Curt,
Please check your PMs. I need help getting my Roland A-800 Pro controller to work with my new Ketron SD90. AJ spent about an hour with me on the phone today but we did not get it figured out. He suggested I try another controller but I don't see why the A-800 pro would to work. It works just great with Dan's vArranger and a Ketron SD2 unit.

Thanks,
Deane

The only reason to try it out with another key, is to be sure the sd90 is not the problem..
If the other key doesnt work either, find the wrong setting in the sd90...

But didn't it work in curts demo video?

It now works!! Had to reset a controller setting. Roland
Support took about 30 seconds to solve the issue.
The IF Switch in midi settings had to be OFF.

Anyone know what the IF switch does?
Deane

Inter face

IF it don't work, turn it off .

chas

Deane - So your good now? As for the "I/F" setting on the Roland:

Hi Deane,

I found the answer on P. 66 of the Roland A300/500/800 PRO MIDI controller keyboard owner's manual (https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/A-300PRO_500PRO_800PRO_R_eng10_W.pdf):


MIDI I/F switch has to be OFF if you want your A-PRO controller to be able to exchange MIDI messages with your external MIDI device, which is the Ketron SD90 module, with or without a computer as shown in the above diagram.

If you have the MIDI I/F switch ON, your A-PRO controller will act as a MIDI interface. All the MIDI messages have to route through a computer.

In your case, a computer is not needed between your A-800 PRO keyboard and the Ketron SD90 module, so the MIDI I/F has to be OFF.

Thanks,
Paul

Thanks guys. I found the info in the manual pages you sent.
Looks like I have a lot of work to do to get it gig ready. I have found one issue
I think needs an OS update. If you power your controller using the SD90 USB port it will cause the touch screen to stop responding. Seems odd, but that seems to be true. Curt, were you using the USB port to power your A-800 pro? If so, how did you get it to work?

Deane

Hi Deane,

I do not have a Roland A-800 PRO MIDI controller keyboard.

I have a newer 61-key M-Audio Code 61 MIDI controller keyboard, which has no problem powering up from any of the 3 USB 2.0 ports on the right hand side of the Ketron SD90 module. The Code 61 works fine with the Ketron SD90 module, and there is no frozen touch screen issue.

MIDI out on Code 61 by default was OFF. I had to press the EDIT button, and pressed the lowest B key to turn MIDI out ON before the keyboard could send MIDI messages to the Ketron SD90 through MIDI connection.

Menu - Preferences page of my Ketron SD90 shows:
Rel. 1.1.0 20/07/2018; Firm: V3.0A; Serial: XXXXXXXXX; T=46.22 V=3.02 K.Firm: V1.12

Did you try powering your Roland A-800 PRO from a standard USB charger such as any USB charger for any of your cell phones? This should at least allow you to start playing with your Ketron SD90 without frozen touch screen.

Thanks,
Paul

No, I use the external power supply on the A-800.

Hi Curt,
I just ordered the power supply for the Roland A-800 Pro. I am finding the 3 USB ports on the
SD90 to be very sensitive to how they are used. Seems like they were intended to be used simply as a data transfer option. Playing styles from a USB port seems to cause problems. I reported this to AJ.

Deane

Good luck Deane with your new setup report back on your experiences gigging it on stage!

Deane,

Interesting feedback. I have to admit that other than connecting to our Mac via USB I rarely use those ports. Recall the "Add a second drive" video we did a couple of weeks back? We are using that drive for additional storage when needed on the SD90.

Hi Deane,
Do you really need to have the A-800 Pro as your controller? Almost everything you need in real time control arranger playing is already there in the SD90 module. It could be lot simpler if you just use USB-powered controller like Nektar Impact GX61 (very low price, compact and lightweight). Just connect the SD90 and the contoller with a single USB printer cable and you're done.
Just my 2 cents.

My Code61 powers up via USB to the SD7 ( 3 front USB connectors).. a message says Code61 successfully connected..

As I mentioned in this thread earlier, my M-Audio Code 61 also powers up through the USB port of the Ketron SD90 without any issues. The SD90 module acknowledges the connection of Code 61 as a storage.

I was able to play on the Code 61, triggering chord changes on the left hand for styles, and solo voices on the right hand, with no frozen touchscreen. Deane's Roland A-800 could be drawing too much current from the USB port of his SD90 to interfere with the touchscreen operations. A separate AC power adapter should be a good solution.

Thanks,
Paul

Jim,
I don't want to buy a second controller. Besides, the Roland A-800 Pro is a really nice keyboard. I have a Roland power supply coming so thee should not be any more problems pertaining to the power supply.

Deane

Fran,
I believe there must be a design issue with the A-800 Pro power supply. The original one was a PSB-1U and it has been replaced by Roland with the PSB-120. Also, for whatever reason, Italy decided the SD90 USB ports did not need to supply a lot of power for such things as a midi controller.

Deane

The power a usb port offers is defined in the USB specs..
If the a-800 is compliant to these rules, there should be no problem.
Since the SD90 seems to use a standard usb chipset, i dont think the problem is with the sd90..