Looking for a MIDI interface

[sdc]

Hi

 

We have just had two PCs fail in one of our music rooms. The new computers were buying these days from HP are low-profile cases (Small Form Factor), so I'm looking for some low-profile MIDI interface PCI cards. So far I've had no success finding any; does anyone know of something suitable please?

 

We've considered USB/MIDI devices, but in my experience (which seems to be backed up by online reports such as this one), the latency through USB means that your MIDI stream is wrecked.

 

Any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Stephen

[NathG]

Hi,

 

We have the below one if you are interested:

 

http://www.getthespec.com/Images%5CDynamode%5COR2670000071839.jpg

 

Specifications

Communications

Modem Speeds 56 Kbps with V.92/V.90 technology

Data Modes V.92, V.90, V.34, V.32bis, V.32, V.22bis, V.22, V.23, V.21, Bell 212A, Bell 103

Fax Modes V.17, V.29, V.27ter, and V.21 Ch2, Class 1

Error Correction Protocol V.42 LAPM and MNP 2-4

Data Compression Protocol ITU V.42bis, MNP-5

Transmission Mode Up to V.90 fax and data

System Requirements

System Requirements System compatiblity (Pentium MMX 233MHE above)

Operating System Requirements Microsoft Windows 98SE, Me, NT, 2000, XP

Physical

Form Factor Modem

 

6k Smartlink PCI Software Modem - Generic Low Profile

 

£14.99 including FREE delivery

 

Hi

 

We have just had two PCs fail in one of our music rooms. The new computers were buying these days from HP are low-profile cases (Small Form Factor), so I'm looking for some low-profile MIDI interface PCI cards. So far I've had no success finding any; does anyone know of something suitable please?

 

We've considered USB/MIDI devices, but in my experience (which seems to be backed up by online reports such as this one), the latency through USB means that your MIDI stream is wrecked.

 

Any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Stephen

[sdc]

Form Factor Modem

 

Hi

 

Sorry; this appears to be a modem... we're looking for a MIDI interface - for connecting to digital piano keyboards and the like.

 

Thanks

Stephen

[Haptic]

Hi

 

We have just had two PCs fail in one of our music rooms. The new computers were buying these days from HP are low-profile cases (Small Form Factor), so I'm looking for some low-profile MIDI interface PCI cards. So far I've had no success finding any; does anyone know of something suitable please?

 

We've considered USB/MIDI devices, but in my experience (which seems to be backed up by online reports such as this one), the latency through USB means that your MIDI stream is wrecked.

 

Any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Stephen

 

How about the below chap £45.00+vat Free Next Day Delivery!

http://www.scan.co.uk/Images/Products/615677-a.jpg

Auzentech X-Tension DIN Sound Card Midi In/Out/Mic + Many I/O

Mic In: The input for dynamic-microphone. In total, three microphone inputs are available (Microphone input of the soundcard, FP_AUDIO, Auzen X-Tension). When the jumper switch 9 is set to ‘ON,’ this input changes to a condenser microphone input that supports 5V power (Caution: "Phantom power" is not supported. Do not use a phantom microphone.)

MIDI In: 16 channels of MIDI signal input.

MIDI Out: 16 channels of MIDI signal output.

 

Digital In: Supports coaxial and optical input.

Digital Out: Supports coaxial and optical output.

G9 Digital Multi Out: Output supporting 24Bit 96kHz LPCM or PCM 8ch. Compatible with digital speakers from Creative Labs™.

EXT_MIC Connector: Transfers microphone input data. Used with the 4pin-4pin cable to connect to the soundcard.

Data Cable Connector: Used to connect the soundcard and Auzen X-Tension DIN.

Jumper 1: Default setting is ‘OFF’ for dynamic microphone. When set to on ‘ON’, 5V will be provided to the microphone input for use with a condenser microphone.

Jumper 2: This jumper is related with the type of digital signal. For the X-Meridian, set this jumper to ‘OFF.' Other settings may be appropriate for future soundcards.

[pscott]

We us Edirol UM-1EX []Roland U.S. - Error Page

 

They are USB, but we have a 2 rooms full of them (41 Computers) and have had no issue with lag

[sdc]

How about the below chap £45.00+vat Free Next Day Delivery!

http://www.scan.co.uk/Images/Products/615677-a.jpg

 

This looks interesting, but a couple of questions:

 

1. What is the connection to the motherboard - PCI?

2. It looks like this is a "full height" card - but these cases are slimline/low profile ones, so anything we put in an expansion slot needs to be half-height. Are these actually full height or is the angle of the photo misleading?

