REW not recognising USB Midi cable

Hi.
I have an FBQ2496 and am trying to use REW to update it over the midi connection.
I have a no brand USB/Midi cable which installed using the windows XP drivers (Dated 2001?).

If I look in device manager (Sound, Video, Game Section) the cable is listed and shows as working.
If I look at the midi section of the driver the Enable box is ticked.

When I go to the comms settings in REW the cable is not listed. Have tried unplugging, restarting REW etc but nothing works.
Have tried on a desktop and laptop both running XP.

Is it maybe possible that the cable is incompatible?

Also not sure if the midi connector needs to be connected to the BFD before REW registers the cable? Although I did try this it didn't make any difference.

Am programming manually at the moment but would be nice to get this working
Cheers
Gary

[Hakka]

The cables need to be connected up before you start REW or it wont appear in comms menu. Sounds like your midi/usb cable might be the culprit, most people here are using the Edirol units.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=&sbrftog=1&from=R10&satitle=edirol+um&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=ZIP%2FPostal&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&f sop=1&fsoo=1

Thanks for the info.
Didn't realise that there might be compatibility problems with the cables.

I suppose the cable might be faulty but I don't have anything else to try it with.

I'll have to decide whether to invest another fistful of cash on an Edirol cable

Suppose an alternative might be an external soundcard that has a midi port? Anyone know if these exist?

[Otto]

Hi gmoorc,

So did you ever get the USB to MIDI thing to show up in REW? Did you try swapping the "in" and "out" cables?

Hi Otto.
I'm going to give it another go when I get back from work (Only 3 hours to go !). Just to make sure I'm going to be methodical for a change
I will do it in this order:

1. Connect usb plug to PC and midi in plug to midi In socket of BFD
2. Switch on PC
3. Switch on BFD
4. Open REW and go to settings to see if Midi cable is recognised.

If it doesn't work I will:

1. Close REW
2. Connect midi out plug to midi in socket of BFD
3. Open REW and check.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Let me know if I'm missing anything above!

Gary

[JohnM]

For the Midi interface to be recognised it doesn't matter whether or not the Midi cables are connected to a BFD or other Midi device, just needs the USB connection. REW only checks for Midi interfaces on startup, so the interface needs to be connected to the PC before starting REW. Are you running XP or Vista? What version of Java do you have installed? (Can check this via the About button in the Java item in the Windows Control Panel).

Hi John.
Running XP and Java Version 1.5.0 (build 1.5.0_11-b03)

Cable is connected to PC and registered in device manager before starting REW but still no joy.

[JohnM]

Bit odd then. REW should list it if its driver reports that it provides a Midi output. Can't really see there's much else you can do besides try a different interface.

With a bit of good fortune and google I have managed to sort it.

I was uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers when I noticed that in device manager it briefly came up with Viewcon before changing to "USB Audio Device"

Did a google for "viewcon midi" which came up with an entry on the logitech forums where someone had installed logitech camera drivers.

The driver install broke his USB midi install although it still looked OK in device manager.

Just uninstalled my logitech drivers and I now get "USB Audio Device" and "USB Audio Device 2" in REW.

Just need to work out if it matters which one of these I use? I assume one is the input and one the output?

Gary

[JohnM]

REW V4 only shows Midi output devices, but that can include Midi soundbanks and synths with some drivers. Try the first one listed, and if it doesn't work try the second

Thanks John.
Am planning to give it a go at the weekend when I can get a chunk of time free.

I'm assuming it's going to take a while