PBC midi control for Eventide Time Factor

Rick in TN

Rick in TN

Well-Known Member
I have never used my PBC for midi control of anything. Only used it as IA/loops thing. Now I have several PRESETS set up on the PBC and I want to control my Time Factor to where it will change to different preset with different PRESET chosen on the PBC.

I've looked at every video demo more than once. Read thru both manuals. Never found a video discussing the Time Factor but several with a Strymon Timeline. They should be similar I'm sure. But no-go so far.

No matter what I've tried so far it doesn't make the Time Factor do anything. My midi cable is good. The Time Factor and the PBC are set to Midi Channel "1". The Time Factor is set up in the PBC Editor as a device (the only device). The PBC loaded all the Time Factor defaults into the PBC setup.

All I want would be to when I step on PBC PRESET #1 it loads the chosen preset in the Time Factor. Step on PRESET #2 on PBC and it causes the Time Factor to load the chosen Time Factor Preset....and so on. But it does nothing. PBC loads the correct LOOPS I saved to that PRESET. But does nothing to the Time Factor.

I feel like a setting on the PBC is incorrect maybe. The default Time Factor is OFFSET "1" where when I look into the settings on the Time Factor itself it has the 1st preset as "0". I tried changing PBC to "0". But that does nothing either. Would there be any setting on the "MIDI" page of the PBC I need to set differently. All I need is midi messages to be sent from the PBC. Need no midi-thru or merge (I don't think).

Help please..... :)
 
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That should be all that's required. Try clicking "Set Preset PCs to Sequential" on the Devices page, then send the settings to the PBC. That may help.

If that doesn't work, then we have to figure out if the PBC is not sending or the Timefactor is not receiving. Do you have any other MIDI devices you can use to test things?
 
Thank you for your response. I just tried my Source Audio Programmable EQ with midi. I set it to midi ch 2 and inserted it into a my PBC PRESET (just as I wanted the Time Factor to do). It changed just as it should. So it's either the Time Factor not receiving the command or my midi patch cable (which I checked with a multi-meter but I'll physically swap out the cable now and try it with the cable tahe worked on the Prog EQ. At least we narrowed it down slightly. I also changed the "set Preset PC's to Sequential" as you suggested with the Time Factor and that didn't help.
 
Double check all your midi settings in the TF. It's pretty funky, and as memory serves, not intuitive. I'd be willing to bet that's where your problem is.
 
boyce89976 said:
Double check all your midi settings in the TF. It's pretty funky, and as memory serves, not intuitive. I'd be willing to bet that's where your problem is.
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I got on the Eventide Forum and they gave me some tips. "OMNI" instead of selecting a channel...etc. Then I reset all the midi settings to factory settings just to be sure there wan't something funky in there. But nothing seems to work. PBC is working fine. Beginning to think there actually might be a glitch in the TF. Might buy a 2nd one to be sure. Hate to do that though. If that is the case I'll then send the one I have back to the factory for repair and then sell one of them.
 
Rick in TN said:
I got on the Eventide Forum and they gave me some tips. "OMNI" instead of selecting a channel...etc. Then I reset all the midi settings to factory settings just to be sure there wan't something funky in there. But nothing seems to work. PBC is working fine. Beginning to think there actually might be a glitch in the TF. Might buy a 2nd one to be sure. Hate to do that though. If that is the case I'll then send the one I have back to the factory for repair and then sell one of them.
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Eventide is quick with repairs, IME.
 
boyce89976 said:
Eventide is quick with repairs, IME.
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Thanks....good to know on the Eventide repair. I did buy a 2nd Time Factor late last night. Once I have it I'll set them both up and compare the two. If there is a problem with the one I have now I'll send it back to Eventide. They have a flat $100 cost on repairs. Odd that JUST the midi doesn't work. Could be a physical problem with an input there because the midi THRU didn't work either as I tried it with a 2nd midi pedal pedal on Ch 2. Midi cables are definitely good as they work directly connected to the other midi pedal. I sort of know my way around the midi things. Don't know everything but usually I can figure problems out and sometimes you have to "try" this or that with midi settings but it's not THAT hard to do.

Love the Time Factor. It has everything I want in a delay. Stereo/midi/display/ease of use/dual delay.....only a Strymon Timeline will do all those and they are not as user friendly (to me at least) as the Time Factor. I've had a Timeline twice and sold them because they were just more difficult to set up.
 
Looking at all of your test results, it does seem that the MIDI circuit in the Timefactor is the culprit.
 
rjmmusic said:
Looking at all of your test results, it does seem that the MIDI circuit in the Timefactor is the culprit.
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Hopefully this 2nd unit will be normal and I can find out I'm not crazy or inept....LOL.....hope to have it in by Saturday and we'll see. Almost want this unit to be defective to prove it's not my brain that defective....although my wife swears it definitely is.
 
OK....I'm totally at a loss now. Got the 2nd Time Factor in today and the PBC makes no midi changes to it. I can control other midi pedals with the PBC....but NOTHING happens with the Time Factor. I've tried everything I know. No way both Time Factors are defective. I've tried different midi channels. Tried "omni" receive on the TF. Tried different midi cables. Works easily and fine on other midi pedals. I installed a 3rd midi pedal in about 60 seconds and it worked perfectly the first time. So I know PBC sends midi commands. I know my cables are good. I uninstalled the TF from the PBC and re-installed it. PBC and TF have latest software and updates.

I'm just stumped (not to mention I just spent $275 on a 2nd used TF).

Any ideas at all?
 
Rick in TN said:
OK....I'm totally at a loss now. Got the 2nd Time Factor in today and the PBC makes no midi changes to it. I can control other midi pedals with the PBC....but NOTHING happens with the Time Factor. I've tried everything I know. No way both Time Factors are defective. I've tried different midi channels. Tried "omni" receive on the TF. Tried different midi cables. Works easily and fine on other midi pedals. I installed a 3rd midi pedal in about 60 seconds and it worked perfectly the first time. So I know PBC sends midi commands. I know my cables are good. I uninstalled the TF from the PBC and re-installed it. PBC and TF have latest software and updates.

I'm just stumped (not to mention I just spent $275 on a 2nd used TF).

Any ideas at all?
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I’m not a TimeFactor user, but looks like the manual says you can’t have a USB cable connected or it ignores the MIDI ports. I suppose you’ve tried it without a USB cable connected?

If that’s not it, I see something where you have to create a MIDI program change map in order to allow an external controller like the PBC to change the TimeFactor to different presets. Bet your problem is there.
 
shoelesscraig said:
I’m not a TimeFactor user, but looks like the manual says you can’t have a USB cable connected or it ignores the MIDI ports. I suppose you’ve tried it without a USB cable connected?

If that’s not it, I see something where you have to create a MIDI program change map in order to allow an external controller like the PBC to change the TimeFactor to different presets. Bet your problem is there.
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Son of a b*****.....I remove the USB cable from the Time Factor and it works just fine. All this over a USB cable. I never read that in the TF manual. That's kind of silly on the Eventide people's side that you can't leave things hooked in to the software editor...but if that's all it takes I'll live with it.

THANK YOU!....I owe you a beer someday
 
Rick in TN said:
Son of a b*****.....I remove the USB cable from the Time Factor and it works just fine. All this over a USB cable. I never read that in the TF manual. That's kind of silly on the Eventide people's side that you can't leave things hooked in to the software editor...but if that's all it takes I'll live with it.

THANK YOU!....I owe you a beer someday
Click to expand...

Haha!!! Sometimes it's the thing you least expect!! Have fun my friend...
 
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