Logic Pro 9 'physical input' fails

[peterlemer]

I tend to use my kit in 2 modes:

1. with my Audio interface (RME Fireface 800) turned on

2. with it turned off and everything going via iMic/USB

I do the latter sometimes, because I find that the RME software seems to collide with Parallels, or maybe it just takes too much RAM, I dunno. I find life easier to reserve RME for serious audio recording and/or production.

BE that as it mey, that's my usage, and what I find is that, when switching into RME mode, the Physical Input fails to update the MIDI routing - consequently any MIDI I/O also fails, until I click on the Physical Input and eventually it switches from the simple MIDI I/O of REM to the 8x8 I/O of Unitor.

I suspect that Unitor software is a bit skin-of-teethware, becuase in either mode I frequently have to power-cycle the unit to get Logic to see it.

So my sessions sometimes get hairy because I've lost MIDI connectivity, however briefly.

WHat I now practise:

1. powercycle Unitor.
2. if that fails open Unitor utility and poke around
3. go to 'Click and Ports' Environment layer and check that 'Physical Input' shows the right number of I/Os and that they're properly connected to the right objects. If the Physical Input shows the wrong configuration, poke it a few times and eventually it should pop int the right mode.

My qyestion is: is this ( MIDI config fails to track altered physical setup config) a familiar issue with L8/9?

tia

pete

 

[Peter Ostry]

My qyestion is: is this ( MIDI config fails to track altered physical setup config) a familiar issue with L8/9?

Basically yes, it went better over time but is still not ideal. I would not bet that the order of ports stays always the same but if you reboot Logic after a setup change it should work.

Changing the setup while Logic is open, mhm, works here when I connect/disconnect a device. The reliable method is to restart Logic.

But maybe your problem isn't in Logic? Next time try to rescan the MIDI network in the Audio/MIDI setup. Mine does not always see all devices correctly for whatever reason. And then it delivers wrong information to MIDI software. Can be an USB problem too.

 

[peterlemer]

> if you reboot Logic after a setup change it should work.

yes I know :-(
however, the misconfiguration happens every time I change setups.
I have a config that manages EZDrummer/EZPlayer and the cables get disconnected when I switch setups, too.

I'll try rescanning my MIDI network.

Is there any kit newer and better than Unitor8 that will manage 8 chs I/O?

peter

 

[Peter Ostry]

Is there any kit newer and better than Unitor8 that will manage 8 chs I/O?

I am not sure about better but newer and not too expensive is the MOTU Midi Express 128.

It cannot patch, latency is reasonable. USB only, doesn't have an on/off switch (in the rare cases when your MIDI network makes it crazy you pull the USB plug). Channel 8 has front jackets, everything else and a channel 8 out port are on the rear. Activity lights for all 8 in/out on the front.

 

[peterlemer]

thanks peter. Gone are the days of cool MIDI interfaces, eh?

It seems strange that Logic Pro ( and the others DAWS) doesn't (don't?) have a strong contingent of competing interfaces.

peter