Upgrade is to hard to figure out!!!!! WHY!!!!????

Tremonti

Tremonti

Fractal Fanatic
I know the Midi Sport Uno is suppose to have issues with the Axe...but I don't know why? It just converts USB to midi... I downloaded the new 5.23 software to my laptop and then went to the studio. I do not have internet there so I crossed my fingers...I couldnt get the damn thing to work. Kept saying something about buffers.... Why does it have to be this hard? I don't even know why Cliff didn't make this USB to begin with??? Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees! Did USB come out yesterday? No! I'm angry because the upgrade should have worked.,..and it should have been easy...no on both counts! Any tips besides the usual "did you have the cables plugged in right?"
 
no i think he means why doesnt the axe not have a usb port. I think it's silly myself. i'm guessing it was a cost issue, and would have thrown the price over the "comfortable" level for most users.
 
Tremonti said:
I know the Midi Sport Uno is suppose to have issues with the Axe...
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It has issues period. The Axe might expose them.
MIDI can be a pain in the butt no matter how you do it but if you get a quality device and you won't have issues.
You can't polish a turd.
 
Tremonti said:
I know the Midi Sport Uno is suppose to have issues with the Axe...but I don't know why?
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Doesn't matter. It's known, and it's easy enough to avoid. Just use an interface that is known to work.

I don't even know why Cliff didn't make this USB to begin with???
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Doesn't matter. It is what it is, and it's going to stay that way.

Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees!
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The point could be made that it is you who have that problem. There has never been any question as to whether the Axe-Fx has a USB interface. It does not, and no amount of complaining here can possibly change that. My suggestion is to make use of the knowledgebase that this forum represents to assist you in getting good results from your Axe-Fx and to offer your own experiences with issues and workarounds to help others. We don't have the option of redesigning the device to include the features we want (nor, for that matter, does Cliff at this juncture), nor would we all agree on which features are most important. We can, OTOH, share the things we learn so that others may benefit from what we've learned.

I use an Emu X-MIDI 1x1 USB-MIDI adapter. Prior to owning the Axe-Fx, I had used it with Windows XP generic drivers with no problems. This didn't work at all with the Axe-Fx. However, once I loaded the device-specific drivers that were included with the interface when I bought it, everything worked perfectly.

Issues like the one you're experiencing are a problem only briefly. Once you've got a working interface, it really won't matter that there's no USB on the Axe-Fx. I never even think about it, and I update every time a new firmware revision comes out.
 
I can relate when gear does not want to communicate. It's beyond infuruating...
I have a 4x4 and it fortunately works perfectly. I bought it last year because the uno was such a pain in the ass with other midi gear I was trying to use it with.
I also hear ya on the lack of USB in the AFX, but the reality is we all knew that up front before we bought it. So alls you can do is try to find a solution that will work now. I know this sounds cheesy but if you can't borrow a compatible midi device, you may want to buy one, use it, then return it, after the update, if things are tight for you right now.

Anyway, best of luck finding a solution pally!
-Chris
 
ctyelvis said:
I can relate when gear does not want to communicate. It's beyond infuruating...
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But it's been SOP with computer-based devices in the office (and more recently the home) for more than 25 years. Back in 1983, I ended up having to build an interface with latching gates for the handshake signals from an IBM PC so it could talk to a Watanabe plotter. Both devices used "standard" RS232 communications, so it should have been easy, right? Uh-huhhh..... It's not much different with other communication "standards." It has become somewhat more common for things to work plug 'n' play these days, but that isn't by any means a certainty. USB devices aren't all that reliable or necessarily easy to get to communicate, either.

The Axe-Fx is a special-purpose device aimed at a limited market. It was developed singlehandedly by a truly dedicated individual, which is almost unheard-of in the DSP world. Expecting it to have all the features of consumer devices that sell in 6-figure unit volumes, if not in the millions, is just unrealistic. The priority had to have been for the Axe-Fx to function as a guitar signal processor, and it does that incredibly well. The inevitable tradeoffs in package cosmetics, UI frills, and available communication protocols are all pretty trivial when you consider how well it accomplishes its real mission.
 
I haven't had any trouble with the Uno. I used it on XP and now Vista with no problems (knock on wood). The only thing that is quirky is if I unplug the USB, typically I have to reinstall the drivers to get it to work. I just keep it updated with the latest drivers.
 
I have the 2x2 and it has ALWAYS worked perfectly. Upgrades are never a problem, using the editor is never a problem. Honestly I don't know why this is such an issue for people. The 2x2 is cheap.........it's not like you have to spend a bunch of money to get a device that works properly. It's been well documented over and over again that the 2x2 works..............so why mess around with other devices?

This is such an amazingly simple thing that I'm continually left scratching my head over these threads. It's like you are all trying to make life harder or something.

I'll try this one more time.

USE THE MIDISPORT 2x2........here is why:
1. IT WORKS. It works great, perfectly, just like it should, just like you expect.
2. IT IS CHEAP. Look at the completed items on Ebay, one went for $14.10 a few days ago.
3. IT WORKS. Have I mentioned that yet? The 2x2 works. Its works. It works.

Do you need more reasons? This can't be a cost issue..........the other units that people insist on buying can't be any cheaper can they? $14.00 used? Give me a break.

This is such a simple and cheap problem to solve. Stop messing around, buy a 2x2 and spend your time worrying about real problems.

p
 
USB devices aren't all that reliable or necessarily easy to get to communicate, either.
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Tell me about it. I cannot use gearbox on my DAW because it is XPsp1 (at least that's my guess). Communication just breaks down w/ USB. Since the X3/Gearbox does not support regular MIDI for communication, I have to use a laptop.
 
