cable on an USB2 port. And in comparison [http://dk5ras.dyndns.org/screenshots/B210\_USB3.png](http://dk5ras.dyndns.org/screenshots/B210_USB3.png) with an USB3 cable on an USB3 port of the same PC. Same portion of the spectrum, same receiver location (just with a short wideband Delock 88451 antenna, sitting on my table), similar picture… Ralph. From: Jorge G. [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 4:44 PM To: Ralph A. Schmid, dk5ras Cc: Martin B.; GNURadio D.ion List Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] USRP B200 host BW with USB 3.0/2.0 How is that possible since only 8MHz can be placed over USB 2.0 ? On one hand I have a B200 which is supposed to deliver 56 MHz. On the other hand, for my final application, I am thinking of a low-cost host (such as BeagleBone Black) which I am afraid only has USB 2.0 My question was about getting 40MHz BW over USB 2.0 without tuning the central frequency of the USRP several times. Regards, Jorge On 29 January 2015 at 16:35, Ralph A. Schmid, dk5ras \<[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) \> wrote: I made tests with the bladeRF at 30 MHz bandwidth, and I was able to see the spectrum just fine, not matter if I used a USB2 or a USB3 cable. No hacks, no switching chunks of the spectrum, just using a standard receiver program. The lost samples are not a problem as longs as you do not want to listen in. Ralph. From: [discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph=removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ralph [mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces%2Bralph](mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces%2Bralph) =removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ] On Behalf Of Jorge G. Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 4:07 PM To: Martin B. Cc: GNURadio D.ion List Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] USRP B200 host BW with USB 3.0/2.0 Martin, The alternative of a USB 3.0 is not having 5 USRPs. It is just reading 5 times at different centrer frequencies in order to get 40MHz information although that information will not be gathered at the same time. For my application I just need to “see” the sprectrum. I do not need to demodulate data so that it would be fine to proceed that way. However i would rather get 40MHz in a row. Many thanks, Jorge On 29 January 2015 at 14:07, Martin B. \<[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) \> wrote: On 01/29/2015 01:48 PM, Jorge G. wrote: > I understand the given values of host bandwidth for each protocol: > > USB 2.0 8 (MS/s @ 16-bit I/Q) If you go down to 8-bit I&Q, you will get twice that amount, if that’s any help. > However, is it possible to take snapshots of 40MHz over the time so that > I am able to receive bits of 40MHz with USB 2.0 which are not continuous > in time? > > Are there buffers in the FPGA that manage this kind of operation? None big enough for anything useful. It seems like attaching a USB3.0 connector would be simpler than running 5 USRPs? Not that I would complain about the sales 🙂 M