rps@apollo.uucp (Robert Stanzel) (09/12/85)
Does anyone know of a simple, inexpensive instrumental keyboard that would connect via RS-232, and provide just up/down transition codes? Also, I wonder if this approach to keyboard input is even feasible. If one hits a big chord, there's certainly going to be a lack of simultaneity, but it seems tolerable, and correctable by software. -- "Satellites are out tonight" Rob Stanzel ARPA: RPS%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC Apollo Computer UUCP: ...{yale,uw-beaver,decvax!wanginst}!apollo!rps
tjt@twitch.UUCP ( T.J.Thompson) (09/14/85)
> Does anyone know of a simple, inexpensive instrumental > keyboard that would connect via RS-232, and provide just > up/down transition codes? I just got some literature on a new product that, although it doesn't really fit your needs very well, may be interesting to the readers of this group. The literature doesn't give much more detail, so I'll quote from the blurb in Keyboard (Sept) magazine: HINTON MIDI-TO-RS-232/423-INTERFACE - The MIDIC is a MIDI processor that contains a full MIDI 1.0 specified interface and an RS-232 compatible interface for connection to a computer or terminal. ... The device has two modes of operation: process mode and interface mode. In process mode, the device may be inserted in the MIDI data stream to filter out unwanted MIDI data ... In interface mode, MIDI codes may be buffered and converted to RS-232 in either eight-bit binary or ASCII hex format. RS-232 data transfer is controlled by CTS and DTR handshakes, and buffering is provided to allow the host computer to execute (stuff) without being interrupted. Timing control is included to allow MIDIC to measure incoming data and delay the retransmission of outgoing data. Price is 300 pounds (at the current exchange rate, that's ~$400.) Hinton Instruments, 168 Abingdon Rd, Oxford, OX1 4RA, England. The price is pretty steep, but this is the first MIDI-RS232 interface I've seen. As far as I (and the Roland people I called) know, the Roland MPU-401 only interfaces to Apple/IBM. Another company that has advertised one (in Computer Music Journal, I think) is Sound Compositions, but their phone has been disconnected and mail gets returned, so I don't know if it's real or not. Are RS-232 interfaces for MIDI as rare as they appear to be? If anyone has information on others, please post! ...Tim Thompson...AT&T Bell Labs/Holmdel/NJ...ihnp4!twitch!tjt...