I am posting a question here because this is the Cubase Sx section, so “we are in our own territory”:
So, either I am an idiot or something isn't right: I have an original Cubase Essential 5 (I bought it months ago for 30 euros, shipping included), the problem is that when connecting the Casio CDP 100 digital piano via a USB cable to the PC, the MIDI notes are (it seems) detected, the volume parameters (the graphical ones) go up, so the signal arrives, but no audio can be heard (I am trying some free piano VSTs since I'm in the middle of some trouble and cannot buy one right now).
To explain better: I connect the piano to the PC with a USB cable, go to “Device Setup” and set Asio4all v2 as the audio driver; I don't change anything.
At first, I could “play” the loaded VSTs by clicking on the virtual instrument keys with the mouse, and I could even hear a loaded MIDI file, whereas playing on the piano itself produced no sound; subsequently, I tried to modify some parameters, also in Device Setup, but nothing, now they don't even play if I load a MIDI file.
One important thing: when I go to the “ASIO VST Driver” link and proceed into the “sub-menu” on the left, where you can view the status of the in and out ports, their condition is indicated; the inputs appear inactive, and the outputs need to be activated, but it's not clear how.
Some time ago I “managed” to complete a similar procedure, but today I just can't get out of this software “drama”.
Furthermore, when I start Cubase, I am asked for the Tpkd driver, which perhaps has to do with Windows compatibility (I have XP Professional Service Pack 2).
I also went to the Control Panel to check other settings, but if I load standalone software, those work fine.