How to solve the Microwave PC output problem while recording into a sequencer (without timing problems!). 20000207

Contribution by Rob Haccou

1. While playing back your Microwave PC tracks (mute other tracks) from your sequencer (Control Panel In-2 selector = D), record the output into Ed!son Wave or another small wave editor.
   When you only have 64 Mb RAM or less, recording stereo of which one take is longer than 3 minutes, you better record in two times. So you will get two WAV files of 1,5 minutes each. Cause when I record 3 or more minutes in one take my system gets slower and also the timing is even more acurate using more and smaller recording sessions.
   Save the files into your sequencer song map.
   
   
2. Close all programs.
   
   
3. In a wave editor (I use WaveLab 2.0 but Ed!son Wave will probably do it too) first trim the file or files. When you trim the audio files precisely (on the right beat!), you can later on make a perfect timing in your sequencer.
   Of course you can normalize but if you don't and import the files later into the sequencer, you don't have to do anything as long as the mixer fader points at 0,0 dB.
   And now very important to obtain a correct timing: open the time-stretch function and shrink the files -0,030% with Audio Quantize on, so Ratio=99,970%. However, these are my experiences after a lot of tweaking on a Pentium II 350 MHz.
   
   
4. Import the files into your sequencer on the right beat with 'Import Audio' and in the EWS Control Panel don't forget to switch the In-2 selector to M to make audio recordings again.

Contribution by Wolfgang Schneider

The MicrowavePC is not able to send SYSEX messages (although it can receive those). That's a problem if you want to use sound editors, which need a bi-directional SYSEX communication with the respective device. For this reason Wolfgang Schneider wrote a little tool that sends all SYSEX the MWPC is producing through any desired MIDI-Out port (you have to use a V-MIDI device or Hubi's loopback, if you want other applications to receive the data). The utility has been tested with SoundDiver and µWavEdit (Canadian shareware MW editor). Your MWPC now works like an external Microwave.
Though µWavEdit will soon have this feature built in, SoundDiver won't. Of course, the MicrowavePC also sends other, non-SYSEX MIDI: arpeggiator notes, MIDI timecode etc.   Those are (not yet) implemented, because Wolfgang has to use a polling mechanism (due to the driver architecture). This would propably lead to a rather high CPU load.

Go to our Download Page to get this utility

Contribution by Christoph Wilms, Terratec Support.

Normally it is not possible, because the synthesizer has only the digital or the analog input (the MWPC is connected digitally!). But you can do this: In the ControlPanel set the input switch (A-D-M) to D and the output switch (A-B-C) to A. Set the INPUT SELECTION to MIX. Now you can record the MWPC, the MIC input and the IN1 input via the CODEC (...as device you have to choose the CODEC RECORD...). But you know the CODEC Record is not as good as the SYNTH (Wave Record)!

A possible cause can be the presence of other virtual midi-devices/ports like Hubi's Loop-back Device and the Virtual Sampler Device (from EWS Virtual Sampler). Uninstall those devices and select the right Midi-Input under the Options menu.

We are waiting for confirmation from Terratec, but we suspect that the two separate wires in the grey flatcable have a special meaning. So please use the cables that come with the MicroWave PC. That's more logical anyhow...

Contribution by Simon Daw

This is TerraTec UK's response: Use the new cable.

That's up to you:

• You can not use it together with the MicroWave PC on the same card.
• You can sell it via our EWS Exchange page.
• You can keep it in (unlikely) case your MicroWave PC breaks down: while it's away for repair you can temporarily install the FrontPanel again.
• It still is a good extension when you find an EWS64-L somewhere: it turns it into an XL.

Contribution by Simon Daw

I was speaking to a hardware guy that I know from work and he explained that twisted pairs of cables are often used to reduce noise in analogue circuitry or provide a more reliable signal for sensitive digital
components.

If you look at the wires in the flatcable they do not cross-over the connections so it might be for one of the above reasons that this is done.

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Latest update on page: 10-04-99

Latest update on page: 10-04-99