Riya DAC Small Review

[borgqueenx]

The following text in quote is old. the problem with the cable has been adressed. read edit 3.

Here's a small review of the riya lite DAC.
First giving the positives then the bad side.(not with an S)

Well the DAC is mega small! wich i ultra like about this dac...its so small that its only a cable and the end is a small box but still it looks like just a single cable. you just connect it to the PC, and from PC to laser projector ilda. Nothing between wich is really nice. it gets power from USB so no power adapter needed as well.


Also, i dont know much about stuff a dac can do since this is my first, but when it runs, it does everything i want. i more have the idea this is just a cable, like in a usb cable to transfer data. Because the software LSX i use(wich is great stuff as well) runs everything fine through this dac, so i wouldnt need another dac....or would i?

I didnt put that word "when" in bold text for no reason...

There is one con on this dac, wich makes me want to throw it in the garbage can sometimes.
And im already starting to look for alternatives, wich let me still use LSX, and are usb powered.

The simple reason is that this DAC connects barely to my notebook. When starting my laser projector i usally have to plug in the dac 3 to 8 times or something before windows regonises the dac and starts to work. Touching the cable will ~90% of the cases makes windows dont reconise the dac anymore, wich sucks alot.

Therefore id say the usb connector of the riya lite is crap. Maybe some of you guys wont have this problem, then good times. But i cant recommend this to anyone. i have a external USB hub and 4 ports on my notebook itself, and have 5 devics plugged in always and use 4 for sometimes plugging in, and never got any problem with reconisation.
The riya lite is the only device that does this. i also did a reinstall about 2 weeks ago and still had desame problems.
So, i think its ruled out that its me who is causing this problem.

Oh, and when the riya lite is not regonised anymore while in use, the laser projector hangs on its current image. Wich is great(not).

I also send a old unit back and got a new one...Wich maybe solved a little bit. i have the feeling that i used to replug the old riya lite minimal 15 times instead of minimal 3 before it would work.

So there's my review of this little unit.

my final verdict: Get it. But beware, read edit 3.

EDIT2: Okay problem has been found. the USB cable of the riya lites are very fragile and thats whats causing disconnections and not regonisions by windows.
I can now recommend you this dac again, if you know how to replace the usb cable(means you can solder ect), or if you can be sure youre purchasing a improved version since riya wont go for these usb cables anymore, clearly.
Riya has been very helpful with me to get my problem solved, and it is very soon.

Thanks.

EDIT3:
Ihor from Riya lasers adressed the issue. the next riya lite batches will all include a better usb cable.
Please make sure you buy from a newer batch and not from a old one, and i can surely recommend this cable/dac again

Again:
I do not longer contribute to this forum. i only hang around to send or answer PM's, and to watch for dutchlems.
This edit has been made purely for the respect i have for RIYA lasers.

[masterpj]

This is not a bad review borg
A honest review is the best.
if riya lasers read this then they might consider checking whats wrong with the usb connector.
Perhaps they can clarify your problem or maybe your the only riya lite owner having this problem.

Best regards,

Pieter

[borgqueenx]

Riya and me already established that it was the usb connector. Drlava send me a new one and even tested it at his home, he said. Maybe postage damaged it, but that makes again clear that its to damn fragile.

[masterpj]

Riya and me already established that it was the usb connector. Drlava send me a new one and even tested it at his home, he said. Maybe postage damaged it, but that makes again clear that its to damn fragile.

*Hint* add it to the topic because some people might only read your first post and get the wrong idea, maybe change ur conclusion if this was the reason to stay away ^^ just saying

[borgqueenx]

good idea. 15char.

[LaNeK779]

well, i own a riya lite and i have to say i also love the small size, easy of connectibility, no power connectors etc

i have experienced some issues like the ones you describe, but it was not nearly as bad for me, so i never gave it much thought (and i never asked for it to be replaced or anything). it is only until now that i read your review that i can connect the facts and see that there might be a problem there.

sometimes it caused my laptop to freeze and the projection to stop at one frame (never a static beam). at that point, if i unplug the riya, the laptop is running ok again. still, this is not happening frequently, so i am not giving it much thought

i wouldn't base a paid show on this one anyway, it still is great for a test unit, portable pj, small gigs at home and for friends. all in all, i am happy with it

[borgqueenx]

Well it never got my pc freezed up, but it caused indeed that the frame hangs. Plugging the riya out makes the projection stop. I just hate when starting to play something on my projector that it always says Tu-Duung(windows sound).........the driver is not installed-unknown hardware...(plug out and in) tududuung(error sound of usb i think) plug in and out random 5 more times, tuduung......no message, wich means it works till i touch it or sometimes after a period of time.
In our times of pc users, we want to plug something in, and let it work. Not mess around and replug some times and be lucky.

[chad]

Have you tried with a powered usb hub?

Or not using your hub at all and going straight into the usb port?
chad.

[borgqueenx]

Yes and yes. 15char.

