D8Bridge v1.1 x32 and Sonar X3c x64 - First Impressions

[bitSync]

I've just installed Sonar X3c x64 on my machine having used Sonar X2a x64 with D8Bridge x32 v1.1 for some time now. Here are my initial observations for Sonar X3c x64's interaction with D8Bridge v1.1 x32 -

The d8b SELECT button functionality remains inoperative in X3c as it was in X2a

The "Trackn" labels that appeared in line 2 of the d8b's VFD in X2a are now absent in X3c, however, the track names are still present on line 1 of the VFD

These D8Bridge features I've tested so far work as expected: MUTE, SOLO, PAN, REC, faders, time code display, transport buttons, and LED ladder meters

MCU users on the Sonar forums report no change in functionality between X2a and X3c

As I use more of the interface I'll report on what I find.

[Marc Girard]

Very strange, the select buttons are using the same "infrastructure" as the other solo and mute buttons. I'll investigate on that.

[bitSync]

Yeah, I haven't looked at the Sonar X3c SELECT MIDI, but having looked at the Sonar X2a SELECT MIDI, it all looks normal, both directions. Looks like the message structure and content is compliant, but the DAW never changes its internal state for track SELECT, even though it seems to be communicating across the MCP MIDI fine. This is what has caused me to suspect something in the MIDI MCP comms initialization. Who knows? Sure wish there were such a thing as a MCP spec...

Not sure why the VFD line 2 disappeared in X3c either. I haven't looked but I'd be very surprised if the VFD SYSEX changed from X2a to X3c. Weird.

[bitSync]

Update - I mentioned that the VFD line 2 was blank now using Sonar X3c. Not completely true. The typical interaction with D8Bridge in X2a was that whenever I booted the DAW with D8Bridge running, I was always prompted on the VFD line 2 to configure/initialize my DAW. That message no longer appears with Sonar X3c, but neither do the track numbers on the second line of the VFD. But if I do go back in and re-initialize/configure the DAW (map the 3 D8BRidge MCUs), when I exit the DAW MCU configuration the track numbers now appear in the VFD line 2 beneath the track names in VFD line 1. So apparently the only change in behavior here between X2a and X3c is that I'm not being prompted to re-initialize/configure the DAW. Because I wasn't prompted in X3c to re-initialize/configure the DAW it didn't occur to me to try it. When I did think to try it the track numbers then appeared on the VFD line 2.

So, I still have to go in on each session and remap the 3 MCUs, but once done, the track numbers appear. FYI, I don't actually have to twist any vPots. If I just go into the DAW MCU configuration GUI and check the 3 buttons (ON, SETUP, and MEMORY A) on the d8b, the correct channel assignments (1, 9 and 17) are already there. When I exit the DAW MCU configure GUI then the track numbers pop up on the VFD line 2.

About the d8b SELECT button - the MCP MIDI between the DAW and D8Bridge appears to be fine. When I select a d8b track, the SELECT LED for the previously selected track is extinguished and the SELECT LED for the newly selected track is illuminated, so the MCP is obviously working with the SELECT button as far as the SELECT send and the LED on/off messages go. But the DAW current track selection is not affected by this MCP MIDI exchange. Also, selecting a track with the DAW GUI does not appear to send MCP MIDI messages to D8Bridge, or if it does, D8Bridge is not acting on the messages since there is no change in d8b SELECT LED state.

To compound the weirdness, Sonar X2 and X3 users using the real deal Mackie MCU report that the track selection with the MCU SELECT buttons works exactly as expected.

[bitSync]

New twist regarding X3c and the D8Bridge VFD line 2 - even after reinitializing the DAW's MCU configuration and getting the current track numbers into the VFD line 2, subsequently added tracks have no corresponding VFD line 2 track numbers unless I go back in again during the session and re-re-initialize the DAW MCU mapping, at which time the newly added track numbers show up.