Hi! I am writing to ask for help from the owners of Mediastations. A month ago I bought a used MS X76 in my country from a software developer from Lionstracs at a very good price for me (as much as PSR S500 here). I am a physician and an amateur musician and I can’t spend too much time learning this computer based keyboard however I couldn’t let this offer pass so I bought it. The Owner Manual is very very basic (58 pages vs. 216 pages of my intuitive PSR 1500). There are other Manuals for the Qtractor, Hardware and Livestyler that don’t solve my problems. My main purpose was using it as a source for good VSTi and samples not as an arranger. It has an older processor a single core 64bits AMD 2800+ with 1Gb Ram. I know it is a slow hardware for the latest OS 3.2 that I am using however the whole functioning of the MS is mostly unexpected. At first I received a lot of help from Domenico from Lionstracs but now our communication is beginning to be slower (may be once a week) and I can’t wait that time to go forward in my learning curve. I know he is a busy man so I need a faster response from other users here in the Synthzone who are willing to spend some time to answer my simple questions. Basically I need the MS to play all the sounds (Gm/Gs- GigaSounds and VSTi) and receive and send Midi messages through the external in-out ports. I have the following problems:
1) Most of the times when the MS starts up the GM/GS sounds don’t sound or sometimes they sound with some latency (a few seconds after I press the key) This does not happen with the Giga, Sample and VSTi sound so I think it does not have to do with the low ram and single core processor. I use the ¾ output not the XRL output.
2) I just don’t understand the Jack connection. There are many options to link and when something is done wrong I have to reboot the whole system. I can’t control other keyboards by the midi out or receive by the midi in of the MS. Could someone explain to me something as basic as how to set one channel for receiving and playing anything is sounding in the MS or sending in one midi channel anything I play in the keyboard?
3) The joystick can’t be calibrated. When the GM sounds work moving it to the left/right changes pitch not modulation (up/down), with Giga or sample sounds it doesn’t work with most sounds. Of course I tried calibrating it but the screen dot never follows the movement of the stick and doesn’t apply any effect
4) The main reason I bought the Ms is to be able to use many orchestral samples and Vsti as I said in another post. So what other good samples can I get apart from the ones that Lionstracs offers?

I have plenty of other questions to make. Those who want to help me can also write to my private mail if you wish. I read the SynthZone has been a little boring lately as some users have stated here but I wish this post does not become a “pissing contest” as you call it in English since I only want some help and this topic is mainly addressed to those who know the MS. Thanks.

VAGRO thanks to you and really good that I can see some new users of MS here.

First of all if you change operating system as I see from text than you need to check calibration of wheels etc.

Second thing as I see here is that you use GM GIGA BANK. That is good. Latency on start is only when you put inside different sound (I mean totaly changed giga bank.) But that is on start not when you are playing. At playing it must not be latency expect whne you use sound on demand.

For GM DREAM bank was some mistak in one of ISO 3.2 so I think you are using wrong ISO.

Other possibility is that is DREAM CHIP out of slot.


64bits AMD 2800+ with 1Gb Ram is quit good machine but RAM is today so cheap and I can say you only to buy one giga more. If you can not find it in your country please contact me on mail.

Please do not histate to contact me or other users. You can ask any time.

Thanks Magic Alfa. Most of the time Gm sounds don't sound or show latency and other times they don't stop sounding after the keys are released. Do you mean I have a faulty 3.2 OS? How do I know that? Where do I get the good one then? Where is the dream chip located to check it?. Yes, I thought about adding more Ram but there are only two slots and this older DDR memories are more expensive than newer DDr2 and it would be better to upgrade all the motherboard then.

Hi vargo
I dont have reply to you so fast, because I'm still half in vacation and not always on my office.
reply to the ll email by Iphone without 3G network is really hard..
Anyway, here some suggestion on your MS issue:

1) you have already installed the last OS 3.2rev 1674, the new kernel have fixed the all midi serial issue too and must always play when you booting. If you stll have the dream chip latency, this can be the reason:
A) The OS 3.2 need min 2Gb Ram, because the sampler suck to much ram for the persistent RAM giga sounds. Press the MS key HD, will display the KDE Infocenter, then touch the MEMORY field, will display the all memory available. Look IF you have running the HD swapping memory, must be free at 100%, if not, mean that the HD is started to creating virtual memory and the all system start to be really slow.
B) From OS 3.X Ubuntu, is only tested on mainboard Asrock NF3 and K10N78, I'm NOT sure that will full working on your dated mainboard SKT800, for sure is also missing some drivers.
C) On OS 3.2 we use now the JACK MP ( multi processing) and need min a dual core CPU or you will get a lot of xruns or latency. The kernel is compiled on dual core, this I told you before.

2) I know that Jack can be complex at the first time, but is the only smart digital I/O matrix able to configure your setup how you like: http://www.lionstracs.com/store/images/2008/jackmultiasio.jpg
when you booting the MS or restart the system, this jack interface will be never used, this is used only when someone will configure some special or crazy I/O matrix.
one simple example how to use the GIGA sounds from external device:
Open Jack Asla, touch the serial Midi IN 1 and then touch on right side the Linuxsampler Port 1, then press connect.
Now, connect one midi device player on MS Midi IN and wil play the all giga sounds as GM/GS...is really SO simple!
Same if you will use one Asio host, synth..
want play one external expander with the MS?
Press the MIDI PATCH 9 and 0, are the Midi OUT 1 and 2, connect one external expander and play it. You can also edit the midi CH trasmit and save the configuration., is really so simple.

3)start the calibration Joystick mode and reverse the axis, follow the display info and every time you have positioned the joystick axis, press ENTER and continue, untill you have calibrated the position of the 4 axis. This features was made from hernann..buenos aries.

4)You have about download the all giga library from my web store, do you have listen the all sounds? You have also some asio host installed and you can install how many more you want and Play.

Let me know, then I reply to your email too BUT I will not reply here..I made only because Zmago asked me.
cheers

Thank you Domenico and thank you Zmago for talking to him. Dom I didn't expect you answered here, you have my mail to do that. I think your mail also has a "latency" problem that's way I post this topic here. I'm sorry I just can't sit and wait 6 days (since I wrote you my last mail and you were already at home)for one answer. This week end I'll be working with the MS and I will let you know privately how things turn out.

Victor