Arturia Forums

DRUMS => Spark => Spark Technical Issues => Topic started by: gorge on July 09, 2013, 11:59:04 am

Title: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: gorge on July 09, 2013, 11:59:04 am
Just bought my SparkLE few days ago, plugged it in to my Win7 64-Bit setup and tested it as a standalone and as a VST on my Ableton 9 setup, all was well and I had the time of my life playing it.
Plugged it in again this morning and I keep getting 'Connection failed' errors from my software and VST, tried reinstalling drivers and software, switched USB ports, ran the updater (which had the same version but still did some firmware reinstallation apparently) but still no connection, the lights on the unit seem to be working (I checked and it's on 'Spark' mode) and I can hear sound if I click the mouse on my software but there's no connection between the two.
Nothing seems faulty with the device or the software but I just can't seem to get it to connect.
Any help?
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Toby@arturia on July 11, 2013, 09:40:43 am
Hey Gorge,

there are a couple of reasons this might be happening, hopefully we can get you drumming away again in no time.
- In Standalone mode check your audio and MIDI settings, this panel can be opened by clicking the setup option in windows, or by clicking preferences in os x. Check that the 'Audio device type' and 'Output' are right. You can verify that these are valid by clicking the test button; if you hear a tone being played then everything is ok.
- When using Spark as a plugin you must deactivate SparkLE's private MIDI port otherwise it simply won't work. To do this in Live open the preferences panel and select the MIDI sync tab. With your SparkLE connected, check under the heading "MIDI Ports", anything relating to SparkLE that is 'On' must be switched to 'Off'.

Hopefully if you do both of these things you will be up and running again.

If you have any more problems feel free to PM me.

Toby
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Gothboy on August 16, 2013, 05:57:55 pm
This happened to me too in OS10.6.8 I had to toggle between my Digi 002R and built in outputs to get standalone to work again.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Laszlo on September 05, 2013, 09:23:54 pm
Hi everyone.

Same issue than Gorge here, but I hadn't been able to sync functions between hard and soft. I think it's obviously not a souncard problem, because it sounds without latency using the pads to play the software. But the lights don't lit as in the soft, and if I press the play button (or pause, rec,...) in controller, the software doesn't do anything. A friend of mine had tested today (I bought it yesterday)  my unit in his Mac and works perfectly.

I'm using my laptop to make music only. It's an Asus i5 6GB RAM, Win 7 64, a Komplete Audio 6 and a Remote49. I had tried all USB ports and reinstalling the software.

And made yesterday a technical support request, with no answer yet...
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 06, 2013, 09:00:58 am
Hi Laszlo,
is it in standalone more or inside a DAW?

Kevin
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Laszlo on September 06, 2013, 09:17:04 am
Both. I've tested in Cubase Elements 7, and same "connection failed" error.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 06, 2013, 09:26:13 am
So if you launch only Spark standalone (no other audio application launched), it does not work?

Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Laszlo on September 06, 2013, 10:01:58 am
It sounds, but there's no connection with controller (only the pads work, I mean, it sends midi, but doesn't comunicates "bidirectionally" with the soft).
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 06, 2013, 11:03:14 am
Do you have a connection popup when you launch Spark (first screenshot)?
What happens when you click on the connect button (second screenshot)?
Can you send me a screenshot of spark Audio MIDI Settings Window?
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Laszlo on September 06, 2013, 01:53:06 pm
Yes, a popup appears (first screenshot). If I try to connect manually, the same happens.

I have attached the setup window and my DAW setup also, so you can see that the lights don't lit with the software.

Thank you very much for your support.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Gothboy on September 06, 2013, 02:07:22 pm
Just for the record I again had to toggle my audio source after installing 1.7.  Working fine now.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 06, 2013, 03:35:59 pm
You have to disable SparkLE in Active MIDI Input.
It will solve the problem.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Laszlo on September 07, 2013, 08:04:58 pm
I'm so very sorry about making you lose your time with such a stupid problem, Kevin. But you were right, the SparkLE is working now like a charm in standalone mode! I will test it on monday as vsti, but I 'm sure it will work! You were right, it has solved the problem.

Thank you very much for your help!
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: russkull on September 13, 2013, 05:29:05 pm
Hi there, I'm having the same problem as described by the OP in standalone mode (I haven't even tried as a VST in my Cubase 7 yet).  The software starts, the Spark LE starts and goes into Spark mode, I can go to Audio Midi settings and run "Test" to hear the tone, but every time I try to connect to the hardware I get the message "Connection Failed".

I have checked and the Spark LE is NOT selected on the MIDI output (nothing is checked on MIDI in/out).  Here's more info and what I've tried:

I'm running a desktop PC with Windows 7 Pro 64, 4 GB RAM.  I first installed Spark 1.6 from the disc, then updated to 1.7, then uninstalled and re-installed 1.7. 

I've tried several different USB ports on the computer.  I've toggled the audio source (set on Windows audio) to other options and then back again.  I've added the driver for a USB composite device alongside with the SparkLE (no driver found) and then removed that.

Just to test, I also downloaded the program to my Surface tablet, running Windows 8, and connected the Spark LE there with no problems!  It worked like a charm immediately.  (I can't continue using it on the Surface because it is a device from work).

I would appreciate any help. 

By the way....I submitted a tech request through Arturia and heard nothing back after the initial confirmation email.  Then I tried to track my case number on the link given in the email and the link did not work -  it took me to an error 404 page.  Going directly to http://www.arturia.com/fogbugz also led nowhere. 

