Help! NO MIDI KEYBOARD'S EVER WORK FOR LONG!?

[TCisME]

Hey!

I've stuck with Reason since the beginning. I nearly jumped ship before they introduced VSTs, but since then I've invested in every upgrade. With every version of Reason I've owned I've never got a midi keyboard working consistently. It either isn't recognised by Reason, or it just stops working and I have to pull out the usb lead to 'reset' it. Or sometimes it just doesn't work at all, even when recognised. I've tried loads of different midi keyboards I've had multiple PC's a laptop. My new PC I only built last year so I really want to sort this problem for good!

I currently have the M-AUDIO Oxygen25. The problem has happened with a lot of different common models of midi keyboard. As I said above, every version of Reason, and loads of different computers!

I feel like I'm missing a huge chunk of information on midi setup in general.. I'm obviously doing something wrong! I'm hoping I'll come on to this site and someone will point out my dumbness,, and tell me something really obvious I've never known!

I really hope somebody can help!?

Thanks in advance
Tim

[gullum]

I can only think of power saving that some how turns of your usb port

[avasopht]

If it just stops working and it's been happening with different keyboards and computers, I'd look at the leads.

I've had a few do this, and some leads that would work with midi devices but not the sound card.

So far that sounds like the lowest common denominator. Well, ... unless you're Magneto

[mimidancer]

Sounds like a power-saving issue to me. I am not a tech, but I have been using reason since I was 14 and have never experienced this issue. I would turn off all power-saving and auto sleep on your system. I have found in the past that a PC will sleep if you are playing. It is only looking for you to interact with the mouse and keyboard (the qwerty one, not the chromatic one) I hope this helps I know that would make me crazy.

[rcbuse]

I'll echo what avasopht said. Either you got a bad cable or a bad usb hub in the mix. Or another USB device thats dragging down everything else. I've had cheap USB devices knock out hubs and onboard usb ports.

[TCisME]

Thanks for your replies!

Talking about 'power changing' and changing the usb so it doesn't auto-turn off, definitely rings a bell, when I've followed windows install guides - one of the various guides for setting up windows for music production etc. I'll double check my settings now.

As for it being dodgy leads. I can't rule it out, without doing a proper test I guess. I think it's been to common an issue for it to be a lead issue though... not sure.

I'll check power settings now. Thanks, I'll report back!

[kitekrazy]

I've had issues if plugging into a USB3 port. Sure they are backwards compatible but that hasn't always been my experience. You left out systems specs. That could be important regarding the need to update chipset drivers and possible BIOS setting. Sometimes Windows updates will revert settings.