Doepfer

Hi gang,

My MCV4 MIDI to CV converter has started to act weirdly. It seems it
only reacts to a few percent of the MIDI messages sent to it - e.g. if
I press the learn button I have to press a key on my keyboard several
time before the LED stops blinking, and after that I have to press a
key several times to get a note on to result in a gate - which doesn't
turn off again when the key is released. I've tested the keyboard with
other MIDI gear and it works just fine, tried changing the MIDI cable
and tried using other controllers to send Note on/offs to the MCV4,
and every test I've made points to the MCV4 as the culprit.

I have of course tried to disconnect and reconnect power several times
and that didn't solve the problem. I'm wondering if there's a chance
this can be fixed (and if it's worth it compared to buying a new one)
or if I should just order a new MIDI to CV converter (thinking of
upgrading to the A-190 if that's the case, or maybe look into getting
something with more CV outs - why oh why was the MCV24 discontinued
:-/ ).

I'm obviously keen on getting this problem solved very soon - my synth
would still be very usable lacking one VCO, filter or what have you,
but with no control by keyboard nor cubase I'm pretty limited...

Regards,
Silas

Hello Silas,

do you have really only a connection MIDI-KBD->MCV4 or is there 
something else involved in the MIDI wiring (Merger, Computerinterface, 
Some MIDI-Thru...)? You should check first with nothing else but the 
KBD-Out to MCV4-In connection (and DO NOT connect MCV-MIDI-Out to 
KBD-MIDI-In!)

Florian

Silas Johansen wrote:

> Hi gang,
> 
> My MCV4 MIDI to CV converter has started to act weirdly. It seems it
> only reacts to a few percent of the MIDI messages sent to it - e.g. if
> I press the learn button I have to press a key on my keyboard several
> time before the LED stops blinking, and after that I have to press a
> key several times to get a note on to result in a gate - which doesn't
> turn off again when the key is released. I've tested the keyboard with
> other MIDI gear and it works just fine, tried changing the MIDI cable
> and tried using other controllers to send Note on/offs to the MCV4,
> and every test I've made points to the MCV4 as the culprit.
> 
> I have of course tried to disconnect and reconnect power several times
> and that didn't solve the problem. I'm wondering if there's a chance
> this can be fixed (and if it's worth it compared to buying a new one)
> or if I should just order a new MIDI to CV converter (thinking of
> upgrading to the A-190 if that's the case, or maybe look into getting
> something with more CV outs - why oh why was the MCV24 discontinued
> :-/ ).
> 
> I'm obviously keen on getting this problem solved very soon - my synth
> would still be very usable lacking one VCO, filter or what have you,
> but with no control by keyboard nor cubase I'm pretty limited...
> 
> Regards,
> Silas
> 
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Florian Anwander                  |ConSol
Tel.   +49(89)45841-133           |Consulting&Solutions Software GmbH
Fax    +49(89)45841-111           |Franziskanerstr. 38, D-81669 München
email: florian.anwander@consol.de |http://www.consol.de

Hi Florian,

Thank you for your answer. I normally have a 4-in-6-out MIDI interface in
the loop, but I have of course tried going directly from keyboard to MCV4. I
don't think I've ever even used the MIDI through connector on the MCV4 and
I'm certain I have never connected it to Keyboard MIDI in.

I normally use a Roland JP-8000 as a controller and I've also tried with an
MC-303 groovebox which I know has worked before. I have yet to try with a
D-70 that is collecting dust in a gig bag but I'm fairly sure what the
outcome will be.

I guess I'm mostly just voicing my frustration, perhaps mixed with a small
hope that this might be something really simple like a memory back up
battery running low or something.

