Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Playback in Windows 8 (Read 16094 times) previous topic - next topic

Playback in Windows 8

Help, please. I have just bought a new PC which has Windows 8 installed.  I can't find a midi mapper to play back my Noteworthy files.  I'm using Noteworthy 2.5.5.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #1 –
try this.....

Putzlowitsch's Vista MIDI Mapper Control Panel

it's for vista maybe it works....

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #2 –
Under Tools>Options>MIDI tab :-
What available playback devices are listed that you can use?

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #3 –
It looks like Microsoft screwed up badly on Win8's MIDI support:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-pictures/setting-default-midi-output-device-on-windows-8-64/425b8ef8-5e27-4bc8-a2d9-f6e9b87f32b7

Quote
There are some limitations when it comes to MIDI in Windows 8. The ability to choose a different hardware or software MIDI synthesizer other than the default Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth has been removed from the user interface for audio configuration in Windows 8. In short Windows 8 doesn't have the Midi mapped like XP did.

One of the many reasons I won't be "upgrading" any time soon....

Bill

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #4 –
Hi Bill,
this looks exactly like what they did with Vista/Win7.  I think NWC still has the ability to use an alternative synth if it is installed (at least it does in Vista/Win7).
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #5 –
Have you tried it, Lawrie? My understanding from reading some of the Win8 forums is that Microsoft has reduced MIDI support further, to a bare minimum, in Win8. It no longer supports MIDI connectors, and I've seen complaints from power users who were having trouble enabling any MIDI sound at all. And I guess the question for the original poster, here, doesn't have anything to do with add-ons, anyway. He just wants to get sound out of NWC on a Win8 machine in its original configuration.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #6 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
Have you tried it, Lawrie? My understanding from reading some of the Win8 forums is that Microsoft has reduced MIDI support further, to a bare minimum, in Win8. It no longer supports MIDI connectors, and I've seen complaints from power users who were having trouble enabling any MIDI sound at all. And I guess the question for the original poster, here, doesn't have anything to do with add-ons, anyway. He just wants to get sound out of NWC on a Win8 machine in its original configuration.
I don't have Win8 so I haven't tried it, but the quote refers to changing the default MIDI device, which applet went the way of the Dodo in Vista.

I haven't read about any problems with having no MIDI at all, just having problems with anything other than the default synth.

I appreciate the OP's post is about sound at all, but this isn't actually that unusual a problem.  There have been users with similiar difficulties on XP and prior so it is difficult to definitively diagnose remotely or to absolutely identify Win8 as the culprit.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Barry Graham –
Under Tools>Options>MIDI tab :-
What available playback devices are listed that you can use?

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
There are no playback devices listed.  My old laptop which runs Vista has 2 devices.. the Microsoft midi mapper (which I used) and the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth which was available as an alternative.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #8 –
Quote
There are no playback devices listed.
Thanks for the heads up.
Hell will freeze over before I switch to Win 8.
I can only hope it becomes abandon ware.
Even my new Android phone will play back a MIDI file!

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #9 –
This is would lead me to believe it is possible:
Quote from: fathafluff –
I upgraded a Vista Laptop to W8, and reinstalled NWC. I didn't tested it extensevely, but it worked so far with no problems. I have played some stuff, and I think I did some minor editing. (I guess it's better than Vista, but I'm not sure I want to upgrade my W7 machine.)

There is much web discussion about the lack of MIDI support in Windows 8. It seems to deal with non-Intel processor based tablets that are unlikely to run NoteWorthy. As I read the discussion, Windows 8 for desktop machines has MIDI support.

One indication of MIDI support would be file associations for *.mid files.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #10 –
My daughter's new laptop has win 8 (even if probably not for long...) and I installed NWC in it.
There is the usual Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #11 –
I have Windows 8 Pro on my computers, a self built desktop, and a Toshiba Satellite M330 laptop. Both play from Noteworthy. The laptop will use either Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth or the MS Midi Mapper.
I have a creative sound card in the desktop, so use their drivers. But the W8 inbuilt Midi Mapper and Wavetable synth play OK with the creative drivers disabled. So many people "love to hate" MS :-), hence all the negative reports.

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #12 –
Thanks for dispelling what appeared to be some bias.

Quote from: mod –
The laptop will use either Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth or the MS Midi Mapper.
I take that to mean that Win8 on a laptop works like WinXP. If you have a USB to 5 pin MIDI cord, NWC can be used with the internal synth and an external synth at the same time (discounting latency mismatches). Can you confirm?

Quote from: mod –
the W8 inbuilt Midi Mapper and Wavetable synth play OK with the creative drivers disabled.
Does that mean that under Win8, either the Creative drivers provide MIDI or Win8 provides MIDI, but not both at the same time?
Registered user since 1996

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #13 –
Thank you to all forum members who provided some interesting thoughts and ideas.  I have finally had success with a virtual midi synthesiser from the coolsoft website.  This website claims to provide high quality midi playback but is mainly directed towards karaoke enthusiasts.  Also, it didn't specifically say that it was designed for Windows 8 but I tried it anyway and it works fine.  I can't provide a link but googling 'coolsoft' should head you in the right direction.
 

Re: Playback in Windows 8

Reply #14 –
Apologies for the delayed response

Quote from: Rick G. –
I take that to mean that Win8 on a laptop works like WinXP. If you have a USB to 5 pin MIDI cord, NWC can be used with the internal synth and an external synth at the same time (discounting latency mismatches). Can you confirm?

I have never used an external synth, so cannot confirm.

Quote
Does that mean that under Win8, either the Creative drivers provide MIDI or Win8 provides MIDI, but not both at the same time?

 I'm answering this from W7 (which is running an overdue backup) so am unable to check just now. I have a dual boot setup. From memory (a bit hazy!) I did have problems with either, or both, the built in synths when the Creative drivers were enabled, so I only use the Creative drivers. To provide the info I did, I disabled the Creative drivers, and enabled the MS devices one at a time to confirm that they worked.

mod