MegaDrum sysex timeouts with Intel Mobile Series 4 and 5

[Jorns Bergenson]

EDIT:
All of the issues detailed in this thread seem to be related to the older computer models with the Intel Series 4 and 5 chipsets. I detailed my research in this thread: http://www.megadrum.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2815. It is still an ongoing problem for me.


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I haven't tried using my MegaDrum box in a long time. I've had it for almost a year now and it has never worked reliably for me. It's been plagued with MIDI timeout errors and corrupted internal settings (more on that later). Today I downloaded the latest firmware and MegaDrum Manager and tried to update the firmware. Now it only comes up with a blank screen when I apply power. If I hold the left button, it enters firmware update mode with "FwSUpdaterSMT32e/StartUpdateOnPC", but is unresponsive when attempting an update.

I'm running on a Windows 7 system with MegaDrum Manager v20160416 with firmware

Here's a rundown of my setup and what I've tried:

• Windows 7 notebook with MegaDrum Manager v20160416 and firmware version 20160529.
• I've eliminated the USB cable and computer as sources of the problem by connecting them to my USB/MIDI keyboard which works fine.
• I took the MegaDrum Lite board out of the enclosure, disconnected the trigger connector and verified my USB connections with a multi-meter.
• If I plug the MegaDrum into the USB port without holding the left button, the LCD display lights up but stays blank. The MegaDrum MIDI ports do not show up in DeviceManager.
• If turn on the MD with the left button pressed, the display reads "FwSUpdaterSMT32e/StartUpdateOnPC" and the MIDI ports show up in DeviceManager.
• When I start MDM, there is a red status box stating "MIDI Init Error"
• In MDM options, I have set the MIDI input and output ports to "MegaDrum MIDI Port" and set the timeout to 30ms.
• In spite of the "MIDI Init Error", I've followed the instructions to perform a firmware update. I am using binary file megadrumSTM32e_56_20160529.bin. There is no STM32f version of the binary, so I assume the "e" version is correct.
• After clicking "Start", there is no activity on the MD LED and MDM becomes unresponsive. I can't even shut down MDM using Task Manager. I have to reboot the computer.
• When trying to use mdfwupdate.exe to update the firmware, I see one brief blink on MD's LED. Below is the output from the utility. I have to press Ctrl-C to get out of the utility or it keeps printing the read error/CRC messages.

Code: Select all

MegaDrum firmware update utility
There are 3 MIDI output ports available.
  Output Port #1: Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
  Output Port #2: MegaDrum USB MIDI
  Output Port #3: MIDIOUT2 (MegaDrum USB MIDI)
Select an output port number for the firmware update (between 1 and 3):2
Opened MIDI Out port 2 .

There are 2 MIDI input ports available.
  Output Port #1: MegaDrum USB MIDI
  Output Port #2: MIDIIN2 (MegaDrum USB MIDI)

Select an input port number for the firmware update (between 1 and 2):1
Opened MIDI In port 1 .

Firmware file is loaded
Firmware size is 120900 bytes
Transferring.. / 0% done.Read 0 bytes (error?)
Retrying on CRC error
Transferring.. - 0% done.Read 0 bytes (error?)
Retrying on CRC error
Transferring.. - 0% done.Read 0 bytes (error?)
Retrying on CRC error


Please let me know if there are any tricks to get my MegaDrum communicating or to determine if it is defective. Thanks in advance!

[Jorns Bergenson]

Even though I did get the firmware on my MD-Lite to update using mdfwupdate, I can't get the same binary to update with MegaDrum Manager. It just hangs when I click "Start". I discovered that even though MDM can't be shut down with Task Manger when it hangs, it will shut down if I simply disconnect or power down the MegaDrum.

So, two steps forward:
After my one successful firmware update, I loaded defaults by holding the right button while powering up. I was then able to run MDM, do a "Get All", "Save All", "Load All" and a "Send All". So, it looks like MDM can talk reliably with my MD-Lite board. In the past, "Send All" would always result in a SysEx timeout at 87% or 96% (I found another thread where someone was also having that problem). So, I hope this marks the end of my sys-ex communication issues.

One step back:
I still can't update the firmware with MegaDrum Manager. Also, mdfwupdate seems to be very unreliable since it hangs 4 out of 5 times. When it does work, it spits out the disconcerting "Read 0 bytes error/Retrying" messages.

I've tried different USB cables and two other computers with the same result.

Any suggestions are welcome. I've had this MegaDrum module for a year and spent hundreds of dollars on triggers and other drum hardware and I haven't been able to use it successfully yet. At one point, I was able to configure most of my drum triggers, but after a while the MegaDrum configurations seemed to get scrambled anytime I turned the unit off. I've been in mega-limbo for several months trying to debug this problem. Obviously, people are having success with MegaDrum so I am tempted to build a second unit and see if all the past and present issues go away.

[dmitri]

I've tried different USB cables and two other computers with the same result.

This seems to eliminate any possible problems with USB and computers so leaving only MegaDrum at fault. In this case I can only suggest to send the board to me for testing and if indeed it has a fault I will fix it.

[Jorns Bergenson]

I've tried different USB cables and two other computers with the same result.

This seems to eliminate any possible problems with USB and computers so leaving only MegaDrum at fault. In this case I can only suggest to send the board to me for testing and if indeed it has a fault I will fix it.

Dmitri, thanks for your offer. I am determined to get a MegaDrum set working in my studio and then bring up another system in our church building, therefore I am going to order another MegaDrum-Lite kit and then I should be able to determine where the problem is.

Thanks again for your help.