Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    Hey, will any of this MPU-401 and MS-DOS S/W run on the Rainbow
    I just happen to have in my studio?
    
    Edd

    My Mimetics Amiga/MIDI interface (currently on loan to Tom Janzen)
    *is* a serial port to MIDI interface.  Methinks you don't need no
    Roland MPU-401.  The Mimetics interface cost $50, and I'll bet you
    could build one for a *lot* less.  You have to be able to munge
    the baud rate for your serial port though, and that depends on your
    OS.
    
    The MPU-401 buys you a lot more than just a serial interface adaptor.
    You get timestamping and data buffering.  You also get around $300
    poorer.
    
    len.
    

    it's true that the amiga/midi interface is sort of rs232-midi,
    but it also requires some volts.  I think it was +/-5v.
    Tom

    
    Whoa....
    
    My MPU-401 isn't serial... is there a DIFFERENT one that is?  I
    needed a special card "MIF-PIC" (sorry I bought the card... it's
    only got $10 in parts on it...) to connect to the 401.  The interface
    between the PC and the box is not serial at all!
    
    What sort of PC portable do you have?  Sure there is no way to get
    an expansion slot on it?  Does it have a bus connector at all?
    
    /Mitch.
    

    My portable is a SHARP 4502. I do not think there is any access
    to the bus, at least the manual I have does not indicate anything.
    
    I will get back to SHARP to have more information.
    
    I am also somwhat worried by the definition of the LCD display.
    Is has a 640 X 200 definition. Is this enough for some of the graphics
    that might be used.
    

    
    
    I'm not familiar with the Sharp 4502.  I knew the Toshiba units
    had the ability to do one expansion slot (at least the 3100's
    and 5100's can).  My Compaq here has two slots.
    
    Which software were you planning to use on the PC?  You really need
    a real MPU-401 for much of it, and some programs (like Personal
    Composer) are going to want high-resolution graphics, like you'd
    find on an EGA or Hercules card.
    
    Anyways, I think elsewhere in this file we found that a simple serial
    port couldn't hack it for real-time MIDI, mostly because RS232 is
    so much slower...
    
    /Mitch.
    

    re .7 and serial ports not hacking it for MIDI.  There are numerous
    existence proofs to the contrary.  The Amiga is just one of them.
    Maybe the Amiga's serial port isn't a "simple" serial port.  RS-232
    just defines the connector style with respect to MIDI usage, it doesn't
    dictate the baud rate.  Don't lecture me about the RS-232 standard,
    what I'm saying is just because MIDI uses that connector doesn't
    mean it has to conform to the rest of the standard.  MIDI is MIDI
    and RS-232 is RS-232.  If your computer can't handle MIDI baud rates
    out the serial (not the same as RS-232) port, get a real computer.
    
    len.
    

    Hi
    Not only is the Amiga not a standard rs232 port, the amiga 500 and
    the amiga 1000 are different.  There are power pins there (I think
    +/-5V) that are needed by the mimetics interface.
    Yes, the UART must deliver the MIDI baud rate or it won't work so
    simply.
    Tom

	The IBM-PC  XT  does  not have enough CPU power to handle
	the  interrupt  rate  that  MIDI  demands  (both data and
	timing).

	That is  basically  why  the  MPU-401  was  designed as a
	intelligent  controller.   The  PC can let the MPU-401 do
	the  interrupt  handling and timing.

	The Amiga  and  the Mac have lots of power and can handle
	the interrupt rates fine and have good timer support.  So
	you can use a MIDI-Rs232 device.

	Now if you have fast PC (286 386 etc...) then it may well
	be  able  to  handle  the  interrupt rate.  But *all* the
	software  expects  to  have a MPU-401 device installed on
	the PC.

			BArry

    Does anyone out there in Commusic land have any knowlege of the
    MPU-IPC interface for a PC? I am under the impression that it is
    100% compatible with the MPU-401, just packaged differently. True?
    
    I am thinking of buying one soon. Any advice and recommendations
    are appreciated. BTW Acton Music is offering them for about $295
    list.
    
    	Thanks,
    	Mark
    

    
    I recommend that you buy Voyetra's OP-4001 MIDI interface instead
    of the MPU-401. $295 is way too much to spend. I got my OP-4001
    mail order from East Coast Sound for $169 + $3 for shipping. $172
    total. It is completely compatible with the MPU-401, and has some
    features that the MPU-401 doesn't have, making it better in my opinion.
    
    Voyetra also has a new interface out called the V-4001. Same as
    the OP-4001, except it doesn't have the +5V timing/sync feature
    that you would only need if you are trying to sync up with a NON-MIDI
    drum machine. East Coast Sound quoted me $149 for the V-4001. That's
    half of the $295 you are thinking about spending for the Roland
    MPU-401.
    
    Mike D

    RE .11:
    
    Does the prices quoted in .11 include software for recording, editing
    and playback?
    
    
    Nis

    This note hasn't been active for a while.
    
    Has anyone tried the Midiator from KEE electronics? supposed to
    come with it's own software, supported by some of the other controller
    and composer software. Roughly $130.
    
    Neil (who also bought a computer with IBM slots)

    re: .14 
    
    I think a friend of mine, Stan (stanly::) Foster bought this.  Send
    him some mail to find out what he thinks of it.
    
    From what I remember he was quite pleased.
    
    Tim.

Re: .14

	I have a midiator box from KEE.  I use it with a Compac SLT286
	system which has no expansion ports, and thus can't use my
	usual MPU interface.  I am quite happy with the interface itself
	although the sequencing software that came with it was not
	that good.  I recently received an update (I've gotton 4 FREE updates
	since I purchased it...) and haven't really tried it extensively,
	but it seems to work as advertised.  This is the final release of
	the sequencing software, so I imagine I'll have to pay for any
	further upgrades.

	I use it when traveling about, and feel like hauling my Kawai K1
	along with me.  I also have a TX81Z, HR16 and Quadraverb, although
	I haven't used all of these with the Midiator yet.

	The only real problem I have with it, is that I'd like to use
	it with commercial sequencers/librarians like Cakewalk or
	Personal Composer.  There are some limited number of software
	vendors that now support it, although none of the Biggies
	has announced support yet.  I am told that will change very soon.

		- Greg

re: .16

	Can you tell us more about this device. What baud rate? Which comm
port? Does it have MIDI IN, MIDI OUT? Is there a programmers manual (for those
with non IBM compatible computers)?

	I have a DEC Rainbow and would like to connect it to my Clavinova but
have not been able to find any serial MIDI interfaces. I would be able to write
by own sequencer and other utilities in "C".

	Thanks.

	-Larry Webster (original "Electronotes" subscriber...for those that
			remember Bernie's work from Ithaca NY)

>	-Larry Webster (original "Electronotes" subscriber...for those that
>			remember Bernie's work from Ithaca NY)


Wow!  I was an Electronotes subscriber, too.  What's Bernie up to these days?
Publishing anything?

    Eirikur (who never did build one of those Walsh function generators, but
		still wonders what it sounded like)

	re: .16

	Maybe an address to KEE so I could get a catalogue or something?


	re: .18

	I dropped my subscription when I left college ('77) and actually did
	nothing with music till last year when I bought a Clav (but I did
	make sure it was MIDIable), so have no idea what happened to 
	Electronotes. I remember Craig Anderton was a regular contributor.
	Maybe he just carried on with EM (I think that's who he writes for?).
	My old orginal analog synth kit sits in the basement collect dust.

	-Larry (a casual reader)