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Topic: No playback in Vista (Read 3991 times) previous topic - next topic

No playback in Vista

Alrighty... I recently installed a NWC on my new laptop (Toshiba Satellite U300) and I have issues with playback within the program. I've searched through the forums and came across the suggestion that I go to Tools > Options > Midi. Both lists are empty... Which doesn't quite make sense to me because I know I can play midi files on my laptop. I just don't see how it's possible that I have no playback devices available. I'm not a computer buff so I'm at a loss... Any advice is greatly appreciated! :D

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #1 –
Hi Callisto,

I have no idea why no devices would show up on the lists either, especially when MIDI playback works fine outside of Noteworthy

Two Questions:

1. Not that it should matter, but what version of Vista? (I would assume Home Premium...?)

2. Have you Tried Noteworthy Composer 2? (Its a free Public Beta at the moment, and is generally superior to NWC1 in all respects, including support of MIDI setups)

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #2 –
The absence of any device name in the Tools->Options->Midi "available" list, not even a default Microsoft device, indicates that the MIDI subsystem is missing or broken on your computer.

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #3 –
FYI: In general, Vista automatically includes MIDI subsystem capabilities when a digital audio capable device is present in the system. When the computer has such a device, you should automatically have access to the following MIDI devices in NWC:

Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
Microsoft MIDI Mapper

Selecting either device in NWC will end up using the "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" device for play back.

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #4 –
I just bought this laptop a few months ago and I haven't done anything that should corrupt the system (to my knowledge anyway). If the subsystem is broken or missing, how would I go about fixing/finding it?

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #5 –
Vista is no better than previous versions of windows in maintaining the registry, it's still a very fragile database.  My guess is that it has somehow been corrupted.

First step would be to check device mangler - make sure the device is known to windows.  You may have (a) device(s) listed with question marks beside them - these devices are "unknown" to windows and therefore have no drivers installed...

You can sometimes resolve this by deleting the unknown devices and allowing windows to find them again.  By doing this, if windows does have a device driver for them, they should now be found.  Windows will also offer to connect to the net to find a driver - allow this if you don't have a CD or other source for the device's driver.

I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: No playback in Vista

Reply #6 –
LOL Lawrie!  "First step would be to check device mangler "  That would be consistent with what I read about most people's experience with Vista sound!