 

Thanks

Stephen

[sdc]

We us Edirol UM-1EX []Roland U.S. - Error Page

 

They are USB, but we have a 2 rooms full of them (41 Computers) and have had no issue with lag

 

That's worth knowing; thanks. We will consider this and see what the music dept want to go for.

[El_Nombre]

MIDI shouldn't be causing the lag there, MIDI is a really small amount of information USB can easily cope with. Lag will be from the soundcard - try adjusting the latency time, though not so much as to get pops and crackles when using it.

[PeterW]

I don't think your going to get one I had a bit of a google earlier and I was coming up short (a bit like in real life:rolleyes:) Your probably looking at USB I'm afraid.

 

@Simon - mate thats full height and also I think its an addon for the Auzentech X-Fi prelude not a stand alone sound card.

[sdc]

MIDI shouldn't be causing the lag there, MIDI is a really small amount of information USB can easily cope with. Lag will be from the soundcard - try adjusting the latency time, though not so much as to get pops and crackles when using it.

 

That's interesting - my home PC has no MIDI interface, so I bought (admittedly a very cheap) USB MIDI interface. When playing into the PC from my digital piano, the music starts off OK-ish and then turns dreadful as the metronome slows exponentially! (I admit this might be my computer's reaction to my muscial ability, but we'll leave that aside for now...)

 

My initial research led me to believe that this was a result of the USB interface's lack of synchronicity - as MIDI clearly has a very strict clocked signal, the lack of such a clock on USB meant that it couldn't "keep up"... but perhaps I am getting confused? Could my PC be just too ancient?! I tried it on both my (relatively new Sony) laptop and my work (new HP) laptop, but with identical results each time. Therefore, I concluded, either the USB bus isn't really suited to MIDI, or the device I purchased is really cheap and nasty!

[Haptic]

I don't think your going to get one I had a bit of a google earlier and I was coming up short (a bit like in real life:rolleyes:) Your probably looking at USB I'm afraid.

 

@Simon - mate thats full height and also I think its an addon for the Auzentech X-Fi prelude not a stand alone sound card.

 

yup your right fella add on card it is and full height cheers fella,

 

Simon

[sdc]

I don't think your going to get one I had a bit of a google earlier and I was coming up short (a bit like in real life:rolleyes:) Your probably looking at USB I'm afraid.

 

Yes, this is what I was coming round to. Ah well, never mind. The other alternative is to build PCs which can accommodate a full-height PCI card, I guess. We'll see what they want to do...!

[PeterW]

The other alternative is to build PCs which can accommodate a full-height PCI card, I guess.

 

That we would be able to help you with

[dhicks]

I'm looking for some low-profile MIDI interface PCI cards.

 

I have the same kind of issue - I have a couple of machines to put together for music that take low-profile PCI cards. Our music department, however, have been using the Edirol PC-50 keyboard - acts as a USB/MIDI interface and is bus-powered from the USB port, so no annoying power cables all over the place:

 

Edirol PC-50 USB MIDI Controller Keyboard at DV247.COM

 

Other USB musical instruments are available. I'm still holding out for a copy of Rockband for our Wiis...

 

--

David Hicks

[dhicks]

I have a couple of machines to put together for music that take low-profile PCI cards.

 

A quick search for "PCI MIDI" on eBay turns up a fair selection of cards, actually - you might be able to get some model numbers off there. Also, try Richer Sounds:

 

Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema & Flat Panel Tv Specialists!

 

If you give them a ring they should be able to advise you.

 

--

David Hicks

[Guest Guest]

That's interesting - my home PC has no MIDI interface, so I bought (admittedly a very cheap) USB MIDI interface. When playing into the PC from my digital piano, the music starts off OK-ish and then turns dreadful as the metronome slows exponentially! (I admit this might be my computer's reaction to my muscial ability, but we'll leave that aside for now...)

 

My initial research led me to believe that this was a result of the USB interface's lack of synchronicity - as MIDI clearly has a very strict clocked signal, the lack of such a clock on USB meant that it couldn't "keep up"... but perhaps I am getting confused? Could my PC be just too ancient?! I tried it on both my (relatively new Sony) laptop and my work (new HP) laptop, but with identical results each time. Therefore, I concluded, either the USB bus isn't really suited to MIDI, or the device I purchased is really cheap and nasty!

