midi controller question

[The_Doctor]

I'm not sure I understand your edit.

Suppose you want an automated event to happen on time, and can delay it at the far end by exactly 250 ms. In this case you can send the MIDI message 250ms early, so it happens exactly on time. The purpose is that you can manually trigger a coincident event on the same musical beat, knowing that the only time critical MIDI message at that instant is the live one because the pre-recorded one has already gone through earlier. Tricks like this are often used when using a mix of sequenced and live data in one cable.

About USB, I don't know how good it is, but it's fairly fast, especially for bursts of data, which is probably why it's chosen for MIDI. The protocol will be the same, and MIDI drivers will timestamp recieved data no matter how they get it. If you can get converters to the old 5-pin DIN hardware, do it because you get more choice. A lot of the best older gear will need the DIN plugs, and will likely be much cheaper than the newest stuff.

If you are mixing local software on one machine a MIDIyoke (also made by Jamie O'Conell) virtual port is good, because it won't restrict you to the hardware speeds of standard ports. That can help timing within a multi-tasking machine.

[Galvonaut]

Thanks Doc, I understand now

I'm just putting together pros and cons of different hardware and software configurations so I can make decisions. My it's complicated!

Keith

[The_Doctor]

It is. MIDI alone while not totally noodlebaking is often complexified by context. Most of that is based on the networks of MIDI devices. If you go with a chain of just two controllers, each with the best specs you can afford, then star-net out from there to any receiving gear you have, that will reduce the strain a lot. And the cost!

[colouredmirrorball]

I had MidiOX installed on my previous machine, though I had no clue how to use it. Now that I have an idea about what it does... I read this: http://www.midiox.com/cgi-bin/yabb/Y...3985246;start= I guess the developer likes to see his hard work vanishing from existence by the rush of technology advancement.
The only alternative is LoopBe which only has one port in the free version.

[The_Doctor]

Ouch. I have never written driver code so I won't claim ability to write one, besides I don't use a 64 bit OS either. But why not use a 32 bit machine and OS? Get the best of an older range, keep the price down, still get great performance etc.. Given that 12 bits seem standard for laser control resolutions, even 32 bits is a sledgehammer cracking a nut.

I could write a MIDI monitor easily enough, but I suspect there's a lot less trouble getting one already made.

Is there no Hubi's Loopback driver for 64 bit OS's? A lot of people liked that driver. I just like MIDIyoke better.

[colouredmirrorball]

From the Hubi website: "For newer PCs you may want to look at MIDI Yoke" so I guess not :P

Well my current laptop is 64 bit and I don't have the money for another one, especially since this one is still performing fine (*touches wood*). Even so, with 32 bit you are limited in RAM. I have 4 Gb and I feel already limited in some applications (I'm one of those multitaskers who like to torture their computers by having eleventy billion web browser tabs open at the same time). Getting a 32 bit system would really be a step back which I can't justify for just getting more virtual midi ports . For sending signals between programs I tend to use OSC as much as I can anyway, as for now I don't really need more ports.

(Edit: by the way, it would be really useless to buy a whole new laptop so I can use an old 32 bit midi driver, especially since LoopBe30 is about €15 or so).

Anyway Keith, I think a piano-style midi keyboard is really useful with lsx. I have one I should really repair (small PSU issue). LSX has some nice features for midi-triggered effects. I should think of more. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0e4m9GgO-k, here LSX is receiving MIDI data from the internal LoopBe port, but I could as well set it to a "real" hardware port connected to a midi keyboard.

[The_Doctor]

Maybe I should learn about driver code.. It's allegedly easier than reliable GUI coding, and I manage that at times. The problem is that it's very hardware specific, and my hardware isn't used by many people. For one thing, 1MB of RAM is my limit, and there's still space there for a 500MB RAM drive without demanding hard swap space activity. I imagine that if I buy LSX it may be the first thing to demand a change of OS, but wven there I'm hoping that extensions intended for W98 will be enough to make it work. I've been monster-trucking W98 for so long that it is small, fast, powerful, (and barely recognisable as W98 anymore) and it might be harder to learn a new system than to carry on this way.

Any code I write is C to increase the chance it will port to other people's gear. I'm sure GCC will compile for 64 bits but I don't know anything specific about how.

[colouredmirrorball]

If you ever manage to write a stable, free, 64 bit multi-port virtual midi drive, you will be the hero of many midi enthusiasts!

[The_Doctor]

It will be someone else's honour. I've been avoiding 64 bit hardware successfully for years.
If it has to use 64 bit integers for speed, then it may be possible to port 32 bit code after changing the data types, or if it's all 'int' then just compile appropriately from existing source code. I don't know of any open-source MIDI drivers though.

Also, I don't know what API changes are critical for MIDI between W9X and WXP, but I assume most things didn't change. DirectX might though, and that would be relevant. I use v9c, not sure what is later, or whether MIDI is still a part of the latest. I remember complaints on tech forums about M$ removing it, and that would NOT help at all! If that is true, it is a hugely compelling argument for using older hardware and software for dedicated audio and MIDI systems. Nothing less would convince M$ to rethink the decision if removal of MIDI was their intent. (It is possible that this removal was a limited context, in mobile devices, I can't remember for sure).

[Galvonaut]

Anyway Keith, I think a piano-style midi keyboard is really useful with lsx. I have one I should really repair (small PSU issue). LSX has some nice features for midi-triggered effects. I should think of more. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0e4m9GgO-k, here LSX is receiving MIDI data from the internal LoopBe port, but I could as well set it to a "real" hardware port connected to a midi keyboard.

Nice - It will be lovely to have midi for LSX. It will improve functionality no-end in a live situation.

I've been meaning to get a midi keyboard for Quickshow too, so it is easier for people with learning difficulties to play with the lasers.

Keith