MIDI jitter with Midex 8, suggestions?

kirkunit · Post by **kirkunit** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:50 pm

Hello,
We were starting to hook up the hardware synths as External Instruments in Live 7.0.10, when we discovered that we had really bad MIDI jitter. This was using the Steinberg Midex 8 USB interface. When we switched to the internal MIDI of the RME Multiface, the jitter was much, much lower, but one MIDI output won't suffice for our setup.
Has anyone encountered and solved this issue, or have a suggestion for a MIDI interface with preferably 8 outputs that is tight with Live?

Using Live 7.0.10, latest MIDEX 8 driver, Windows XP SP2, Asus A8V S939 PCI Mainboard, Dual-core Athlon64 3800+, 2GB RAM, RME Multiface for Audio

lola · Post by **lola** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:29 pm

Same problem here, with midex 8, and ableton 7

b-righteous · Post by **b-righteous** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:59 pm

The Midex8 has inherit high max jitter. It does have low overall latency but that does not cut it. It seems you are having even more jitter than normal for the Midex so it may be how it works with Live. Try using MME drivers on input and DM on output or vice versa.

USB devices are usually not as good as PCI for midi but it seems the only way to get 8x8 since no one makes dedicated PCI midi interfaces. Don't know what ones are the best but the Midex is really jittery.

If the trick above works or you go with another interface, try also using the RME for your main midi INPUT for your keyboard or pads. This will give you the best midi input for playing parts. You can use USB for output only and remote.

lola · Post by **lola** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:07 pm

Live 6 and midex works like a charm, live 7 does not... so it has to be ableton.

lola · Post by **lola** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:49 pm

kirkunit

I just got a mail form ableton, and they say that it's caused by the midex.
The driver development of this machine has stopped in 2005, it has to do with the LTB protocol.

They advice to buy a motu interface.

b-righteous · Post by **b-righteous** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:46 pm

Thanks for sharing. This is good to know for anyone with a Midex. Ableton should make users aware of this. They could maybe code a workaround so it works like in live 6 but it may not be worth the potential set back to support a discontinued device. I had one of these and I am glad I sold it.

lola · Post by **lola** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:38 pm

it sucks..

I bought a unitor 8 back in 1998, cause of the amt protocol logic uses.
So in 2002 logic got sold to apple, and went over to cubase.
Cubase had its own protocol, called LTB, in order to use that i had to buy a midex, because AMT was not supported by steinberg ofcource.

So... 2005, i switched to ableton, ableton offered no ltb but all was fine.
Live 7 appears..... and fuck... midex midi jitters and stuff.

So..i bought 2 machines, 1 unitor for 1000 euro, and 1 midex for 500... still own them both but can't use them.

So... end of story...i am not getting a new 8 in 8 out interface again.... to much money.

Or....someone could hack the midex drivers, put them online as opensource, and start to develop again.... damn steinberg pricks.

kirkunit · Post by **kirkunit** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:37 am

Huh! I did something I thought I already tried and the problem seems to have been extremely reduced.

In the Windows device manager, doubleclick the Midex 8, go to settings (I think the tab was called), where you'll find 8 checkboxes for "MME Compatibility". Uncheck them, the system reboots and voila - I got almost rock solid timing.

The only drawback with this approach is breaking some legacy applications, for instance MIDI-OX doesn't register the midi ports after this, but maybe you can leave one port on MME to work with these programs - I just used the RME midi instead for sysex duties.

I also found that one additional culprit was our Philip Rees Midi-to-CV box, which doesn't seem to be able to handle a lot of midi data. Starting at around 145 bpm, straight 1/16th notes doesn't even register 100%.