 

Metronone on what, the piano or in software? Have you got a proper soundcard? Sounds like it may be an issue with that rather than the midi. If you dont have a proper sound card have a look at this, boasts performance of normal soundcards to a usable standard (but theres no substitute to a proper soundcard with well coded ASIO drivers) ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver

And yes, depending on what software you are using, it is a pretty good possibility your pc is too slow. Drop me a PM if you want to give it another go and ill see if i can help out getting a working configuration.

 

 

Another vote for the edirol interface. Ive got an edirol USB keyboard here and its been fine. Edirol are generally quite good for the price, they are part of Roland which cant be bad.

 

Personally though id give one of the £5 ones a go first. They may be fine, as above if you dont have proper soundcards in your PCs it will be that whch is the limiting factor, not the midi interface.

Good brands; M-Audio, Terratek, EMU, Edirol, and for a school (depending how much you are into music) i wouldnt be put off from buying something by the likes of Behringer just to see what its like.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Guest

[techyphil]

Hi j17sparky,

 

This ASIO driver addon thing prevents or atleast helps latency? Im just asking because we have a bunch of old kit running all different sound cards. The majority of them have bad latency and get worse as you add more layers or channels when working with the midi software ( sound studio ). We want to goto USB keyboards thinking they are going to be sooo much better but from what i've read - this might not be the case after all.

 

We have P4 2.8Ghz - 333/400Mhz FSB Motherboards running 256 or 512MB DDR RAM @ 333Mhz also using Realtek AC97 onboard soundcards.

 

We did order several MIDI enabled Soundcards from eBay for £8-12 each to try. They was just as bad as the integrated soundcards tbh.

 

How does this ASIO driver work? Do I just install it on any machine with a soundcard that has a MIDI input?

 

Cheers for your help. Phil

[sdc]

Hi

 

The problem manifests itself like this: I play a piece on the piano connected to the MIDI input (USB). I play, say for example, 20 notes, each an identical length (e.g. crotchets). The first few will recorded in time, but then the recording starts to slow down, so that the next couple become a beat and a half long, (dotted crotchet), then twice as long (minims), etc, until it ends with a single, long, tied note lasting about 3 bars!

 

All the time the recording is happening, I can optionally have the software produce a metronome "pulse", either through the PC's sound card or via MIDI "back" to the piano. Either way, this pulse slows down in a similar fashion to that explained above, so that initially there are, say, 2 beats per second, then down to 1.5 per second, then down to 1 per second, etc. All this whilst I am still playing at the same speed. Hope that makes sense.

 

Hence my research, which led me to believe that MIDI and USB aren't the best combination. If any of this sheds any further light, then that's great - but I appreciate that, at this point, this has progressed from a "helping the school out" issue to a "troubleshooting my PC" issue... and everyone's time is far more valuable and probably more wisely spent on more pressing concerns!

 

Stephen

[Guest Guest]

sdc - Seems a wierd one that. What sofware are you using? Id still give ASIO4ALL a shot. Its free so you've got nothing to lose. What generallly happens with issues like i described is you get glitches and quick changes of tempo, not a prolonged slowing.

 

techyphil - For the sake of this convosation ASIO is to music what DirectX is to games. With badly coded GFX drivers you will get a drop in framerate, or in the case of music drop outs in audio; glitches, snaps, pops etc.

I have used ASIO4ALL on the ac'97 soundcards and they are suprisingly good. Which software are you using?

 

Install ASIO4ALL.

Goto your music softwares options and find the Audio interface pages.

Change it to ASIO4ALL

Change ASIO4ALLs settings for a 512 sample buffer.

Play some music - does it sound/respond better?

 

If its glitchy, increase the buffer to 1024.

If theres too much latency change the buffer to 256.

 

A big buffer is bad for latency.

Too short a buffer and your PC cant keep up and starts making pops and crackles.

 

IF you dont have a midi interface then it doesnt really matter too much about latency, so you can increase the buffer to 2048 samples which will hopefully give you nice stable audio.

 

 

Also have a look here to see how Sibelius works http://www.edugeek.net/forums/educational-software/20415-sibelius-5-tuning-latency.html#post200984

Edited November 14, 2008 by Guest