The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Hi Jon,

The studio computer has Audiotrack INCA88 soundcard, Win2k operating system
and everything should be with latest drivers. I know that the midi cables
are working, I was sending and receiving sysex dumps for my Digitech PCM10
pedal.

> It's not that I'm trying to discount the idea of a 'memory failure' it
> just that I've never heard of such a thing in regards to the AN1x.

I'm only suspecting it because I've seen things like this happening with
other MIDI devices (Starting from Alesis mmt-8 for example) ;) ...

>If you provide a little more info on your
> configuration perhaps somebody following this thread might with the same
> config might chime in with an opinion.

Umh, what can I tell you more, I have midi interface(s) and cables connected
to the synth, midi note sending and receiving is working ok from Cubase to
synth and vice versa, but sysex seems to be working only from computer to
the synth (AN1xEdit).

>Store routine from the front panel. IMO, that type of behavior might
>indicate a low
> battery condition. I

Yep, that's one thing I'm little bit worried as well, but then how could it
be affecting because while I'm trying to do bulk dumps I've power connected
anyway?

> What steps are you taking to perform the bulk dumps?

Only using AN1xEdit commands.

I'm sorry I forgot to take installation files for Midi-Ox with me to the
studio so I wasn't able to test that, but hopefully I can do it during the
weekend. In matter of fact I'm going to spend some time with this problem
anyway during the weekend because I really would like to get backup from my
important patches :( ... already printed some blank charts from the .pdf
manual :-/

Cheers,
TimoS

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon" <jondl_2000@...>
To: <AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 5:00 PM
Subject: [AN1x] Re: Midi strangeness


> --- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, "Timo Sandholm" <timo.sandholm@u...>
wrote:
> > Hi Jon,
> >
> > I think that I have memory failure in my AN1x, because I tested bulk
dumps
> > yesterday in another computer with different midi interface and the
result
> > was that I was able to receive only one program at time and I needed to
> > close AN1x edit inbetween the sessions.
>
>
> Again I ask - what brand/type of MIDI Interface and what OS were you
running - did
> you have the latest drivers installed from the manufacturer, were you able
to test with
> any other hardware synths? Did you try a separate pair of MIDI cables?
>
> It's not that I'm trying to discount the idea of a 'memory failure' it
just that I've never
> heard of such a thing in regards to the AN1x. And if it were so, I'd think
it would
> manifest itself elsewhere to begin with - such as an inability to Save
Voices using the
> Store routine from the front panel. IMO, that type of behavior might
indicate a low
> battery condition. I
>
> For your issues I still suspect this is a connectivity issue. I can't
recall anybody
> reporting AN1xEdit failing inbetween bulk dumps either - the application
has
> generally proven to be more stable than that. If you provide a little more
info on your
> configuration perhaps somebody following this thread might with the same
config
> might chime in with an opinion.
>
> What steps are you taking to perform the bulk dumps? You do not need to
take any
> action from the AN1x front panel controls when using AN1xEdit - to attempt
> otherwise might confuse the app. Did you try a SysEx bulkd dump utility on
both your
> home and studio computers (MIDI-Ox wasn't it?) If so, how did that work
out?
>
> It might be time to perform a clean install and try over.
>
> Jon
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>

Aaarrrgghh,

I'm giving up. Luckily I was able to get backup from my important patches
during the weekend. But everything is working so strange that I can't take
it anymore, I will just continue using my AN1x as usual and once a while
I'll dump my important patches to sysex files. (See I'm working in Technical
Support in software business and I'm not too interested in to do
troubleshooting in my free time). :)

But what happened was that I was able succesfully to dump one patch at the
time to Midi-Ox, but I was able to do it only twice, after that I needed to
close down and re-start Midi-Ox and then I was able to do sysex dump from
AN1x twice. The two first times when dumping from An1x the file size was
1000 - 3000 bytes and the third dump was always 40960 bytes and it failed to
save as a file and it also failed when sending it back to An1x.

Cheers,
TimoS

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, "Timo Sandholm" <timo.sandholm@u...> wrote:

> Aaarrrgghh,
>
> I'm giving up.

Bummer :-(

Luckily I was able to get backup from my important patches

> during the weekend.

Good news :-)

> But what happened was that I was able succesfully to dump one patch at the
> time to Midi-Ox, but I was able to do it only twice, after that I needed to
> close down and re-start Midi-Ox and then I was able to do sysex dump from
> AN1x twice. The two first times when dumping from An1x the file size was
> 1000 - 3000 bytes and the third dump was always 40960 bytes and it failed to
> save as a file and it also failed when sending it back to An1x.

Timo, didn't you use to own an AN200 or PLG150-AN?

I've spent some time searching the list archives and found a plethora of posts from
Gary Gregson of AN1xEdit fame. Gary most eloquently put it as such:

'The problem with the AN1x is that its bulk dumps are very large (by most
synth standards). Doing a full patch dump transmits 128K of data. This
is sent in packets of over 1K with a 5ms gap between each. This stresses
any MIDI interface by driving it at full bandwidth. If there are any
delays in the MIDI path or buffering problems, it is very easy to either
lose packets, bytes or to change the inter packet delay time. The net
result is that the AN1x will not accept the data.

Ideally Yamaha should have used smaller packets (around 256 bytes, which
is what most MIDI interfaces/software seem capable of handling
comfortably) and left a bigger gap between blocks. Unfortunately this
would have also dramatically increased the transmission/receive times
(which I am sure many will testify are long enough already :-)'

There has been much discussion on this list to troubleshoot the very problems you
have experienced. I would encourage you or anybody else using a low cost USB MIDI
Interface or SoundCard MIDI I/O to upgrade to a name brand, multi-port MIDI
Interface - perhaps solicit feedback from this list or other lists/forums on which you
participate prior to making a purchase. It's no gurantee that *all* you problems will
be solved but for the most part they are significantly more reliable.

Jon

p.s. - I know how you feel about not wanting to trouble shoot any further - don't feel
bad :-)

Hi Jon,

Thank you for your efforts. What a good memory you have, I actually used to
own AN200 but got rid of it mainly because I didn't like the idea that all
the functions are not available from the front panel, see I'm little bit
software allergic ;) . It's pity that the things do not work how they should
and it's strange because I can use AN1xEdit to send patches to my synth, but
I can survive like this and that's the most important thing for now.

btw, thanks for the info regarding the sysex dump size, I might someday
experience with sysex buffer settings of midi-ox, to see if there is any
difference. :)


Cheers,
TimoS