I’ve been successfully using a Waveshare 4-port USB 2.0 switchable hub with my BomeBox for quite some time now.
Until recently, I had the following devices connected to it:
Midi Fighter Twister
Keith McMillen K-Board
iConnectivity iConnectMIDI2+
I’ve recently added a Choisauce CS60 controller to the setup. Everything works perfectly while the system is running — there are no connectivity or performance issues at all.
The only problem occurs after powering everything down and turning it back on again: the CS60 doesn’t seem to power up properly. I have to unplug the CS60’s USB cable once and plug it back in, and then it immediately works as expected.
The BomeBox itself is powered via a USB power supply, and the Waveshare hub is an externally powered, active USB hub with its own power supply.
So, to be clear, this isn’t a major problem at all — everything works perfectly once I reconnect the CS60. It would just be nice if I didn’t have to perform the little “unplug and plug back in” ritual once a day.
Has anyone experienced something similar, or perhaps has an idea what could be causing this?
I haven’t seen this type of problem. Could try this for a test.
Hook the CS60 directly to the BomeBox and leave everything else disconnected. Then power cycle the BomeBox and see if you have the same isse.
For the most part powering the BomeBox via USB is fine, however, if there are items connected that draw a little more current, the voltage threshold going into the BomeBox might be going below the required threshold. Maybe this just happens at power up.
I prefer to use a POE adapter as it provides a higher voltage which is not a susceptible to slight voltage variations. I also like the fact the the ethernet port has a locking tab so the cable is less likely to come unplugged by accident.
The other thing to watch out for on USB hubs is that some have what they call ‘fast charging ports’, These ports vary the power supplied based on the draw of the connected device and BomeBox has problems with them.
So maybe test with a different USB hub as well.
Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care
Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
thank you so much for the incredibly fast and detailed response! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain the possible causes and suggest a few things to try.
I did some more troubleshooting on my end, and I actually managed to track the problem down: it seems to be the iConnectivity iConnectMIDI2+.
Interestingly, when I connect the Waveshare hub to Port 2 of the iConnectMIDI2+, I get exactly the problem I described — after powering everything down and back up, the CS60 needs to be unplugged and reconnected once. When I connect the hub to Port 1 instead, everything works perfectly.
So I’ve actually ended up with an even better setup now: I’m connecting Port 1 of the iConnectMIDI2+ to the BomeBox, and Port 2 directly to my Mac. This not only solves the problem, but also has the nice additional benefit that I can still access and configure the iConnectMIDI2+ from the Mac.
And thanks again for the suggestions regarding powering the BomeBox and USB hubs — I’ll definitely keep the power considerations in mind.
I also just wanted to say that the BomeBox has honestly become a real game changer for my studio workflow. It connects all my MIDI gear and handles all kinds of MIDI “translation work” between devices that otherwise wouldn’t talk to each other properly. I’ve had a lot of MIDI setups over the years, and the BomeBox is one of those pieces of gear that makes you wonder how you ever worked without it.
Really impressed with both the product and the support. Thanks again for the quick and thoughtful help!
Hi, and thanks for the follow-up! I’m glad that I could help you solve your issue and thanks for all of the good words about Bome MIDI Translator Pro and related support!
Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care
Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
