They replied, but are currently busy with a new release, so we have to wait and nag them later again…
thanks for looking into it taktik.
The Virus Control plugin does work perfectly on some machines, on others it is a nightmare. Sloppy timing, disappearing and/or hanging notes, latency, etc… in most cases the problem is not the sequencer, but VC.
The work-around:
Connect your TI the old-fashioned way (MIDI + audio cables), disconnect USB, download the Virus C manual (contains almost all the MIDI CC information) and start experimenting with the ‘MIDI-CC device’ in Renoise. To temposync the arpeggiator, etc. you need to select the correct MIDI OUT port as ‘MIDI Clock Master’ (preferences -> MIDI).
Yes, all VC functionality will be disabled, but at least you get rid of the problems mentioned before. It seems that a lot of people use the above described method. They only use VC when creating new patches.
I installed the new beta drivers, plugin and firmware hoping beyond hope it would fix the issue.
Results were…disappointing.
My machine hit a BSOD part way though the install. On rebooting all my sound drivers (not just the Virus) were in an error state, alongside my plug and play controller and my DVD writer (WTF???). Reinstalling drivers fixed the error state but none of my direct sound devices were selectable even as default system sound device.
‘sfc /scannow’ didn’t work.
System restore didn’t work.
Reinstalling DirectX didn’t work.
My last ditch attempt before reformatting, a repair installation of windows, did work.
Installing the upgrade a second time didn’t reproduce the BSOD issue and upon loading up Renoise…
the timing is still late.
So I’ve nagged Access to do all they can to work with the Renoise dev team. Hopefully that will help in a small way.
I’d be really annoyed at Access if they hadn’t made such a powerful beast of a synthesiser.
Update:
As far as I know Renoise does not support Word Clock sync. The Virus however relies on it (actually, any DAW syncs via WC). Take any sequencer (Cubase, Logic, Sonar,…) , set the timing to MIDI clock and you will immediately notice the timing is way off, notes are not playing, etc. Setting the sync to Word Clock resolves these issues.
Any chance of word clock in Renoise, or some other means of getting Ti to work? I’d buy a Virus Ti tomorrow if it was confirmed to work properly in Renoise.
you can still use your virus ti the good old midi way …a lot of people have problems with the total integration stuff …they just use the editor to make patches …and sequence the virus with midi …
If only that were the only loss of functionality. The plug-in isn’t just about making patches. I’ve been using hardware synthesisers long enough that, as far as synthesis is concerned, all the plug-in really does is provide a different, more visual interface that also means I don’t have to turn my chair.
I’d rather program on the hardware control surface and hear my sequences in time if I have to do things MIDI.
The functionality I really want is how the plug-in would interface with Renoise like any other VSTi. The Ti is already a very fully featured synth and just being able to wire up automation devices without messing on with MIDI CC. Sample accurate timing for sequencing and automation. You just can’t use some features of the synth via MIDI.
One of the nicest things though is being able to render the audio out like any other VSTi. Currently I’m having to record line.
So yeah programming on the plug-in would be nice…like I said…wouldn’t have to turn my chair, but really the other features that can’t be replicated with a combo of MIDI and programming like I did in 1999 are the ones I really wanted out of the Ti.
I suppose in a way I am at least learning my way around the synthesiser without the plug-in. When Renoise does support it fully I should have a really fast workflow.
To make things even worse: probably DSP support should be added as well to make it work in USB mode. Another thing that must be implemented is PDC, else it will still run out-of-sync with the rest of the song.
I don’t expect a solution soon (if there ever will be one).
BTW, can you select patches via the library functions without using the VST functionality ?
Got a Virus B at the moment and Sound Diver is a PITA when selecting patches “on the fly” and any host software is running (cubase, logic, renoise whatever).
The library is a part of the VST. It is all or nothing. Maybe Sound Diver or Midi Quest can act as a ‘work around’ (while using the MIDI interface instead of USB). You will miss a lot of functionality though.
Ok, yeah the problem I have now is that SD doesn’t really work well with another midi host running. Even though you have settings for it in SD to “co-op” with other hosts it doesn’t really work.
Since VC has it’s own library function I thought that might be the solution.
Or does the VST work it’s just when routing audio through it that cause the problem in this thread ?
Yeah that is the case. The Virus Audio cannot be sent through the Analog outs only, if the VST instance is open.
I’m personally waiting if something like Re-wire might fix this prob… Then the Virus VSTi could be opened inside a host that has been spec’d for years to run it. And I’m not meaning that it could not be done properly in Renoise, but since the Drivers for Virus TI get updated like few months or so, it is under constant change…
Ahh, crap…thought that would solve it for me.
I guess I’ll wait in line then.
I will be getting a Virus next week, and I will do anything to help the development of a working VST/sync.
I am programmer and can read your code (renoise team), however i dont know what all this is about really.
But I can offer to test all kind of things, so if you’re (hopefully) working on integrating this widely spread synth fully - give me beta versions of renoise, and tell me what to test.
I am registered user: Jan Harries
Thanks for the offer, but we will need help from the Virus staff to get the virus VST correctly working. Looks like they have to add workarounds for each host.
I’ve already asked them for help, but they could not promise to officially support Renoise yet. Maybe it would help if all you virus owners send a friendly mail to them and ask them if they could support Renoise as well…
I will also contact them again.
Or maybe it could help if all Virus TI owners would contact them and politely ask them to write software that follows standards so that they don’t have to write workarounds for every host.
Because for me, this workaround-data indicates how badly that stuff is programmed and assembled.
The plugin is non standard stuff. It doesn’t simply process an audio buffer and applies some FX on it, but is a controller for a MIDI device. So the workaround might be simply necessary…
Then you can say the same for Creamware, UAD, etc. They all do not work correctly with Renoise, but DO with other, more pro sequencers. The TI is not like a standard MIDI device.
The work-arounds are there because every sequencer uses a different timing strategy and the TI relies on ‘sample accurate timing’ (which currently is, as far as I know, not an option in Renoise).
Eventually the solution has to come from both sides.
The “pro” argument again. The only thing that makes them pro is that they have contacted the host devs instead of the other way around (we have to contact them).
We do have sample accurate timing. But yes, this needs work from both sides and but currently I can do nothing more than waiting for them to get back to me. As said above: Write them a friendly mail so they see that people want to get it working in Renoise as well.