I've just gone through the manual download and update of HCS and Komplete Kontrol for my S88 Mk3. At the end of the process, the keyboard having reported a successful update, it cannot see or connect with Kontakt or KK. I note that the HCS direct installation procedure takes no notice of the installation preferences set in Native Access, as it hasn't changed the HCS files in my chosen location - so it may be that there are now two HCS installations active on my system…
Edit: this is a Windows 11 Pro 24H2 system with only the OS on the C drive, and all music stuff on other internal drives.
Further edit: the keyboard cannot communicate with Studio One Pro 7.2 despite being removed and re-added as both DAW and keyboard controllers. None of these problems existed before these updates. A Tech Support ticket has been raised, but I suspect that I am not alone in this and others' experiences would be useful.
@TimC340 I've decided to move your post to a new one so we can troubleshoot more easily. I hope that's ok with you.
Where was it installed previously?
I would recommend to uninstall all versions of the Hardware Connection either using the regular Windows uninstall procedure: How to Uninstall Native Instruments Software from a Windows Computer
Or with our regtool found in this article: Fixing Software Update Installation Issues (Windows)
And then install it again from the download manager.
Ah, ok - I did look for it and wondered what happened!
It was installed on my F drive on my studio computer with most of my other music stuff, and had worked perfectly up till today. I have also gone through the process on my home computer (which had HCS on the D drive) and I noted that, again, no option was given to choose the install location. After the install, Native Access showed that HCS was in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Native Instruments\Hardware\Hardware Connection Service. On this occasion, the previous installation on the D drive has been removed, presumably in the installation process.
However, the really concerning thing is that my S88 Mk3 can no longer communicate with any NI software on my studio computer or my DAW (Studio One Pro 7.22). Effectively, it's now a dumb Midi keyboard.
When I get back to the studio I will try uninstalling all versions of HCS and manually reinstalling. I don't have a NI keyboard attached to my home computer to see if the same brick effect has taken place, but I see it reported in several places around the internets.
OK, I've gone back to the studio - I couldn't leave it until tomorrow!
Trying to uninstall HCS via Windows Add or Remove Program failed with this message:
Using the NI registry hack worked to remove it. The reinstall went ok, though I was once again not offered a choice of install location. This time connection with Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt was reestablished.
However, I still cannot connect to Studio One. The DAW reports that my MIDI configuration has changed and gives me a 'skull and crossbones' icon next to all the Kontrol S88 Mk3 entries. Removing them and re-adding them makes no difference. The DAW can see the controller, but there is something wrong with the connection and no communication occurs in either direction. Also, the DAW button on the S88 stays resolutely dark.
So I am still very much worse off than I was yesterday. My keyboard can at least control Native Instruments' software, but its previous DAW functionality is lost completely.
This is not a software update to be proud of!
That is because Studio One is not supported for this new integration (yet).
See here:
Discussions - Community
So until it is - it's a rollback (if that's even possible?) or nothing.
VP
Please contact Studio One about this, the new FW is supposed to be backwards compatible, so they must be doing something weird on their side
OK, I'm afraid the contention that this is a Studio One issue has no merit whatsoever. What I am telling you is that my S88 Mk3 can NO LONGER communicate with Studio One. It was able to do so perfectly well (at the limited functionality that NI had incorporated up to now) until this update. There has not been a simultaneous update to Studio One while NI updated the Mk3 firmware to v2 (and now v2.05). I am well aware that the new functionalities available for other DAWs are not available for Studio One; I simply want the functionality I had up to yesterday restored so that I can at least start and stop the DAW from the keyboard, and see track levels and the like. Basic Mackie functionality that was present until yesterday. This is NOT a Studio One issue.
If you are telling me that this update deliberately removes functionality from the S Mk3s with respect to DAWs not included in the update, expect some vehement blowback from the community!
Edit: just to confirm that the v2.05 HCS update, which I've now installed, does not restore the previous DAW functionality to the keyboard.
The photo shows Studio One open, but no corresponding DAW button illumination on the keyboard. Studio One recognises that the keyboard is connected as both a keyboard and a controller, but that the connection is corrupted somehow. As a result, not only can I not control the DAW from the keyboard's transport controls, I cannot play any Kontakt instance within the DAW from this keyboard. Essentially, this keyboard is reduced to a player for the standalone Kontakt program.
