Fantom-G version 1.31 update!

[comradec]

piaknowguy: "According to GOOGLE Translate, here is the 'Bug Fix' list from Roland Japan -
Ver.1.31]
Bug Fix
Save, Save As Project and existing projects, and other songs disappear temporary data.
Sometimes freezes at startup.
2 overlaps with the following symptoms occur two conditions.
Project's capacity to load at startup, some large.
System parameters "Sync Output" is set to ON. ."


Unfortunately, though, the Sync Output bug has *not* been fixed by this update.

I ran a load of tests today using a project that contains 100 audio loops occupying the sample slots 0001 to 0100. With Sync Output set to ON, I tried to load the project 20 times and got the following results:

* Samples #88 through to #100 missing
* #48 through to #100 missing
* #72 through to #100 missing
* #47 and #80 missing
* #41 and #65 missing
* #78 missing
* None missing
* #90 through to #100 missing
* #71 through to #100 missing
* #07 through to #100 missing
* All missing (ie, none loaded at all)
* #14 missing
* None missing
* None missing
* #62, #78 through to #100 missing
* #49, #96 through to #100 missing
* None missing
* #27 missing
* #62, #73 and #92 missing
* #76 through to #100 missing

Then I set Sync Output to OFF and tried to load the project again. No errors at all. Every sample loaded successfully. I repeated the test five times without any problem. All present and correct.

I've sent my findings to Oliver Davis at Roland UK along with a link to download the project itself so that he can try to replicate my results. This isn't specific to my project, though. When I discovered this issue in the summer, the problem cropped up in any project that contained a lot of data, including the default project content from v1.30. It didn't appear to be a matter of data size, but rather of quantity. So if there are 10 massive audio samples in your project, there won't necessarily be a problem. But if there are 500 small MIDI phrases, then it is likely that you will have a problem getting them to load successfully and consistently. They'll have a huge failure rate. If Sync Output is set to ON, that is. No issue at all if it's set to OFF.

[comradec]

paiknowguy: "We have one individual who is having problems loading his samples-who is to say that these samples are not affected by the previous OS bug? That does not neccesarily mean the the current 'fix' does not work. "


Not just one individual and it's not just samples that are affected.

I think you were sceptical the first time round too, when I reported this issue in the summer, but then my findings were replicated by a Roland engineer (Oliver Davis) and, since then, there's been a thread on the Fantom-G Facebook group where several people have declared they had exactly the same issue but hadn't been able to figure out the cause until they saw my original posting on the subject.

Phrases are affected by this bug as well. I've just tried a similar experiment with a phrase-heavy project, newly loaded post-v1.31. There's a significant failure rate loading phrases if the Sync Output is ON. No failure rate at all if it's set to OFF.

And have you actually tried to replicate the results yourself before dismissing my findings? It's very simple. Load a project containing lots of samples and phrases, say a couple of hundred. Set Sync Output to ON (ie, Menu > System > Sync/Temp > change setting > Sys Write > Exit). Now try loading your project again a few times and scroll through the phrase and sample lists to see if they're all there. Occasionally they all load successfully, but on most occasions there are some missing. Try it yourself. You won't lose any data because it all comes back when Sync Output is set to OFF.

[Artemiy]

About 10% of my customers with the Mega Pack can't load it as whole with certain USB drives. And this accounts to about 30 people I think, maybe more. So think of it... maybe 10% of power Fantom-G users may be experiencing this problem, and that can be up to 1000-2000 people.

[comradec]

I should also clarify that it's not just loadings from USB drives that are affected by the Sync Output bug. The same thing happens when loading a phrase-heavy (but obviously megabyte-light and not containing much audio data) project from internal memory. If Sync Output is ON, there will usually be loading failures; if it's OFF, everything will load normally.

When the problem arose in the summer I purchased four or five new USB drives because I assumed the ones I'd been using were the cause of the problem. But it was a waste of my money as they weren't responsible. It was the Sync Output bug. Everything works fine set to OFF, but there are loading failures most of the time when it's set to ON, whether it's internal or USB memory being used.

[Artemiy]

I should not that in my case the Sync Output switch has no effect at all. So these issues may well be of different nature.

[piaknowguy]

Hi Comradec.

I think you were sceptical the first time round too, when I reported this issue in the summer, but then my findings were replicated by a Roland engineer (Oliver Davis) and, since then, there's been a thread on the Fantom-G Facebook group where several people have declared they had exactly the same issue but hadn't been able to figure out the cause until they saw my original posting on the subject.

I'm sorry, but you are mistaken concerning my 'alleged' skepticism. I have never stated that this problem does not exist! My only thought is that more than one or two individuals need to duplicate the problem working with-in a similar set of parameters before we 'Herald' this particular bug fix (Ver 1.31) as a complete failure. Don't you agree?

I do have a great deal of respect for individuals like yourself who have a desire to get to the bottom of this matter! More power to you! Ultimately, we all want the same thing; a great workstation that works the way that it was intended by those who originally conceived it.

