Networking MTP AV Parallel Port (MOTU's response)

[gandalf_grey91]

Hey there bamim2,

I have spent most of the weekend trying to get the MIDI ports 9-16 to show up in Windows. I have read and re-read everything you have written. I have tried everything just as you have written it and many other ways as well. I have gotten the second unit to start saving settings, which is step forward.

But still Clockworks on the PC shows all 16 MIDI ports, as it always did, but Windows doesn't. Editing the settings, like mutings in Clockworks on the PC, makes changes on both units, on all 16 MIDI ports, as it always did. Still Windows and all PC software only sees the first 8 (1-8) MIDI ports.

By the way, you can reset the unit to factory defaults from the Global Hardware Setup menu using the "Reset All Data" option.

The PC/Mac lights flash when Clockworks is loaded in memory but at no point does the Net light on either unit flash but I know they are communicating because, as I said, changing settings in Clockworks on MIDI ports 9-16 works and saves just fine.

By all rights, it should work. As always, it feels like a driver/Windows issue. I simply have no clue why I can't get this to work.

Thanks for all the advice, if you have any more, I'll take it gladly but so far nothing has got it working.

[gandalf_grey91]

I forgot to say, I don't think the units are sync'ing up. I tried pressing the play button in Clockworks on the PC, having set to defaults, Internal, 30fps and Record, the timecode on the first (1-8) unit started moving, like Clockworks was showing on the PC, but the second (9-16) unit didn't. Tried all the timecode input options (LTC, MTC etc.) on the 9-16 unit but the timecode didn't move, showing the units are not in sync.

Don't know why this is not doing what it is supposed to do but thought it might mean something to you.

[bamim2]

I'm pretty sure it will reset the MTP correctly when you do that. I've tried a couple of things in addition to what I posted already. The A/C went out in the studio so I had to shut everything down. When I started it back up the MOTU stuff wouldn't sync. Again.

I found out that it's a good idea to reset everything first. Then power both units off. Power on ONLY what will be the upper one. Set that one first. Once that's set for 9-16, MTP, MTP-AV, ID 21, THEN power on the bottom one & set it up as 1-8, MTP, MTP-AV, ID 20.

Go into the MIDI Filter tab & Filter out Active Sensing for ALL MIDI channels, In & Out on both devices. Use the Reset ALL button. Make sure the Channel Mapping tab has all MIDI channels being mapped correctly too.

I had to fiddle around with things for quite a while to get it to work again. Even though it's kinda like magic when it does work, I think the secret is still in the Global Reset. I had to do it several times to get it to work.

Again. Turn them both off. Turn on ONLY the top one. Reset it. Set it up as the top one, THEN power on the bottom one.

When you reset the top one ALL the channel LED should go out. If they all go on, then do it again. I found that both MTP-AV didn't work "exactly" the same either. You may have better luck with switching them around. IE plug the LTP cable into the other MTP & call that one the lower one.

Don't forget you'll need the eye of a bat & some chicken blood for when you dance around the fire naked at midnight and chant "MOTU"!!

Keep at it! It may take me a day or two to respond, but I'll get back to you. Throw a little "Gandalf Magic" it or somethin'!

[gandalf_grey91]

Bamim2,
just to let you know I'm working on your advice. Not working porperly just yet but selecting base setups on first unit now automatically selects same setup on second unit. Also the "Net" lights are (correctly) lighting up independent of clockworks running on host PC. I think you maybe right about the global reset. And possibly the chicken sacrifice.
I'm now working on filtering autosensing etc. I'll stay on the case.

Many Thanks.

[gandalf_grey91]

Have finally managed to get a USB version of MTP AV. The MOTU tech was (eventually) correct. While I tried everthing to get the two parallel version to work together with no luck at all, a parallel model connected to the USB model that is attached to the PC is now recognised. I have finally got 16 MIDI ports, IN and OUT.

Many thanks to Bamim2 for all the advice.

[James Steele]

Have finally managed to get a USB version of MTP AV. The MOTU tech was (eventually) correct. While I tried everthing to get the two parallel version to work together with no luck at all, a parallel model connected to the USB model that is attached to the PC is now recognised. I have finally got 16 MIDI ports, IN and OUT.

Many thanks to Bamim2 for all the advice.

Before you rig everything up to permanently, IF you do expect to do any sysex exchange (bank dumps to/from editor/librarians, etc.) with attached external hardware, verify that these happen reliable on the parallel MTP that is supplying ports 9-16. I can tell you that on a Mac, only the MTP that is directly connected via USB does sysex 100% reliably. Not so with the early MTP that I have connected to it via RS-422. Note on/off and all the usual stuff pertaining to playback is just fine however.

So test this out on the networked MTP before you settle on your port assignments.