Different behaviour between Translator and BomeBox

xerophyticquencher · May 27, 2024, 5:10pm

Hi all,

I’ve just got BomeBox/Translator and having a problem on BomeBox behaviour.

I have created one Preset to convert a Program Change to the different one.

It works fine with Translator on my Mac but does not work when I upload it to BomeBox.

Here’s my devices

Roland TMC-6 (Controller)
Roland UM-ONE (USB-MIDI cable)
MacBook Pro (Translator Pro)
BomeBox

test.bmtp (2.5 KB)

Expected Behaviour

Send Program Change:2 to increment, 3 to decrement current Program Number.

Correct behaviour with Translator Pro

With the attached Project with the device setting below, it works fine and show expected Program Change on the output on Log Window on Translator Pro.

graph LR
    TMC-6 --> | OUT 'MIDI' | UM1(UM-ONE)
    UM1 -->|USB| MacBook-TranslatorPro

eg.

INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:67
INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:68
INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:69
INPUT: 3, OUTPUT:68

Suspicious behaviour with BomeBox

With the same Project with a setting below, it only outputs “0”

graph LR
    TMC-6 --> | OUT 'MIDI' IN| BomeBox
    BomeBox --> | OUT 'MIDI' IN| UM1(UM-ONE)
    UM1 -->|USB| MacBook

Steps to reproduce

Upload the attached bmtp file via Web Config
Select and Restart
On Route menu, assign below
- MIDI INPUT
  - BomeBox → Bome MIDI Translator 1 Virtual In: “DIN IN”
  - UM-ONE: “ignore”
- MIDI OUTPUT
  - BomeBox → Bome MIDI Translator 1 Virtual Out: “DIN OUT”
Send Program Change 2 and 3 to MIDI DIN IN

eg.

INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:0
INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:0
INPUT: 2, OUTPUT:0
INPUT: 3, OUTPUT:0

What I tried

Restarted BomeBox
- It makes things even worse. It outputs nothing until I connect to WiFi again.
Use different controller.
- TM-6 Pro
  - Same result, always outputs “0”
- Hand Roll Piano
  - Same result, always outputs “0”
Trying with Translator Pro again without BomeBox
- Works fine

For your information the LED for MIDI-IN is always blinking but I’m not sure if it’s related.

I’m trying to use it in live gig so I want to set BomeBox up with only physical MIDI/IN-OUT and trying to avoid things via Network.

If you need some further information, please feel free to let me know.

Thank you in advance,

SteveC · May 27, 2024, 7:31pm

Hi and welcome to the Bome community!

I made a few changes.

First of all I created 2 aliases as follows:

MacBookPro
Roland TMC-6

For testing on my PC I set them up as shown below. It is always good practice to use aliases as port names on your BomeBox will always have different names then on your computer.

You can learn more about aliases from this tutorial.

Then I noticed there was a duplicate preset so I disabled it.

Then at the preset level I assigned the inputs and outputs as follows:

If you don’t define these, then the translators will translators will take input from anywhere and send it to everywhere. I typically organize my inputs and outputs (device selection) by presets.

For more information about device selection, seethis tutorial.

Then, while I was at it, I simplified some rules and just commented out your original rules.

// cycle setlist
pc=ii+66

//if ii==1 then pc=67
//if ii==2 then pc=68
//if ii==3 then pc=69
//if ii==4 then pc=70
//if ii==5 then pc=71
//if ii==6 then pc=72
//if ii==7 then pc=73
//if ii==8 then pc=74
//if ii==9 then pc=75
//if ii==10 then pc=76
//if ii==11 then pc=77
//if ii==12 then pc=78

After I got it working on my computer, I uploaded the project to my BomeBox , started it and then assigned the aliases as follows:

Everything works. I believe the key to your issue was two fold.

The assignment of aliases ( which looks like you had it right but I’m not sure.
The desired MIDI inputs and outputs (device selection) which I believe is what was tripping you up.

Give it a try and let me know.

test-2024-05-27.bmtp (2.8 KB)

I assume you are using your MIDI DIN IN connector of your UM1 Cable on the MIDI DIN OUT Port of your BomeBox and plugging the USB input into your MacBook Pro.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

xerophyticquencher · May 28, 2024, 3:27pm

Hi Steve,

Thank you for the quick response and detailed instruction!

I tried your file but unfortunately I got the same result…

The only thing to do after uploading the file is to set MIDI Ports?
Here’re the screen shot for the web config.

I’ll share the outputs I got on my monitor on my Mac.

