Unable to connect tau to microsoft windows

Eigenharp
12

Hi Markā€¦ Thanks
I have been trying all day and most of yesterday re/installing and uninstalling and re/plugging the USB cable.
No further forward at all.

Still have green light on the basestation and green flashing leds on the TAU and percussion keys master over/ride led illuminated orange.

I tried to clean the system and load load from the old 8gig flash drive. No joy eitherā€¦
I gave up after teatime and played Ztar for some light relief, cos my eyes are shot with gazing at the screen for 2 daysā€¦

I shall try tomorrow or Tues with a totally clean to eigenharp laptop and try again. Then try to clean the regustry and temp files in my first laptop.
thanks for your help allā€¦

regards
ritchie

13

Sad to hear that itā€™s not a smooth experience for you. Yepp, particularly these drivers can be stubborn.
Perhaps it helps to play around with either plugging in the Basestation before or after the driver installation. And best check whether the driver was detected in the device manager before starting EigenD - perhaps having EigenD running prevents the driver from cleanly unloading, making a reinstall more difficult.
But fortunately, if you got it to run once then the driver is working all the time and you just have to plug stuff in and play - at least that was my experience with various Windows machines where I tried it.

14

Hi Kaiā€¦

I shall follow the above religiously tomorrow or Tuesdayā€¦
I also have a win 10 laptop so I shall start with that.
Many thanks

regards

richard
bg

15

@Ritchie did you confirm windows could see the basestation?
theres no point in keep reloading the drivers, if the usb device cannot be seenā€¦

16

Hi

No, windows sees nothing. I shall try using another win7 laptop and see if I can get any further forward.

Regards
Richard
BG.

17

moved this to it own topic, with more descriptive title :slight_smile:

okā€¦some of this might be pretty basic, but we need to start at the beginning :slight_smile:

so the following is on windows 10, but it is basically the same on all versions, though device manager may look different, and might need manually to refresh after connections etc.

please do ALL of the followingā€¦ so we can be clear if you have a hardware issue or not.

also for testing purposes , connect the basestation directly to the computer, do not use a usb hub.

( i assume below you have tau connected to basestation)

check hardware

a) uninstall the driversā€¦ do not disable, uninstall!
b) shutdown machine, disconnect base unit
c) boot windows
d) start devicemanger
e) power up basestatation and connect it to machine

the basestaion will quickly flash red (starting), amber (basestation up - no instrument) , green (basestation read, with instrument)

windows should make its (annoying) happy chirpy sound that a device has been connected.

in device manager, you should now see an ā€˜unknown deviceā€™ , (note: exclamation mark)

none1
none1.JPG2355Ɨ1755 269 KB

Ive also hightlighted the hardware id, so you can see this is for the basestationā€¦

if this does not appear you have a hardware issue
ā€¦ as this is with no drivers installed.

the issue could be:
a) bad usb cable
b) incompatible usb port (needs to be usb 2.0)/ other hardware issue on your machine
c) hardware issue/usb port on basestation

next step install the driversā€¦

keep devicemanager running.
a) disconnect basestation

b) install the drivers from the eigend website,
i just run the dpinst.exe , and it will say all is good and install.
if not resolve that issue :slight_smile:
(becareful if windows whinges about unknown developer etc)

(it may be some versions of windows need you to reboot here)

c) now connect basestation
again, windows will make its happy chirpy sound to say new device connected.
now in device manager we will see device reconizedā€¦

norm1
norm1.JPG2623Ɨ1724 285 KB

see, no exclamation mark, its got a proper description. same hardware id

if its still unknown, then try reinstalling drivers (again make sure you properly uninstall them)

Run eigend

ok, so at this stage Windows can see the basestation, but what happens is when you run eigend, it actually downloads firmware to the basestatioin to connect the tau (clever stuff!)
so lets check this happens correctly

so start EigenD (program files/eigenlabs/eigend)
(again keep device manager running)
then load the factory/tau setup
(you can click of default setup at top right, to make it load this every time you start if you wish)

this takes a while, as its a pretty big/complex setup!