On another page of this forum I found the link http://www.arturia3.com/fogbugz/.  However, entering my case's tracking ticket gave me the message "No case was found associated with the ticket: 139331_GHDXUALY". 

Not great tech support, I must say.  It looks like the customer service is much better on this forum.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 16, 2013, 09:18:41 am
Hi russkull,
apart thins problem is Spark software correctly working?
Are you able to switch between project for instance?
Can you send me a screenshot of Spark Audio/MIDI Settings window?

Kevin
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: rad10act1v on September 17, 2013, 09:41:58 pm
My spark fails to connect regularly until I unplug it and plug it back it in with the spark software open. Once I've reconnected, I rerun the sync and it works.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: russkull on September 22, 2013, 08:30:30 am
Quote
Hi russkull,
apart thins problem is Spark software correctly working?
Are you able to switch between project for instance?
Can you send me a screenshot of Spark Audio/MIDI Settings window?

Kevin
Hi Kevin, sorry for the delay in replying, I've been out of town. 

The Spark software appears to be working fine on its own.  I can save projects and switch between them, the hardware just won't connect.

I've attached the screenshot you requested.  I'll attach the Preferences screen shot in another message.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: russkull on September 22, 2013, 08:31:36 am
Kevin, here are the Preferences as well.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: flidget on September 22, 2013, 10:19:49 pm
I had this same problem back in Jan 2013 and was told that there was no native support for microsoft x64 operating systems. Also, the microsoft driver was a generic USB device driver, not specific to the spark. Consequently, I returned my spark hardware because no native Win7x64 driver was not acceptable and the generic driver would work once after installation then never again, reporting a connection error.

Can spark confirm that there is a win7x64 and OS X x64 driver available for this hardware. Please don't talk about DAW support, this question is about native device driver support and specifically the lost connection error. If you can confirm this issue is fixed then I'm interested again, but from this thread it looks like you haven't got it sorted out yet.

Last info I had back in Jan 2013:
---snip---
Mac OS: VST 2 (32/64 bits), Audio Unit (32/64 bits), RTAS (32 bits), standalone (32/64 bits).
Windows: VST 2 (32/64 bits), RTAS (32 bits), standalone (32 bits).
We do not provide the 64 bit windows standalone because we do not think it is necessary.
---snip---
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Kevin on September 23, 2013, 08:35:16 am
@russkull: I will contact you in PM to try to fix the problem.
@flidget: Spark and SparkLE use the OS generic MIDI driver on both Mac and Windows. These drivers are working in 64 bit. The fact that we do not provide a x64 version of the standalone software has nothing to do with the driver.

The connection error is most of the time a combination of 2 problems:
- the windows generic driver is not multi client, so you have to make sure no other MIDI application has opened the device before Spark software tries to connect.
- Spark application is not able to connect to the controller if the audio sound card is not well configured (i.e Spark does not make sounds)

Kevin

Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: russkull on October 01, 2013, 05:16:29 pm
To close out this thread...Kevin from Arturia had the idea to check my drivers.  So I compared the drivers from the computer that could run the SparkLE to my other computer and found that one driver, USBAUDIO.sys, was missing.  (Apparently Windows 7 Pro doesn’t automatically come with that file?)

At any rate, I copied over the file, restarted, and then pointed the system to the driver file again...and the SparkLE connected right away.  Later I will attach the file here just in case anyone else has that problem, since I couldn't find it elsewhere online.

It is obvious from this forum that Kevin is very involved, but I really appreciated his quick replies and the way he stayed on this problem.
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: russkull on October 03, 2013, 10:50:00 pm
Here's the USBAUDIO.sys file if you need it.   :)
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Gothboy on October 07, 2013, 01:34:16 am
Well how about this:  Let's just FIX this problem.  I just updated to 1.7.1 and I had to switch my audio outs...again...to get the standalone to work.  Serious workflow issue!
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Ben S on October 17, 2013, 08:54:50 am
Hi,

I got my sparkLE through the post 2 days ago.  I installed the software, opened it, plugged the controller in, and as with quite a few other people on these forums i found that the controller is just not working.  Only the Spark Mode light is on.  No drum sounds being triggered, no pads responding, nothing.  Software works fine, controller doesn't.  The software searches for the controller and just can't find the controller.

Am running on a macbook pro osx 10.7, 4gb ram. 

I've tried selecting Spark as an Output, but the controller just isn't getting recognised. 

Nothing wrong with my UBS ports, my midi keyboard connects fine.  Never had any probs running logic or any muftware plugins on my laptop, so I don't see why there should be a problem unless my brand new sparkLE is just a dud.

Filled in a technical request form twice in the last 48 hours, and nothing back. Really poor customer service tbh.

Have i overlooked something in my computer settings so that my computer recognises the controller?

Any help would be really appreciated...jut waited best part of a month for this to arrive and get thru customs, and am very diappointed!

cheers
ben

Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: Jace on July 03, 2015, 12:45:52 pm
Here's the USBAUDIO.sys file if you need it.   :)

I have the same Problems with hardware not connecting,
How do I/where do I put this file USBAUDIO.sys file ?

Thanks
Title: Re: New SparkLE can't connect after a day's use
Post by: justmerritt on August 19, 2015, 03:00:24 am
I would also like to know where to put this missing driver file... Thanks