[LaNeK779]

Not mess around and replug some times and be lucky.

despite what the marketing guys call it, this technology is called "plug and pray"

[riyalasers]

Hello borgqueenx,
hello all,
Сertainly, I'm not happy to see similar messages:
- several hundred people chosen our controllers; they will not write "I'm satisfied" or "I'm very happy" here: they lost interest to search/choice controllers (temporary ); they easy use our controllers now;
- and one negative feedback can stop interest future customers to our products.

But anyway, you, borgqueenx, paid money, and you should do not have any problems.
So, first of all, very sorry for problems, I'm ready to make money back for controller, and you can order other controller form other manufacturer.
About technical problems with your controller:
- in first controller I thought that you have problem with USB connector (unfortunately we can't find similar boxes/cables in Europe or US, and we use chinese cables and enclosures);
- but if you have the same problem with second controller - I think problem need more detail analyse.
I not exclude that controller have conflict with some hardware/drivers in your computer...
I asked you to make test on other PC, but as I remember, you do not done it.
I not exclude that here is some problem in our controller, which need more detail analyse from our side.
I hope you understand: if only several companies in world produce lasershow controllers - it means that this work is not easy...

I see only one way: money back to you, borgqueenx, and forward this controller to any other people, who are ready to make full testing in other computers.
Sorry again....

[LaNeK779]

Hey, no need to feel bad about it. These things can happen with all devices, and you have already contacted borg for a solution and already send in a replacement unit. This is my idea of support, which sometimes is more important than the sale itself.

[borgqueenx]

Riyalasers, give andrew(drlava) access to your riya lite source code...he can help you to trace the fault, because maybe its your controller. Its a great offer from him...I cant test it easily on another computer. I dont need 2 pc's so only have 1, and my parents and brother dont trust nothing from manufactors they dont know. Their nature xD.
Im glad you offer full money back, wich is a great offer. But i need this riya lite until i have a replacement for it, else i cannot do anything.
I dont recommend the riya lite but i never said i didnt recommend your company. In fact, you have great service.
But please let andrew help you to fix problems.

Id be happy to talk to you on skype to solve this problem....but i wont be online until after 5pm gmt+1 because work.

[masterpj]

Hey Borg, maybe it's wise to remove the conclusion: stay away for a moment and give Riyalasers a chance to properly give you support.
Anyone will notice those 2 pieces of text and for a company the is definitely willing to help you might need to give them a proper chance
cec

[borgqueenx]

no PJ, il remove it when my problem is solved.
Because i highly doubt it is solvable. although i will try to help and hope for the best.

instead, iil remove that whole con if they remove the problem.

[swamidog]

i have none of these problems on the riya multibus micro dac i've been using for the last couple of months.

[borgqueenx]

i have none of these problems on the riya multibus micro dac i've been using for the last couple of months.

is that another name for the riya lite or is it another riya product?

[swamidog]

is that another name for the riya lite or is it another riya product?

it's a riya usb dac

http://www.riyalasers.com/riya_MB.htm

[borgqueenx]

it's a riya usb dac

http://www.riyalasers.com/riya_MB.htm

there are more on that link...

[swamidog]

there are more on that link...

there is only one RIYA MultiBus Micro dac on that link.

[borgqueenx]

Oh sorry my bad. well okay maybe il try that...but i think i prefer to have a ethernet dac to avoid problems.

[LaNeK779]

i think we should upgrade to the ethernet version anyway, the usb lite is very good for its money, but still an introductory, entry-level product.
i wouldn't base a commercial show on it

is there a european distributor of riya dacs (or riya direct of course)?
it seems silly to me to have to buy this from the US, while it is being made in europe

[mixedgas]

No problems for me, had a Riya Micro uSB for almost 3 years now, and four different laptops, over that period of time.
Goes every time. Give them a chance to find out whats going on, and try a hub with a external power supply.

Having designed a USB product TWICE (never again!) I can tell you there are many laptops that do not properly implement USB when using things other then memory sticks.

Many laptops limit USB power draw to 50 mA when the specification is 500 mA. If the device draws more then 50 mA, even for just microseconds, the laptop then halts enumeration. Many laptops are not tested to the USB 2.0 Spec, to save money, as the certification process costs MegaDollars.

If your having to plug it and unplug it, its the USB Enumeration process on the laptop, not the connector.

Go into "Devices" and see what its doing. I bet you see a icon every time you plug it in. But the ICON will have a yellow flag saying it cannot enumerate properly. This is a hardware/firmware driver issue common to many laptops, and is why I had to withdraw my USB product from the market. Again, a poor implementation of USB on the laptop.

Give them a chance to solve this.

Steve

[masterpj]

Steve I checked the connector over here, even tested it on an usb 3.0 and usb 2.0 usb port.
Looked in the device manager first time hookup up, it keeps going on and off. unless you bend the end where the usb connector meets the wire, then the connection is stable.
So it's definitely a connector issue. (tried it on 6 computers, same results on all)

[Silvershot]

Fortunately I haven't had any issues with mine. Yet. And I bought it used. It's definitely a connector issue. I have to admit the build quality of this dac is not that great.