Cheap MIDI Interfaces or Alternatives

[peternewman]

Hi all,

 

For a project I'm currently working on, I need a large number of digital inputs to a computer (about 50) MIDI would be fairly suitable, as we've already got some other MIDI inputs, so we can just plug into them, alternatively something like the Velleman USB board, then I could write some code to turn it into MIDI and merge using MIDI Ox.

 

Basically the problem is most of the interfaces I've found seem to be too general purpose, so they include lots of expensive analogue inputs, and lots of useless outputs. So if anyone knows of any MIDI (or alternative) interfaces with only/primarily digital inputs (the cheaper the better) that would be great.

 

So far I've found:

• MidiTron
  
• Velleman VM110
  

TIA

 

PN

[dbuckley]

MidiTron

Thats annoying, 'cos I was going to say what you need is a flotilla (or maybe flock / school / mob / gaggle / other collective noun) of MidiTrons, which have 20 inputs a piece, but you need more and I guess dont want to pay as much.

 

There is only one solution: MidiBox. In particular check out the MIDIO128 project. You may also wat to check out the related site http://www.midibox.org.

 

As a sidenote, the MidiTron isnt expensive 'cos its got outputs and some analogue ins as well as output; the PIC chip used by the MidiTron does all these things natively, so there is no additional cost for the "extra" facilities. What it costs is is pretty much a bargain, in my opinion, despite the fact that the electronics engineer in me knows the product costs under 20 quid in materials, and the scrooge in me says it shouldn't sell for more than several times that cost. But then again, a Strand 550 is an old battered DOS computer, so whats it doing with a multi-thousand price tag. This stuff costs what it costs. Oops - this comes across as a rant, doesnt it... wasn't intended to be :)

[GreyBadger]

But then again, a Strand 550 is an old battered DOS computer, so whats it doing with a multi-thousand price tag.

 

Custom interface hardware. Software development. These things are not free.