Upgrade Mackie Control Universal to work with AA

I am stymied with a problem. I bought a Mackie Control Universal and it does not work with Audition. I called tech support at Mackie and they said my unit had outdated firmware, and that it had to be downloaded as a zipped MIDI file from Mackie's website. I did that, and unzipped it, and it shows up in Explorer as a Windows Media file, which I was told, was correct.

I right-click on the first track in Multitrack View, select "Import/Midi/Mackie file", and click OK. Nothing shows up in the track, although, if I try to re-import it, a window pops up saying that the MIDI track has already been imported. In addition, the "Map" button does not appear in the left-hand section of the track (where the R/S/M buttons are). If I configure the Mackie to accept the upgrade, and then hit Play, nothing happens...no MIDI gets played, the Mackie doesn't do what it's supposed to when the MIDI track is being loaded into it, and so on.

I am using a Terratec EWS88D sound card, which has MIDI I/O, and I have selected it as the I/O device. I tried exchanging it for an Edirol MIDI/USB interface, with no change.

Any ideas?

By right, Audition is limited in it's Midi abilities but I can't understand why a firmware update should consist of a MIDI file. Strange indeed!

Anyway, if the "Midi" file isn't large, could you post it for others to try and understand what's going on? Also, have you checked to see if "Midi" is checked in the file type menu at the bottom left corner of Audition. (Assuming you haven't organised your screen too much from the original)

Regards

Mark

lpdeluxe - to the best of my knowledge, AA only shows an imported Midi file when Midi notes are present.  If there are only Midi commands in the Midi file, and no note data, I'm guessing that you would see nothing in AA - as you are currently reporting - even tho the Midi file has been properly imported.

Do you have a Midi sequencer with which to examine your Midi file to see what Midi commands might be included there?  If no, you can download a free one from here - although I'm not certain what Midi commands it will display (don't have it in front of me at the moment).

Anvil Studio
http://www.AnvilStudio.com

If that doesn't help you out, then follow Mark's suggestion and post the Midi file to this forum.  There are a number of us who can download the file and look at it.  If that file is designed to reset Midi parameters within AA, your computer card, or your Mackie unit, it makes sense to me that it would only contain Midi commands and no Midi notes.

But I would think there should be some sort of instructions somewhere that explain how to implement this upgrade correctly.  Since Mackie says your unit (as opposed to AA or your computer) has outdated firmware, I'm guessing that you need to be sending the Midi commands to your Makie Control??.  That would require that you be sending MIDI out of AA and into your Mackie Control.  I know you can set AA to transmit Midi Out at "Options > Device Properties".  What I don't know is if you have a Midi input on your Mackie Control.

Yes, that's true: the MIDI file  must be played back and routed to the Mackie in order for the upgrade to take effect (of course, one configures the Mackie to accept the input). A tech at Sweetwater tried to show me how to do it, downloading the same file and unzipping it (it's available at
http://www.mackie.com/products/mcu/mcu_upgrade.html
(scroll down to "Full Mackie Control Universal Upgrade" and click on the link to download "Mackie Control Universal v.2.1.2 (ZIP 21 KB)."  He got exactly the same results that I did. BTW, it shows up in Audition's browser window as ".midi."

bonnder, I don't have any MIDI gear; I record acoustic music and only rarely encounter a MIDI keyboard. The Mackie Control communicates with the computer via MIDI, oddly enough. Or doesn't, as in the present case. Thank you for your help, although I suspect that the problem is more basic than firmware upgrades. I'll head out to the music store to test my MIDI cables shortly, although I have checked them with a multitester for continuity. Who knows what evil lurks inside the dielectric?

But I would think there should be some sort of instructions somewhere that explain how to implement this upgrade correctly. Since Mackie says your unit (as opposed to AA or your computer) has outdated firmware, I'm guessing that you need to be sending the Midi commands to your Makie Control??. That would require that you be sending MIDI out of AA and into your Mackie Control. I know you can set AA to transmit Midi Out at "Options > Device Properties". What I don't know is if you have a Midi input on your Mackie Control.

I'm sure that bonnder is absolutely correct about this. The MIDI file contains Sysex data - so it probably won't show in any sequencer. The MIDI input is just a serial port, when it comes down to it - which is why a lot of manufacturers use this method for providing upgrades. You can tell if it's Sysex (System Exclusive) data if you can examine the file, because the first nibble in the first byte will contain 1111. After that, the data format they use is pretty much up to them. With most devices you have to set them specifically to recieve Sysex messages, but once you've done this, the recieving system generally takes care of itself when you send the data, and simply requires a reboot when it's finished.

The MIDI file contains Sysex data - so it probably won't show in any sequencer.

My trusty version 5 copy of Cakewalk (yes, Cakewalk, not this new-fangled Sonar thingy) had pretty decent support for sysex.  I'd be surprised if they'd taken that away in recent versions, so if Anvil Studio doesn't work you could always try a Sonar demo.  But that is likely to be complete overkill.  Unfortunately, I know of no decent, modern, freeware sysex librarian software.  MidiOx has some sysex capabilities though (I just remembered).

I also agree with Mark:

but I can't understand why a firmware update should consist of a MIDI file

Firmware as MIDI sysex data?  Unless it's more like some configuration data rather than true firmware.

