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Windows 10 vs. Stability

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jrball

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Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostMon Jul 23, 2018 12:37 pm

I have AGO guests coming this week so I want to have everything in perfect order.

I turn my big, fast HW PC off every night and never allow 'sleep' due to M-Audio restrictions.
Sometimes I after I turn it on in the morning things don't work.
Today the MIDI interfaces were not connected (M-Audio 410 Firewire and USB).
At other times the audio interface disappears (M-Audio 410 Firewire).
Usually a reboot brings them back to life.
Sometimes I have to reload drivers or make other adjustments.
I have even had to reenter Organ keyboard setting on occasion.
Just now the Great keyboard doesn't play, however, another manual coupled to it plays. MIDI-OX sees data that HW doesn't.
I'll try another reboot and struggle on.

Working with Windows and M-Audio is a big unknown and a big pain.

It's a big undertaking to explore reducing the number of Windows processes and functions.
That might also preclude using the PC for my other technical workstation jobs.
Does anyone know if a minimal Windows really helps its stability?
Could I implement a minimal Windows as a virtual machine that runs HW?
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magnaton

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostMon Jul 23, 2018 2:52 pm

Hello:

If I read your post correctly, it sounds like your problems only happen at start up. If so, consider a powered USB hub. The issue could be related with Windows scanning the USB ports at startup and assigning them in a different order from the previous boot up. So HW or your audio driver can't find them. You can search the forum and see previous posts regarding this subject. A powered hub reduces any ambiguity of connected USB devices with Windows.

I have Windows 7 and the last few weeks at boot up I consistently get the HW warning that it can't find my Roland UM-One USB MIDI interface. To clarify, the issue is not HW but Windows! So while my computer is booting up, I simply unplug and re-plug my Roland USB connector. Granted this is a 'band aide' approach but I avoid the HW warning 100% each time. My next step is to reload the Roland UM-ONE driver or swap in my spare iMio USB interface.

Danny B.
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jrball

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostMon Jul 23, 2018 3:36 pm

Thanks. Yes, I observe them mostly after startup but occasionally after long uptimes.

I have two MIDI, temporary, upper keyboards on a powered USB hub. They don't cause much trouble.
The other 3 keyboards are MIDIfied Allens that come through the M-Audio 410 MIDI port along with audio out.
II have two more Allen keyboards on the bench waiting on opto-couplers to be installed and an upgrade to my Roman Sowa electronics to handle the additional channels.

Cannot hot plug/unplug a Firewire device. Have to be powered off.
When I run HW I usually have MIDI-OX and M-Audio Console running to aid in debugging.

BTW: I found one of my audio amps looked like it was on but needed a reset to be really alive.
Now the Great keyboard works.
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organtechnology

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 12:28 am

jrball wrote:II have two more Allen keyboards on the bench waiting on opto-couplers to be installed and an upgrade to my Roman Sowa electronics to handle the additional channels.


Hi JR,

What opto-coupler system are you installing on the Allen keyboards?

Thomas

Hi Danny!
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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organsRgreat

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 5:56 am

When I close MIDI Ox it puts up a message saying “Closing MIDI ports”. I wonder whether running HW and MIDI Ox simultaneously might be causing problems?
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jrball

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 7:02 am

I bought 100 HY301-21 optos from eBay. Also located circuit details via web search.
Now I have to design their mounting board.

My other keyboards have reed switch that I designed and installed.
I'm Interested if there is any difference between reeds and optos.
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NickNelson

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 10:34 am

jrball wrote:I'm Interested if there is any difference between reeds and optos.


In my experience, reed switches have several disadvantages: they 'tick' audibly when mounted to a hard surface, they can have very considerable hysteresis, and they are not easy to set up consistently. This may not matter so long as they do switch on and off at some reasonably well defined points in the key travel, but it annoyed me too much and after one keyboard convertion, as an experiment, I changed to opto-interrupters which are silent, easy to set up quite exactly, and have rather little hysteresis (mostly determined by the Von and Voff levels of the microcontroller, or whatever, that is sensing their state).

I have also experimented with hall-effect sensors but decided that they offered no particular advantages and one or two disadvantages.

Nick

ps, I'm not really sure that this is the most appropriate part of the forum for this sort of discussion.
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dhm

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 12:48 pm

organsRgreat wrote:When I close MIDI Ox it puts up a message saying “Closing MIDI ports”. I wonder whether running HW and MIDI Ox simultaneously might be causing problems?

That is the normal message when closing MIDI-Ox and doesn’t indicate a problem.
I guess that, ideally, one should close HW before using MIDI-Ox, or at least go to Engine / Advanced / Stop Audio/MIDI. But in practice I don’t always do that and haven’t noticed it causing a problem.
Douglas Henn-Macrae
Authorized Hauptwerk Reseller
http://www.midi-organs.eu
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jrball

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 12:55 pm

In my design the reeds are mounted on a fixed bar behind the keys.
The magnets, one or two, are glued to the screw adjustment tab found on most organ keys.
The screw allows precise adjustment of the on state.
I made a small wood fixture to set the key drop and once set reeds seem to stay put.

With so many solder joints the only real problem I've had was cold solder joints.
I'm sure the same issue exists with optos.
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jrball

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 2:44 pm

Small additional point re reeds.
They don't require current when off and micro-amps when on as input to a chip.
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engrssc

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Jul 24, 2018 9:06 pm

jrball wrote:With so many solder joints the only real problem I've had was cold solder joints.


The cure for cold solder joints is to use 63/37 (blend) solder. 60/40 solder OTOH, when heated goes from a solid state to a plastic state, to a molten state. It's during the plastic state :shock: that cold solder joints occur.

With 63/37 blend, there is no plastic state. This solder goes from the solid state to the molten state with no plastic state in between. This 63/37 is harder to find and a bit more closely. But how much time and wasted effort goes into finding a c/s joint? :roll:

Rgds,
Ed
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TheOrganDoc

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Apr 09, 2019 7:01 pm

jrball wrote:In my design the reeds are mounted on a fixed bar behind the keys.
The magnets, one or two, are glued to the screw adjustment tab found on most organ keys.
The screw allows precise adjustment of the on state.
I made a small wood fixture to set the key drop and once set reeds seem to stay put.

With so many solder joints the only real problem I've had was cold solder joints.
I'm sure the same issue exists with optos.


I utilized a company , Online, called Pad2Pad.com , They provide great PC boards as well as a design program for free, That I have used most successfully ! :D
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
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TheOrganDoc

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Apr 09, 2019 7:03 pm

I utilized a company , Online, called Pad2Pad.com , They provide great PC boards as well as a design program for free, That I have used most successfully ! :D

jrball wrote:I bought 100 HY301-21 optos from eBay. Also located circuit details via web search.
Now I have to design their mounting board.

My other keyboards have reed switch that I designed and installed.
I'm Interested if there is any difference between reeds and optos.
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
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jrball

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Re: Windows 10 vs. Stability

PostTue Apr 09, 2019 7:29 pm

Yes, I like Pad2Pad.

Unfortunately, I built a keyboard sensor strip with Optos but decided not to follow that path any longer.
I didn't like the constant current draw and the need to optimize resistor settings for each group of Optos. So I abandoned that sensor method. Does anyone want the strip and all related parts (sans resistors)?

Seems like the HALKA strip from Sowa's site is the next best thing to try. I still have lots of small magnets to use with it.

In the meantime my three reed switch keyboards and reed pedalboard work quite well.

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