Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

10 Oct 2011, 12:57

Hi.
I'm trying to connect my fantom x8 to my laptop.
I've never done it before and I'm unable to get it working.
I'm wanting to connect to the fantom x editor to try lazeeboys Rps live sound tutorial.

I went into the Fantoms menu / system / USB and set it to Midi and off

I hooked up the USB cable into the fantom and into the laptop.
It installed my files when promoted from the fantom editor cd

I start the editor program and get a prompt saying MIDI devices aren't set up correctly. I'm not sure what settings to enter in the set up box but I think I've exhausted all options yet still it remains unconnected.
My usual set up I tried is input fantom x. Output fantom x. Device ID 18.
Then I leave the "through" boxes as "none"
Is there something I'm not doing right?
I've been at it for two hours now

Last edited by Rusty on 10 Oct 2011, 18:02, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Connecting fantom x to my laptop help.

10 Oct 2011, 13:50

Should the fantom x8 appear as a device on my laptops "computer" removable storage / harddrive section?
Because it doesn't.
I've also tried connecting my x6 and get exactly the same connection problems.
I've connected just the one lead from the USB port on the fantom to the USB port on the pc.
it recognised and installed the drivers yet still fails to appear in my "removable devices"
Any help greatly appreciated.

Re: Connecting fantom x to my laptop help.

10 Oct 2011, 18:03

You will need the fantom usb driver loaded on your pc to use midi over USB. You can download the driver from the Roland website. After you load it start the PC without the fantom connected. Once all booted, plug in the fantom and the driver will config on your pc.
Romey

http://www.rolandus.com/products/produc ... &skip=true

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

10 Oct 2011, 18:05

looks like they moved the page to here. http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=581&tab=downloads&skip=true

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

11 Oct 2011, 11:45

Hi. Thanks for your advice.
Here's what is happening now.
Windows found the driver software but encountered an error whilst installing it. It asks me to check Rolands support section for driver software ??
Again I'm totally lost.
Any help really appreciated

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

12 Oct 2011, 00:13

You might check to make sure you loaded the correct driver for the version of windows you have.
Check the fantom is in USB midi mode, not USB storage mode. Use the system write button or the mode will revert back after power off.
Romey

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

12 Oct 2011, 12:39

Many thanks.
I was loading the wrong driver for my operating system. I needed a 32 bit not 64 bit for windows vista. Thankfully it looks like they may now be talking to each other at last.
Thanks for all your help.
Now let's see if I can get my head around this Rps live setting for switching my sounds seamlessly.
Regards. Bren

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

13 Oct 2011, 00:39

Thats great. Glad you are making progress.
Romey

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

8 Nov 2011, 23:45

I am having similar problems and after messing around with it for an hour I am calling for reinforcements.

I have used the Fantom X Librarian in the past but it's been a long while. I do have the driver installed. The USB cable is connected to the laptop and the Fantom. I am in Librarian mode on the Fantom. In System > USB, it is set to USB Mode MIDI. In Fantom X Librarian > Setup > Setup MIDI Devices, I have Input and Output set to "2-Roland Fantom X".

I have also tried to do this over MIDI with two different USB MIDI cables and also no luck. Rebooted the Fantom, no luck. Help please!

Re: Connecting fantomX8 USB to my laptop help.

9 Nov 2011, 00:21

Alright, it's working now. For posterity, the thing that kicked it over was using the FanX Editor. I loaded this and started editing patches. It was working when I was not in Librarian mode on the FanX. Then I loaded the Librarian and it started working while not in Librarian mode on the FanX. The odd thing is that page 236 of the Main Manual for the FanX says to put it into Librarian mode first.

Some other things I did was reinstall the driver and reboot everything a few times. C'est la vie.