Cheers!
PiaKnowGuy
Please listen to 'Storm Chaser' if you wish.


PiaKnow

[Pharlopez]

I have the same midi sync issue. Thanks to comradec, who discovered the reason (and the solution) sometime ago! It took me mad for a year!!!

Sadly, v131 is installed and the problem continues...pity pity pity

[cyclops]

Could this issue be not software-based but motherboard-specific? Maybe it's special Fantom-G batches that introduce this problem. That's why some of us haven't experienced this problem. Or maybe it's the Fantom-G's picky USB drive compatibility that causes it. Or maybe it's a combination of these two.

[comradec]

@cyclops: I don't think USB compatibility is likely to be the cause of the Sync Output bug, simply because it affects data loading from internal memory too. That doesn't rule out your motherboard theory though.

[RonF]

Hi, Just to throw a thought in here about the Sync Output bug.....

The way I am reading (translating) the bug fix list..... I think this bug is exactly what happened to me just a few days ago, and I reported it here in a post just recently.

Now that I read it...I remember that when I was exploring my brand spanking new Fantom G fresh out of the box, one of the first things I did was to set the sync output to ON, and then perform a system write. I like it on (like I always had it on my Fantom X), so when I interface with VST's and what not, I have synced timing of LFO's etc. The very next time (and only the 3rd time ever) that I had powered up my brand new G, the boot process FROZE. I think that is what it is saying in the bug fix list....one of the 2 conditions that causes a freeze is setting the sync output to on. I don't think its referring to the other issue of improper loading of samples and data.

JMHO.

Ron

[comradec]

@RonF: I thought that too when looking at the bug fix list that someone published earlier in this thread. But then that was a Googled translation from Japanese, not an English language document, so it wasn't absolutely clear what was meant. I also received a heads up from Roland UK that the problem I'd reported had been sorted in this update.

I experienced project loading freezes at one time as well, when the Sync Output was set to ON. Sometimes it froze during loading, sometimes it loaded but with data missing. Not actually sure what solved the freezing issue for me, as it hasn't been a problem since I isolated the data loading failure specifically to Sync Output being set to ON. I might had some other combination of settings activated at the same time when I got the freezing.

I suspect you're right, though. The update has probably fixed the booting freeze aspect of the Sync Output bug without addressing the data integrity aspect of it.

[Quinnx.]

Has anyone successfully saved and loaded SMF files format 1?
I think jabawoky said he did this successfully..
so far i have not been able to do it.

[Jabberwocky_]

mmm, It is still NOT working. With the Fantom G. There's no workaround to extract phrases.

Sorry, I should have update this but the Roland dissapointement is again huge (yea yea I know, I should sell it.. blahblah) .

[keysme]

Well, look what a little humble pie gets us? I'm really happy Roland is "still" supporting the Fantom G. I mean, for a while there I thought we were up a creek without a paddle on a deserted island with no food or water in the middle of the ocean type of scenario. I'm glad I was wrong.. I still think Roland Japan's engineers need a few more vacations throughout the year so they can be better rested, and consequently, better able to 'concentrate' and therefore work more 'efficiently' on 'solutions' in solving the bug issues that are still present on our beloved Fantom G. That said, I won't complain because any show of effort is a good will token as well as a committed effort on Roland's part to support the Fantom G, and it is very much appreciated by me - and for another thing - I don't want to make them mad again.

Okay guys, here's where we stand. OS 1.31 still leaves some things to be desired (or a lot, depending on how you look at it), but we have to believe that better days are still ahead. Just like with Toyota.. Or so Toyota hopes anyway, right? And even though Toyota is recalling millions of their vehicles and are fixing the problem(s) for free.. I am willing to "pay" Roland Corp. if and when OS 2.0 comes out for the Fantom G. Paying Roland for OS 2.0 might "incentivize" (motivate) Roland to put in that much 'more' "effort", perhaps, when it comes to dealing with fixing the remaining bugs and hopefully in "optimizing" and "enhancing" the feature list on the Fantom G.

I mean, think about it. If plopping down a little 'dough' helps to bake a better bread or to make a better meal, then I say >> how much, but more importantly, will it actually 'solve' all the existing problems and leave us full and satisfied after we're finished? In other words, whatever Roland decides to charge for OS 2.0 (as long as it's not a ridiculous amount) then I would be willing to fork it over just as long as OS 2.0 deals with the existing issues and "fixes" them and hopefully provides the added bonuses i.e. the enhancements and enrichment we all long for. I realize it is easier said then done.. but hopefully this will encourage Roland Japan to actually do it. >> Fix the existing problem(s) and add the enhancements, that is. And money is no object really. As long as it is within the realm of 'reason'. So I guess money is an object huh. lol

[vox]

Giving software engineers more vacation is a nice idea (at least for their well being), but what about giving them better priorities ?

Which one of them did spend hours coding those (awful) screensavers, while he might have use all this time improving the microscope editor, adding a rhythm pattern editor, external transposition or whatever stuff useful to music production ?