[VancegParticipant]

I just wanted to chime in here and say I have this same issue using the SQ series in a studio environment. One of the reasons I like the SQ5 was that it’s internal fans are very quiet. WHen I installed the Dante card – the fan noise is now quite audible (not horrible, but audible).

I’m figuring that eventually I’ll figure out a fan that is a direct replacment for the one on the dante card, but quieter, and replace it.
If anyone here happens to find a good replacement first – I’m all ears.

[VancegParticipant]

Just moments after “giving up” and coming here for some assistance, I manage to answer my own question so I thought I would leave the solution here in case someone else runs into the same issue.

Update the console to the latest firmware. I had made sure I had the latest MIDI Control software and I noted the version I had was compatable with the version on my console (1.4) and that was working…but after I updated firmware on the SQ-5 to 1.5.4, restarted and reconnected MIDI, I was able to see the Ableton track names on the SW5 scribble strips as expected.

[VancegParticipant]

I’ve got the SQ-5 set up with Ableton as a DAW right now. Getting the MIDI control app set up with the DAW was a breeze. Everyting seems to be working well in that I have bidirectional control of Ableton and the SQ: Levels, mutes, channel selecton. All good. Unfortunately, the SQ and Ableton don’t seem to be sharing channel names. On the SQ the channel names of my MIDI faders remain “MIDI1” “Midi2″… even though tracks in Ableton are named (Kick, Snare..etc).
In Ableton I’ve got Mackie Control set up as my control service. My MIDI input and output ports are assigned as being “DAW Control MIDI” so that signal is routed to/from the A&H MIDI Control app.
In the MIDI Control app I’ve got Mackie Control set as my Potocol. I have also attempted with Mackie Control (alt display) option. My input and output port are SQ MIDI out and MIDI in respectively. I’m using MIDI ports (via USB) rather than TCP/IP. My MIDI channels in Midi Control and the SQ console match.
I’ve got Bidirectional control of the faders/buttons as mentioned above.
Everything seems to be working correctly except the SQ is not displaying the track/channel names from Ableton.

Am I missing some key step here? I know that Ableton DOES share channel names via the HUI/MackieController protocol.

Any tips appreciated!

[VancegParticipant]

Thank you very much for the informative reply. I’m happy to hear that this is the case!

[VancegParticipant]

FYI for anyone else who may be intersted in the same information. Yes, the SQ will be able to support more than 8 channels of Mackie Control…so you can assign more than 8 physical faders to control your DAW.

I hear tell that the DAW Control Driver does not pass scribble strip information from your DAW to the physical scribble strips on the board. I hear from support that there has been some discussion of this and perhaps it will happen at some point. For effective use on a DAW, I would think that labling the track that you are controlling with a partiular fader would be critical, espeically because the function of a physical fader is assignable (what track IS it controlling right now).

[VancegParticipant]

Panning most surely IS part of the Mackie Control protocol. It’s right there in the spec: using rotary controller values to control panning. Panning may not be included in Allen and Heath’s integration with Mackie Protocol, but neither are Scribble Strips, which are also part of the Mackie Control Protocol. Hopefully someday A&H will support both.

[VancegParticipant]

I note in the manual that it appears that MIDI Strips are assigned to layers on the console, and then the DAW CONTROL DRIVER is used to translate these MIDI messages into standardized DAW control messages. This does answer some of my questions above (I don’t know why this isn’t in the manual I had last month… or I simply missed it).

Id still love to know if the SQ and the DAW control driver will support more than 8 channels of Mackie Control Protocol at one time, and if Scribble Strips will be supported.

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