when you do this, windows again will make its happy chirpy sounds to say a new device is connected (your tau :slight_smile: )
now in device manager, if we look carefully we will see the eigenlabs device has changedā€¦ see description and hardware id.

norm2
norm2.JPG3490Ɨ2064 405 KB

if this appears correctly then once the setup completes loading the leds on the tau will change to reflect the setup, and you can start playingā€¦

notes:

  • if you are having hardware issues, then id do things like change the cable for one you know works (tested with another device), try another usb port on your machine, try another windows machine

  • iā€™ve had eigend work on many versions of windows, that shouldnā€™t be an issue, and certainly the first hardware step should work on everything, as it basic windows functionality - nothing to do with eigenharp software.

  • the above is for the standard basestation, (the small one, separate wall wart) , but the procedure is identical for the basestation proā€¦ but the hardware id has a different PID.
    (I think description might be slightly different, but id need to boot it up to checkā€¦ but my guess is you have the standard basestation anyway)

  • necessity to reinstall driverā€¦
    I should balance the comments about the driver being ā€˜awkwardā€™ to install, this is not always the case, it just appears to be some particular combinations of window versions / computers.
    e.g. on my laptop, the drivers install and work first time, every time ā€¦ (for testing purposes I routinely uninstall/reinstall stuff :slight_smile: )
    so it is important to check the hardware is functioning if things donā€™t appear to work, rather than just keep reinstalling the driver in blind hope it might fix it!

3 Likes
18

Hi Mark

Very many thanks for your very comprehensive assistance and screenshot helpā€¦

I have got as far as Factory Setup in EigenDā€¦
So hopefully, I should be in business soon.
Totally Fantastic!

a cople of points.

  1. Can you briefly list the files that I should copy to the 8 gig Eigen flashdrive (I shall delete the existing Apple Mac setup on the drive ) so that I can more easily set up the Tau for my win 10 laptop and also another win 7 laptop?

  2. The EigenD plugin scanner finds nothing and is empty, although I have tons of plugins.

again, thanks a zillion trillion for your help.

best regards

richard
bg

19

so tau is now seen in device manager? and is showing the setup lights?
(i.e not the green flashing one in the bottom?)

what was the issue?

absolutely no ideaā€¦ actually no idea whatā€™s on there already!
all you need is the stuff that on the Eigenlabs website, latest versions.
(you could use my community release of EigenD https://github.com/TheTechnobear/EigenD/releases)

in the plugin scanner make sure the paths are correct.
(windows is a little inconsistent on what users use, so its possible the defaults are not where you have your plugs)

note: it will only load 32 bit plugins. 64 bit you will need a 32 to 64 bit plugin bridge, or host the plugins in a daw ( or similar) and then use midi. (this was recently discuss here )

honestly, most of us use a DAW or a ā€˜performance hostā€™ e.g. something like Mainstage, GigPerformer, this actually has performance benefits as it moves VSTs, both synths and effects onto separate cpu cores.
ā€¦ and most of those can simultaneously host 32 and 64 bit VSTs.
(at least for now, lots of talk about 32bit being dumpedā€¦ but I think itā€™ll be a while yet)

1 Like
20

Thanks for all the help.

I am still unable to connect to win 7 correctly.

In Device Manager, (on a fresh win 7 laptop)

  1. I have ; ā€œEgenharp PSU (with Audio Capable firmware)ā€ so that seems fine.

  2. I can see all the red lights and green setup selections when I select them on the neck. (however I cannot edit or change them)

  3. I cannot start the metronome (unless I select it in Stage Drummer.)
    If so, I can start metronome and hear clicker and bongo via soundcard

  4. I cannot browse metronome instruments or voices in Stage.

  5. Given the above, it seems as if the Tau loads no soundfonts, or vstā€™s.

  6. Plugin scanner flashes once and then disappears, and shows ā€˜scan failedā€™ and neither good or failed plugins show. (I could see ā€˜good plugsā€™ like CS80 and Synclavier, on the previous laptop (win 7 ) but could not access or play anything)

It seems as if the Tau is not loading anything at allā€¦

Q) What is the ā€˜drag and dropā€™ into eigend for?

