"Why do I get confusing parameter changes in C-Console when using Cubase?"

This occurs in some versions of Cubase (pre-3.7r1), Logic Audio Platinum and Cakewalk Pro Audio version 8.x, as well as some other applications that include built-in support for the VS-1680.  Most audio publishers are aware that this is a problem and have addressed it with updates, so your best bet is to contact the publisher to find out whether an update will cure the problem.

You say you need an answer right now?   Okay, we'll try to oblige.  Whenever two applications fight for control over the VS-1680, it's likely that both applications will reset mixer parameters with their own parameter sets.  This will wipe out the parameters defined within C-Console if the Transmit|Auto menu item is checked.  If you have an app that does this, uncheck Auto and be sure to run C-Console before the other application.  After loading the other application, and loading any project data for the current session into that app, select Transmit|From if you want the other app to set VS-1680 parameters or Transmit|To if you want C-Console to reset the VS-1680 with its current mixer snapshot.

"Why won't my sound card's MIDI port communicate with the VS-1680?"

Very likely the answer to this problem is in the question itself...your sound card. We looked into this problem and found only one solid solution if you have this problem: install a dedicated MIDI card or USB MIDI interface. If you don't have this problem, hang onto your current setup!

Roland Canada reports that the VS-1680's MIDI communication should work fine with any non-Creative Labs products which use the joystick (game) port as a MIDI port. Edirol, Roland's computer audio division in the US, reports that the SoundBlaster Live! seems to works fine with the VS-1680 - but only for MIDI - while other Creative Labs cards might not. We tested eight different audio cards with joystick MIDI, including two ESS cards, a low-end Yamaha soundcard, a Guillemot MaxiSound, an Ensoniq AudioPCI, a Vibra 16, an AWE 32, a SoundBlaster Pro (ISA) and an SB Live!, and not one of them would properly communicate with our testbed computer, which used a Tyan Tsunami motherboard and Windows 98. Three of these cards actually used Roland's MPU-401 MIDI interface emulation. In every case, packets of MIDI data were fragmented, resulting in CRC errors which made C-Console and all other MIDI apps using the VS-1680 useless. We forced these cards every way we knew how, and none of them would work.

But we encountered literally dozens of reports on the Internet of these cards working fine with all manner of MIDI app, so we suspect a conflict with the Tyan motherboard, and according to Roland and Edirol, this conflict could occur with other motherboard/sound card combinations.

So if your system is working, all the better. If it isn't, consider investing in a dedicated MIDI interface. We recommend a USB MIDI device unless you can find a very inexpensive MPU-401 compatible MIDI card, because the USB devices are likely to have a lot greater long-term value. We do not recommend trying sound card after sound card...unless you have a Creative Labs card and can get your hands on a non-Creative card for a quick test.

"Can I automatically update C-Console's parameters when another application is controlling the VS-1680?"

Yes, and it's very easy to do.   Simply select Auto from the Transmit menu and the VS-1680 and C-Console will both be in lock-step whether you are working in C-Console or another application.

Be aware, though, that while C-Console will reflect VS-1680 parameter changes made by the other application, the other application may not reflect parameter changes you make from C-Console.

"Why won't some of the C-Console controls work when using Cakewalk?"

Cakewalk acts as the master MIDI device when using C-Console, and takes control away from parts of the VS-1680 under some circumstances.

The solution to this problem is to enable any offending parameters in all Cakewalk templates (including AudioX pages) when using Cakewalk. This means insuring that all channel EQ bands, channel delays, aux sends, and other "non-functioning" areas of C-Console are enabled in your Cakewalk templates before working with C-Console.

"Why isn't C-Console mirroring changes I make to the VS-1680?"

This is covered in the introductory topic of the C-Console VS-1680 helpfile. This helpfile is available as a separate download if you didn't get a copy of the final C-Console VS-1680 helpfile with your version of C-Console.

"What's the trick for changing meter colors?"

Right-click over the meter with the Ctrl key held down and you'll see a single-item menu: Color.  This opens a Windows palette selector that you can use to select a new meter color.  (Overload will still be shown in pale red, so don't choose that color!)  You can select a different color for literally every meter on the main control surface, allowing you to color-code channel groups.

"Why do all the meters occasionally 'spike' in C-Console?"

This is entirely harmless and it has a simple solution.  Whenever you see all the meters peaking at once even though there's nothing actually happening on your system, select Transmit|To from C-Console's top menu to reinitialize the VS-1680 and restore normal functionality.  The meters should zero immediately.

"Why does C-Console lock up temporarily when I try to use the automation transport?"

This is a result of incorrect MIDI patching assignments.  Here's how to fix this problem.

