I also did try clicking a midi program (mixer?)under the creative sound card and playing them but no joy

Finalfight wrote on 2025-05-21, 23:09:

I'm still working on setting a 486 build up and waiting on a ISA card. I purchased a sc-88vl a couple of months back and I want […]
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I'm still working on setting a 486 build up and waiting on a ISA card.
I purchased a sc-88vl a couple of months back and I want to test it out but don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I have tried a 98 and xp build both with midi sound ports but I think I'm doing something wrong I think maybe just playing midi files under media players isn't correct ?
Also does it have its own demo function?
Thank you

You need to have the Media players actually sending the MIDI data to your synth (the right MIDI port), presuming you actually have the physical cable hooked up correctly to your module to send MIDI Out (PC) -> MIDI In (SC-88VL).

Does the SC-88VL light up and show the display playing? Can you connect headphones (turn the volume down to near the minimum first!!) and hear audio?

Finalfight wrote on 2025-05-21, 23:09:

I'm still working on setting a 486 build up and waiting on a ISA card. I purchased a sc-88vl a couple of months back and I want […]
Show full quote

I'm still working on setting a 486 build up and waiting on a ISA card.
I purchased a sc-88vl a couple of months back and I want to test it out but don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I have tried a 98 and xp build both with midi sound ports but I think I'm doing something wrong I think maybe just playing midi files under media players isn't correct ?
Also does it have its own demo function?
Thank you

Windows Media Player sends MIDI to the Windows default MIDI port. This will be the Microsoft GS soft synth on fresh install. You need to go into Control Panel and change it to the port you are using. In XP, just about any generic cheapo USB-MIDI cable will work.

That's the reply guys I'm using one of the OG cables not usb.. I have been in control panel on both seperate computers and set it to the midi A setting it's like no midi atall comes through on the display.. It allows you to run standard music through it and I can listen through the front headphone jack but it's like nothing goes through the midi port from the computers into it .. tried midi players under creative cards I've tried canyon on media player

Thanks for the reply guys****

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I cant read the lable on your grey midi cable but make sure you are connecting the grey OUT cable since it has two, one is out and one is in.. use the out cable.

Yeah it's definitely the out cable they have little labels on them

So to double check
The cable labeled OUT goes to IN on the Roland.
The cable labeled IN goes to OUT on the Roland.
The audio cable goes to LINE IN on the soundcard.

Goto Control Panel, Multimedia, and the MIDI tab should look something like this.

Play a midi file, at the very least you should get the bars move on the Roland's display and sound from the headphone socket.
If not, probably a faulty midi cable
If you get sound/moving display bars but still no sound from the computer itself, double check Windows Volume mixer doesn't have Line IN muted

As it turns out, it appears that the RCA plugs are incorrectly hooked up to "Input" from the SC instead of "Output", switch them and it should solve the issues, all else being equal.

Thanks for the help guys I tried everything you mentioned still no joy so i have ordered another cable to test 😒

Finalfight wrote on 2025-05-25, 19:23:

Thanks for the help guys I tried everything you mentioned still no joy so i have ordered another cable to test 😒

Please show us pictures again of the back of the SC and computer, so we can verify things are correctly hooked up now.

Finalfight wrote on 2025-05-22, 13:25:

9 […]
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I see black shrink tubing on that gray midi cable, meaning it's been modified, probably by hand. Personally, I'd crack open the connector and check that the wires are soldered correctly.

@SuperDeadite the black shrink was just printed labels with midi In, midi out text on .. the cable was new qnd sealed(an old stock carphone warehouse one) but.. it was faulty!
The good news I had another cable delivered this morning and its now all working 😁 thank you so much for all the help here .. I was worried the actual roland midi had failed

Here's some pics of the cable that didn't work incase anyone comes across them..