SB joystickport for MIDI

[Byron G. Jacquot]

>While I was working on an implementation of
>Diner's midi2cv sync converter some questions
>popped up in my mind. I was thinking since i 
>will most of the time hook up the device with
>MIDI feed from the computer why waste money 
>on a Joystickport->MIDI cabel. Why not have
>both a joystickport connector and a midi DIN
>connector in the sync box. However reading thru 
>som MIDI facts I am not totally sure on how to
>connect it. So if someone could please look at
>my solution and say if it is wrong or not I
>would appriciate it very much.
>As you can see in the picture all that is done 
>to the original scheme is to connect the port
>connector to the DIN connector.

IF you've got the right pins for the joystick connector, then things will
work...to some degree at least.  Without knowing exactly what you want this
box to be able to sync up, it's hard to verify.

The way you have it, with the DIN convertor handing off the MIDI in that's
shared with the computer, any MIDI clock information sent into the computer
will also be converted to DIN clock.  This is useful is you have an external
sequencer that you want both the computer and DIN devices to slave to.

If you want the computer to the the clock master, then you should find out
which pin on the joystick port is the computer's MIDI output, and use that
to drive the output port and the PIC.  This is probably the more useful
configuration, because even when you're using an external sequencer, and
slaving the computer to it, you can comfigure the computer's MIDI out to
echo those clock events.  This would allow you to sync the computer & DIn to
an external unit, or use the computer as master.

You might also want to break the computer's MIDI out to it's own port.
Check out http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/interface.html#pc for some
more thoughts on the PC side of this.

You might also be able to get enough power to drive everything from the
joystick port, and not need an extra powersupply.

Byron Jacquot