Stability of MOTU USB MIDI interfaces on Windows?

[rhythm_kitchen]

I too have been having many difficulties with a Micro Express. Rom vs 2.5.0. Motu tech support is very good for DP I suppose, good natured techs, however they (according to an XP tech) aren't that windows savvy. It is refreshing, seems as if the work environment at Motu is a happy one.

Basically this box did not work well when new with Mac OS 9.1 (freezing LEDS) which I had to fix by unplugging and holding down panic button for 15 seconds.

Yes it's the removeable rack-ears 2002 version. Finally I had to remove battery to do a hard reset when it completely froze (LEDS) and presets would not change. Actually, rather than removing battery temporarily, just replaced battery, low amperage the problem with many lithiums, not low voltage. So don't trust a simple voltage meter. The warranty had expired anyway. But I would contact tech support first. Only two screws and the top comes off. Unlike some boards, battery is not soldered in.

Mac OS 9.2.2 with the same Micro Express is working flawlessly with fresh battery, so I dare not change eproms or touch it. But not on XP Pro, and I've tried all three drivers. On SP-2 I had a little success with the oldest driver SetupMidi 2004 something... then it stopped being recognized. No errors in device mgr.

I do not have the option in Asus bios for legacy plug and pray support. On/Off only. This is from a Motu tech note -- legacy should be enabled in PnP bios. I do have legacy USB support turned on 'automatic' in bios. PnP was turned on in bios, but I just turned it off to let XP run PnP as a test and still no cigar, even though device mgr shows all three drivers installed and 'working'. This is the most recent Asus bios version W-7 64 compatible with XP 32 also. Clockworks cannot find device. Reaper cannot find device. Standalone Kore Player cannot find device. However, this box did work once SP-2. Realtek HD audio disabled by Delta 66 card. I even turned HD audio off in Bios still no cigar. I am on SP-3 now... no MIDI input period. So I sneaker net over from the noisy mac.

If anyone has any suggestion as to how to get it working I am open to it. As I have an Opcode midiport32 USB just no XP drivers. I lock two machines for polyrhythms.

>>>>>However, I just read that an m-audio 'two plus two' with no W-7 64 bit drivers from Avid is recognized by Windows 7 64 bit sans installation and runs well with built-in MS drivers. That's good news huh? No driver hassle at all? Let REAPER time stamp if need be (it has three options and can be turned off).

I mean who wants a solo MIDI interface? Yet this is all the stores carry. Apple made these back when the Mac SE was released!!!!

I guess people don't use synths anymore or employ alternate tunings... but I digress.

Windows bashing... look. Apple build quality has gone way down. But they do have a very good engineering staff. If you could hear side by side a G-4 vs a Quad Core running at 32-34 F in an Antec P-183 case. There is no comparison. Literally. The G-5 was even worse. I've suggested to Apple they put that darn internal speaker on the G-5 or MacPro to good use, and cancel the fan whine...

Oh.. one more thing. With a USB-2 Audio/MIDI interface you can prioritize drivers. Micro Express is USB 1.1

Isosynchronous link layer mode is the fastest, but no CRC, probably what RME is coming out with soon. Good cables with dual ferrite beads are a must: http://www.kimber.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is why RME and Apogee are having such success with the new Intel Chipsets with USB-2. USB-3 not yet incorporated into next year's chipsets.

Sys Ex are you retuning plugins or MMC? Did you turn powermanagement off on the USB hubs? Power on all the time?

RK

Interesting Quote: "Engineers are retarded. They must have some sort of brain damage or something..." Ray Meeks, Apple Computer, Quicktime Developer, SoundManager Developer

Arrrg! Quicktime

[rhythm_kitchen]

Just a quick note since I can't edit my post. That was a Midisport 2x2 W-7 64 drivers would not install but W-7 builtin drivers recognized it. A Yamaha S-XYG50 also is recognized (sans drivers). Another note from Motu Tech Support suggested for me a Fastlane for the window's side, but again not enough MIDI outs. I'm not sure if these others time stamp. Fastlane does. My point I think is that USB-2 devices can have better drivers written. Also, it seems many have forgotten MAC OS nightmares... bad software, drivers, etc. I started with the first Macintosh & Apple's MIDI interface. Things are not all rosey with Macs either. For some a combo USB-2 device with both audio and MIDI may be a better solution (if USB-2). I actually await the day when the Mac OS or DP runs native on windows. Actually I don't care that much if its the Mac OS, just that DP would have a much larger consumer base.

