Robert.Lisowski@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG (Robert Lisowski) (08/28/88)
I use Radio Shack cat # 42-2151 ($4.99) six foot DIN patch cords as MIDI cables. They are 5 pin, and each pin is independent, just fine for MIDI cables. Of course, if you need longer cables, you can buy the connectors alone, but the 5 conductor shielded wire is not available at Radio Shack. People experiencing problems with their midi ports should try these cables to make sure it's not a cable problem. Some MIDI cables are cheap, and the pins are not always independent. Hope I save someone a trip to the repair center. -- Robert Lisowski - via FidoNet node 1:107/330 UUCP: ...!rutgers!rubbs1!Robert.Lisowski ARPA: Robert.Lisowski@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG \...!rutgers!rubbs1!Robert.Lisowski
dragon@olivej.atc.OLIVETTI.COM (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you) (08/31/88)
In article <35.2317D326@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG>, Robert.Lisowski@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG (Robert Lisowski) writes: > I use Radio Shack cat # 42-2151 ($4.99) six foot DIN patch cords as MIDI > cables. They are 5 pin, and each pin is independent, just fine for > MIDI cables. Of course, if you need longer cables, you can buy the > connectors alone, but the 5 conductor shielded wire is not available > at Radio Shack. I wouldn't use these cables. Since all five pins are passed through, they sound as if they would be fine for MIDI stuff. But since *all* five pins are passed through, they are prone to cause unpredictable results. For instance, the two 'unused' pins on many MIDI instruments (the ST is included here) are used for non-standard interfacing. For instance, the ST uses there for MIDI-thru. If another instrument uses these same pins for something else, it could create havoc. Of course, if you get these cables, you could cut the wires to those pins... --Dean ---- Dean Brunette {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!olivej!dragon Olivetti Advanced Technology Center _____ _____ __|__ _____ 20300 Stevens Creek Blvd. | | _____| | | Cupertino, CA 95014 |_____| |_____| |__ |_____ 'Dancing, screaming, itching, squealing, fevered feeling hot Hot HOT!'
tom@Mills.berkeley.edu (tom erbe) (08/31/88)
Robert.Lisowski@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG (Robert Lisowski) writes:
<I use Radio Shack cat # 42-2151 ($4.99) six foot DIN patch cords as MIDI
<cables. They are 5 pin, and each pin is independent, just fine for
<MIDI cables. Of course, if you need longer cables, you can buy the
<connectors alone, but the 5 conductor shielded wire is not available
<at Radio Shack.
MIDI cables only need to have 2 wires and a shield. Connect the shield to
pin 2 and the other two wires to pin 5 and and pin 4. Also, the numbering
on DIN connectors is rather unusual, but the numbers are usually on the
connector itself.
tom erbe-technical director-center for contemporary music-mills college
tom@mills.berkeley.edu -or- tom@jif.berkeley.edu