We haven't removed anything. Studio One have their own implementation of Kontrol MK3 support built into the DAW, and however they've implemented it is not working with the new firmware update. As the protocol changes are backwards compatible, this points very strongly to a problem in their code.
I appreciate that you're frustrated, but I'm the tech lead for this product and telling you the facts. Losing your temper is not going to help...
If you wish to downgrade to firmware 1.9 you can do so, you just have to reset the version number on the device (by power cycling it 5 times until you see the "something went wrong" message appear) before running the old device updater. However this will not help to solve the problem for other studio one users.
There is definitely an issue of some sort here - mine is connecting to Studio One 7.2.2 on macOS Sequoia 15.5 and the DAW button is working but the keyboard display is not showing levels although it is working to control them and transport is working
"We haven't removed anything. Studio One have their own implementation of Kontrol MK3 support built into the DAW, and however they've implemented it is not working with the new firmware update. As the protocol changes are backwards compatible, this points very strongly to a problem in their code.
I appreciate that you're frustrated, but I'm the tech lead for this product and telling you the facts. Losing your temper is not going to help..."
@timrae_NI
Appreciate the clarification - but if you ARE the tech lead - who wrote this?
and why?
Clearly someone over there - knows something you do not. As the NI tech lead - you should be reaching out to Presonus - chatting with their "tech lead" and finding out what exactly is going on.
Because something is going on and someone at NI wrote that blurb above for a reason.
As a Studio One user since 2011 - I (and many others) really want to know what is up here.
@timrae_NI. I’m not losing my temper, but I am extremely frustrated. As Vocalpoint says, if this update is truly backwards compatible then there should have been no problem. Presumably when PreSonus wrote their S Mk3 scripts, they did so in consultation with you so that the correct functionality could be offered with no potential issues for either the DAW or the keyboard. It equally follows that any update that either party makes that might affect that functionality is discussed and followed through to ensure that no problems are inadvertently introduced by those updates. Clearly that did not happen. That, in my opinion, is down to you in this case, not PreSonus. As a result my (and presumably other Windows Studio One users) have had my expensive, top-line controller device reduced to rather less functionality than a £30 MIDI mini-keyboard - my £200 Nektar Impact LX61 now does a far better job of controlling Kontakt within my DAW - and controlling the DAW itself - than my S88 Mk3. Perhaps you understand my frustration - particularly as this is on top of the issues introduced by the HCS update for Windows users. I hope you will find the time to reach out to PreSonus and discuss how this issue is to be solved with as little further delay as possible. In the meantime, I have a bathroom to rebuild!
Guys, the update clearly said studio one is not supported at launch, yet you still decided to update. They have told us they don't have time to work on this yet, but hope to in the future.
We will try to work together with presonus to debug where the problem lies when we get time, but obviously we're focusing our energy on the DAWs that we have advertised support for.
As previously stated, your current options are:
Fair enough. Appreciate the update Tim.
o
Actually, that's not what the update email said. This is what it said:
*Kontrol S-Series have had an update. Here’s what’s new:
You can now control any plugin in all major DAWs directly from the keyboard, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Bitwig Studio, Cubase, and Digital Performer.*
There was no reason to suspect that installing the update - which at no point are we told is optional - would disable existing functionality. Nor are we warned that that might be a consequence of installing the update if your DAW is not one of those supported for new functionality. It is fair for the non-expert user to assume that a firmware update is safe to install unless the provider advises otherwise. No such advice was given, or implied.
Anyway, thanks for your time, Tim. I will carry out both of your recommendations, however this episode has severely shaken my faith in Native Instruments and will cause me to not make any further updates to my devices or software until I've seen a month of reactions from those caught in collateral damage!
Edit: I assume the retrospective rollback update we need is this one (3.25.0): https://www.native-instruments.com/fileadmin/drivers/audiohardware/KSMK3_Updater_3.25.0_Win.zip
not make any further updates to my devices or software until I've seen a month of reactions from those caught in collateral damage
Tbh this is generally a good idea with any software in any industry. Especially when a major version number changes (1.x → 2.x), you should assume that there is a high likelihood of bugs and breakages, and only update if you're happy to be an early adopter.
