!!! Urgent MIDI help needed!!!

[strider93]

Ookay~ So, basically I ran the test once again - this time I made sure to check ALL instead of PROG when sending the dump file and it was indeed around 35KB in size this time. Tho when I tried to send it back the keyboard was "processing" for over an hour once again When I disconnected it and checked the banks all were ok except A00 - it was erm... empty.

So, here's the dump file (dunno if it'll be helpful, decided to upload it just in case) and a log from MIDI OX.

oh, and btw, I did this with the old (cheap unknown brand) interface - strange enough the Roland one I bought doesn't even want to send the dump file from my keyboard to the laptop
http://www.mediafire.com/?k7wv6b99xr3yriz <-- midi ox log
http://www.mediafire.com/?cx51qlb8n99o2aw <-- dump file from X5D

[synthjoe]

The transfer should never take longer than 30 seconds or a minute, so anything beyond that is wrong and you can just abort.

The log file looks wrong. I can see the X5D transmitting to the PC, but the first half of the data dump is missing from the log (about 18700 bytes). The logfile should start with 'F0' after the

Code: Select all

00016CE1   1   1     F0  Buffer: 35319 Bytes   System Exclusive

line - but it starts with '00'. That's wrong.

Then I see you waiting for some time after the X5D completed the data dump and then you start sending a 18k sysex file from the PC to the X5D. That's obviously not the SysEx file you have attached. This does not make sense to me. The SysEx file (original.syx) looks fine, though.

So, what is happening exactly? What actions are you taking precisely, in which order (start logging, start data dump, save file, etc.)?

[strider93]

Agh, I must have mixed up the log since I tried sending the 18KB file too, sorry about that *facepalm*
Shall I run the test once again? ._.
Basically I just start MIDI OX, then I send the dump file from my keyboard to the laptop, save it and afterwards I send the same file back to the keyboard and wait for a bit .-. Tho seeing that sending the dump from the X5D takes only a couple of seconds made me realize that even 10 minutes are way too long for the keyboard to be "processing" after I send the file back >_>
I really have no idea why the hell is this happening ugh...

[synthjoe]

Well, for me to be able to help you I'll need a clean test result with the logfile. So, if you need my assistance then please yes, do rerun the test and post the SYX and logfiles, just as you did.

Sequence should be:
- start MIDI-OX and start logging
- start ALL dump from the X5D
- save resulting file in MIDI-OX
- send back the freshly saved file to the X5D
- stop logging
- zip both files into an archive and post so that I can download and have a look

Hopefully I'll be able to tell you more after that. Also, if the transfer from PC to X5D fails or does not complete in a few ten seconds, then you might want to abort, switch off and on the synth and try again up to a couple of times before stopping logging.

Good luck!

[strider93]

Okay, so I ran the test again - actually 3 times. The first time the keyboard had the "Processing..." message on its screen for 2 minutes or so - thus I restarted it and tried sending the sysex file again twice. Both times no message whatsoever appeared on the screen but I still waited for about 2 minutes.
Here's a rar with both the midi ox log file and the dump file from the X5D:
http://www.mediafire.com/?951flv8yjttbv0e

[synthjoe]

OK, looks clearer. I don't see in the logfile the part when you're sending a full dump from the X5D back to the PC (skipping instructions, eh? - don't worry) but from the SYX file timestamp I assume you have done that and reloaded the same file.

After the first load the X5D responded with data format error, but the consecutive loads did not produce any response. I suspect that your synth hung. Did you power it off/on between load attempts?

Anyways, the SYX file is totally OK, so your interface reads all data properly from the synth. The error message coming back from the X5D and consistent failures suggest however that either the sending side of your interface or the MIDI IN socket of the X5D has problems. This latter is less likely, but still, a possibility - maybe it cannot handle the full 35k buffer at once, but your class compliant device cannot handle smaller buffers, so you're cooked.

I'm afraid there's no circumventing proper installation and using of your new Edirol interface, that is your last hope to make this work. You can try a loopback test with the Edirol to check proper installation, as described earlier. The error message you've seen from MIDI-OX is not related to the X5D but to the Edirol - possible conflict with some other programs (e.g. the X5D editor running in background, or incomplete installation - IDK).

