tribat
I just recently got a brand new Numark Total Control from Thomann and I decided that I'd share my installation story with everyone.
First I hooked the controller to my Windows XP machine. Controller was detected, but no program would show it up in the detected MIDI devices list. After few hours of cursing and googling I found out that if you have Logitech QuickCam software installed it causes USB MIDI devies to not be detected properly.
So I uninstalled the Logitech drivers and now the the controller was being detected properly and it showed up on the list of MIDI-OX. So I select the controller and MIDI-OX crashes. I killed MIDI-OX and started Traktor. Traktor freezes up on the start up window, I reboot my computer.
After rebooting the problem was still there. So I yank out the cord from the controller when MIDI-OX was stuck opening the device, MIDI-OX unfreezes. I plug the cord back and re-aquire the device and this time it works and I can see the MIDI data coming from total control.
Ok so I did the same thing in Traktor, it worked. But as I was testing the controller out and making some mappings it would just randomly freeze Traktor until you disconnect Total Control. It was clear that such an unstable system could not be used for anything really.
I remembered seeing a firmware update on Numarks site, so I went to investigate, but found out that the download was not there anymore, so again after few hours of cursing and googling I found out that people had been having problems updating their firmwares and that their total controller had been totally disabled by failing to update the firmware, so Numark removed the download.
But I managed to find a copy of the new firmware and decided that as the controller is already unusable I might aswell try to fix it. I put the controller to programming mode and sent the sysex file with MIDI-OX. ALL the lights of the controller started to flicker like crazy and I knew something was wrong as only 8 of the lights were supposed to flicker. I wasn't able to complete the last step where you press the middle EQ kill's and it would turn off all the light, so I unhooked the controller and hooked it back only to find that the firmware update had gone wrong and there was no firmware at all anymore. I cried myself to sleep.
This morning I decided that I would try to send the SysEx file with my another computer which has Debian 5.0 linux. I used a tool called "amidi" and holy cow! this time 8 lights flickered as the firmware was uploading and I was able to complete the last step of the upgrade process.
And the result...
Not that great really... The controller is way more stable but its still causing random freezeups but way more rarely. Also I often need to still rehook the controller when starting traktor to make it work properly.
I can't imagine myself using Numark Total Control on a serious gig, but maybe on some not so important openair gig.
It's a shame really, as a piece of hardware Numark did a really nice job with the total control! it has a nice sturdy feeling cause its heavy, the jogs wheels are great! layout is great and the knobs are ok.
What will it take to get a proper firmware for it? a class action law suite?
First I hooked the controller to my Windows XP machine. Controller was detected, but no program would show it up in the detected MIDI devices list. After few hours of cursing and googling I found out that if you have Logitech QuickCam software installed it causes USB MIDI devies to not be detected properly.
So I uninstalled the Logitech drivers and now the the controller was being detected properly and it showed up on the list of MIDI-OX. So I select the controller and MIDI-OX crashes. I killed MIDI-OX and started Traktor. Traktor freezes up on the start up window, I reboot my computer.
After rebooting the problem was still there. So I yank out the cord from the controller when MIDI-OX was stuck opening the device, MIDI-OX unfreezes. I plug the cord back and re-aquire the device and this time it works and I can see the MIDI data coming from total control.
Ok so I did the same thing in Traktor, it worked. But as I was testing the controller out and making some mappings it would just randomly freeze Traktor until you disconnect Total Control. It was clear that such an unstable system could not be used for anything really.
I remembered seeing a firmware update on Numarks site, so I went to investigate, but found out that the download was not there anymore, so again after few hours of cursing and googling I found out that people had been having problems updating their firmwares and that their total controller had been totally disabled by failing to update the firmware, so Numark removed the download.
But I managed to find a copy of the new firmware and decided that as the controller is already unusable I might aswell try to fix it. I put the controller to programming mode and sent the sysex file with MIDI-OX. ALL the lights of the controller started to flicker like crazy and I knew something was wrong as only 8 of the lights were supposed to flicker. I wasn't able to complete the last step where you press the middle EQ kill's and it would turn off all the light, so I unhooked the controller and hooked it back only to find that the firmware update had gone wrong and there was no firmware at all anymore. I cried myself to sleep.