Right after uploading the file

~ 
$ receivemidi dev UM-ONE
channel  1   note-off         C-2   0
channel  1   note-off         C-2   0
channel  1   note-off         C-2   0
channel  1   note-off         C-2   0
^C

After connecting TMC-6 directly just to check if I send right inputs to BomeBox

~ 
$ receivemidi dev UM-ONE
channel 10   program-change         2
channel 10   program-change         3
channel 10   program-change         2
channel 10   program-change         3
^C

After restarting BomeBox (Nothing received)

~  
$ receivemidi dev UM-ONE
^C

After turning on WiFi

~  
$ receivemidi dev UM-ONE
channel 10   program-change         0
channel 10   program-change         0
channel 10   program-change         0
channel 10   program-change         0
channel 10   program-change         0
channel 10   program-change         0

I’m not sure where these signals are coming from.
Doesn’t these ‘0x800000’(C2 note-off) or ‘0xC900’ (Program Change 0) signal ring your bell?

Thank you.
Hiro

SteveC · May 28, 2024, 3:54pm

Hi,

Interesting that you see something after turning on WiFi on your BomeBox. That makes no sense since you are not sending MIDI.

A few things to try.

Test MIDI DIN

On BomeBox, deselect the project file so it is no longer in use.
Then Add a route from MIDI DIN and to MIDI DIN so that there are no translators in operation.
Plug your TMC-6 output DIN to BomeBox IN DIN
Plug your UM01 In to BomeBox OUT DIN
See if you are getting anything on your Mac using receive MIDI.

Test DIN to Network

Install Bome Network on your Mac. Connect Mac ethernet to BomeBox ethernet.
Make sure it can see your BomeBox, It should auto discover if on the same network.
Set up route from MIDI DIN to your computer (it will be shown by your computer name)
Use receivemidi to see if you are getting MIDI from the network from your device. The device name will be your BomeBox name.

I also noticed you do not have a WiFi password set up on your BomeBox. Have you configured anything else on your BomeBox or just using it without network right now?
I don’t think it makes a difference but thought I might ask.

– Network Loopback

After install network use MT Pro to send to and receive from your BomeBox and see if it works. On BomeBox the route should be set up from and to your computer name.

Another question. When sending through BomeBox are there any LED’s lighting up on your UM-1? How does that compare to directly connecting from your TMC-6?

Also, how is your BomeBox being powered? If using a fast charging USB port, please try something else. What lights, if any are blinking on your BomeBox? If the BomeBox is not getting consistent power, it will periodically restart and you might not get anything from it so it is important to have consistent and reliable power. Fast charging ports often vary their power which helps with fast charging but wreaks havoc on BomeBox. For this reason , I usually use power over ethernet (POE) to power my BomeBoxes.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

xerophyticquencher · May 30, 2024, 4:25pm

Hi Steve

Thank you for many suggestions for trouble shooting.
I tried everything you suggested.

Test MIDI DIN

That did not work as well whereas connecting TMC-6 directly to Mac works.
It received no signals.

Test DIN to Network

This worked!
receivemidi can catch the signals when I route MIDI DIN for TMC-6 as a source and my Mac as dest. (no MIDI DIN out connected)
Also the project worked when I delete the route, enable the project and set up Ports with the same setting as I routed above.
But for some reason Note signal is not coming in. all signals except the ones set as ‘incoming’ seems like swallowed at some point.

I also noticed you do not have a WiFi password set up on your BomeBox. Have you configured anything else on your BomeBox or just using it without network right now?

I’ve just setup a login password but did nothing about network thing until I try the Bome Network above.
I even tried factory reset but the result was the same.

After install network use MT Pro to send to and receive from your BomeBox and see if it works. On BomeBox the route should be set up from and to your computer name.

This also worked.
If I disable the project and route from DIN IN to my Mac, then If I set BomeBox as MIDI INPUT on MT Pro, it works as expected. MIDI Note is also coming in. not swallowed. even though the uploaded project and the project on MT Pro are the same.

Another question. When sending through BomeBox are there any LED’s lighting up on your UM-1? How does that compare to directly connecting from your TMC-6?

When receivemidi does not catch anything, LED does not light up whereas LED for DIN OUT on BomeBox lights up.
When receivemidi catches a wrong signal (like C-2 note-off I showed previously), LED on UM-1 lights up.
If I connect UM-1 directly from TMC-6, LED always lights up when getting a signal on expected timing.

Considering above, I think DIN MIDI Out is sending broken signals.
BomeBox thinks he’s sending a signal but it’s not translatable as MIDI signal and UM-1 and receivemidi don’t show anything I guess.

