Novation SL MKII - it powers up via USB but not recognised as Midi over USB and no midi signal over midi ports - Troubleshoot help?

[McSard]

Hi Everybody,

I have Novation SL MKII which I bought second hand years ago and used a few times with Reaper and Automap, as a control surface and a controller.
Because I was not using it, last year I set it up on a stand on my kid's desk, helped him install daw and drivers, it worked fine over USB.
But then it has been gathering dust until today, when I gifted my wife a seaboard block for her birthday, and she was all over it. Of course my kid decided it was time to fire up the MKII, but low and behold Reaper could not see it.

I have wasted the whole evening trying to figure out the problem but not luck (I am a complete numpy with midi).
I was wondering if somebody could help me troubleshoot this?

Briefly here is what I know:

- The controllers switches on fine when connected via USB, all internal functions and menus are fine but on its display it complains that Automap is not running on the connected computer
- Automap is indeed running on the computer, but it cannot see the device
- I have tried all USB ports on the desktop computer, given in the past some midi devices did not work with all, but no luck
- Reaper remembers the device from last time it worked, so it is listed in preferences, but it shows as "not available", if I try to activate the inputs it shows exclamation marks in the description.
- When I set it as input for a midi track, pressing the keys does not do anything, and it does nto work as a control surface even if it is set as such via the automap driver. Other midi devices and the virtual midi keyboard work fine.
- Looking at windows 10 device manager, it does not show.
- I have tried a different USB cable without results
- Automap and drivers reintalled but no luck
- Out of desperation, I fished out a midi to USB cable and hooked up the Midi 1 IN and OUT to the computer via different USB ports (keeping the contorller powered via USB). The cable is recognized fine in Reaper and by Windows device manager, and I can activate is as an input in reaper and in the track. But key presses do not generate an ouptut.
- On the controller there is a button to switch off automap, so I tried pressing that, in case the midi outs did not work otherwise, but no changes. (there ar eof course a bunch of intenral settings and maybe some might prevent midi output, but I did not see any).

I repeated all of the above with my laptop too, and of course restarted both computers severla times, but the result is identical
The USB on the controller is a bit wobbly, but it has always been and before it worked fine and of course it seems to power up ok via USB.

So I am stumped and do not know what to try next.

Is there anyway one can check if there is any voltage going on in the midi ports? Maybe with a multi meter?
Any way to reset the controller perhaps?

If I manage to find a 9v adapter with the right jack I might try plugging that in, in case it needs more power (even if before it worked fine with the right usb port and with my laptop ports)

Any advice would be very welcome!

Thanks,
Aldo

 

[delaware dave]

I know nothing about that keyboard and am too lazy to download and read the manual. On some controllers MIDI can be turned on and off. As an example, out of the box M-Audio 5-pin MIDI is defaulted "off". Not sure why but that's how they roll out of the factory, there is a sequence of buttons to turn MIDI "ON". So I'd check to see if by some crazy combination of button hits MIDI has been disengaged and needs to be re-engaged.

 

[happyrat1]

Update all the programs you are using.

Check all settings on hardware and software after the updates and look for anything that seems wrong.

It took me 6 months to troubleshoot a single setting on my rig.

Be patient and be persistent and eventually you will hack a solution

Gary

 

[soundofmuzak666]

Hi Everybody,

I have Novation SL MKII which I bought second hand years ago and used a few times with Reaper and Automap, as a control surface and a controller.
Because I was not using it, last year I set it up on a stand on my kid's desk, helped him install daw and drivers, it worked fine over USB.
But then it has been gathering dust until today, when I gifted my wife a seaboard block for her birthday, and she was all over it. Of course my kid decided it was time to fire up the MKII, but low and behold Reaper could not see it.

I have wasted the whole evening trying to figure out the problem but not luck (I am a complete numpy with midi).
I was wondering if somebody could help me troubleshoot this?

Briefly here is what I know:

- The controllers switches on fine when connected via USB, all internal functions and menus are fine but on its display it complains that Automap is not running on the connected computer
- Automap is indeed running on the computer, but it cannot see the device
- I have tried all USB ports on the desktop computer, given in the past some midi devices did not work with all, but no luck
- Reaper remembers the device from last time it worked, so it is listed in preferences, but it shows as "not available", if I try to activate the inputs it shows exclamation marks in the description.
- When I set it as input for a midi track, pressing the keys does not do anything, and it does nto work as a control surface even if it is set as such via the automap driver. Other midi devices and the virtual midi keyboard work fine.
- Looking at windows 10 device manager, it does not show.
- I have tried a different USB cable without results
- Automap and drivers reintalled but no luck
- Out of desperation, I fished out a midi to USB cable and hooked up the Midi 1 IN and OUT to the computer via different USB ports (keeping the contorller powered via USB). The cable is recognized fine in Reaper and by Windows device manager, and I can activate is as an input in reaper and in the track. But key presses do not generate an ouptut.
- On the controller there is a button to switch off automap, so I tried pressing that, in case the midi outs did not work otherwise, but no changes. (there ar eof course a bunch of intenral settings and maybe some might prevent midi output, but I did not see any).

I repeated all of the above with my laptop too, and of course restarted both computers severla times, but the result is identical
The USB on the controller is a bit wobbly, but it has always been and before it worked fine and of course it seems to power up ok via USB.

So I am stumped and do not know what to try next.

Is there anyway one can check if there is any voltage going on in the midi ports? Maybe with a multi meter?
Any way to reset the controller perhaps?

If I manage to find a 9v adapter with the right jack I might try plugging that in, in case it needs more power (even if before it worked fine with the right usb port and with my laptop ports)

Any advice would be very welcome!

Thanks,
Aldo

I am facing a similar issue. Suddenly my 49 SL MK 2 is not working . Apparently the technical support team told me the USB port is gone, but I am kind of sceptical because it has been working well for years. I just hadn’t used it for a month. I feel there is some software update that they should give. Also there hasn’t been an Automap update for Mac 11.6 OS Big Sur. I feel it is a driver issue as its under Legacy in Novation website?