The folks behind MyDMX need to step up their game in regards to MIDI. ALSO, so do many vendors with their products, and perhaps even Microsoft with their generic drivers.
I'm not posting up the 20+ page document I'm compiling here and now.
1: MyDMX's implementation of MIDI is not well done. Many of you can't prove this as effectively as I can, but with my larger inventory of devices, I have far more tools at my disposal to help diagnose this.
MIDIOX can test if a MIDI device is working or not. This is at least in regards to "are trigger/performance elements that generate input showing functionality" rather than "is the device 100% working as it's supposed to" sort of working. Virtually any device that is a MIDI device(that is NOT an interface), MIDIOX can work with.
MyDMX has some goofy issues that I've addressed before. One of the issues is that it lacks the capability to choose WHICH MIDI device it will listen to, of available devices it can directly know of(say, USB MIDI devices), or from available MIDI devices(which can include things behind a MIDI interface, but may or may not actually be connected at the moment). In the case where I want immediate tactile control with my Korg nanoKontrol AND need rapid scene selection via my Novation Launchpad, forget it. It's either/or, and fortunately for me, the nanoKONTROL wins, but man, I'd really also like a surface for scene triggering only at the same time.
On top of that, some MIDI devices show up as "Audio devices", even with vendor-suppllied drivers, such as the newer M-Audio MIDISPORT 2X2 Anniversary Edition. The older one(which I also have), shows up as a MIDI device. MyDMX can work with my JLCooper CS102 when it's behind the older MIDISPORT 2X2, but not when it's behind the NEWER one due to the drivers and how the device is then presented to the OS.
Other devices, like the USB Akai LKP-25(better than the Korg nanoKEY), while seen by MIDI OX, MyDMX doesn't see it. Why? It connects and is acknowledged as an AUDIO DEVICE, not a MIDI device, yet it is a MIDI device and Sonar sees it just fine as a MIDI device.
We need to be made aware of this as consumers so we don't buy wrong gear, but MyDMX also needs to be aware of this because there is some severe OVERSIGHT in the product that must be addressed.
Really, the korg nanoKONTROL was bought expressly for use with MyDMX, and then so was the nanoPAD for triggering scenes, but I can't use both at once with MyDMX. The Launchpad was bought for 1 reason only: testing with MyDMX, but I do have other applications for it as well. I need fader/knob control AND scene triggering and I don't want it all on one surface.
With people buying MIDI devices(true MIDI devices) like older controllers, they need to ensure they have a suitable MIDI interface or MyDMX will not work with the gear.
These observations have been proven true in March 2009 AND April 2010. There have been NO improvements made in ths area.
Here's what I suggest:
As we're going to be stuck with limitations, then so be it, but we need some say in how we're limited. WE need to be able to SELECT that ONE MIDI device we want to work with(force us to choose ONLY 1). Of course, let us change it when we want to, but again, force us to choose only 1 at a time. I don't have a problem with "It needs to be plugged in before MyDMX runs" stuff. That just makes sense.
MyDMX needs to be able to work with ANY MIDI device, or any device capable of generating MIDI input, and any MIDI interface. At the same point, it's NOT MyDMX's problem if the device isn't APPROPRIATE or suitable for MyDMX, that is a user-problem.
MyDMX also needs to let us know when a scene HAS a MIDI trigger assigned to it and allow us to edit and delete the trigger learned.
I got other ideas, but I have other things to do now. In short, the product has elements that have not been addressed and need to be addressed.
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