Q) Is it likely that I have a damaged basestation which wonā€™t load correctly? or alternatively, a damaged instrument?

I shall follow Kaiā€™s setup and try an install on a separate win10 laptop next week if all else fails.
thanks for all the member efforts and help so far.

regds
richard
bg

21

I guess the good news is that a hardware fault is unlikely at this point. It sounds like the problem is, as you say, that EigenD doesnā€™t load your vsts, soundfonts, etc. I donā€™t actually use any vsts, samples or soundfonts inside EigenD myself, so I suspect someone else will do a better job helping you with that. But it sounds like you are nearly there!

In the meantime, just to make sure: have you installed the Resources file from Eigenlabs? A large file that contains the sample loops, soundfonts, etc that EigenD wants to load.

Apologies if the following is obvious information (it is sometimes difficult to know what Ā«tech levelĀ» someone is at.) :wink: It has probably been mentioned, but in case you arenā€™t familiar with the difference between 32bit and 64bit vsts: EigenD is a 32bit application and only works with 32bit vsts. However, these days most plugins are 64bit and thus wonā€™t work in EigenD. If you want to host 64bit plugins inside EigenD youā€™d want to use a VST bridge, i.e. a 32bit plugin Ā«shellĀ» that then itself hosts the 64 bit plugin. A 32bit to 64bit adapter, if you will.

However, many of us donā€™t load any samples or plugins in EigenD. Instead we send midi out of EigenD and route that to some other host (for instance GigPerformer or a DAW like, say, Cubase). That way the Tau/EigenD is strictly a midi controller and the plugins actually sending audio to your soundcard is in the other software. I prefer this way myself. If you want help setting something like this up I can explain it in detail.

In any case, if you arenā€™t up and running soon, feel free to send me a PM if you want me to try and help you via Skype.

22

yup, that means driver is working, and EigenD is seeing tau

hmm, I thought the metronome was in the resourcesā€¦ :confused:

?thats not how it worksā€¦
you need to launch EigenBrowser,
then clicking on Browse in stage will bring the relevant details up in EigenBrowser.
(hmm there must be a video on that somewhereā€¦)

are you sure you did the resources install? its the really big one.
if you didnā€™t then you wonā€™t have the default vsts, or soundfonts, resonators or anything.
so pretty much the only thing that would work is midi !

(note: you dont ā€˜needā€™ these resources, but given your starting out, its the easy way for it to be ā€˜plug n playā€™)

does it display your plugins as its scanning?
if not then, have you added your plugins directories? this has to be doneā€¦

as I said above, unlike the Mac, Windows has never really standardised on where VSTs should be put on a hard drive, so it cannot be defaulted correctly, as there is no standard!.
basically, if you have the right paths setup, you should see each plugin attempt to be loaded, and then it will end up in either the good or bad column.
if its in the ā€˜badā€™ its very likely its 64 bit, see previous comments on this.

23

by the way another way to test this, which might be in line with your goals.
is to get the midi rig working

to do this you will need to :
start eigend, load tau setup
select midi rig
launch stage, select midi rig (go to + in corner)
launch eigenbrower ,
in stage select midi output browse, to select your midi output destination

if your using hardware itā€™ll be listed,
however, if you want to send midi to a daw or similar, then you need to install a virtual midi device , like loopbe or midiyoke (see this post )ā€¦ as unlike macOS , windows doesnā€™t have this functionality builtin :frowning:

24

Hi Mark et al.

Very slowly getting there but I want to start a clean install on another laptop.

Got piano sound to work (but octave up and down not working) and some fuzzy drums and boomy bassy sounds on the perc. keys (with yaw crossfading between voices), and also hi-hat and percusssion with the metronome sound) Am able to vary kit part volumes in Stage, and assign delay FXā€¦ But so far nothing elseā€¦
Just a quick question:

where do I find dpinst.exe ? Can you post a link pls?

I found it before and installed it on my other laptop, but cannot for the life of me remember where I found it :frowning: Yet another embarassing senior moment.)

