S88 - Displays display MIDI ports and most buttons are not lit, why?

Tomas E

I've connected an S88 to my MOTU interface as well as the USB cable to the computer. Sustain pedal to Pedal A. After starting it up it looks like this. Octave up and down buttons are lit as well as the unlabeled buttons. But the rest of the buttons are not lit.

The Komplete Kontrol Controller menu looks looks like this. The S88 should be available.

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47836#Comment_47836

Have you installed the drivers first without the keyboard connected? And you have to look in device manager, there you might see the keyboard as unknown device with a exclamation mark. And no, the buttons are not lit in midi mode, where your keyboard is in.

Uwe303

Hello,

can you try it without the keyboard connected to the motu. Or try the midi or instance button.

JesterMgee

Disconnect the MIDI port for the moment since that is not needed at all between the keyboard and the PC.

Check you are using the supplied NI USB cable for your initial test (the cable has the NI logo on the keyboard end)

Disconnect then reconnect your USB cable to a USB port direct on your computer and not through a hub

Do you hear the "USB Connected" sound at all when you attach the keyboard? Try a different port and double check your connection to your keyboard. If you have another cable, double check with that.

Check in Device manager (assuming from your screenshot you are on PC) to see if any unrecognised device is connected

Basically if you do not hear the sound when the keyboard is attached or see it in device manager at all, the keyboard is not being detected by your system. Issue will be either USB cable, USB port or possibly faulty hardware (tho that's rather unlikely but could be the case).

Tomas E

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47741#Comment_47741

It's still the same. When starting up the keyboard for the first time I did it with no MIDI cables connected. Therefore I assumed that connecting them would solve the issue.

The buttons you mentioned didn't help. They are not lit either by the way.

Tomas E

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47786#Comment_47786

I tried a different USB port but it's still not detected. It should turn up in the devices and printers too.

I don't want to try a different USB cable since the one included is adapted to the keyboard.

If the NI USB cable isn't working, then the buttons on the keyboard should still be lit, not that I know for sure.

I'm beginning to think it's the hardware. It's brand new out of the box however.

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47836#Comment_47836

Have you installed the drivers first without the keyboard connected? And you have to look in device manager, there you might see the keyboard as unknown device with a exclamation mark. And no, the buttons are not lit in midi mode, where your keyboard is in.

Tomas E

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47845#Comment_47845

Thanks!

I searched and found a link to download the driver at NI. Now I should be able to start exploring this.😀

There's nothing in the user manual about any driver so how is one supposed to know. I got a link via email to a YT video to "get started". Nothing about it there either. 👎

Uwe303

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47858#Comment_47858

Normally after registering your hardware serial and installing all stuff like komplete kontrol and so on it should work.

JesterMgee

Drivers are installed when you install either Komplete Kontrol or Maschine software.

However, even without ANY driver installed the keyboard should still be detected by windows as an attached device so should still appear in the device manager.

Several of these reports have been the fault of the USB connection in the back of the keyboard not being pushed in all the way.

I don't want to try a different USB cable since the one included is adapted to the keyboard.

If the NI USB cable isn't working, then the buttons on the keyboard should still be lit, not that I know for sure.

When troubleshooting and you do not know the problem, never assume something is not the problem, always confirm!

Not saying the NI cable is the issue, it probably isn't and yes one should always use the supplied cable unless they know a few things about the differences and requirements in cables, wire gauges and specs etc.

However, after you have tried all the obvious things, just testing with another cable would at least confirm if the issue persists it is not the cable that is the issue.

And it can be 100% possible for power to be supplied to the device via the USB cable but not have the data pins connected. There are 4 pins and you only need 1 pin to not make correct contact and you either get no power or no data. If there is an issue in the cable, with a plug at either end or just with the physical connections, something may not work.

I think after all that you would possibly want to contact support via a direct ticket.

Tomas E

This one seems to need to be installed separately, unless it comes with some of the Maschine software that I haven't yet installed.

Now that I've installed it Windows detects it. Not visible without the above driver, visible with it. I think that solves the visibility issue at least.

JesterMgee

Hmmm, never installed a separate driver. It is installed when you install either Komplete Kontrol or Maschine, even displays a popup on the installer asking if you want to install the drivers for the hardware and pretty sure it auto-selects if it detects it attached to the machine. Did you install Komplete or Maschine at all?

Tomas E

I forgot to mention that after installing the Komplete Kontrol Driver the S88 is available for selection in the Komplete Kontrol Controller menu. I can select sounds from the device and play them, scroll through them and listen etc.

I think I misunderstood previously regarding Maschine. I don't have Maschine at all, that's another hardware right? I mistook it for software included when registering the S88.

Uwe303

You should have at least maschine essentials in your account as far as I know.

Tomas E

Your're right, Maschine 2 Essentials.

Maschine 2 Factory selection is also there along with about 20 other ones. Haven't had the time yet to install though.