1. Select Setup|MIDI Remote from the top menu bar to open the MIDI Remote Setup dialog.

2. Select the Connection Setup tab.

3. If you examine your MIDI connection selections under Available MIDI In Ports and Available MIDI Out Ports, you will probably notice that you have the same MIDI port selected for both devices.  This is creating a feedback loop which is causing C-Console to "lock up" until the MIDI message queue is flushed.

4. Select a different out port from your in port.  If you're working with a software hard disk recorder, you'll typically need to select a different MIDI loopback port as the out port from the one you selected for your in port.

5. Return to any programs connected to C-Console via MIDI and insure that the MIDI port selections are appropriate for the selections you've just made.  Insure that the MIDI out port on your software is the MIDI in port you selected for C-Console and vice-versa.  (E.g. if you are sending from Cakewalk to C-Console and using the LB1 port from Hubi's MIDI loopback device as the in port for C-Console, you'd need to insure that Cakewalk uses LB1 as its out port, since what goes out of Cakewalk needs to come into C-Console.

Why do I have latency when controlling VS-1680 channel gain from another application?

This is happening because you're not actually controlling the gain from within the VS-1680. What you're actually controlling is gain before the signal reaches the VS-1680. If you need real-time control over VS-1680 faders or other controls, you need to control the VS-1680 manually from its control surface or remotely via MIDI. The MIDI configuration sample task shows how to do this.

"How do you add spaces to preset names?"

Since the space key is reserved in this particular control, you'll need to press Shift+Space to insert spaces in preset names. Naturally, Shift+Enter is used to start a new line.

"Why am I getting crashes after installing the latest C-Console update?"

This could be the result of DLLs left in memory from running C-Console before you installed the update.

The best way to handle any update to C-Console is to completely uninstall existing copies of C-Console and restart Windows before installing an update.  Uninstalling will not remove your profiles, libraries or preferences.  These will all be available to you after the update provided that you reinstall the software to the same directory as the previous version.  It will insure that all outdated files are completely and properly replaced.

"Does C-Mexx contract with CCS?"

If you mean the CCS that contracts "piracy control" services to audio software publishers, then no, we do not.   If you mean the CCS band from Britain that made brassy rock albums in the early 1970s, then...well...that's a no too; we're more Tower Of Power fans.

Seriously, we are aware of their services but feel that there are better ways of handling the issue of software piracy.   We do not feel that the employment of private agencies to police pirate software traffic is appropriate or productive.

We are aware of a movement in some circles to boycott companies which employ CCS' services, but we will not support or condone this boycott.

We want to make it clear that while we earn our living creating audio software, we do it first and foremost because we love the music.  As long as the thrill of finding a new trick or technique is greater than the thrill of making another sale, we couldn't act in good conscience in a way that is less about music than it is about money.

"Is there any way I can get C-Console for free?"

Well, yes there is, but you're not going to like the answer.  You can always get a free 30-day trial version of the software, or you can get a full free version by becoming a C-Mexx employee or distributor, or you can win a copy in a contest (assuming you can find such a contest), or you can masquerade as a rich capitalist willing to invest millions in development and distribution, or you can come to Germany and take us all out to dinner (but it would have to be a really nice dinner), or you can receive a copy as a gift, or you could do that "P-word" thing...you get the picture.

We don't give away C-Console for free.   We worked very hard to produce this software, and let's face it...the VS-1680 is not exactly a cheap piece of hardware.  If you don't feel that a small fraction of the cost of your VS-1680 is a worthwhile expense for the additional flexibility and functionality that C-Console adds to it, that's your choice to make.

"Why can't I get MIDI sync to restart in the correct location and follow song pointers in my sequencer?"

C-Console is designed to be the master device when syncing to sequencers (software and hardware).  You should find life a lot easier if you let your sequencer be the slave device rather than the master.  You may be able to get it to perform as slave if you manually "rewind" the transport every time you restart your sequencer.

We expect to have this problem solved by version 1.4, which will include a completely overhauled synchronization and automation engine.

C-Console won't start and tells me that there's a bad DLL file...what file?

Likely it's a MIDI driver. Driver files are specialized DLLs.

This could occur if you're not using a 100% compatible MIDI MME device on your PC (e.g. an oddball MIDI driver on a notebook or supplied with a cheap audio card).  You can usually solve this problem by downloading and installing  Hubi's MIDI Loopback Device on the PC with the problem. This should solve the problem, but it may not solve hardware connection problems if the MIDI driver really is an oddball. You may have to use a different MIDI card if you can't pester the manufacturer into releasing a fully-compatible 32-bit MME MIDI driver...and if the card is especially old, you might not be able to find a 32-bit driver compatible with the hardware and your Windows version.