AxeFx and power to midi controller

Sgt.Alexx

Inspired
Here's the deal:

I'm using a Little Giant and I'm having trouble getting the midi-messages from the AFX all the way to the LG. I was advised to buy a Midi Merger to "refresh" the midi-signal and I want one that does not need a power adapter, but draws power from the midi cable.

Take a look at this:
http://www.midisolutions.com/faqs.htm#Power

Will this receive power from the AFX?

Kind of a noob on these things :)
 
OK... For starters, what do you mean by "all the way to the LG"?
How far is it/ How long is the midi cable? I've never had any problem
with midi messages traveling the "entire" distance on any commecially
available midi cable. I can't imaging needing the "refresh" the signal.
No reflection on the person that gave you the advice (unless it was
a sales person) but I don't think this is really your problem.

pneil
 
Oh yeah, in most cases, the messages go from the controller
to the Axe-fx, not the other way (barring a couple of features).
The Midi-out on the LG should be connected to the midi-in of the
Axe-fx.

pneil
 
I need a cable back to the LG because of the tuner and the tap tempo light.

It's the creator of the LG that has adviced me to try this, so it's not a sales gimmick. The LG is having issues receiving midi signals, and that's why I wanna try this.
 
Not like anything I've ever heard of. Maybe some of the LG users here
can help you out. Sorry bud, no idea. Good luck.

pneil
 
AFAIK all midisolutions products runs on the power within the midi cable.

However (I´m not a midi pro) to me, your problem is likely elsewhere. Your LG shouldn´t have any problems sending midi all the way back to your Axe, as it is (probably) made professionally. Have you checked your connections over again, so you´re not going midi-out from your Axe to midi-in on your LG... AND going from midi-thru from your LG back to your Axe midi-in? If so that may form a so called midi-loop (not good).

Some devices are able to merge midi signals from their input and pass them on to their output (virtual midi-thru/merge). In that case it would look like your connection is midi-out but instead it is a midi-thru. Perhaps your LG is programmed this way (if it´s possible to do so in it)?

So unless none of above solves your problem and you´re not running midi over a 50-feet or longer cable, I would guess that your midicable is partially broken. So the obvious question then is:

Have you tried with any other midicable?
Have you tried with a shorter cable (just to prove that the distance isn´t any problem)?

/mike
 
Your LG shouldn´t have any problems sending midi all the way back to your Axe

It's the other way around. Midi signal from the Axe to the LG.

Signals from the LG to the Axe works as it should.

I have of course tested different cables, short and long, but as stated before this was a solution suggested by the creator of the LG because it is an issue that some other LG users have had.

So all I want to know is if the midi merger I linked to will receive power from the Axe :)
 
Oups! My bad! :oops:

Nevertheless, either way it doesn´t work is strange. I mean your LG should be able to receive as strong signal as any footcontroller, sequencer or midi-interface, shouldn´t it? The other LG users that had the same/similar problem, was it with Axe only? Or was it with any other products as well?

I think it´s worth investigating it a bit further... perhaps you should contact Fractal support?

Anyway, midisolutions merger is, as you probably know claimed to run fine on power supplied from the midi cable. Of course it´s best to contact them to be sure. However, based on your problem and how it reveals itself. I really wonder if that small power that is supplied within the midi cable is enough for the merger as it may be something strange with the midi signal output from your Axe (to weak signal?).

I don´t know, I hope you solve your problem soon! Good luck!

/Mike
 
Thought a bit more on your problem, I´m a bit puzzled of it.

Further questions only, you said that you are having problem receiving midi signals at your LG. Is that anything at all, or is it "total silence". It came to my mind that some midi-cables only have 3 pins connected, while some others are "true midi cables" with all 5 pins connected. Not sure if that would/should affect any at either your LG or Axe...

Also, tuner information is SysEx I guess, perhaps midi (clock) tempo too. You don´t happen to have SysEx filtered out in your LG?

I don´t know if any of above helps, but might be worth checking out if you haven´t already.

Please share your solution with us, if you like!

/Mike
 
ok, in order to reduce the confusion, here's the whole story :

there is indeed a problem with some Axe-FX units and some LG units, concerning MIDI OUT of the Axe to MIDI IN of the LG.
I haven't heard of any problem with the LG MIDI IN connected to other devices, (I'm testing with FCB1010, Roland FC200 & FC300, M-Audio Midisport), and also all units pass a dual loop-through test (MIDI OUT connected to MIDI IN), so the LG MIDI IN ports don't have any problem with their own MIDI OUT port neither. But I also didn't hear of any problem so far with the Axe-FX MIDI OUT connected to other devices. So let's call it a problem with the combination of both devices.
The LG MIDI IN seems to be a little critical with regards to this specific MIDI OUT signal - one LG user with electronics skills was able to get his tuner display working by tweaking a pull-up resistor value in the input circuit. In the mean time I have redesigned the electronics to use a different optocoupler altogether, which should be more robust. I will test with an actual Axe-FX soon.
So for now a workaround for current Axe/LG users who are noticing this problem, is indeed to add any MIDI device between Axe MIDI OUT and LG MIDI IN - this seems to solve it. The cheapest possible device is some second-hand merge box.
If necessary, I already offered to create a small MIDI buffer myself for cheap. On the other hand, there will be the possibility for interested users in the "near" future to upgrade their current LittleGiant to a "LittleGiant 2", which will not only solve this issue for good, but add phantom power and 2-way MIDI communication through a 7-pins connector, along with a number of other enhancements.
 
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