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MIDIO128 and USB-powered controller?


jjonas
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Hi,

 

does the USB jack on the MIDIO128 also send 5VDC if it's powered with a "normal" PSU, or is the jack meant for just receiving USB power? I'm asking because I'd like to know whether there's any chance of connecting one of those small 25 key midi controllers that take only USB power.

 

A further issue: if I've understood correctly, a cable with a mini-USB-A on the one (controller) end and a standard-B on the other (MIDIO128) doesn't match official specifications (wikipedia). Is this something that can be circumvented with adapters? Even if it is possible in principle, are there reasons why it isn't a good idea in practice?

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The answer is I don't know, because at present I don't have a USB-powered keyboard controller. I'm thinking of getting one, but only if I can be fairly sure it can be made to work with MIDIO128, which is an integral part of my midi setup. I'm not so familiar with USB things, so as it looked a bit hairy, I had to ask about it here.

 

A small controller with a regular midi out would be better as far as I'm concerned (at least I know it would work with my setup), but the USB ones are more readily available second hand.

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Hi,

 

do you want to connect this USB-powered keyboard controller to the MIDIO128 directly, so that midi data can go from the keyboard to the MIDIO128? In this case, you have to use the midi in/out connections of the core, this can not be achieved by an USB connection.

Also the USB plug of the MIDIO128 does not deliver currency, when it is powered by an external psu.

 

How would your setup look like?

 

1. MIDIO128 -> PC/Mac    and     keyboard -> PC/Mac

 

for this scenario I would recommend an active usb hub, where you can connect both the MIDIO128 and the USB-powered keyboard controller. But here no direct connection is possible, everything has to go through the computer.

 

2. Keyboard -> MIDIO128 -> PC/Mac

 

the keyboard here has to be connected via midi in/out, the USB connection can not be shared.

 

3. Keyboard -> MIDIO128 -> Synths/other Midi gear

 

the keyboard here also has to be connected via midi in/out, the USB plug does not deliver currency.

 

 

It is possible to build in a seperate plug for 5V that matches the USB cabel. It could be connected to an open 5V line on the inside. But it would not be possible to send/receive midi data over the usb connection anymore.

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The setup idea was the third one on your list, i.e. controller -> MIDIO128 -> various midi equipment, no computers involved. It was for an guitar FX / midi case I've built for easy portability and band rehearsal purposes (and why not for use in the studio as well :-). Our keyboardist already has two full-sized keyboards on the stand, and adding a third one (with an extra stand) felt unnecessary, had the USB option been available in the form I originally thought.

 

9632989465_708131c63c_o.jpg

 

 

From what you write it sounds like a USB-powered minicontroller won't work the way I thought it might, so maybe we have to go for a clunkier controller for the vocoder, Blofeld & Midibox sample player (under the guitar pedals) after all.

 

Thanks for all replies!

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