[rhythm_kitchen]

Hey there is a warning on AKAI PRO regarding XP not liking 2 MIDI devices as they cannot be custom named. So a MS problem.

Maybe this was the snafu with all-in-one DELTA driver(w/ MIDI) and Motu Micro-Express USB MIDI. Delta if you turn off MIDI in Device Mgr then Windows forces a reboot. It turns DELTA MIDI back on.

These are all in one DELTA DRIVERS (44 and 66 don't have a MIDI i/o but same problem).

Maybe the Micro Express should be installed first on XP????

(edit) 2012 -- I see there are new drivers on website. Went back to AKAI and naturally couldn't find the notice about 2 USB MIDI devices together on XP Pro x86. I went up to W-7 pro x64 because of the crashes and Micro Express Clockwords showing no network, Device Mgr said Micro Express was working.

So no MIDI i/o and Clockworks can't find network error.

[AxE_MaN]

Don't know if it matters anymore. Maybe you've got your answer. However, I've had no problems at all with my MOTU MIDI Express 128 on W7 Pro 64 and Ultimate 64. I run a Vetta, 2 Roland TD-20's, A Roland TMC-6 and an Alesis Trigger I/O. Never a hiccup. Everythin is solid. No idea which rom is in the thing.


-Axe-

[rhythm_kitchen]

It's the Delta 'MIDI' properties... turning off Motu's MIDI driver after every restart. SP-3 Delta 66 drivers no longer support dual cards sync'd but turn on their own 'MIDI' in properties but don't have MIDI. As they are all purpose drivers for the Audiophile, etc.

Tried reinstalling win-100712 but still no cigar. Must go back to restore point and try a different Delta Driver sp-2, Asio4all, or a Norwegian fine tuning hammer. A five pounder at minimum.. this is a Minneapolis technique.

[rhythm_kitchen]

Axeman... I've got 64 bit home OEM edition still in factory seal. Would you return it for Pro or Ultimate. I'm an old Machead nothing to loose no XP apps to speak of. Just some utilities. I just want a rock solid workworse with this quadcore... nice and quiet unlike the Mac towers. Sweetwater techs told me they got PTs 64bit going on home edition... also if on Cubase is the rumor true triplet support in timeline or is that coming with 5.5?

[AxE_MaN]

Persaonally, I prefer Professional 64 over all of the w7 lineup. However it is totally an end user call. I really can't tell you what to do in that aspect.

As for Cubase, yes it does.


Hope this helps

[rhythm_kitchen]

Axeman. Thanks. A friend also convinced me to go with Pro.

I just want to say, updating my Marvell controllers and changing Delta drivers may have helped clockworks which now recognizes the Micro Express. Now my problem is my bios even after flashing was set to IDE when I reinstalled. Not wanted to jinx a working setup, but I need SATA for all my drives not IDE emulation mode and no way without digging deep into the registry can this be changed on the system drive without a reinstall. So W-7 is still in the original OEM packaging as I don't want to mess with the bios with a dual boot system. Hoping W-7 has a startup partition app to set so I may boot back into XP. PartitionMagic PQboot does this job for XP maybe I need to look at Acronis? I should be reinstalling but afraid I may not have foldered the drivers I need properly, naturally no floppy drive. So, slipstream perhaps, and I tried that with a Leopard disk once without success (altering with text edit the list of supported machines). A small Fat 32 USB thumb drive is supposed to be recognized in bios as a floppy if under 500 mBs. But I can't seem to get it to work with F-6. Marvell eSATA Raid controller update.

So you see, many of us have, not by choice, become computer geeks... and honestly is kind've sucks to be the guy running the DAW or sequencer instead of just having to get loose and play.

Axeman, if still around are you running Cubase 5.5 yet? Is it true there is triplet support in timeline? Are these grid markers color coded? Off topic so forgive my inquiry.

[PhoenixGTR]

FWIW, I've had a micro lite for over 6 months now, and the only thing I've noticed that could even be called a problem so far is that once in a while something doesn't load right on bootup and the device isn't recognized. Unplug, plug back in. Recognized. Not a deal breaker. Got the micro lite cos M-Audio didn't have MIDIsport drivers for 64 bit. Sticking with the MOTU, at least for now, because the MIDIsport beta drivers were more problematic. I don't think any drivers are always going to be perfect on every system, Windows or Mac.

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