Problem with Mid Hub...I can't select its inputs anywhere!

guidold · Post by **guidold** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:11 pm

Hi, I have a Phonic MIDI HUB (USB-MIDI interface), and when I connect it to one of the USB ports of my Dell Inspiron 6400 (1,6Ghz Core2Duo, 2Gb RAM, Windows XP, latest drivers and updates for everything, including Sigmatel HD Audio card), a balloon pops up and it says that Windows found new hardware, "Usb device", and that it will install the drivers automatically. Once it is done installing, it says that it should function properly. To check that it is installed, I go to the Device Manager, and it does show up there as "Usb audio device"...so in theory it is correctly installed, and I should be able to use both of its Midi inputs. However, this is not possible. None of the programs I have (Live, Reason, Cakewalk Sonar 6 Producer Edition, Guitar Rig 2, Finale 2006) seem to recognize it. I went to the Windows control panel, and clicked on "Sounds and audio devices" and clicked on the "Audio" tab. Then, I checked under "MIDI music playback" to see if I could choose my Midi Hub, but it just doesn't show up. All that shows up is the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth.

So, being really puzzled and confused about what was happening with my computer, I plugged in the MIDI HUB on my three other computers at home (all with Windows XP) and to my surprise, it worked on all three of them!! I installed all my music programs on those three computers, and I was able to choose the MIDI Hub's inputs (shown as "USB Audio Device" and "USB Audio Device (2)"). The inputs also showed up on the Windows control panel; in the "MIDI music playback" (I could choose Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, Usb Audio Device, and Usb Audio Device (2)).

I tried plugging the Midi Hub into all of the 4 different USB ports on my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop, but the inputs still don't show up. I also know that the USB ports on my laptop are working properly, as I can connect all sorts of devices to them (such as Ipods, cell phones, etc), and they all work perfectly.

This is really strange to me, as my Inspiron 6400 is brand new. I called the Dell technical support and they told me that they didn't really know what could be wrong...they told me to reinstall Windows and the drivers, which I did, and I still can't use my Midi Hub's inputs.

I would appreciate some support, as I've searched everywhere on the internet, with no luck. Please, I wouldn't want to return my Phonic Midi Hub, or my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop computer.

Thanks in advance, I hope my explanation of my problem was clear.

Guido López Dato

PS: Please check out the following image: http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/5851 ... hotxh7.jpg . My Windows XP is in Spanish, but you get the idea...)

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:56 pm

did you try a different usb port on the laptop?

guidold · Post by **guidold** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:31 pm

guidold wrote: I tried plugging the Midi Hub into all of the 4 different USB ports on my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop, but the inputs still don't show up. I also know that the USB ports on my laptop are working properly, as I can connect all sorts of devices to them (such as Ipods, cell phones, etc), and they all work perfectly.

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:45 pm

good luck

longjohns · Post by **longjohns** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:49 pm

Really weird.

Any chance you can manually install a driver from Phonic?

Are any of the other 3 computers laptops?

Is there an external power supply for the MIDI interface?

guidold · Post by **guidold** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:54 pm

This is driving me crazy...
The damn thing is supposed to work with the generic windows drivers, meaning that you just plug it in and you are ready to go, without the need of installing specific drivers. There is no driver that Phonic offers...

One of the 3 other computers is a Lenovo T60 Thinkpad (laptop), and when I plug the Midi Hub to one of the USB ports, it works perfectly...

There is no external power supply for the interface, and I know hat it getts power from the USB ports, because the "Power" light comes on. I've already checked to see if the problem was caused by any power management issues; power is not the problem here...

I posted this problem at another forum, and a guy told me that it could be my onboard soundcard (Sigmatel HD Audio) that could be causing the problems...Could this be possible?

Please, can anybody help?

Thanks in advance.

phish · Post by **phish** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:43 pm

Hi,

I just submitted a problem about using my Axiom 49 with Ableton live lite 5.
Just like the user who made this thread, my version of Ableton live is not recognizing any midi device. I've tried re-installing each but it still doesn't work, it does not appear as an input device on the midi preference window.

please help

rocker101 · Post by **rocker101** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:02 pm

guidold wrote:
....a guy told me that it could be my onboard soundcard (Sigmatel HD Audio) that could be causing the problems...Could this be possible?
.

Yes, if you are using an external sound device, then you have to TURN OFF the internal sigma-sound in the bios settings...

and: the best thing you can do:
deactivate ALL features in BIOS you don´t need.
Lan etc...

I have an inspiron 6400 too ! Take a firewire audio/midi interface - works great !

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:05 pm

phish wrote:Hi,

I just submitted a problem about using my Axiom 49 with Ableton live lite 5.
Just like the user who made this thread, my version of Ableton live is not recognizing any midi device. I've tried re-installing each but it still doesn't work, it does not appear as an input device on the midi preference window.

please help

If you have the m-audio Live lite edition, you're eligible for an upgrade to lite 6.
Doesn't solve your problem, but i hope it helps

http://www.ableton.com/pages/2006/free_m_audio_upgrade

guidold · Post by **guidold** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:46 pm

rocker101 wrote:
guidold wrote:
I have an inspiron 6400 too ! Take a firewire audio/midi interface - works great !

Hey rocker101, do you have a firewire audio/midi interface? If so, which one? I haven't bought one yet, because I've heard that the Inspiron 6400s have problems with firewire interfaces.

rocker101 · Post by **rocker101** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 9:18 am

hey,

YES !
i am using a ECHO AUDIO FIRE2 ! I play every week and i am very happy with this card ! Absolutely NO CRASHs or PROBLEMS !!

Works great !!!

http://www.echoaudio.com/

Problem with Mid Hub...I can't select its inputs anywhere!

Problem with Mid Hub...I can't select its inputs anywhere!

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