UC33 doing bizarre stuff!!!

Lowride · Post by **Lowride** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 7:53 pm

The problem I've got is that my UC isn't being recognised properly by Ableton - either that or my UC is sending the wrong info.

I'll try to illustrate...

Ok, my midi assign setup was something like this...

keys 1,4,7 wereeq kills for low, mid and hi on my first stereo channel
Likewise 2,5,7 were eq kills on channel 2. (My set up while I learn is a basic classic dj set up)

Problem I have though is that for some reason when I try to assign the keys, it will work ok for the first button, say button 1 for hi eq, but when I jump to the next, 4, for mid, it will say that the button has already been assigned to the hi eq, and would I like to continue. The same applies if I want to assign the Master Volume slider to Tempo. When I then go to assign slider 1 to the volume of channel 1, it will say the slider has already been assigned - in this case to Tempo. The funny thing is, this issue doesn't apply to all the knobs and sliders - some work fine.

Any ideas what could be the problem? I have had my UC for a couple of weeks now, and it's been problem free - until now...

I thought it could possibly be a virus or something (I sometimes use ableton at the same time as I websurf - though I do have an audio boot up partition for when I am doing concentrated work.)

Any thoughts??? The thing that makes me think that it's maybe the UC causing the prob is that I can assign keys on my laptop no problem - the problems only arise when I use the UC...

Help would be great as this is really doing my box in...

Cheers

Lowride

Jinsai · Post by **Jinsai** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:07 pm

I guess its already a given that programming presets on the U33 is a bitch... maybe it was just my manual, but the whole series of pages dealing with how to advanced configure the midi assignable buttons was missing.... not to mention the fact that the basic instructions turned out to be wrong (after an extensive net search for the correct way to do it)...
I also had it bug out on me during a live performance.. it failed to send the correct midi notes to ableton and ruined the song..
But I guess what can you expect... its budget gear.
I'm looking at one of those Behringer Models... forgot the code. They may make crappy mixers, but the midi controllers w/ lighted LED knobs and sliders are pretty great...

Lowride · Post by **Lowride** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:55 pm

Jinsai,

All I did was a factory reset, and this seemed to cure the problem.
Not sure what caused the screw up though. My worry though was that all the preset templates that come bundled with the UC have gone - the manual said that all presets would erased. Not sure if this is the case...
Still to check.

Lowride

Jinsai · Post by **Jinsai** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:35 pm

does that mean that the settings you programmed into it have been erased or that the horrible presets it comes packaged with have been erased?
Eitherway, it was a nightmare for me to customize that thing...
Thank god for Ableton's arbitrary midi-mapping system... without that quick reference midi system I would have lost my patience with the u33 setup a long time ago.
to program parameters I had to enter in code numbers that didn't reference any scripted text on the actual unit and weren't mentioned in the instruction manual.
I hope that everything you saved to it has been retained

I, for one, have nightmares about having to work with that thing again in that capacity.
no wonder Evolution phased it out and is replacing it now...

djshiva · Post by **djshiva** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 7:38 am

i had to resurrect this thread, because not only is my uc33 (bought it from a friend who never had any problems with it) doing the weird "this is alreadyassigned" thing, but when i assign a knob to...say...the eq frequency, i can sit there not touching anything and the frequency dot will jump back and forth.

wtf? anyone else dealt with this? the manual is just confusing as hell too. damn tech-ese...

p.s. using live 5.2, just in case that has anything to do with anything...

DJADD · Post by **DJADD** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm

As much as I love the Evolution gear, because it's cheap, that's exactly it.. it's CHEAP! Knobs on the UC-16 and X-Session send jumpy signals out, maybe the knobs are dirty, but same problem, unless your template for your live set is done, it's almost impossible to remap without it sending out false messages!
And we get the the wiggling knobs too (on screen in Live).

I don't see this problem with any of our other MIDI gear, Niche 16 sliders, Trigger Finger, even our old Evolution MK249C keyboard doesn't appear to do this.

djshiva · Post by **djshiva** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:19 pm

well, crap.

i have never had problem one with the UC16 (which i ended up using for a show last night instead of the UC33), but i am fairly frustrated with the 33. granted, i didn't pay a LOT for it, but still...who needs a useless piece of kit sitting around (that's what my oxygen 8 is for)?

**edit**
well, the knobs still get jumpy, but i managed to assign them to a clean basic template. i just ignored the "this already assigned" dialogue when it popped up and hit cancel. so far so good...

djshiva · Post by **djshiva** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:51 am

**edited for double post**

Atomikat · Post by **Atomikat** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:10 am

I use the UC33e and no problems at all, It works perfect, maybe when you are programming...you accidentally touch another knob without notice it and for that reason it gives you the message : "Already assigned". Forget the presets, just do your own template.Although the UC33e may be "cheap", does all what it is made for .

rupps · Post by **rupps** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:53 pm

hey there!

I have to say... I have an UC16 and an UC33 and they are rock solid. I take my UC/33 to raves, to the beach, it's full of sand, rain, and alcoholic drinks

And ok, now a couple of knobs are not er.... in excellent condition, but wtf! it's a 160€ machine!!!

About the two problems described:

* The "already assigned" thing can be caused by:

1) The knobs have the same CC number for this preset, but in different channels. Just change the preset to see if it helps. For the people saying that programming the UC33 is a pain in the ass I would recommend "MAUDIO ENIGMA", a software for comfortably and visually programming the UC33 (e)

2) There's one knob very dirty (or fucked up) that sends 'ghost values'. I have one like this since a rum with coke fell into my thirsty UC33. My workaround: Put LIVE in learn mode , press something with the mouse and see if UC/33 sends something. If this is the case, look at the cc number being received. Then locate the knob that has that CC number and tweak it, clean it, blow it, ... whatever. In my case I just tweak it a little and stops sending data. If you a mcGiver fan just open the UC/33, take all the knobs out, take out the potentiometer board, desolder the faulty potentiometer, buy a new one (they're very cheap) and solder it again. It is not very difficult.

* The other problem, the 'ghost' values, is exactly the problem described in paragraph 2.

djshiva · Post by **djshiva** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:25 am

well, i have the old uc33 and not the uc33e (bought it from a friend who used it without any probs).

i have gotten around the assigned stuff, but it is a constant pain.

UC33 doing bizarre stuff!!!

UC33 doing bizarre stuff!!!

I've had problems too...

presets erased!?

uc33 rox!!!