MCU Pro functionality broken/limited in LPX 10.4.2 - Temporary Workaround

Hello,

Since I installed Logic Pro X 10.4.2, my Mackie MCU Pro (firmware 3.1) has been acting strange and erratic. I found myself re-installing the control surfaces EVERY single time I started Logic, because the MCU Pro was totally unresponsive (i.e. buttons, faders, time code...everything). I also noticed that the image representing the MCU Pro in the Control Surfaces setup, always changed to some other seemingly random control surface.

Usually it was enough to re-add the MCU Pro, and it would be responsive to fader movements etc again. However, with LPX 10.4.2, I became aware of a "clicking" sound I've never heard before from the MCU Pro. The clicking sound would stop after a couple of seconds, and then the MCU Pro would "freeze" and go into its catatonic state, forcing me to restart it manually. And on, and on.

In a desperate attempt to fix the problem, I copied "Logic Control.bundle" from an earlier LPX version (10.4.0).

Lo and behold, the clicking noise disappeared, and now it's been working more or less like it's supposed to for two weeks straight. I had to delete/re-add the MCU a couple of times, but it's like night and day compared to the latest version included in 10.4.2. For the record: the clicking noise I refer to is not the same as the "transport click" sound available from the control surface preferences.

I just hope that Apple are aware of this, so they can fix it for the next release. Somehow, I doubt it. I've sent them a product feedback notice regarding this.

Any thoughts?

Mayday.

I knew it was a bad plan writing about how well it worked, because karma obviously noticed and decided to get even.

Suddenly all buttons/knobs/faders stopped working after I rebooted this morning. However, it only "froze" on the main MCU Pro unit - both the extender Pro's are controlling Logic's faders, and the MCU Pro is still showing SMTP/Beats and reacting to Logic's SW faders, but like I mentioned, all the physical controls on the MCU is dead.

I've tried:

- Reinstalling LPX 10.4.2

- Deleting the units from Control Surfaces setup, rebooting, deleting the CS file, and start Logic, and turn on the Mackie units one by one while Logic is running (with no Control surfaces installed). The only way I got it working ONCE, was when I disconnected the extenders and deleted the CS file, then restarted Logic with only the MCU Pro connected. When I connected the extenders, it stopped responding to buttons and faders. Although the extenders was working and responding, the MCU Pro was not responding anymore to buttons/faders.

- Resetting the PRAM of the Mac

My configuration:

- 2x mackie extender Pro's, 1 MCU Pro unit on USB directly into the Mac (no hubs involved), the extenders on MCU Port 2 & 3.

- Logic 10.4.2

- No other midi drivers or redundant kext files

- 2016 iMac 27", 32 gb ram, SSD

I'm starting to think that the MCU Pro unit is starting to die of old age, but I don't know.

My plan next is to bring my old midi interface (EMagic AMT8) to the studio, and try all the units on midi only.

In a way, it's behaving similar to what you would expect if you connected it with only 1 Midi cable (Out from the Mac & into the MCU). Except it's USB....

Did you try using a third party midi monitor (i.e. snoize's) to check that the main MCU unit is sending when it freezes?

Also, open up the controller assignments screen and move the controls as the controls that Logic detects will be highlighted when that screen is open.

Maybe keep this open as you play and see if some correlation occurs or you can see a corruption/duplicate assignments happening in there perhaps?

I run an old Logic Control set to MCU mode over MIDI and it's been fine with 10.4.2 from what i've used of it.

I just opened the MCU Pro, pushed every connector/flat cable and the EEPROM chip firmly into place. Like I mentioned earlier, I had a distinct feeling it was a 1 way communication between the Mac & MCU, so I decided to make sure that there wasn't any bad connections inside. After that, I tightened every single screw and bolt that I could find, and put on the hood again. Switched it on with USB cable, and started Midi monitor. So far so good, every button sent a note or CC signal. Started Logic, ticked on "Automatic Install" and power cycled the MCU while I turned on the other two extenders. It worked, at once. It even detected the right model(s)!

Created a new Logic project and inserted 24 tracks, just to get a quick indication whether all the faders/channels worked. So far so good, but I'm gonna have to quote Dylan & Hendrix for the time being: "No reason to get exited...".

Hoping for the best though!

*Walks in*

*Reads the word EEPROM*

*Walks out*

Shouts "Glad it's working ok mate!!!"

lol, you're a brave man. Amazing fix if it is that, makes the midi monitor suggestion look like a cap gun in a gun fight!

lol, you're a brave man. Amazing fix if it is that, makes the midi monitor suggestion look like a cap gun in a gun fight!

It was actually a good suggestion. I still don't know exactly what I did to make it work, except tightening up everything I could fit a screwdriver in. Although that EEPROM chip I mentioned was clearly not properly inserted, because I could feel it moving slightly. That particular chip has the 3.0 firmware on it. Without it, it's impossible to install the latest firmware.

So I'm afraid I don't have any definite "eureka" solution to flakey Mackie COntrol behavior. It's been working flawlessly since my "surgery", so I'll just keep my fingers crossed

Regarding the EEPROM (from the Logic Pro X "Control Surfaces Support" eBook):

Andreas