Also, how is your BomeBox being powered? If using a fast charging USB port, please try something else. What lights, if any are blinking on your BomeBox? If the BomeBox is not getting consistent power, it will periodically restart and you might not get anything from it so it is important to have consistent and reliable power. Fast charging ports often vary their power which helps with fast charging but wreaks havoc on BomeBox. For this reason , I usually use power over ethernet (POE) to power my BomeBoxes.

I’m using usb power and all three LED (Power, Pair and Wifi) are turned on and not blinking.
I don’t have a router/switch to provide a power but I believe the power is OK as all features except the issue is working perfectly.
Neither I got power-down or flickering including BomeBox itself and webconfig.
(Anyway I want to use BomeBox on the stage so it’s hard to use PoE)

If you have anything coming up to your mind, please let me know🙏

Thank you,
Hiro

SteveC · May 30, 2024, 4:58pm

Hi,
Thanks for your extensive testing. It indeed sounds like there is something wrong with the MIDI OUT on your BomeBox. Please request a replacement via our contact form. I know we are on short supply of replacement BomeBoxes and another production run is in progress but perhaps we can reach out to a distributor that has one in stock and not wait until completion of the new production run. What country are you in?

Another thing you can try is sending MIDI DIN out to another device other than the UM-One to see if it works with other MIDI devices. The random characters you were getting seems to make me think that something was happening.

In the interim, will you be able to use a network connection to your Mac from the stage?

Oh and if the project file I sent you did not have any MIDI routes, there will be no MIDI coming through except for translators unless you add thru routes in your project file (which will be added automatically to BomeBox when you load the project).

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

FlorianBome · May 31, 2024, 2:08pm

Hi, just to emphasize: if the DIN OUT port is broken on the BomeBox, we’ll repair/replace it, of course. Though I think that would be the first time that we have seen a defective MIDI port on the BomeBox.

Also, could you plug the UM-ONE into the BomeBox USB port and use the MIDI DIN ports of the UM-ONE instead of the BomeBox built-in MIDI DIN ports?

xerophyticquencher · May 31, 2024, 3:39pm

Hi Steve and Florian,

Thank you for the continuous support!

Please request a replacement via our contact form.

Thank you, I’ll request it when I think there’s nothing to do on my side.

What country are you in?

I’m in Japan

Another thing you can try is sending MIDI DIN out to another device other than the UM-One to see if it works with other MIDI devices. The random characters you were getting seems to make me think that something was happening.

Without UM-ONE, I don’t have a way to monitor what exactly the device is receiving, but seeing what happens on my device connected from MIDI DIN OUT on BomeBox, I guess the same thing is happening.
For example, I connected TM6-Pro that is supposed to change a kit by receiving Program Change.
When I send a MIDI signal, it sometimes shows nothing. It sometimes changes the Kit to the first one which is the behaviour when it catches Program Change 0.
Whereas it shows the correct Kit when I connect TMC-6 directly.
It shows Kit #3 and #4 which corresponds to Program Change 2 and 3

In the interim, will you be able to use a network connection to your Mac from the stage?

It is technically possible but the reason I purchased BomeBox is to reduce that kind of setup on the stage, so I want to avoid it.

Oh and if the project file I sent you did not have any MIDI routes, there will be no MIDI coming through except for translators unless you add thru routes in your project file

Yes, like I mentioned I set BomeBox as MIDI INPUT on MT when I try it over network. I change it to UM-ONE when I monitor it via physical cable.
Besides, I monitor signals with receivemidi at the same time and it shows the same.

Also, could you plug the UM-ONE into the BomeBox USB port and use the MIDI DIN ports of the UM-ONE instead of the BomeBox built-in MIDI DIN ports?

This works without any problem.
Like I tried it with Bome Network, signals seem correctly flowing from MIDI IN via USB to Network OUT and I can monitor it on my Mac both on MT Pro and receivemidi.

I was wondering, although I’ve tried Factory Reset, I haven’t tried replacing Firmware as it’d been already the latest (v1.5.4) when I get it.
Is it possible to replace the firmware without updating and do you think it’s worth trying to fix this issue?

Thank you,
Hiro

FlorianBome · June 2, 2024, 3:16pm

This should work (just install the current firmware again). But it will definitely not help. Doing a factory reset might help, but if you’ve already tried that, I don’t see anything that could fix it from your side.

xerophyticquencher · June 4, 2024, 2:27pm

Hi Florian,

I see, then I’ll proceed to request a replacement from the contact form.
Thank you for your support!