Peter Hundley said:
I have the 2x2 and it has ALWAYS worked perfectly. Upgrades are never a problem, using the editor is never a problem. Honestly I don't know why this is such an issue for people. p
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It can be a little more complicated than your good fortune though. Although the 2x2 is an excellent box.
The main compatiblity issue is from computer to computer, chip-sets, brands, hardware installed, etc. etc. How much of the resources the hardware may be using, or what's using what. Like a specific resource the hardware is using, that maybe the USB/MIDI device would like to use by default. Let alone the various 3rd party software stuff, to further complicate things. I think OS is rarely the main problem on Windows based PC's....

IMHO,
-Chris
 
I've upgraded with the UNO without any problems. I used the UNO with a Vetta and WinXP and now with a new laptop, Vista and the AxeFX. Mine is an old one that still has the Midiman brand on the shell.

If you use the newest drivers, plug straight into the computer (No USB-splitters or breakout boxes), have the ports configured correctly in the program and plug them in correctly it should just plain work... You could fiddle with the speed in SendSX, there's some predelay(!?!)-parameter in Midi-OX that could make a difference, can't remember what it is though. Don't use Midi-Ox anymore. I can't help you any more than that...

I just reread your first post, it seems you are aware of the following: (You are of course aware that the plugs are labeled "TO MIDI IN" which should be connected to the midi input of the AxeFX and "TO MIDI OUT" which should be connected to the midi output.) (There is no strikethrough on this forum, deleting former sentence would make the next sentence a bit weird) Somehow Midiman figured that would make it more logical for midiots like guitarists and such... You wouldn't believe how many times the Vetta users had to "Dòh" on that one. It happened to me too...
 
I am wondering: Why is the AXE the only of my just about 25 midi devices that has ever given me any trouble with midi? I've NEVER had any problems with midi before, and I've heard lots of people comment on it. Here on the forum, it seems that people think this is to be expected. I don't even bother going through the whole thing about how great the AXE is in every other way, and my god, please dont start up a whole thing about me disrespecting fractal or Cliff..I'm just saying, why is it so that the only device I know of that has had any problems communicating through midi in my house is the AXE?
 
Sometimes 2 devices just don't play well together.

I had a midisport 2x2 that gave me problems (not with Axe) several years ago. Just would not hold a driver. Had to reload drivers every time I plugged in.

Yet it's one of the more popular devices here on the board.

Many times it is a driver or intermittent cable issue and sometimes it just an incompatibility where 2 devices just don't like each other.

It doesn't mean it's one or the others fault per se.
 
danielodland said:
I am wondering: Why is the AXE the only of my just about 25 midi devices that has ever given me any trouble with midi?
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Probably because it is not optimized for Tx/Rx of sysex data. To achieve the quality of sound that Cliff has engineered into the Axe-Fx, the demands on cpu resources are such that, in some of my more complex presets, there is perceptible latency in the response of the Axe-Fx to its front panel controls. Given this, it stands to reason that uploading sysex files could have potential issues when interfaces are trying to transmit too much data in too short a time.

I've NEVER had any problems with midi before,
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Once I installed the drivers that came with my Emu Xmidi 1x1, I've NEVER had MIDI problems with the Axe-Fx.

"Why" really doesn't matter now. It is what it is, and there are obviously ways to get it to work. I personally have never had any difficulties, so I'm inclined to ask why folks are complaining. If you have problems, ask for help. The fact that so many of us successfully update our units on a routine basis is pretty strong evidence that it can be made to work perfectly well.
 
Tremonti: there were good points posted by many, but that won't help you with your immediate need.

So let's see if we can collectively get you going.

We know which interface you have, and someone has already pointed out its main weirdness: the midi in and out are labelled kind of ass-backwards. Check.

Now let's move forward with a few more things:

- You absolutely must get the latest drivers for the Uno from their website. The drivers that came on CD in the box are almost garanteed to be useless. There are ample discussions on how to ensure a clean install... do a search, or ask a kind soul who has done it to give you a quick summary.

- There are at least three tools commonly used for uploading the firmware to the Axe: Bome's SendSX is the one I never have problems with. With Midiox, I needed to set some buffers etc, which was all well documented by Cliff in the Firmware.txt file that comes with the update. Some here use the Editor to do the firmware updates, and if that's what you're using, someone here can certainly give you quick step-by-step instructions.

So here's my suggestion, Tremonti:
- Tell us exactly what tool you are using
- Tell us exactly what error you're getting (and where in the process)
- Be willing to try a different tool
- Be sure that your Uno is set properly with latest drivers
- Be prepared to have to invest (moderately) in an interface that has a proven record.

Dan
 
...I've never had a problem upgrading firmware...been doing it with my M-Audio Uno (since v.3.00 or whatever) on an older PowerBook G4 Mac and also on one of the newer MacBook Pro laptops= Good Checksum!
 
I have no trouble anymore, don't get me wrong, it's absolutely possible to make it work, but I had to get a midisport 2x2 just for the axe..=)
 
danielodland said:
I am wondering: Why is the AXE the only of my just about 25 midi devices that has ever given me any trouble with midi? I've NEVER had any problems with midi before, and I've heard lots of people comment on it. Here on the forum, it seems that people think this is to be expected. I don't even bother going through the whole thing about how great the AXE is in every other way, and my god, please dont start up a whole thing about me disrespecting fractal or Cliff..I'm just saying, why is it so that the only device I know of that has had any problems communicating through midi in my house is the AXE?
Click to expand...

It's because the firmware update is way too big of a sysex message. Most other manufacturers either don't have firmware updates that are that big, or they split them to form tiny sysex messages (256 bytes or less). I suggested that be done with the firmware but I suppose it'll never be done as it mostly works (I've actually never had a problem with my TASCAM FW-1082).
 
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