Buggy input, Casio and Windows 10

Trouble with Synthesia, your keyboard, or adapter? Think you found a bug?
When describing problems, always mention your OS and game version (shown at the bottom of the title screen).

If your keyboard has USB or MIDI ports, there is a tremendously high chance (>99%) it will work with Synthesia. See what you'll need on the keyboards page.
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ColinFredward
Posts: 5

Post by ColinFredward »

This is not a problem with the software but with my keyboard-to-PC connection in general. I'm using the free Synthesia 10.3.4096 on Windows 10, with a Casio WK-3000 and a Fore USB Midi-to-USB cable, which seems highly rated:

https://www.amazon.com/FORE-Interface-C ... B072B94W7Z

The input is extremely buggy to the point that it is unusable. It works for like the first 3 notes, and then it will randomly play other notes or sustain notes forever. I used MIDI-OX to confirm that it was a problem with my keyboard or connection. My keyboard itself works perfectly otherwise so I don't think the problem is there. Is it something to do with the driver? Are Casios incompatible with Windows 10? I'm not very tech savvy and will take all the help I can get. Thanks in advance.
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jimhenry
Posts: 1899

Post by jimhenry »

In my experience, keyboards are hardly ever the problem, which is what you suspected. Cables are by far the usual weak link. I notice that Amazon only listed used cables. Perhaps yours has a bad connection. For some reason, MIDI cables almost always have a defective design for the strain relief that only bends in one direction. So the cables often go bad around the strain relief. Does the indicator light on the USB plug flash every time you press or release a key? If not, then MIDI is not getting to the plug, a pretty sure sign of a break in the cable.

$21 is quite a bit to pay for a used cable, if that is what you got. Can you return it? My best guess is that a new cable will make all your problems go away.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
ColinFredward
Posts: 5

Post by ColinFredward »

I tested the indicator light and it's responding perfectly to my key presses and releases. Could it still be a cable issue regardless?
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jimhenry
Posts: 1899

Post by jimhenry »

Hmmm. I think that suggests a driver issue. I'm not quite sure what the best way to dig into that would be.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
ColinFredward
Posts: 5

Post by ColinFredward »

Well I've been at this for a few days, and nothing is working for me. This is the only driver I can find that specifies compatibility with the WK-3000 and Win 10, but I'm a little apprehensive about downloading it, as I've found mixed reviews for this company. Does anyone have experience with them?

http://www.solvusoft.com/en/update/driv ... ub-models/
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

I would second Jim's initial reaction: it's almost certainly the cable.

I've never seen that particular model which also makes me innately suspicious of it! :lol: Once I've heard from a few hundred Synthesia users that a particular adapter seems to work, I start to trust it. Like Jim was saying, there are so many junk cables being peddled out there that it's the problem maybe 95% of the time.
ColinFredward
Posts: 5

Post by ColinFredward »

Ok I think I'll order this one, which seems to be the most popular cable around here:
https://www.amazon.com/CREATIVE-EMU-XMI ... op?ie=UTF8

If it works, then I'll return the first cable. If it doesn't, then I'll know for sure that something else is the problem. Thanks guys!
ColinFredward
Posts: 5

Post by ColinFredward »

The new cable works like a charm! What a relief! Thanks again.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

It's good to hear you're back up and running! Thanks for letting us know. :)
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