Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

My apologies if this topic has been covered elsewhere. With Message
Search being non-functional, I could not find relevant posts to read
first.

I've been sending and receiving sound patches and banks successfully
via SysEx, using both MIDI-OX and the Soundlib utility.

However, so far I've been unable to restore to the VFX-SD any type of
sequencer data dumps after capturing them with MIDI-OX and saving to a
.syx file.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Many thanks,
Douglas

Hello Douglas

 

I've been using MIDIOX to save and restore sequencer data (one sysex per
sequence, usually) with no problems these last

years. I write below my VFX-SD settings and the main procedure to do it
(maybe you already know it):

 

VFX Midi page 1:

 

BASE_CHAN=01

SEND_CHAN=TRACK

MODE=MULTI

 

VFX Midi page 2:

 

SYS_EX=ON

PROG_CHG=ON

LOOP=OFF

CNTRLS=ON

SONG_SEL=OFF

 

1) To save a sequence to the computer in a sysex file (using the MIDIOX):

 

- Open MIDIOX

- Press the toolbar icon (3rd from the left) "Show the system exclusive
window" (a new window opens)

- Select Menu "SyseX"

- Select Submenu "Receive manual dump" (MIDIOX enters into "waiting mode")

 

In the VFX:

- Go to "SEQ" section and select the sequence you want to save by pressing
the required display button

- Select "STORAGE" section

- Select "MIDI SYS_EX"

- Select "SEQUENCER"

- Select "CURRENT SEQ/SONG" (the VFX starts to send data, MIDIOX shows
increasing numbers indicating received bytes.

  If nothing happens this is a warning that something is NOK)

- The transmission finishes and a series of HEX data is displayed

 

In the MIDIOX:

- Select Menu "Display window"

- Select Submenu "Save as"

- Give a name to the sysex file (ZZZ.syx) to save it into the computer

- You have finished the saving process.

 

 

2) To load a sequence from a sysex file to the VFX:

 

- Open MIDIOX

- Press the toolbar icon (3rd from the left) "Show the system exclusive
window" (a new window opens)

- Select Menu "File"

- Select Submenu "Send sysex file"

- Select the sysex.syx file to load

- The MIDIOX starts transmitting to the VFX

- When finished, the sequence is loaded in the last empty location of the
sequencer section

 

This procedure has worked fine for me. Of course, there are some shortcuts
(for example: if you have set the file

association ".syx ---> opens with MIDIOX" in Windows, you can select
directly the file to send, just by double clicking it

from an Explorer window.

Remember that you can save sequences one by one, or all the sequencer data
in a single .syx file.

 

I admit I'm a low-level MIDIOX user, but if this procedure doesn't work for
you, I can check my other MIDIOX settings and

try to give you a hand.

 

Hope it helps. Cheers,

 

Alfons,_._,___

Thanks so much for your detailed reply, Alfons. Much appreciated. I had already configured as you said, and am seeing data sent and received in both

Hello again, Douglas:

 

I've looked into all the Midiox menus for a detailed configuration, but I've
only found this:

- Midiox version 7.0.0.365

- Low level input buffers:

  size=256

  num=16

- Low level output buffers:

  size=256

  num=16

- Delay 60 ms. between buffers

- Delay after F7... ON,  60 ms.

- Don't warn... OFF

- Append to bytes... OFF

- Fill display... OFF

- Show F0-F7... ON

- Save dump... OFF

 

- Remember to toggle ON "Pass sysex" (menu "options" or button in the
toolbar)

- Remember to route "Input port: MIDIOX EVENT PORT -----> Output port:
VFX-SD" in the routing window ("Route 66" button in the toolbar)

 

I don't know other options. I've never make modifications in this settings
(they were defaults in Midiox installation). I still keep a VERY old
computer for my synths connections

(pentium III at 466 Mhz, running Windows 98 SE). Please tell me if there is
any other setting to check.

By the way: have you succesfully used Midiox to save/load other sysex files
from/to the VFX? (patches, presets...). Is the problem appearing only with
sequences?

 

I wait for your answer (good news?)

Hasta pronto.

 

Alfons