Ketron SD2/SD4 crash test

[Dan]

Hi,

It seems that there is some models of Ketron SD2/SD4 who are not stable.

If you want to know if your model is stable, just play this midifile 5 times to your Ketron.

If you hear all the notes, then it is OK.

If the sd2 freeze and notes never stops then your SD2/SD4 is BAD.

Let me know your testing.

Dan

ps : my SD2 is 100% stable
       my SD4 is not stable

ps : don't play the midifile with vArranger, but with another midifile player, connected to the SD2

[Brian]

Note freezes on my SD2.

[ketronek]

on my SD4 is fine

[louguit]

...
If the sd2 freeze and notes never stops then your SD2/SD4 is BAD.
Let me know your testing.
Dan
...

My SD2 is bad...

[PatSar63]

Dan,

I don't really know the result of the test :

1. My SD2 never freezed in keeping one note on during a long period

BUT :

2. As I launch the file, I don't hear anything during one mesure (about 1 or 2 sec). Then I hear several notes (from low to high) played by a trumpet. The notes are not played in a regularly fashion as they would be if I played them with croches or double croches. Maybe, the silences between some notes could be explained by the fact that some notes missed in the middle.

I hope I heard what it should be heard...I cross my fingers waiting on your verdict...

See you - Patrick

[Lionel]

As expected mine crashed as well.

I played the midifile once ok, played it again straight away and crash, blue light went out as well.

Did this 3 times and same result each time, except blue light doen't always go out but still crashed.

Dan, this is the same problem all along, with crashes.

Lionel

[Pere]

Hi Dan

my SD2 is not stable 

[Dan]

PatSar63 your SD2 is good.

It seems that I found the reason why some SD2/SD4 sometimes crash.

It is a very subtile bug.

You have to send like 40 midi messages in a certain order and a special timing.

Even if your SD2 is bad, I will protect vArranger to never put your SD2 in the crashing situation.

Don't cry you will continue to enjoy with the best arranger software 

Dan

[Leilo]

Hello
Try  the file in buckle the SD2 and the SD4 it is OK for the SD4 I have the  version 1.3.0 did not update forum Ketron
Good day
Leilo

[Dan]

The version 0.91 is out, and protect this Ketron problem to occurs.

[jan1kow]

I will try this test
But if it crashes - is my SD2 no longer ever going to work or does it reset and work again after a power re-booting?

[Dan]

You just power OFF power ON the SD2, and it is OK again

[jazzcat]

It seems that I found the reason why some SD2/SD4 sometimes crash.
It is a very subtile bug.
You have to send like 40 midi messages in a certain order and a special timing.
Dan

I looked at the event list on this file and I sure can see why this MIDI file could make any piece of MIDI hardware crash, or freeze, or at the very least stutter like crazy!
There are not 40 MIDI messages being sent at once, but there are 31 patch changes all occurring at 002:01:000.  Not good practice for any sequencer to do!!  MIDI can only handle so much info all at once.  I'd think that the limitation is MIDI itself and not the SD2. A decent MIDI file programmer will know this and spread out the data so not too much happens at the same exact time.

2. As I launch the file, I don't hear anything during one mesure (about 1 or 2 sec). Then I hear several notes (from low to high) played by a trumpet. The notes are not played in a regularly fashion as they would be if I played them with croches or double croches. Maybe, the silences between some notes could be explained by the fact that some notes missed in the middle.
See you - Patrick

There is no MIDI data in the first bar, which is why you hear silence for exactly 2 seconds.  (At 120 BPM each bar takes 2 seconds to play)

You hear silence between some of the notes simply because some of the notes are extremely short and staccato.

[Dan]

Hi Jazzcat,

1-Just try this midifile with any other midi module.  No one will crash. The module receive the midi events one by one. It can take time to manage all the messages, and not play them in time, but NO crash. Sorry.
2-Even if the (non decent!) programmer send 300000 midi messages at once, the Midi driver will just send them one by one from the buffer to the module at the standard MIDI baud rate.
3-The problem occurs even if there is more space between events, but after more time.  I just wanted to make it appeirs without waiting too much time.
4-Some SD2 has the problem, the new ones doesn't have it.
5-One user told me that after installing the latest SD2 firmware update, the problem was gone. To be verified.
6-If Ketron is OK, I am OK to help them debugging their gears

Dan

[jazzcat]

Many questions:

What is the latest firmware update?
The last one I know about for the SD2 is "Update_104.zip"  which contains the files:
1) SD2updater.msi
2) SD2_4.sd2

Has another update been released since then? 
I Installed this update long ago, even though I had no problems with the SD2.

I see you say it's 0.91. I would like to know where this file is downloadable and if possible I would like to know exactly what changes it makes to the SD2.

By the way, the five numbers in my serial number are 10847.

You said: The problem occurs even if there is more space between events, but after more time. 

If a freeze is not due to too many MIDI messages being sent at once then do you know exactly what it is that does cause the freeze?

I remember very old MIDI modules used to have a 'panic button' that would reset the module when it would freeze.  It looks like the panic button on the SD2 is the on/off switch. 

I wonder if you have tested this freezing with MIDI to MIDI interface through an interface that uses a serial port or only with MIDI to USB interface.  I wonder if this would make any difference?

Another thought. Is it possible that different  sequencing or sequence playing programs, and the way different programs handle MIDI data, make a difference in if the SD2 freezes or not?

JC

[Dan]

Hi JazzCat,

Look at this page, there is the Update_105.zip
http://www.ketron.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128&Itemid=71&lang=eng

I don't really recommend users to update thier SD2, because most of users are crashing their unit after the update.
Your SD2's serial number is 847

Just look at the midifile events to see what is causing it to crash.

If yours is crashing, and you want to install the update 1.05, then try and let us know if it is still crashing.

Ideally, a hardware midi module should never crash or need a panic button in any condition !

You can accept this?

When I am giging live in front of dancers, I canno't accept to reboot the SD2

The midifile is crashing the SD2 whatever the software or midi interface you are using

Dan