Give another chance to that UM1 (maybe reinstall the drivers) and post us a screenshot of the MIDI-OX 'Options/MIDI devices...' screen to see how we can help. You might even want to close all applications and try playing a regular MIDI file from Windows Media Player by setting 'MIDI music playback' to the UM1 in 'Sound and Audio Devices' in the control panel (that's XP, I don't know where it is in Win7). It should play the MIDI file without any problem and if such is the case then MIDI-OX should work, too.

[strider93]

OK, looks clearer. I don't see in the logfile the part when you're sending a full dump from the X5D back to the PC (skipping instructions, eh? - don't worry) but from the SYX file timestamp I assume you have done that and reloaded the same file.

After the first load the X5D responded with data format error, but the consecutive loads did not produce any response. I suspect that your synth hung. Did you power it off/on between load attempts?

Eeh?! I swear logging was turned ON right from the start O_o I actually never switched it off at all hahah... dunno why it hasn't registered the incoming dump file
And yes, I turned off and on the X5D after each failed attempt at sending the dump file back Dunno why this thing happened at the 2nd and 3rd try.

Anyways, I decided to give the Edirol another chance just as you suggested. This time I tried it on my bro's laptop - running under Vista x32 - since no drivers whatsoever were installed on it beforehand and I thought everything should've run perfectly. The first thing I noticed after opening midi ox was that no data was running on the input monitor - and with the other interface there is always some. Furthermore, I decided to run the test you described on the first post of the 3rd page in this topic (the one using the midi thru port of my keyboard). Odd enough, this is everything that happened after I did the test (screenshot after post). I also tried receiving midi dump from my keyboard before that but without any result (the keyboard said that the data dump was completed whereas midi ox just displayed "0 bytes received" or whatever the message is)

[synthjoe]

Well, it seems that MIDI-OX logging did not do a fine job this time... Strange. Or maybe the logfile 'rotated', a common behaviour when a limit is imposed on the logfile size. Never mind.

Anyhow, let's move on to the UM1. I wrote:

Give another chance to that UM1 (maybe reinstall the drivers) and post us a screenshot of the MIDI-OX 'Options/MIDI devices...' screen to see how we can help.

Yes, MIDI-OX has sent the keypress, but I have no idea without the screenshot what 'MIDI Port 2' can be. So, it might have sent the keypress to your neighbour instead of the X5D. Also, it is not known whether MIDI-OX reception is enabled on the UM1 port - so there's really no telling without that screenshot. I'm positive we can make that UM1 work just fine, but I'll need to see the port settings of your MIDI-OX. Please...

[strider93]

Ah I'm totally sorry - I knew I forgot something the last time! *facepalm*
Anyways, this made me run the same THRU test on the XP laptop and the result was exactly the same (that's why I'm not including a screenshot of it + a midi log, I believe it'd be pointless)
But here's a screenshot of the Options/MIDI devices menu just like you asked :] If you need anything else just tell me and I'll provide a screenshot right away!

[synthjoe]

OK Stider93, this is better. On this screenshot your Edirol is device1 both for input and output, and it is selected as the only input/output to be used by MIDI-OX, which is good.

From the previous screenshot I can see that MIDI-OX sent your keypresses to device2 output (not currently selected), which is 'Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth' (so if your setup was the same then keypresses were indeed sent to your 'neighbour's':)). I don't know whether something has changed in your setup between the two screenshots, but they are inconsistent, because your previous screenshot shows that MIDI-OX was sending on device2, which is not selected in the new screenshot. So even if the loopback is not working, the display could not possibly be identical with the first screenshot. You'll need to be attentive to all details when troubleshooting!

Either the output monitor was different (should have displayed something like '0xxxxxxx KEY 1 90....etc.') or the port selection in the 'MIDI Devices' screen was changed after running your test.

Remember: MIDI-OX sends only to the output devices highlighted on the bottom of the 'MIDI Devices' screen (multiple lines will be shown in the output monitor for each MIDI event if more than one output device is selected). Equally, only highlighted devices will be monitored for input, too.