The fact is, I am about resigned to the fact that Audition won't work with the Mackie, even though a firmware upgrade might perhaps make the controller happier, and despite Mackie's claim that Audition is "supported". I needed a device that would allow me to lose the mouse while mixing, which even the humble Tascam US428 managed to do, and the Mackie ain't it. I REALLY wanted it to work. But a $1K device that moves the faders when I change the settings with a mouse? I don't think so.

Back to my recording project and =sigh= mouse. I'll send the Mackie back.

Thanks to everyone for your input.

lpdeluxe - are you wanting to control AA with a control surface?  If yes, take a look at these two threads.

http://audiomastersforum.net/amforum/viewtopic.php?t=3689

http://audiomastersforum.net/amforum/viewtopic.php?t=2656

And does anybody agree that the Mackie control surface won't work with AA?  I think I've seen posts either here or on the Adobe AA forum that says it does.  But maybe I'm not remembering correctly.

[edit]Oops - lpdeluxe, upon closer examination I see that you were a participant in the thread at the second link above. I will leave the links here for anybody passing by later that may not know about them.[/edit]

I also agree with Mark:

but I can't understand why a firmware update should consist of a MIDI file

Firmware as MIDI sysex data?  Unless it's more like some configuration data rather than true firmware.

Both Mackie and Behringer upgrade their firmware like this, and there's absolutely no reason not to do it. All you have to do as far as the system is concerned is arrange to put the device's EEPROM into write mode, and upload the Sysex binary data to it. It's the same as upgrading the firmware on a mobo - there's a small chunk of code that always resides in the EPROM that never gets overwritten which allows you to do this. Then all that's required is a reboot. Yes, it is a genuine firmware upgrade!

Most binary files of this nature aren't too big in size - the EEPROMs themselves aren't that large, so it doesn't take anything like as long as you might think it would to transmit them this way. The only time you can get into real trouble is if there is a break in the upload whilst it's taking place, or a power failure in the unit itself whilst it's happening. At this point, you often need the manufacturer's recovery procedure, which they don't always pubish... but usually it involves a reboot with a key combination held down to force a read of the secure part of the EEPROM, which gives you another go at reloading it.

bonnder, I have seen references to owners of Mackies who use them with AA, which is why I bought the thing. I am now thinking there must be a MIDI port access issue, which I will investigate this morning. Apparently the Mackie can read track status from AA, but not vice versa, and some data goes from the Mackie into the box, but not all. It's worth another day of hassle (as frustrated as I was yesterday) because, if I get it to run, I'll be 'way ahead.

You will all be pleased to learn that my MIDI cables checked out....

Success at last!

After a great deal of barking up wrong trees, I finally loaded the Mackie MIDI update file into Windows Media Player, which is MIDI-enabled. I put the Mackie Control into update mode, clicked on Play...


...and it loaded. As soon as v.2.1.2 was installed, all the controls on the Mackie commenced to work. Life is good.

Again, thanks to everyone for your help.

This is good to hear.

Thanks for posting the "how to" in the other thread.

I added it to the thread  you posted the link to earlier, but here goes:

In order to use a Mackie Control Universal with Adobe Audition, you must  have v.2.1.2 firmware on the Mackie (mine arrived with v.2.0.2). The Mackie communicates to the PC via MIDI, and the firmware upgrade is in the form of a zipped MIDI file. Find it at
http://www.mackie.com/products/mcu/mcu_upgrade.html
Scroll down to "Full Mackie Control Universal Upgrade" and click on the link "Mackie Control Universal v.2.1.2 (ZIP 21KB)". Download it, and after unzipping it appears as a WinMedia file icon; a Readme file provides the instructions for loading it into the Mackie.

Adobe Audition does not seem to be able to play back this file, but any software that will play MIDI will work, as long as it is mapped to the MIDI port to which the Mackie is connected. This is done at Control Panel/Sound and.../Audio (MIDI output). I used WinMedia Player, which performed without a hitch.

The Mackie must be put in upgrade mode: turn off the power, then simultaneously press the "Record" buttons on Channels 1 + 2 and the "Select" button on Channel 1 while turning the power back on with your third hand. The Mackie will display "Awaiting Upgrade" on the LED display. Play the MIDI file, and a double row of dots will appear on the display, and a cursor will cycle through them until the upgrade is complete (slightly more than 1 minute). When it completes, the LED will announce that the upgrade was successful, and the splash screen will show "v.2.1.2" in the lower right corner.

Once this is done, all functions on the Mackie that Audition has written into its software will work.

There are 2 other sources of setup information: the Mackie "Quick Start Guide" which ships with the unit, and the PDF document "Using the Mackie Control with Cool Edit Pro 2.1" which is available here:
http://www.mackie.com/products/mackiecontrol/pdf/Mackie_Control_for_CoolEdit_Pro.pdf
(I posted it here since it is quite difficult to find on the Mackie website).

For what it's worth, after I upgraded the firmware, I immediately started mixing a song in my latest project with the Mackie. It is quite a step up from the Tascam US428 I previously used.

Thanks lpdeluxe.  The instructions should be much easier to find here than on Page 6 of the other thread.  If you had problems I'm sure others have had or will have also.  This will get them up to speed much more quickly.  Now - do I dare ask if the title to this thread would be more accurate if it were changed to something like "Upgrade Mackie Control Universal to work with AA"??

Now - do I dare ask if the title to this thread would be more accurate if it were changed to something like "Upgrade Mackie Control Universal to work with AA"??

I'm not sure whether posters get the opportunity to change thread titles or not - but I do, so I changed it for you, because this seems to make a lot of sense! And for the time being, I've made it sticky too.