[sdiy] MIDI output current and MIDI-driven gadgets

Mike Bryant mbryant at futurehorizons.com
Thu Jun 4 15:57:10 CEST 2026


Not sure where you are seeing a hub ?   Most sound generating boxes with USB can operate in either mode so you can plug a keyboard straight in, no hub, PC or anything just as you would with DIN.
________________________________
From: Benjamin Tremblay <btremblay at me.com>
Sent: 04 June 2026 14:35
To: Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
Cc: Synth DIY <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] MIDI output current and MIDI-driven gadgets

If USB wasn’t a hub-based protocol with a built-in cost of adoption.
The actual wiring for USB is just fine and getting better all the time. What’s wrong for MIDI is this 90s-era idea of a “peripheral” Zip drive that is powered by your gateway 2000 laptop. All that brilliant design thinking ruined USB for MIDI because a hub is nothing but a toll gate we already paid for and nobody wants. Does anyone really want a hub at all?

Benjamin Tremblay

On Jun 4, 2026, at 9:30 AM, Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com> wrote:


You mean USB ?  🙂
________________________________
From: Synth-diy <synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org> on behalf of Benjamin Tremblay via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
Sent: 04 June 2026 14:19
To: Synth DIY <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] MIDI output current and MIDI-driven gadgets

Why can’t we just develop a new protocol based on cheap UARTs and passive components that runs I dunno 25x faster and works like patch cords instead of hubs, isn’t gated by some consortium, and is backward compatible if you add a cheap adapter?


Benjamin Tremblay

> On Jun 4, 2026, at 8:47 AM, Neil Johnson via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
>
> --===============5548024699760001422==
> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000c4be9406536cb882"
>
> --000000000000c4be9406536cb882
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> Mike Bryant wrote:
>
>> Agree on the spec, but 48V would destroy many of these Chinese MIDI
>> devices that omit the opto-isolator =F0=9F=98=84
>>
>
> Yes - the bonus feature.
>
> Neil
>
> --000000000000c4be9406536cb882
> Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> <div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">Mike Bryant wrote:</div><div class=3D"gma=
> il_quote gmail_quote_container"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"=
> margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-lef=
> t:1ex"><div class=3D"msg-4663179895464832597">
>
>
>
>
> <div dir=3D"ltr">
> <div style=3D"font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Cali=
> bri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
> Agree on the spec, but 48V would destroy many of these Chinese MIDI devices=
> that omit the opto-isolator
> <span id=3D"m_-4663179895464832597=F0=9F=98=84">=F0=9F=98=84</span></div></=
> div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Yes - the bonus feature.</div><d=
> iv><br></div><div>Neil</div></div></div>
>
> --000000000000c4be9406536cb882--
>
> --===============5548024699760001422==
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> Content-Disposition: inline
>
> ________________________________________________________
> This is the Synth-diy mailing list
> Submit email to: Synth-diy at synth-diy.org
> View archive at: https://synth-diy.org/pipermail/synth-diy/
> Check your settings at: https://synth-diy.org/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
> Selling or trading? Use marketplace at synth-diy.org
>
> --===============5548024699760001422==--

________________________________________________________
This is the Synth-diy mailing list
Submit email to: Synth-diy at synth-diy.org
View archive at: https://synth-diy.org/pipermail/synth-diy/
Check your settings at: https://synth-diy.org/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
Selling or trading? Use marketplace at synth-diy.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://synth-diy.org/pipermail/synth-diy/attachments/20260604/2147b6b0/attachment.htm>


More information about the Synth-diy mailing list