Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

Hello, 

I got a new XL-7 (v. 1.31) today and it seems as though it is meeting 
exceeding my expectations---I'm having alot of fun w/ it.  

I am, however, having a bit of diffiulty w/ e-loader on my Mac:  I have 
installed the MRJ 2.2.5, E-loader 1.1.  But when I start-up e-loader, 
the E-mu E-loader screen comes up and then a short time later a dialog 
box saying "The Native MIDI System could not be initialed" appears.  E-
loader goes no further than that--it doesn't hang the computer--but 
there's not even a way to quit E-loader short of re-booting.  

I have the XL-7 communicating w/ my MIDI interface (MOTU MTP) and 
FreeMidi.  E-loader is just unhappy with something...anyone else have a 
similar experience?

Any hints are appreciated.

Thanks

Rob Michael

Mac OS 8.1
FreeMIDI 1.41
XL-7 v 1.31
E-loader v. 1.1
MRJ v 2.2.5

> I have the XL-7 communicating w/ my MIDI interface (MOTU MTP) and 
> FreeMidi.  E-loader is just unhappy with something...

E-Loader almost certainly requires OMS, even though none of the
installation or usage docs. say so explicitly.

-- 

  nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com

I don't believe there are drivers for E-Loader on the Mac, you might have 
to find a PC to use.

rEalm





I got a new XL-7 (v. 1.31) today and it seems as though it is meeting 
exceeding my expectations---I'm having alot of fun w/ it. 

I am, however, having a bit of diffiulty w/ e-loader on my Mac:  I have 
installed the MRJ 2.2.5, E-loader 1.1.  But when I start-up e-loader, 
the E-mu E-loader screen comes up and then a short time later a dialog 
box saying "The Native MIDI System could not be initialed" appears.  E-
loader goes no further than that--it doesn't hang the computer--but 
there's not even a way to quit E-loader short of re-booting. 

I have the XL-7 communicating w/ my MIDI interface (MOTU MTP) and 
FreeMidi.  E-loader is just unhappy with something...anyone else have a 
similar experience?






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks SO MUCH for the reponses.  

The OMS tip hit the nail on the head.  In the 6 or 7 years I've been 
using FreeMIDI, this is the 1st time it has unsuccessfully emulated 
OMS.

Using OMS is a crucial detail (for Mac users)--perhaps worthy of 
inclusion in the next FAQ--which has already proven EXCELLENT.  I've 
printed a hard copy and taped it the wall in my studio.

Thanks again for turning a "head scratcher" into "slam dunk!"

Sincerely,

Rob Michael



--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, Nick Rothwell <nick@c...> wrote:
> 
> E-Loader almost certainly requires OMS, even though none of the
> installation or usage docs. say so explicitly.
> 
> -- 
> 
>   nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com


--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, erik_magrini@B... wrote:

> I don't believe there are drivers for E-Loader on the Mac, you might have 
> to find a PC to use.
> 
> rEalm
> 
> 
> 
> I got a new XL-7 (v. 1.31) today and it seems as though it is meeting 
> exceeding my expectations---I'm having alot of fun w/ it. 
> 
> I am, however, having a bit of diffiulty w/ e-loader on my Mac:  I have 
> installed the MRJ 2.2.5, E-loader 1.1.  But when I start-up e-loader, 
> the E-mu E-loader screen comes up and then a short time later a dialog 
> box saying "The Native MIDI System could not be initialed" appears.  E-
> loader goes no further than that--it doesn't hang the computer--but 
> there's not even a way to quit E-loader short of re-booting. 
> 
> I have the XL-7 communicating w/ my MIDI interface (MOTU MTP) and 
> FreeMidi.  E-loader is just unhappy with something...anyone else have a 
> similar experience?

Yes, I had to ditch my MOTU usb MIDI interface and dig up an older Midiman 2x2 
interface and install OMS.  On top of all that I've got to reboot in OS9 to make all of 
this happen.

Here's my plea to E-MU and other companies: Support current platforms.  I know lot's 
of people using Macs to make music.  It might not be the most popular platform, but 
it's a great one and with all the beautify of OS 10's MIDI and audio features it may 
only get more popular.  E-MU isn't the only culpret.  All the big companies seem to 
share this issue.  Roland is one of the worst IMO.  If what you buy comes with 
software don't ever expect it to be updated to work with a newer system in the future.  
It wouldn't be so bad if they gave away the source code at the end of the products 
cycle so 3rd parties and users could continue to make their gear investment viable.

Mark Sottliaro

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, Nick Rothwell <nick@c...> wrote:

> > The OMS tip hit the nail on the head.  In the 6 or 7 years I've been 
> > using FreeMIDI, this is the 1st time it has unsuccessfully emulated 
> > OMS.
> 
> This is an area which is far more confusing and unreliable than it
> needs to be. For example: FreeMIDI (the later versions) *don't*
> emulate OMS - that functionality was removed. Instead, it now requires
> OMS and sits on top of it. (The problem with this is that OMS's USB
> driving is not 100% reliable, so I'd actually prefer FreeMIDI at the
> hardware level.)  Whenever I build a new Mac platform for running one
> of my OasysPCI cards, FreeMIDI cannot get the OMS drivers for the
> OasysPCI loaded properly. Then a couple of days later, it just starts
> working.
> 
> If you now have it working: don't touch anything.

> Here's my plea to E-MU and other companies: Support current platforms.

E-mu and the like are not software companies; they make money shipping
boxes, not through end-user licences, so when a product becomes
obsolete there's no incentive to keep supporting the software side of
the package.

My entire studio requires obsolete platforms: the XL-7 E-loader, the
Nord Modular editor, and the OasysPCI synthesis/effects
platform. Meanwhile, the software products I use (Max/MSP, Digital
Performer) are pulling away and the MacOS 9 versions are now orphaned.

If you use computers you're going to get screwed by the machinations
of the industry sooner or later; it just comes with the territory, and
you have to decide whether the price is worth the power and
flexibility. (As far as I'm concerned, a Titanium PowerBook running an
OasysPCI is well worth sticking to MacOS 9 for.)

-- 

  nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com