Rs-232 vs MIDI

[J.D. McEachin]

On Wed, 23 Apr 1997, Paul Schreiber wrote:

> Actually, MIDI is RS-232 with a different physical medium (in this case, a isolated current loop).
> 
> My thinking was PC centric (forgive me. I was in the PC business too long). MIDI means MPU-401
> programming, which with DirectX and JAVA, the API level is probably easier than in my realm of thinking.
> 
> Also, I like my little Toshiba laptop and I was sort of thinking of using that to show patch data,
> etc.

You can actually go even higher - use an app like SoundDiver to build a 
programming "environment".

> I suppose adding MIDI is just a baud rate change and $4 worth of hardware on the synth side. So
> why not? 

Getting the  MIDI state machine right is a nontrivial task, but worth it 
in terms of compatibility.


> That's why I need feedback, because all syth designs (every design, for that matter) is done under a
> mindset which always has alterior motives.

God I love the Net.

> BTW: If you are a digital sort, check out www.crystal.com which is the homepage
> of Crystal Semiconductor. They make two Titan style chips: a dual 16 bit AD and a companion dual
> 16 bit DAC. So? They are each in a 8 pin part!!!!

Cool.  Must be a serial interface.

JDM