This morning I decided that I would try to send the SysEx file with my another computer which has Debian 5.0 linux. I used a tool called "amidi" and holy cow! this time 8 lights flickered as the firmware was uploading and I was able to complete the last step of the upgrade process.
And the result...
Not that great really... The controller is way more stable but its still causing random freezeups but way more rarely. Also I often need to still rehook the controller when starting traktor to make it work properly.
I can't imagine myself using Numark Total Control on a serious gig, but maybe on some not so important openair gig.
It's a shame really, as a piece of hardware Numark did a really nice job with the total control! it has a nice sturdy feeling cause its heavy, the jogs wheels are great! layout is great and the knobs are ok.
What will it take to get a proper firmware for it? a class action law suite?
Inviato Sun 03 May 09 @ 6:07 pm
djsynystr
i use total control over 20+ hours a week for video only and it works fine with numark cue. i too reinstalled my firmware and since then have not had a problem with the unit. i don't use the jog wheels for anything as i run with a cdj for TC control. you sure the problem isnt your machine/program?
Inviato Mon 04 May 09 @ 7:18 am
natedawg24
I use my Total Control all the time, never have an issue with it. infact i'v even taken it apart to add some LEDs and it still have been perfect mins a button acting up the odd time but it works great.
Inviato Mon 04 May 09 @ 7:33 am
tribat
i use total control over 20+ hours a week for video only and it works fine with numark cue. i too reinstalled my firmware and since then have not had a problem with the unit. i don't use the jog wheels for anything as i run with a cdj for TC control. you sure the problem isnt your machine/program?
Do you use Windows XP? Also I wouldn't be that amazed that the controller works perfect on Numarks own software, they might have added some nasty hacks to Cue to bypass problems. Have you used your total control successfully with other MIDI capable software?
I haven't yet restarted my machine after the firmware upgrade so it might be that. I probably should try the TC with another computer too to be sure.
But anyways, Bill Holland from Gearwire mentions in his video that people might still experience problems even after the firmware upgrade. And the fact that Numark removed the download from their site suggests that there is still work being done (atleast I really hope so). So what I'm expecting from Numark is a new final firmware 1.03 with their own little SysEx sender tool that guarantees the SysEx will be sent right way. Seriously they promise you that Total Control is a class-compliant USB device which you can use to control any MIDI capable software. Well with the firmware they ship Total Control I'd say they are practicing false advertisement, which might lead to a law suite.
Do you use Windows XP? Also I wouldn't be that amazed that the controller works perfect on Numarks own software, they might have added some nasty hacks to Cue to bypass problems. Have you used your total control successfully with other MIDI capable software?
I haven't yet restarted my machine after the firmware upgrade so it might be that. I probably should try the TC with another computer too to be sure.
But anyways, Bill Holland from Gearwire mentions in his video that people might still experience problems even after the firmware upgrade. And the fact that Numark removed the download from their site suggests that there is still work being done (atleast I really hope so). So what I'm expecting from Numark is a new final firmware 1.03 with their own little SysEx sender tool that guarantees the SysEx will be sent right way. Seriously they promise you that Total Control is a class-compliant USB device which you can use to control any MIDI capable software. Well with the firmware they ship Total Control I'd say they are practicing false advertisement, which might lead to a law suite.
Inviato Mon 04 May 09 @ 12:26 pm
djsynystr
i have an xp as back up machine and a vista gig machine and it works fine on both. i also have it mapped for VSL and it works fine with that too. midi is just data being sent. it the buttons work and the usb cable is connected you hsould see th esignal going to yoru pc/laptop.
Inviato Wed 06 May 09 @ 7:12 am
djsynystr
oh also its NATIVE in cue or vdj so the statement about "bugs installed" is way wrong. check your latency with DPC latency checker. make sure you have all the latest drivers for your machine etc.
Inviato Wed 06 May 09 @ 7:13 am
tribat
After the firmware upgrade the Total Control seems to be working just fine on everything else than Traktor. Looks like the firmware 1.02 is good, I wonder why doesn't Numark have the download at their site? and why don't they ship the TC's with the newer firmware?! The 1.00 firmware is completely useless :p
Inviato Wed 06 May 09 @ 2:21 pm
SBDJ
I suspect newer units are shipped with the newer firmware. Older units - and that includes stock held by retailers and distributors - may well predate the firmware upgrade.
Inviato Wed 06 May 09 @ 2:24 pm