Beiträge von hugol

Zitat von DizX

The weird thing about Big Sur is, that it recognizes the Virus TI (6 inputs and 2 outputs), it seems like there is a native audio drivers for the Ploytec audio interface.

I am going to experiment some more, but for now I couldn't get any audio from the Virus trough usb.

Has anyone tried installing the vanilla Ploytec Mac USB driver on Catalina? My DAW is still running Mojave so I can't test.

Demo driver is here:

https://www.usb-audio.com/download/

I understand Catalina doesn't support HAL plugins - but the comments on their download page just say the following:

"(For Mac OS X 10.13 - 10.15 see the support page. Mac OS X 10.15 no longer supports HAL plugins: Catalina Release Notes. On Mac OS X 10.15 the driver is CoreAudio only."

So 10.15 seems to be supported with this version - and I think all they are saying it's been reworked to not be a HAL plugin? However I'm not clear. Anyone?

Zitat von DizX

As Ploytec told me, Access Virus GmbH has the new OSX core audio code for the USB audio part. As I saw a interview with Kemper, he told straight that his focus is not on "Access Virus" anymore, but on the Kemper products now. This maybe explains the lack of support and development of new drivers. I really was hoping on a Access Virus Ti3.. but a person only can dream right?

Honestly - I'm not bothered about a Ti3 - but the fact remains people are still actively selling Virus Ti2 synths listed as Mac compatible- e.g. on the Thomann site.

All new Mac computers ship with the Catalina Operating System. Therefore I simply can't accept that Access could simply ignore this issue and only focus on Kemper products now.

Either they are planning to address the issue with Catalina and update the Ti software - or they need to stop selling Ti2 hardware as being Mac compatible. I honestly suspect they are trying to update the software for Catalina - but who knows - they need to communicate better around this.

Zitat von Delsys

I don't normally post in forums, but would like to voice my support for Access (as soon as possible) developing and releasing an update to the software to provide compatibility with OSX Catalina. I would happily pay for a software update that allowed me to use my Virus again. Right now my Polar, which is really the most important instrument I have in my studio, is basically unusable because of timing lags.

I've read all the threads on this issue here in the Access forums. I've switched outputs from USB to audio, but that hasn't helped. I can select patches in my Polar via the software, but it is possible to use the Polar keyboard to input midi tracks because there is a significant delay in the Polar responding to real-time midi input routed through Logic. There is also a lag if I use another controller keyboard with the midi routed to the Polar, so that work-around wasn't successful. Interestingly, though, there isn't a problem using the Polar as a controller keyboard for software instruments or for my Minitaur.

Anyway, I'm a patient person and I really do appreciate the amazing quality of the Polar. Have never regretted purchasing it. But, would really, really, like to be able to get it functional again.

Yep agreed - and I'd also be prepared to pay a nominal fee (e.g. £50 - maybe £100). However given they are still selling Access Virus TI's (ok MK-II - but surely the software is the same despite the DSP bump) - I don't see why we should particularly.

I'm getting frustrated with companies writing off their own computer integrated hardware far too soon - or stopping support for the latest OS's - e.g. Native Instruments (Kore-II / Maschine MK1) - and Steinberg (MR816). I really hope Access will do the right thing here and keep the faith.

Zitat von skittb123

I'm not a coder myself but from what I've gathered is that because the Virus TI chips are very old, they only support low level ''machine'' code.

Since most modern chipsets support higher level code languages like C++ It's probably very hard to find an old school programmers that can do low level coding, and if there are, they're probably quite expensive. So maybe Access isn't willing to spend as much, but publicly they don't want to burn the bridge just yet since that will hurt the sales.

No offence - but you couldn't be further from the mark with your hypothesis around "old chips" and "low level machine code" support. It doesn't work that way.

A higher-level language (such as C++) compiles down to processor byte code - it's not about the processor supporting e.g. C++ - it's about the higher-level language supporting compilation for a particular processor.

Anyway - as I understand it - the issue here is Access relied on a 3rd party for the OSX driver / USB audio integration code. It's dependent on that 3rd party making available a new release of this code for Catalina. Once this happens they are then reliant on finding a resource who can integrate this new code into their Mac Virus code base - and this in itself is a fairly big task end-to-end and they are looking to hire (maybe).

Zitat von DJTobes

Ploytec still haven't released their Catalina UAB Audio driver yet... I'm assuming that's also what Access are waiting on as well. - https://www.usb-audio.com/support/

Yep - just this vague statement -

  Mac OS X Catalina

Mac OS X Catalina no longer supports HAL plugins: Catalina Release Notes. We'll release a CoreAudio-only driver by early 2020.

Please note: The current driver is not compatible with Mac OS X 10.15.

Zitat von puppetinanoose

Apple - deprecating hardware compatibility since 2002

Apple products really should come with a warning sticker attached stating.

"Important note: future OS updates may (and most definitely will) brake compatibility and cause other issues with 3rd party software and hardware"

True - but the opposing argument is that Apple are optimising / simplifying / securing the OS - in theory at least - by stripping out support for historic features. Painful - definitely - but there are benefits. Very different from Microsoft's approach.

The most recent MacOS download for the Virus is dated October 2017 - that's not great. It seems Access stopped focussing on the virus quite some time ago. So we can't associate all the blame with Apple here - and if some 3rd party is involved - then that's a relationship Access established.