USB sysex issues

[Jesse Johannesen]

Is you Macbook connected via PC port? I believe those ports should pass SYSEX (currently I'm pretty sure MIDI host ports and outputs 7-12 do not pass sysex). Can you try using the internal midi monitor to take a look and see if it's passing data when you send it? It's on page four of the tools, but you'll have to press select to un-pause it once you get to the correct page.
Jesse

[Mesmerised]

Yes, connected via PC port. The midiAlf seemed to receive data, but locked up in the process. So the sysex seemed to pass but not correctly.

[Jesse Johannesen]

OK, I will try to see if I can set up a test on my end, I only have one piece of kit that I know uses SYSEX (or at least that I know how it uses SYSEX). I can try a test in the morning and see if I can get it to fail.
Jesse

[crx091081gb]

Any news on sysex for the other channels, I have a lot of synths that I like to edit through midi quest and right now I can only communicate / edit half of them.

[Jesse Johannesen]

No update at this point. We're in the process of making a tracker for known issues so that you can just look to see if an issue A) is known, and B) is fixed yet. Once that's done we'll link it in a sticky post.

[oldgearguy]

No update at this point. We're in the process of making a tracker for known issues so that you can just look to see if an issue A) is known, and B) is fixed yet. Once that's done we'll link it in a sticky post.

Just checking in 2 months later since I was burned again this morning trying to send a sysex file to port 12.

If this is never going to be fixed I need to know because that influences what gear is placed on what ports and whether or not I need to leave a low port open just to do sysex transfers.

thanks

[Stratblue]

I can't send sysex even through the ports that should permit it. I'm sending from Sysex librarian out of port 1 to a Genoqs Octopus.

[oldgearguy]

Apologies for the slightly long post.  My family says I can't ever give a simple yes or no answer...

I keep coming back to the post and pinging you guys because I haven't heard an answer one way or the other.

Here's the fundamental issue - if only ports 1-6 support system exclusive in and out, then that means a lot of gear that I need sysex support for can only live on ports 1-6.  Not 7-12 (for outputs) nor USB.

Normally, any gear that uses In and Out (whether it's audio or MIDI) gets connected to the same I and O channel number.  Yes, in theory you could connect the In to one number and the Out to some different numbered point in the patchbay, but every audio patchbay from the beginning of time has the Ins and Outs in the same place, typically outputs above the same inputs.

So, sequencers, synths with on-board arpeggiators, and remote control surfaces (like the Electra One and others) need to at a minimum receive clocking and most likely CC messages and system exclusive for OS updates, patch dumps, etc.  These are natural candidates for ports 1-6.

In parallel, there's effects units and rack synths that **mostly** receive MIDI (for notes, clocking, sending new patches via sysex, CC control over parameters).  These could live on ports 7-12 but then you'd need some external merge box to handle the cases when those units send MIDI back and you'd need an available input for that merged data.

The MRCC is designed to be a hardware MIDI solution.  It is expected to be connected to lots of hardware.  There shouldn't be any difference *for the data* whether it's coming in via DIN, computer, or USB and whether it's going out USB, PC, DIN 1-6 or DIN 7-12.  A patchbay lets you patch and route data from anywhere to anywhere.

It was already a slight concern that there was an uneven number of Ins and Outs, so I have two MRCCs to help with that.  I do use a computer connected to the two MRCCs so that I can move data (notes being generated, clocking, sysex data, etc) to and from all the devices connected to the MRCCs and to route between the MRCCs if necessary.  I plan on using the External connections for Remote 7 boxes and hopefully eventually plug in a 4 In expansion to the USBs if necessary.

However, if the majority of the MRCC connections do not support sysex, that leaves me in a bind.  I bought into the MRCC concept because of the modern conveniences and the number of problems it solved for my setup.  The sysex issue now causes me to periodically unplug and re-cable devices just to do basic things, which is exactly the thing you try to avoid when buying a patchbay. 

So, it would be great to get a real status and approximate timeline on this issue.  If it's being fixed, great; an estimated release date would be a huge help.  If it's something that can't be fixed (for whatever reason), I'd like to know now so I can work on designing and implementing an alternate solution (FWIW, I don't think a third MRCC is the answer, but it might end up being the most cost effective one.  I just haven't given it much thought yet).

[Jesse Johannesen]

Sorry I missed the last one Tom, I am meeting with Steve tomorrow and I will address this with him then, I would really like to get this issue sorted myself. The issue in this case is that Steve needed to write the communication protocol for the upper ports from scratch as all the dedicated com ports on the chip were taken. He made it work but there is more to do to get the SYSEX working, (I may have already told you this tale before, I forget). The plan has been that he will get a chance to spend some time on that, but he's been working pretty furiously on something he's excited about, and hasn't had an MRCC housekeeping day for a bit, so I will see if I can get him steered onto this and try to get you a timeline while I'm at it.
I'll be sure to let you know if it's not likely to be something we can solve quickly (I have no idea how big a job it entails).
I was actually going to see if I can put together a "top ten MRCC request list" and wanted to ask for your input so I was getting on to reach out to you just now. If you have a few ideas I'd love to hear them. Maybe send me an email at Support@Conductivelabs.com with those when you have time.

I also will have a 4 x 1 expander to send to you for testing in a week or so which will break out the USB host ports to DINs (as well as function as a 4in 1out USB MIDI interface for a computer, and a standalone 4 to one MIDI merge box), I wonder if that will be of any use in your hunt for a solution?
I'll send you an email once I have the unit ready to send to confirm shipping info etc.
Talk soon,
Jesse

[oldgearguy]

Sorry I missed the last one Tom, I am meeting with Steve tomorrow and I will address this with him then, I would really like to get this issue sorted myself. The issue in this case is that Steve needed to write the communication protocol for the upper ports from scratch as all the dedicated com ports on the chip were taken. He made it work but there is more to do to get the SYSEX working, (I may have already told you this tale before, I forget). The plan has been that he will get a chance to spend some time on that, but he's been working pretty furiously on something he's excited about, and hasn't had an MRCC housekeeping day for a bit, so I will see if I can get him steered onto this and try to get you a timeline while I'm at it.
I'll be sure to let you know if it's not likely to be something we can solve quickly (I have no idea how big a job it entails).
I was actually going to see if I can put together a "top ten MRCC request list" and wanted to ask for your input so I was getting on to reach out to you just now. If you have a few ideas I'd love to hear them. Maybe send me an email at Support@Conductivelabs.com with those when you have time.

I also will have a 4 x 1 expander to send to you for testing in a week or so which will break out the USB host ports to DINs (as well as function as a 4in 1out USB MIDI interface for a computer, and a standalone 4 to one MIDI merge box), I wonder if that will be of any use in your hunt for a solution?
I'll send you an email once I have the unit ready to send to confirm shipping info etc.
Talk soon,
Jesse

Jesse - thanks for the update.  I knew (in the back of my mind) that there was something unique about the upper ports.
I'll give that list some serious thought and send you something soon.  Excited to hear the 4 x 1 is close to being ready for folks.

Note to Steve - hire another developer to help out since cloning still isn't viable.  lol

If he's excited about a new project then I'm excited about it as well.  So far Conductive Labs has released some very cool and useful products.