DAW connection got me all wonky

[Donic Dawkins]

Been happily using the MRCC for few months in a DAW-less setup (just hardware synths and sequencer).   

Trying for last few days (unsuccessfully) to connect the MRCC to a Microsoft surface tablet running Bitwig to use it as a sequencer for all that aforementioned hardware.

Bitwig sees the MRCC fine.  Tablet is connected via USB cable directly to the PC input on the MRCC.  MRCC inputs show up in Bitwig.  

Admittedly I don't know Bitwig very well yet, but I can select a hardware midi device, assign it to any of the MRCC ports, press the "keyboard" in Bitwig and see flashing symbols next to the hardware midi device graphic to indicate that MIDI is being sent out, and yet - nothing happens on the MRCC.  Not a glimmer, or blip.

Been looking through the forum here, think I'm correct in understanding that 

1) I could chose any of the MRCC ports listed in Bitwig, as long as I select the right physical output port on the MRCC that corresponds to the synthesizer I'm trying to trigger.   For example,  I have a Sonicware Liven 8bit Warps synth connected to Output 8 on the MRCC.   I select the left button under the PC USB input and then select the button under Output 8 - and it stays lit.  

In Bitwig, I could choose any of the ports listed?  or do I choose Port 8?  I've tried both and neither work, nothing happens.  

Also, do I need to set the midi receive channel on the synth to correspond to anything?   Admittedly trying to integrate with a DAW has got my head messed up, it all made sense without the DAW, but I came to the realization that my sequencer (Korg SQ64) truly sucks so I don't want to work with it anymore.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

cheers - M

[oldgearguy]

You're definitely doing the first half correctly.
Assign an output to a port in Bitwig (port 8 like you said).
Hold the left button under the PC port on the MRCC and select port 8 (like you said).

What you've done to this point is said -- send MIDI to port 8 of the MRCC.
What I didn't see you typing was now assigning that PC port to some destination synth.

The left PC port button should be lit up.  Press an output port on the MRCC to route the PC port to that synth.
If done correctly, there should be the PC port left button lit up and some port in the 1-12 output section lit up.

The actual MIDI channel does matter as well.  Each connection you just made can carry 16 MIDI channels.  So inside Bitwig, set the source/track to some MIDI channel.  Make sure the synth is set to the same thing and it should all just work at that point.

[Hanover]

The left PC port button should be lit up.  Press an output port on the MRCC to route the PC port to that synth.
If done correctly, there should be the PC port left button lit up and some port in the 1-12 output section lit up.

Which color is the light under the port with plug in it connected to physical hardware?