Have copied all relevant files to flash drive (except dpinst.exe) to save loads of downloading (we have slow aerial dish and wireless internet here in BG , not cable.

many thanks again for everyoneā€™s help.

best regds

richard
bg

25

Thanks Kaiā€¦
Yes, I may have mixed up 32 and 64 bit files in the Steinberg VST folder and in others, but Cubase and Waveform find the relevant ones , and they donā€™t crash the plugin search app. but just give a ā€˜fail to loadā€™ messageā€¦ . It seems that unfortunately, I canā€™t even find one plugin that loadsā€¦ I had some that showed previously, as OK, but not nowā€¦ Shall persevere. Can I somehow do a search in win with VST ā€˜attributesā€™, to separate them out?:

regds

richard
bg

26

At lastā€¦

Ive found dpinst.exeā€¦and shall have a go at fixing the installation on my other laptop.

(or at least getting two machines to partly work)

Upwards and onwardsā€¦and little by littleā€¦

thanks

ritchie
bg

27

I now have Eigenbrowser working and showing libraries and I can select kits and then mute and enable voices and patterns in Stage.
Some seriously spiffing grooves there! (and loads of them)
and all very well programmed and sampledā€¦

Previously, I thought the percussion & drum section was a simple and fairly trivial drum machine (big mistake)
The more I get to work, and discover, the more impressed I am with the Tau and the software.
Onwards and upwards!

ritchie
bg

2 Likes
28

Thanks everyone for all of the helpā€¦ Iā€™m starting to find my way around the instrument at lastā€¦

A couple of questions.

I have to press the selector keys in all of the modes many times to get the relevant select key to change colour. (10, or 20 times (roughly.))
Is this normal?

The Tau freezes and locks up when blowing hard into the breath controller, (using clarinet voice) and I have close everything down via Task Manager and start full installation again from scratch. ( keys do not respond and nothing works)
Has anyone else had this problem?

regards

ritchie
bg

29

I had this problem with an older computer. EigenD doesnā€™t cope well in overload scenarios. The philosophy as far as I understood it was that overloads lead to crackles and crackles are the death of any live performance anyways, so the focus was less on gracefully dealing with these scenarios but telling the user to prevent these in the first place under any circumstances.
I know, easier said but done as it either needs to use less demanding synthesis, bigger buffers (and thus higher latency) or even a new computer.
If the machine has plenty of cores (which is likely for a newer machine) it can help to use MIDI/OSC in EigenD only and send that to an external host that has multi-core support and suitable plugins. Doesnā€™t help you with the EigenD internal clarinet though. So only the buffer size up or faster computer route remain I fear. Or to restart EigenD in the case it happens very rarely and just live with it.
Or it is another thing in your caseā€¦

30

Thanks Ferdinand.

I have win 7 running on an Intel i5 CPU @240 Ghtz. and 4 gig of ram. I should maybe try installing on a faster win 10 laptop.

Is having to press the selector keys many times to get them to change colour normal? I thought that the install was faulty at first and then I found the multiple key presses to work.

thanks

regards

ritchie
bg

31

Hi everyone,

Quick question: What is dpinst.exe? I donā€™t have the stick anymore unfortunately. Is it the same as the Windows driver that can be downloaded online?

Background:

Iā€™m trying to follow some of the instructions here to try and set up my Eigenharp Tau on Windows. I previously had it running semi-successfully on Mac (some instruments working).

I have the same problem on two separate Windows 10 machines: After installing drivers, runtime and resource pack, the Eigenharp only shows up as PSU-MM in the device manager, despite reinstalling the driver repeatedly, replugging cables, etcā€¦ On one of the two machines it briefly worked (showed up correctly in the device manager as an Eigenharp device, played synth sounds), but then when I plugged it in again later, it showed up as PSU-MM and nothing worked (same USB port, same everything).

Any advice is welcome. Also Iā€™m trying to sell the device, any ideas whether this could be a hardware issue? It looks a lot like a software issue, but now that I have the exact same problem on two separate Windows 10 devices, Iā€™m wondering whether it could be the case that the hardware is broken.