M-Audio Projectmix I/O problem

Hey All ~

Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to pass my way!

I just did my upgrade from PE6 to PE7 this week, and also replaced my VS-1880, which I was using to submix and route signals form a bigger Mackie mixer, with an M-Audio Projectmix I/O. I was using a Firewire Solo prior to this to get signals in/out of my PC, so when I installed the new drivers (for the new device) everything went smoothly, at least in terms of getting a live signal back out of the computer (using drum loops to test output) and out of the mains.

I used the ALT > Aux 4 to switch to Sonar Mode on the I/O. I had no other controllers configured in Sonar 7, so I followed the instructions to "add new control surface" and selected "Mackie control" from the list. I then selected ProjectMix control surface MIDI for both the IN/OUT, and clicked OK. At this point, the faders are supposed to snap to position and control Sonar. Nada. The ProjectMix LCD reads "Control Surface is in Sonar Mode", and when I mouse the Stop/Zero button on the on-screen transport, the faders (on the I/O) will physically move (so I know it's SENDING some sort of control), but I'm completely stymied as to why the other communication is not functioning properly. No transport, and none of the other buttons seem to have any effect as well.

Hoping there's a simple answer - thanks again!

Update: Worked with M-Audio techs this morning, and they couldn't get the unit to be recognized, so I went back to GC to swap the device out.

All they had were more opened units, so they're ordering me a new one and allowed me to take one of the open ones home in the interim to see if I could get any different results. I'd done a clean install of the M-Audio drivers with the tech guy this morning, latest rev. I connected the unit to the computer, turned the unit on, then turned the computer on - using a different 6 pin cable I'd brought home from work. It found the Projectmix, and worked its way through the driver location - and the M-Audio icon appeared in the tray. I brought up Sonar (PE 7), and confirmed getting an audio signal to the headphone jack of the Projectmix - so it's definitely sending data. I then tried again to set up the device as a controller. I chose "Mackie control" and the ProjectMix MIDI in and out as the controller parameters. I also had the Projectmix set to Sonar Mode.

As I understand it, once this is done, the Projectmix should be controlling Sonar - but it does nothing. It still simply shows "M-Audio - Control Surface is in Sonar Mode." Why would different two units do the exact same thing? Is there some other setting in Sonar that needs to be toggled?

Thanks so much for your help!

John Warren

Thanks gtrman100 ~ appreciate your feedback!

I've installed and re-installed too many times to count, and spent another hour on the phone this morning with M-Audio. Here's the kicker: I went through the same process (to install PM I/O as a control surface) with Live 6, and voila...it worked like a charm - first time. This is getting REALLY frustrating - if I didn't love Sonar so much (and have some much invested in it), I'd jettison it and move to ProTools.

btw im runnin windows 7 ultimate SP1 intel (R)Core (TM)2 DuoCPU 6rgb ram,64-bit

35mm
I got a project mix fairly recently and installed and using on win 10 with no issues. What firewire 1394 chipset do you have? There are often problems if the firewire card doesn't have the Texas Instruments chipset. Also, you need to have the correct firewire driver installed on the OS i.e. Texas Instruments not legacy.

where can i see what firewire 1394 chipset i have?and how do i find out if it has the Texas instrumentas chipset? Thank you!