HOWTO: Setting up USB MidiSport

[ronoc]

oh yeah
I'm running ubuntu dapper 6.06 with the most recent stable alsa firmware.

[yaaarrrgg]

Hi,
But how do I get this to work in Pure Data?
I have a layla 24 but couldn't get the midi to work (didn't try to hard). There is no option in pd to use the midiman device for midi only
- default midi (which gave no options)
- alsa midi which started fine but PD did not register any input. Granted I did not look any further into this.

Should the midi man appear as the default device? As I said the box itself looks good with it's interaction with the keyboard.

I haven't used Pure Data.... I tried to install it, but ran into some problems.

BTW, does your midi man device show up under /dev/midiXX ? I did notice this bit:

...PD can use raw MIDI devices to read MIDI events that are specified with the option '-midiindev <devnumber>' but it has an irritating way of specifying which device to use. The formula is as follows: To use /dev/midi0, start PD with 'midiindev 1', to use /dev/midi1 start it with '-midiindev 2' and so on. Got it? You must specify the real device number plus 1 here. Another example: For /dev/midi21 start PD with '-midiindev 22'

from http://tldp.org/HOWTO/MIDI-HOWTO-10.html

[UNoob]

Howdy,

I'm brand new to the whole Linux/Debian/Ubuntu enviro. Currently using Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy) on old Gateway 1Ghz pc. This may not be the right forum for this, but I'll give it a shot.

I followed the instructions listed in the first post to the tee (different .ihx file, of course), and I was able to get my install of Linux to recognize my Midisport 2x2. I was able to set up Rosegarden to handle the Midisport as an input device. However, I can't get any midi data to record on the software, or even make a noise, when I press on my attached keyboard. Frustrating!

Anything I might have missed in the install process?

I should also mention that I'm using an external USB audio card, run through JACK so as to access the sound capabilities in Rosegarden. Would the fact that I (appear to be) bypassing ALSA have anything to do with it?

Please help. Thanks!

Helen

[gosh]

Did you made the right connections in Jack?
And what do you mean by bypassing Alsa?

[corevette]

i followed the steps...and the USB light to my Midisport 1x1 constantly dims on and off. i tried going to KMid or Rosegarden....but they don't recognize the midi. the firmware is use is the midisport-firmware-1.2

i'm running edgy...any ideas?

[Raptor Ramjet]

Hello,

I've just purchaed a Midisport 2x2 and I'm keen to set it up so my Linux box can join in with my other MIDI gear.

However... If I'm correct then this thread seems to indicate that following the instructions would lead to me updating the firmware in my Midisport with a custom version.

I was therefore just wondering if this is indeed the case ? as, if so, I'll need to get another device for my Linux box as the Midisport has been bought primarily as a portable solution for when I want to take my main music PC into the studio (my main PC runs Logic 5.5.1 hence it's Windows based)

However if I could first unload the existing firmware before installing Linux firmware for home use but still be able to relod the original firmware for when I want to use the Midisport with Windows that would be "just grand".

Any suggestions as to how I can do this would be most welcome.

[yaaarrrgg]

Hello,
However... If I'm correct then this thread seems to indicate that following the instructions would lead to me updating the firmware in my Midisport with a custom version.

It's been a while since I read the specifics about the midisport...

although my general understanding is that Windows also loads firmware onto the Midisport, when you plug it in. In other words, when you unplugged the Midisport, I believe the firmware is lost (not persistent).

I've used the midisport with both Linux and Windows (dual booting). The only thing I'd recommend is doing a cold boot, or unplugging the midisport when swithing between the two (if it's the same machine). Otherwise, the firmware may not get relloaded.

HTH

[t1m]

Hmmm.
I tried this tutorial, and I got an error about a broken pipe.

I got to the step above where I'm supposed to load the firmware on my Uno, and I got an error about some pipe being broken (I don't have it in front of me right now). So I abandoned this and used http://usb-midi-fw.sourceforge.net/

This seems to work fine; it even seems to do plug and play, but I have to plug it in after I power up or it takes priority over my sound card and then the sound card won't work.

I'm a new Ubuntu (and Linux) user running Dapper Drake, so that might be a reason the above step didn't work for me. Is it different than for Breezy?

I tried installling usb-midi-fw, but how do I test to see if it works? (I know that's a strange question, but I tried Rosegarden and couldn't figure how to record from my kyboard.) Maybe I'm asking for a tutorial.

*scratches head*

Tnx

Update:
I found out I was using an old version of rosegarden (there are actually three in the repos!)
I upgraded... all fixed! I can play from my keyboard now!

[jeremie2]

Hi yaaarrrgg,

Just to say tanks for your how-to which has solved a few problems I had with my M-Audio USB MIDISPORT Uno.
I have also created a wiki-page (http://wiki.ubuntu-it.org/Hardware/Audio/MidisportUsb) on the Italian Ubuntu-wiki that shows two methods: one is based on what you have written and the other is based on the readme file which is inclouded in the tar.gz downloadable at http://usb-midi-fw.sourceforge.net.

I describe my experience:
The http://usb-midi-fw.sourceforge.net's firmware was working well on Dapper. I had some problem using it on Edgy and Feisty. To make it work on Edgy and Feisty I needed to start a session on Dapper and then restart with Edgy or Feisty.
Now with your how-to I can load the firmware whenever I want... well done!

Thanks again

[xi0n0ix]

Hello,

Most of this seemed to work pretty well.... I can now type "midisportsetup" and my midisport will work fine (firmware loads).

This is all great but I need the firmware to be loaded to the midisport on boot. It seems after some extensive searching that there is some kind of bug in 'udev' that does not automatically load the firmware. Am I correct in this assumption? If I do a udev restart using this method the midisport is also loaded with firmware fine.

I took a look here for a possible fix:
http://hans.fugal.net/yodl/blosxom.c.../11/index.html

This did not help me too much. I would love udev to be able to load firmware on boot and be able to load upon 'hotplug'. Has anyone come up with a possible solution to the udev problem?

I was thinking i could just put the suggested script in /etc/init.d/ and do something like this:

$ sudo update-rc.d -f midisportsetup start 99 2 3 4 5

that might work but I haven't tried it yet because I'm really itching to get the udev stuff to work instead...

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

BTW I am on 7.04 and Midisport 2x2.....

mark