PPK2 and Power Profiler desktop: time scale way off

[TheBronx]

Did a quick search and it seems I am not the only one experiencing this issue  But can't find a solution.

I just got a PPK2 and started testing some devices (ESP8266). I quickly noticed that the time in the graphs was completely off.
Have a look at this screenshot:

Without even activating the power supply, just starting measuring and stopping 5 seconds later. You can see down in the log:

19:17:20.698	Sampling started
19:17:25.735	Sampling stopped

But if I click on SELECT ALL it says 1.606 seconds
So basically it reports around 1 second for every 3 actual seconds.

It doesn't matter how many samples per second I take, it does it all the time.
Zooming doesn't change anything, it is still wrong.
Tried with 3 different USB ports already both USB2 and USB3, different cables too.
And the DUT I don't think it matters, tried a few already but same problem regardless.

Should I return the unit? Or is it a software error? Any workaround?

System:
Manjaro/KDE
Linux Kernel 6.0.15
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
16GB RAM
MSI B450 Tomahawk Max II on latest BIOS: 7C02vH9 2022-08-15 (it was happening with a previous BIOS too)

Power Profiler v3.5.3

Edit: tried on windows, same problem.

Edit2: tried on an ancient Intel laptop, with windows, and it works fine. So it is not the hardware, it is the software that is broken. And has been broken for 2 years according to the reports: github.com/.../141

# nRFConnect System Report - 2023-01-20T21-32-39.794Z

- System:     Micro-Star International Co., Ltd MS-7C02
- BIOS:       American Megatrends International, LLC. H.90
- CPU:        1 x AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-Core Processor 3.7 GHz 12 cores (6 physical)
- Memory:     10.2 GB free of 15.5 GB total
- Filesystem: S.ficheros (Tipo) 0 Bytes NaN% used

- OS:         ManjaroLinux (22.0.0) linux x64

- Versions
    - kernel: 6.0.15-1-MANJARO
    - git: 2.39.0
    - node: 14.16.0
    - python: 3.10.8
    - python3: 3.10.8
    - nrf-device-lib-js: 0.4.13
    - nrf-device-lib: 0.12.8
    - nrfjprog DLL: Unknown
    - JLink: Unknown

- Connected devices:
    - C455D71461C9 : /dev/ttyACM0

- Current device:
    - name:          
    - serialNumber:  C455D71461C9
    - cores:         Unknown
    - website:       Unknown

[Joakim Jakobsen]

Hi! 

A couple of reports on the same issue here; 

This is a previously known issue with AMD chipsets. If you are not using AMD and still experience the same issue, please let me know. 

From what I can see, this should have been fixed in a later release of BIOS, so I recommend updating that to try and solve the problem. 

A statement from AMD from two years ago: 
"AMD has prepared AGESA 1.2.0.2 to deploy this update, and we plan to distribute 1.2.0.2 to our motherboard partners for integration in about a week. Customers can expect downloadable BIOSes containing AGESA 1.2.0.2 to begin with beta updates in early April. If you continue to experience intermittent USB connectivity issues after updating your system to AGESA 1.2.0.2, we encourage you to open a ticket with AMD Customer Support."

Br, 
Joakim

[TheBronx]

As I reported initially I updated to the latest BIOS available to see if that fixed the issue but it didn't.

The BIOS version for my MSI B450 Tomahawk Max II is 7C02vH9.
According to the changelog for that version: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450-TOMAHAWK-MAX-II/support

Update to AGESA ComboAm4v2PI 1.2.0.7.

So that's a much more recent version than 1.2.0.2 of course, and the problem persists.
Also the issue that AMD resolved with that release, back in 2021, was a series of random USB disconnections. But our problem is not that the device disconnects, it is connected all the time, it just doesn't work well.

I am pretty sure this is a different issue unfortunately.

[iiNSaNe]

I am also affected with the new chipset x670e AM5 with ComboAM5PI 1.0.0.6. There are no other problems with any other USB device. What exactly should I tell AMD? That the Nordic PPK2 device don't work, but everything else works smoothly? I already know what the answer will be. If the device only works with Intel chipsets, shouldn't it be mentioned on sale?

[Joakim Jakobsen]

Thank you for your feedback. 

I will continue to investigate the issue. Will confer with our PPK and SW developers. 

Br, 
Joakim

[Joakim Jakobsen]

Hi. 

We don't know what is causing the issue as of now. 

TheBronx said:

I connected it to a USB3 hub and it works fine on my AMD machine.

I have been experimenting with the python PPK2 API and discovered that just reading a fixed amount of bytes from the serial port takes longer when connected directly compared to the USB hub.

Like previously commented, a possible workaround could be to connect the PPK through a USB hub. 

Br, 
Joakim