Azure Kinect DK USB Host Controller requirements

Question

Hi,

I am a university research student who is currently working with a professor to build a new computer, and one of its uses will be to develop body tracking applications with the Azure Kinect DK. We previously had an issue with my own laptop not recognizing the device because my laptop has ASMedia USB controllers. I have read over this documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/Kinect-dk/troubleshooting#usb3-host-controller-compatibility

This is the new PC we are going for, or at least something similar: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/HNGsYg

To ensure that the USB host controllers in this new PC will be compliant with the requirements for the Kinect, should we be looking at the motherboard? Is there anyway that someone at Microsoft can tell me if the motherboard listed there, the MSI B550, would work for the Kinect? We will have to get a different motherboard if it would not work. Also, is my best bet to contact MSI? What should I tell them?

Thank you,

Jack

Answer 1

Hello @Jack Zitto , Thanks for posting a great question on this forum!

If the hardware meets the below-recommended specifications then there should not be an issue. Please verify with your PC/Host hardware provider on your requirements before your purchase. The actual requirements depend on your use case scenario as well.

Supported operating systems and architectures

• Windows 10 April 2018 (Version 1803, OS Build 17134) release (x64) or a later version
• Linux Ubuntu 18.04 (x64), with a GPU driver that uses OpenGLv4.4 or a later version

The Sensor SDK is available for the Windows API (Win32) for native C/C++ Windows applications. The SDK isn't currently available to UWP applications. Azure Kinect DK isn't supported for Windows 10 in S mode.

Minimum host PC hardware requirements
The PC host hardware requirement is dependent on application/algorithm/sensor frame rate/resolution executed on host PC. Recommended minimum Sensor SDK configuration for Windows is:

• Seventh Gen Intel® CoreTM i3 Processor (Dual Core 2.4 GHz with HD620 GPU or faster)
• 4 GB Memory
• Dedicated USB3 port
• Graphics driver support for OpenGL 4.4 or DirectX 11.0

Lower end or older CPUs may also work depending on your use-case.

Performance differs also between Windows/Linux operating systems and graphics drivers in use.

Body tracking host PC hardware requirements
The body tracking PC host requirement is more stringent than the general PC host requirement. Recommended minimum Body Tracking SDK configuration for Windows is:

• Seventh Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 Processor (Quad Core 2.4 GHz or faster)
• 4 GB Memory
• NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 or better
• Dedicated USB3 port

The recommended minimum configuration assumes K4A_DEPTH_MODE_NFOV_UNBINNED depth mode at 30fps tracking 5 people. Lower end or older CPUs and NVIDIA GPUs may also work depending on your use-case.

USB3
There are known compatibility issues with USB Host controllers. You can find more information on Troubleshooting page

Synchronize multiple Azure Kinect DK devices
Each Azure Kinect DK device includes 3.5-mm synchronization ports (Sync in and Sync out) that you can use to link multiple devices together. After you connect the devices, your software can coordinate the trigger timing between them.

Please also do visit this page on Azure Kinect DK feedback forum requests.

This feedback forum page will give an idea of what the other developers around the world have requested for new features and you can upvote the ideas if you like them and also submit new ideas if you have one.

Updated: 10/20/2020
Response from Product team:

“Our suggestion is to buy a board and test it. "

Please let us know if you need further help in this matter.