Recommend USB Midi Interface

[JP]

I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
so am requesting some assistance.

I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.

I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.

Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.

Thanks,


JCPZero

[Leoaw3]

I just got a MOTU MIDI micro lite ($139. at swee****er.com). It has 5 in/5
out. Powered off of the USB port. I plugged it in, connected the gear, and it
just worked. No bells, no whistles, just worked.

If you are pretty sure you are going to need multiple ports in the future, I'd
recommed doing it now. In theory it should work fine with different
interfaces, but in practice you don't want them stepping on each other. One
interface, a little bigger than you think you need, should take care of this
for the forseeable future.

-lee-

[Leoaw3]

I just got a MOTU MIDI micro lite ($139. at swee****er.com). It has 5 in/5
out. Powered off of the USB port. I plugged it in, connected the gear, and it
just worked. No bells, no whistles, just worked.

If you are pretty sure you are going to need multiple ports in the future, I'd
recommed doing it now. In theory it should work fine with different
interfaces, but in practice you don't want them stepping on each other. One
interface, a little bigger than you think you need, should take care of this
for the forseeable future.

-lee-

[ceedub]

I have a MidiSport 4x4 from MidiMan. It has worked flawlessly, with little
effort. It runs with standard USB 1.1, which is more than enough bandwidth
for this application. Since MIDI signals really don't take up that much
bandwidth, there really is no need for USB 2.0 for MIDI (unless we are
talking hundreds of channels). USB 2.0 is great for digital audio though,
but this is a totally different story.

C

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"JP" > wrote in message
om...
> I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> so am requesting some assistance.
>
> I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
>
> I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
>
> Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> JCPZero

[ceedub]

I have a MidiSport 4x4 from MidiMan. It has worked flawlessly, with little
effort. It runs with standard USB 1.1, which is more than enough bandwidth
for this application. Since MIDI signals really don't take up that much
bandwidth, there really is no need for USB 2.0 for MIDI (unless we are
talking hundreds of channels). USB 2.0 is great for digital audio though,
but this is a totally different story.

C

--


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"JP" > wrote in message
om...
> I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> so am requesting some assistance.
>
> I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
>
> I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
>
> Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> JCPZero

[Tony Thomas]

JP wrote:

> I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> so am requesting some assistance.
>
> I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
>
> I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
>
> Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.

The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
$40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

[Tony Thomas]

JP wrote:

> I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> so am requesting some assistance.
>
> I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
>
> I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
>
> Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.

The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
$40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
> $40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

I have one of those. I don't know if it's the best, but how "best"
does it have to be? It works with every computer I plug it in to, I'm
using the drivers that were current when I bought it (about 2 years
ago) and it's never annoyed me. I suspect that a multi-port interface
will be more complicated, but Roland (the parent company of Edirol)
has been doing this for a long time and knows how to do it right.



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I'm really Mike Rivers )
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you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
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[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
> $40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

I have one of those. I don't know if it's the best, but how "best"
does it have to be? It works with every computer I plug it in to, I'm
using the drivers that were current when I bought it (about 2 years
ago) and it's never annoyed me. I suspect that a multi-port interface
will be more complicated, but Roland (the parent company of Edirol)
has been doing this for a long time and knows how to do it right.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Tony Thomas]

> I have one of those. I don't know if it's the best, but how "best"
> does it have to be? It works with every computer I plug it in to, I'm
> using the drivers that were current when I bought it (about 2 years
> ago) and it's never annoyed me. I suspect that a multi-port interface
> will be more complicated, but Roland (the parent company of Edirol)
> has been doing this for a long time and knows how to do it right.

I have actually used the UM-1 on two different machines with no
problems. It is about as simple as it gets. And, since Roland was one
of the developers of MIDI, if they can't do it right, no one can!

[Tony Thomas]

> I have one of those. I don't know if it's the best, but how "best"
> does it have to be? It works with every computer I plug it in to, I'm
> using the drivers that were current when I bought it (about 2 years
> ago) and it's never annoyed me. I suspect that a multi-port interface
> will be more complicated, but Roland (the parent company of Edirol)
> has been doing this for a long time and knows how to do it right.

I have actually used the UM-1 on two different machines with no
problems. It is about as simple as it gets. And, since Roland was one
of the developers of MIDI, if they can't do it right, no one can!

[JP]

Tony Thomas > wrote in message >...
> JP wrote:
>
> > I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> > so am requesting some assistance.
> >
> > I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> > in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
> >
> > I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
> >
> > Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> > point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> > USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> > separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> > thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.
>
> The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
> $40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

Thank you for the suggestions. I have ordered an M-Audio/Midi Man
4x4, which takes care of my current needs and allows me to add one
more midi device down the road.

JCPZero

[JP]

Tony Thomas > wrote in message >...
> JP wrote:
>
> > I have been out of the loop for some time with computer/midi/keyboards
> > so am requesting some assistance.
> >
> > I have a new computer with usb 2.0 and my previous midi interface (1
> > in/ 1 out) connected to the now obsolete sound card gameport.
> >
> > I use Sonar 1 and have 3 midi keyboards/modules.
> >
> > Please recommend a USB Midi interface with 1/in 1 out as a starting
> > point. I suspect versions that suport usb 2.0 would be superior to
> > USB 1. I may eventually want to expand up to handle the 3 keyboards
> > separately (as opposed to the current daisy chain). What are your
> > thoughts (3 separate USB 1/in 1 out) or a multiple usb interface.
>
> The best cheap interface is the Edirol UM-1 IMHO. Should be around
> $40-50. 1 in and 1 out. I also use the M-Audio/MIDIMan MIDIsport 2x2.

Thank you for the suggestions. I have ordered an M-Audio/Midi Man
4x4, which takes care of my current needs and allows me to add one
more midi device down the road.

JCPZero