I was using the PCR 500 as both a very basic DAW controller for SONAR; transport controls, faders/gain, and rotaries as pan pots, and created several MIDI maps for controlling synths both software such as N.I.'s Absynth and B 2 and integrating some of my favorite vintage hardware gear that supports MIDI control Program and Control Change messages like the Roland Super JV 1080 synth mod., PMA 5 synth mod./sequencer, Kawai K11 digital synth to rackmount multi effects processors which are great for live shows, insert processing for recording and or separate monitor send mixes for headphones.
That's how we did it back when we were running SONAR 4 PE on a Pentium 4 powered by Windows 2000 with a 128 mb of memory.
One of the things that really attracted me to the PCR 500 was the fact it could be used as a stand alone MIDI controller simply by using an external power supply and not just USB buss powered, and it stores 8 "User Defined" MIDI Maps internally that can loaded by the push of a button A2 through A9.
All MIDI map programming, creating, and storing was done with the PCR Editor Librarian, with either dynamic mapping and or digging into 1000's of pages vendor manuals and help files in search of vendor specific proprietary continuous control and program changes.
Never even actually trying SONAR'S ACT because the PCR's dynamic mapping button is so handy
My PCR stopped connecting thru USB with the Win 10 upgrade as well, all I did was log in as
Admin. and
roll back ( I did NOT uninstall) from
Device Manager (I did not hack the PCR driver installer) just did a roll back to an old Vista version I had stored on CD and forced it to load over the newer version. and all has been well through every Windows update.
What I actually did was put the PCR drivers on a personal "exception list" in Windows Registry by signing off on protection from anything that not on Windows Digital Signage List. Windows will not load any driver that's not on the list upon boot.
This is of course a very risky approach and I'd be willing to bet it can only be done with Win 10 Pro and don't really recommend it. I most likely wouldn't have done if I wasn't sure it would work after testing the PCR routed thru standard 5 pin MIDI ports first, as opposed to connecting thru USB port.
This is where the external power supply come in handy. Windows might be able to shut down power to the PCR's USB port, but it can't do it thru the 5 pin MIDI cables routed thru my MIDISPORT 8X8 USB patch bay, LoL.
Roland can fix this problem simply by certifying the PCR's USB drivers package, but why should they support something this old for free when they'd much prefer to sell us a new one to stay in business??
I never updated the firmware in the PCR, my motto is, if it ain't broke I ain't fix'in it, and I have experienced and witnessed times when firmware updates effect "User Defined" MIDI Maps in a very bad way rendering them at best "useless" by no longer working at all, to crashing the entire system because the protocol or some parameter has changed for an improvement nobody asked for.
I just spent way too much time sifting thru MIDI implementation charts and GM spec charts creating a whole Documents folder including a copy of the firmware version installed, and of many MIDI maps to get the PCR to do what I want and how I want it to do it.
And being I still have all that vintage gear, plus Reason and other synths installed on the Mac I'm still lov'in my PCR 500, which as any and all MIDI Keyboard Controllers go, are far better then mixing with a mouse just for the sake of controlling more then one track at a time pretty much ill suited for precise DAW control for automated mixing because the faders and nobs don't latch, not to mention being in very uncomfortable position where your only arm rest is the keyboard, and the keyboard is running live controlling something like Rapture Pro or worse perhaps Novation Bass Station can be very startling when your tired wrists accidently brush up against D# during a tricky fade.