Cheers,
Silas

On 10/30/07, Florian Anwander <Florian.Anwander@consol.de> wrote:
>
>   Hello Silas,
>
> do you have really only a connection MIDI-KBD->MCV4 or is there
> something else involved in the MIDI wiring (Merger, Computerinterface,
> Some MIDI-Thru...)? You should check first with nothing else but the
> KBD-Out to MCV4-In connection (and DO NOT connect MCV-MIDI-Out to
> KBD-MIDI-In!)
>
> Florian
>
>
> Silas Johansen wrote:
>
> > Hi gang,
> >
> > My MCV4 MIDI to CV converter has started to act weirdly. It seems it
> > only reacts to a few percent of the MIDI messages sent to it - e.g. if
> > I press the learn button I have to press a key on my keyboard several
> > time before the LED stops blinking, and after that I have to press a
> > key several times to get a note on to result in a gate - which doesn't
> > turn off again when the key is released. I've tested the keyboard with
> > other MIDI gear and it works just fine, tried changing the MIDI cable
> > and tried using other controllers to send Note on/offs to the MCV4,
> > and every test I've made points to the MCV4 as the culprit.
> >
> > I have of course tried to disconnect and reconnect power several times
> > and that didn't solve the problem. I'm wondering if there's a chance
> > this can be fixed (and if it's worth it compared to buying a new one)
> > or if I should just order a new MIDI to CV converter (thinking of
> > upgrading to the A-190 if that's the case, or maybe look into getting
> > something with more CV outs - why oh why was the MCV24 discontinued
> > :-/ ).
> >
> > I'm obviously keen on getting this problem solved very soon - my synth
> > would still be very usable lacking one VCO, filter or what have you,
> > but with no control by keyboard nor cubase I'm pretty limited...
> >
> > Regards,
> > Silas
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
> Florian Anwander |ConSol
> Tel. +49(89)45841-133 |Consulting&Solutions Software GmbH
> Fax +49(89)45841-111 |Franziskanerstr. 38, D-81669 München
> email: florian.anwander@consol.de <florian.anwander%40consol.de> |
> http://www.consol.de
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> Hi gang,
>
> My MCV4 MIDI to CV converter has started to act weirdly. It seems it
> only reacts to a few percent of the MIDI messages sent to it - e.g. if
> I press the learn button I have to press a key on my keyboard several
> time before the LED stops blinking, and after that I have to press a
> key several times to get a note on to result in a gate - which doesn't
> turn off again when the key is released. I've tested the keyboard with
> other MIDI gear and it works just fine, tried changing the MIDI cable
> and tried using other controllers to send Note on/offs to the MCV4,
> and every test I've made points to the MCV4 as the culprit.
>
> I have of course tried to disconnect and reconnect power several times
> and that didn't solve the problem. I'm wondering if there's a chance
> this can be fixed (and if it's worth it compared to buying a new one)
> or if I should just order a new MIDI to CV converter (thinking of
> upgrading to the A-190 if that's the case, or maybe look into getting
> something with more CV outs - why oh why was the MCV24 discontinued
> :-/ ).
>
> I'm obviously keen on getting this problem solved very soon - my synth
> would still be very usable lacking one VCO, filter or what have you,
> but with no control by keyboard nor cubase I'm pretty limited...
>
> Regards,
> Silas

Some questions:

Do you have changed anything (e.g. do you use the same Midi source to
control the MCV4 as before, the same cables) ?
If yes, go back to the former configuration that was working.

If this does not help initialize the MCV4 as mentioned in the user's manual
on page 6.

Pay attention that the correct messages are sent when you program the MCV4 !
Some controllers send "hidden" messages that program the MCV4 in another way
than one would assume. E.g. if the MCV4 is in the learn mode and the Midi
keyboard transmits a Midi control change message before each program change
you don't have a chance to adjust the MCV4 with program change messages as
the control change comes before the program change and is used to assign the
control change number to the free programmable controller of the MCV4.

Good luck
Dieter Doepfer

Hi Silas


hardware@doepfer.de wrote:
> Some controllers send "hidden" messages that program the MCV4 in another way
> than one would assume. E.g. if the MCV4 is in the learn mode and the Midi
> keyboard transmits a Midi control change message before each program change
> you don't have a chance to adjust the MCV4 with program change messages as
> the control change comes before the program change and is used to assign the
> control change number to the free programmable controller of the MCV4.
Thats my experience too. I always program gear with MIDI-learn mode from 
the list editor of Logic. This is a possibility to be definitely sure 
that no other MIDI message is sent.

Flroain

On 10/30/07, hardware@doepfer.de <hardware@doepfer.de> wrote:
>  If this does not help initialize the MCV4 as mentioned in the user's manual
>  on page 6.
Doh! I should have thought of that - thanks! I'll try this when I get home.
>
>  Pay attention that the correct messages are sent when you program the MCV4 !
>  Some controllers send "hidden" messages that program the MCV4 in another way
>  than one would assume. E.g. if the MCV4 is in the learn mode and the Midi
>  keyboard transmits a Midi control change message before each program change
>  you don't have a chance to adjust the MCV4 with program change messages as
>  the control change comes before the program change and is used to assign the
>  control change number to the free programmable controller of the MCV4.
I haven't consciously sent any messages to reprogram the MCV4 but
might have done so inadvertently. I'll be more careful in the future.

>
>  Good luck
>  Dieter Doepfer
Thanks,
Silas