ComputerVoltageSources

I'm not trying to 'sell' MIDI.  I typically only use it for a 
modularized Sound Canvas.  You can get interesting sounds by modifying 
the program change, not necessarily the notes.  There are a couple of 
samples on my page:

http://modularsynthesis.com/samples/samples.htm

Circus, Nightmare, and Storm are examples.  In one of these it's 
basically the same note with a different program change.

Here's my point for MIDI.  Consider it to be a simple serial 
communciations for expansion.  The programming overhead is nil and 
there is lots of flexibility.

You need more D/A's?  Connect it to a PAiA MIDI2CV.  Eight more 7 bit 
DAC's instantly available.  In running status mode, it only takes 2 
bytes for each DAC.  You can send an update to all 8 DACs in less than 
200 uS of program execution time.  The actual serial  transmission 
will take ~5 mS.  Don't think 7 bits is enough?  Consider them digital 
outputs.  I have one program that drives twelve digital and one analog 
outputs.

Have two ComputerVoltageSources? MIDI sysex would allow expansion and 
intermodule communication. Want to control some external SDI devices?  
A $3 Atmel processor can easily convert MIDI sysex messages to SPI.  
How about some external relays? My favorite is vactrols to interface 
external signal processors.  I have a neat Ibanez digital delay that 
is only ~4 vactrols away from being interfaced to my PSIM.  I can 
daisy chain my two displays together via MIDI sysex to have a 2x20 and 
a 2x8 display simultaneous.  Delays do add up but are in the order of 
~1 mS.

Consider the possibilities of MIDI as a future expandability 
mechanism.

Dave

--- In ComputerVoltageSources@yahoogroups.com, "data2action" <rdrake@
...> wrote:
> I'm not much of a midi guy, so i might want one without DIN; someone 
> else might want to use the PCB to implement a dedicated quantizer or 
> arpegiattor, they might sacrafice almost everthing, even the serial 
> port...