So, as per the illustration shown on your second screenshot data should be flowing between your PC and the X5D (if no other error messages came up and plugs are porperly connected - you might want to swap input and output leads if nothing happens).

Please ensure that device selection remains the same as on your screenshot and try to sound the synth from the PC keyboard (as you did before) and press a couple of keys on the X5D. Report results (nothing? only input? only output and the synth reacts properly to MIDI data sent - e.g.program change, key on, etc.? works both ways, but no loopback? USB/OUT/IN LED statuses on the Edirol box?)!

Good luck!

[strider93]

Okay then ^^
So, I doublechecked after I started Midi Ox - both input and output devices are the same (Edirol). Probably Vista did something stupid or I didn't click on the right device the time before that Meh, running everything on XP now.
Anyways, tried playing some keys from the X5D - the lights on the interface indicating midi out/in didn't light up and no data showed on the input monitor. After that I decided to run the thru test once again - pressed 'X' from the laptop's keyboard, midi out on the edirol blinked twice (yep, pretty sure about it xD) and I'm providing a screenshot of the outcome - basically the same thing as the Vista screenshot from before with one little difference just like you said - it says port 1 instead of 2 this time *sorry about last time, I'll really double check everything from now on hahah* And yeah, checked whether midi devices had made any changes to the input and output device but everything seemed fine.

if no other error messages came up and plugs are porperly connected - you might want to swap input and output leads if nothing happens)

Erm, I didn't really get this part, sorry ^^ Mind explaining again please?
And here is the screenshot - tell me if I've missed something and I'll run the test right away!

[synthjoe]

Good! We're making some progress here! I assume USB LED is fully on. If the OUT LED blinked twice, then the Edirol is working fine - so you just have to make sure that the cable ends are connected correctly. Swap the two plugs at your X5D regardless of what is written on them and something should change!

By the error message I meant that no Windows 'General Protection Fault' or 'Unable to communicate with device' or other appeared. But the two pulses on the OUT LED indicates that data is being sent (one for key on, the second for key off, so two is perfectly fine), so the only problem can be that the plugs are reversed at the X5D MIDI connectors. That's what I meant by the second half of my sentence. That would also explain inactivity of the LED's when you've played the synth's keyboard and no reaction from the synth even though data is sent as confirmed by the OUT LED.

Let me know what happened after changing the two leads and doing the tests.

[strider93]

Good! We're making some progress here!

Yep! Thanks a bunch for being so patient and for your replies! ^^

By the error message I meant that no Windows 'General Protection Fault' or 'Unable to communicate with device' or other appeared.

Mm, nope, no such messages have appeared o:
Anyways, switched the 2 leads - in the previous tests it was interface OUT - x5d IN and vice versa or interface IN - x5d THRU and out-in. Now it's the opposite as you suggested.
IN-IN & OUT-OUT -- tried playing some keys on the keyboard - the Edirol's LEDs aren't blinking at all and nothing appears on midi ox's input monitor
OUT-THRU & IN-IN (correct?) -- same result as before - I press 'X' from the laptop's keyboard, the midi out LED on the Edirol blinks twice and that's it. I'm providing a screenshot again (pressed the 'x' a few times, that's why there are so many lines in the output monitor).



Now this is really odd

[synthjoe]

Disconnect both leads from the X5D and press X on the PC's keyboard, as before. Does the MIDI OUT LED on the Edirol blink when pressing the key?

If the answer is yes, then try this again (also pressing X on the PC's keyboard) and confirm LED (in)activity:

IN-IN & OUT-OUT -- tried playing some keys on the keyboard - the Edirol's LEDs aren't blinking at all and nothing appears on midi ox's input monitor

[strider93]

So, whenever I pressed 'X' the LED blinked twice during the first test (disconnected leads from the X5D).
Afterwards I connected them as you said -- IN-IN & OUT-OUT -- the LED blinked twice again.
This is what appeared on the screen after the 2 tests (nothing unusual I believe but still providing a screenshot):