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-- old keyboard with 5-pin midi jack confuses a noob
old keyboard with 5-pin midi jack confuses a noob
Hi i just got my hands on a used keyboard and im tryin to get it to work with fl studio.
the keyboard is called radium 49, it came with a standard 5-pin midi cable, unfortunately my computer doesnt have a jack to which i can connect this to. I was under the impression that it can be connected to the computer and send out midi signals via the USB port, but I guess the usb port is only used to power the keyboard up.
My question is what's the smartest way in your opinion to connect this keyboard to my computer, I've seen $200 "Pci interfaces" which would get the job done, and even $20 cables which would connect the 5-pin jack to a joystick jack.
Im running windows xp on a 2.61ghz dual core athlon with 2gb ram, with an on-board sound card. Perhaps a higher quality sound card, one which will come with a 5-pin midi connector is my best solution? Can I find one for under $100?
Any help is appericiated, I don't want to go out and spend money on something I don't need.
You need some type of MIDI interface if you want to connect it VIA MIDI. Search for that at your favorite online music store.
If you connect it via USB, all you need to do is install the drivers and you can use it through USB without connecting it via MIDI.
Be aware that the Radium 49 is simply a MIDI controller and not a syntheziser, so there will be no sounds that come out of it.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOAP192
Is there a cheaper way to do this? I cant find anything cheaper 
If you connect it via USB, all you need to do is install the drivers and you can use it through USB without connecting it via MIDI.
that what I thoguht at first, but it didnt seem to work. I guess I've just messed something up, I'll try again. Thanks.
That's what I thought at first but it didnt seem to work. I guess I just installed it inproperly. Thanks, I will try agian
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Eric J If you connect it via USB, all you need to do is install the drivers and you can use it through USB without connecting it via MIDI. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by ASFSE not always true...sometimes the USB is just there for the power. get this: http://www.zzounds.com/item--EMUXMIDI1X1 cheap as fuck |
Yea, its supposed to work via USB, it just appears to be broken...
I install the drivers before plugging it in (like its supposed to be done, according to the instructions), then plug it in, and windows is supposed to recognize a "new plug and play device" but it never does... I tried 3 different computers and nothing. The keyboard lights up but windows doesnt recognize it. If anyone had any experience with this keyboard and is willing to help please contact me.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Leniu http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOAP192 Is there a cheaper way to do this? I cant find anything cheaper |
when you plug it in, go to control panel - system - hardware - device manager
is the device listed there, perhaps with an exclamation mark next to it?
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Leniu Yea, its supposed to work via USB, it just appears to be broken... I install the drivers before plugging it in (like its supposed to be done, according to the instructions), then plug it in, and windows is supposed to recognize a "new plug and play device" but it never does... I tried 3 different computers and nothing. The keyboard lights up but windows doesnt recognize it. If anyone had any experience with this keyboard and is willing to help please contact me. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Leniu Yea, its supposed to work via USB, it just appears to be broken... I install the drivers before plugging it in (like its supposed to be done, according to the instructions), then plug it in, and windows is supposed to recognize a "new plug and play device" but it never does... I tried 3 different computers and nothing. The keyboard lights up but windows doesnt recognize it. If anyone had any experience with this keyboard and is willing to help please contact me. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by phantom limb Hey, I'm using a Casio keyboard and hooking it up with MIDIman to the USB port on my computer. I had a similar issue with my computer. Give my advice a shot, it might just work. Hopefully, you still have the driver CD available. 1. Install the drivers from the CD that came with the cables; make sure your DAW is not open yet (Leave the driver CD inside the CD drive of your computer no matter what). 2. Just restart your computer, to make sure everything is working well. 3. With the driver CD for the cable still in your computer, plug in the USB end of the cable and make sure the keyboard is on while you're doing this. 4. Open your DAW and go to your preferences panel and see if it is recognizing it as a MIDI device. 5. Make sure in the meantime that your keyboard settings are set so MIDI signals go out from the keyboard and isn't set to a receiving state (Double-check the manufacturer's manual). 6. If all goes well, whenever you want to use the MIDI-to-USB cable, you have to have the drivers CD in the computer's CD drive. Sometimes, things get screwy--you just have to keep trying. Hope this helps! |
phantom limb, I cant power up the keyboard up without plugging it into the USB port, I dont have the AC adaptor.
And... Whats DAW? Am I missing something? 
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Leniu phantom limb, I cant power up the keyboard up without plugging it into the USB port, I dont have the AC adaptor. And... Whats DAW? Am I missing something? |
i got the right drivers, i read the support, i even fixed a few tihngs that couldve possibly been making it not work, i guess its just broken, in the meantime im just hoping that maybe i run into someone who had the same problem and there IS a solution.
i got the copmuter to recognize the keyboard! i connected the 5-pin cable from "usb midi out" to "keyboard midi out" (both on the keyboard...) and now hwne i plug in the USB cable, the copmuter detects it. The only problem is windows still refuses to install the drivers, and wont sign it as anything but an "unknown usb device". I cant install the drivers manually beacuse the installer comes as an .exe file, thus i dont have the actual driver files... Unless someone with the same keybaord (Radium 49) out there can send me the actual driver files, (esp. the .inf file), then i can try to manually force windows to recognize it... Anyone?
Lol! You truly are a noob if you don't know what a DAW is. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_audio_workstation ) But since we've all been noobs. I'm here to help you
I own a Radium 49 and it works perfectly on my machine both by being bus powered (powered by being connected to usb) and when being powered from an external AC source (a AC/DC adapter).
To avoid any problems with USB bus surges (devices trying to suck too much juice from you USB ports) I would go and get a power adapter for your Radium 49 as soon as possible.
The kind of power adaptor you need is: 9V DC 500mA. And the polarity needs to be: (+) inside of plug, (-) outside of plug.
I would bring your keyboard down to your local radio-shack and play with the various adapters because you'll need both the right type of adapter above, AND you'll need the correct plug-size.
Okay. So yea, get a power adapter and make sure when you plug-in the adapter power on the Radium 49 by making sure the switch is in the "DC 9V/BATTERY" position.
As for drivers? It is extremely strange you are having so many problems. I'd make sure Windows is fully up-to-date (Service Pack 2, etc). And then I would do this to manually install the drivers.
Go Start -> Run (or if you're 1337, press Windows Key + R)
Type in "devmgmt.msc"
This will bring up the device manager. If your radium is installed correctly under "Sound, video and game controllers" there should be an entry called "M-Audio USB Keystation." If not, then you'll find it under unknown devices.
My recommendation before you continue is to uninstall all traces of the Radium 49 driver to make SURE that there won't be any issues ahead. That means using Add/Remove programs to uninstall the software, and that means in device manger, right-click and uninstall the device etc.
Here is a link to the zip file with the Radium 49 drivers
http://archives.djfreaq.com/archives/RADIUM49.zip
Now, unzip all that shit into a directory. Then right click on that unknown device and click update driver. "Install from a list or specific location", then "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install", then "Have Disk...", then "Browse..."
Point it to the folder with the USBKS1X1.INF file in it and go from there.
If this still isn't working then most likely ur Radium 49 is bonkers and you should probably go out and buy a MIDI interface and rig it up the old-school way, or buy a better MIDI controller (like a Remote SL).
Also, I am astonished that looping the MIDI cables into both of the Radium 49's output ports did anything at all. I'm pretty sure that is a coincidence, since BOTH of those 5-pin MIDI ports are OUTPUTS!
I hope this works for you.
----Adam
Thank you very much Adam! The zip file is just what I needed, unfortunately it didn't help, I guess the controller is broken. I did everything I could now its time to shop for a different one 
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