AXE-FX NAME TIMEOUT! (again)

bwanagary

bwanagary

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I found another cause of this message today. Of course, we all know to look at our Edit->MIDI->EXPANSION/FASLINK/MIDI settings and then check the cables to make sure they're connected correctly and that the cables are indeed good, but I found a new source of this error message I thought I would share for anyone mysteriously afflicted with it.

While testing MFC-Edit today I set the Mode = "Axe-Fx II XL". Well, I'm connected to an Axe-Fx II. That alone was enough to have the connection and timeout problem. It is a misleading message - I checked my cables, connectors MIDI settings etc. to no avail. It was my Mode setting - I had set it to Axe-Fx Mode = Axe-Fx II XL when I was really connected to an Axe-Fx II - not the XL model and it resulted in the Name Timeout message.

If you get the Axe-Fx Name Timeout! message, check the Axe-Fx Mode setting also.
-G
 
I'm having the exact same problem. It first happened after I tried to load a downloaded preset from Axe Change, (I think). I've updated firmware on both the Axe Fx II, and the MFC. Then reset both of them. Then I was told that the cable was probably faulty, so I ordered a new one. Just got it, and yet I have the "Name Timeout!" error. It's been like this for over a month a now, and it is really driving me crazy. If anyone has any idea of what to try, please shout out!
 
tederius said:
I'm having the exact same problem. It first happened after I tried to load a downloaded preset from Axe Change, (I think). I've updated firmware on both the Axe Fx II, and the MFC. Then reset both of them. Then I was told that the cable was probably faulty, so I ordered a new one. Just got it, and yet I have the "Name Timeout!" error. It's been like this for over a month a now, and it is really driving me crazy. If anyone has any idea of what to try, please shout out!
Click to expand...

AxeFx:
Set USB adapter mode = off
Send realtime sysex = all
Make sure tuner on far left tab
(XL only) Make sure set the ethercon or FASLink if using either of those connection methods

MFC:
AxeFx Mode = STD, Ultra, II, or XL
MFC Port = Midi, expansion, or FASLink

If still issues make sure both units talking on same port.

Cheers
 
On AxeFx when you hit the tuner button hit left to make sure AxeFx is displaying the tuner too. If you press right to any other tab it will cause the issue.

If you have an XL, your MfC has to have firmware 3.03 or later
If you have a II, you can try turning off midi through on AxeFx but don't think that matters...

Are you connecting midi, cat5, or a FasLink?
 
I have the standard Axe FX 2 connecting through cat5. I don't know if it's related but sometimes when I try to navigate the meny on the front panel, it will switch for 1 sec then just jump back.
 
In addition to cat5 do you have any midi cables connected to anything? Also do you have access to a midi cable to try rather than cat (you would need to change the MFC from expansion to Midi for this test).

Can you clarify on your front menu navigation where it jumps. You mean the tuner comes on the MFC or the Menu on the AxeFx jumps to another screen? If the later, sounds like you have Axe-Edit open... Close or pause it if you are going to touch front panel.
 
I have the same issue while playing. Tried everything. Verified all settings. Update the MFC to new 3.06 firmware. Tried new cables... etc... Still a No Go.... It's not like it wasn't working before... I had this for awhile and this happened during a gig. Almost at the end of the gig, I went to switch a preset, and it just stuck. I'm re-installing the 16.02 firmware on the Axe II now and see if it could re-sync the MFC.

Anyone else had seen this? I have a gig tonight and don't want to be without the MFC...
 
z064ddle said:
I have the same issue while playing. Tried everything. Verified all settings. Update the MFC to new 3.06 firmware. Tried new cables... etc... Still a No Go.... It's not like it wasn't working before... I had this for awhile and this happened during a gig. Almost at the end of the gig, I went to switch a preset, and it just stuck. I'm re-installing the 16.02 firmware on the Axe II now and see if it could re-sync the MFC.

Anyone else had seen this? I have a gig tonight and don't want to be without the MFC...
Click to expand...

I tried the MIDI cable last night and it seems to work. It still not switching correctly, but I think that is because I changed some settings while trouble-shooting the CAT6 issue. AT least I can see the name of the preset now and doesn't have the name timeout anymore. I think the Ethercon port is shot... not sure why..
 
i'm having this exact problem. i've tried all the suggestions, to no avail. i'm on a mk I MFC. has anyone found additional fixes? thanks!
 
Had the same problem. Changing EXPANSION to MIDI as stated in the first post, solved the problem. Hope it helps.
 
Well, I get this message all the time, and I DO have an XL. Anytime I enter my edit menu... at all... for any reason... when I exit/save I have a 50/50 shot of getting Name Timeout! I know how to get my unit back up though... and it is weird... but it works for my unit, and it works every time, and it's the ONLY thing that works.

I have to re enter Edit mode, select SETUP, and then scroll ALL THE WAY through every page until it comes back around to AXE FX MODE XL, without changing anything, and Exit/Save again. My names and everything come back once I do that. I've been running this little workaround since the first night I got my MFC-101 (Mark III) about 6 months ago.

Try it out. I'd love to know if it works for others as well. (I just had to do this 5 minutes ago by the way, because I changed one of my IA switches from a Drive2 to a Gate)
 
I have had this same problem too and was not able to fix the problem using the EXPANSION port, but did with the MIDI port. I suspect that, with all of the updates to the MFC and the Axe-Fx, that at some time, it may have been connected improperly, that is with the CAT5 and external power supply connected or possibly updated the AXE with the MFC plugged in or something like that. I really hope in the XL, FAS put in some protection for all of these possible errors. As a software engineer and EE myself, I'd never design equipment so prone to misconnection - at least not without protection.

So, it may be real hardware damage in many cases. What clued me in it wasn't software was that the MFC responded to patch changes from the front panel knob, but not vice-versa, so that told me communication was established, just uni-directional. The MFC wasn't talking back to the AXE-FX, though. That smelled like a hardware problem so I switched to the MIDI cable and it worked. Smells even more like a hardware problem now... :-(
 
I was very fortunate to have had my wife get me an axe fx II XL+ for Christmas! She had also got me an MFC-101-mark II. I'm using a cat 5 cable, and yes i have tried a few. I can make the fx unit change patches, but it always falls back to name timeout. The midi parameters in the xl+ are not mentioned in the forums or you tube help. The instruction manual does not go into any great detail on connecting the newer xl + and the mark II.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Jim
 
On the MFC-101: Edit->MIDI->EXPANSION.
On the Axe-Fx Console: I/O Menu->MIDI Page->MFC Port->ETHERCON

Make sure that the MFC-101 is transmitting on the same MIDI channel that the Axe-Fx is listening.
 
Thank you and yes to all the above.
The mfc unit even when just the power supply is plugged in, it boots up with a series of blinking lights. Display lists the unit model then X000 followed by Name Timeout? When hooked to the axe fx unit, it does change patches but no tuner or patch name displays on the mfc. and no matter what settings it seems to always go back to name timeout? I have used a few cat 5 cables and and tried 5 pin midi cables with the same results. Yes i was certain to not use the power supply with cat 5 hook up. And as I 1st stated even with no midi or cat 5 plugged in i get that name time out!
I did a factory reset twice as well as updates to firmware witch is 2.13 on the mfc. I did notice after the update the mfc did not say update complete, only the fractal bot said complete. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
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