USB midi interface that works!!

[grappa]

Hi all,

Anyone recommend something - could do with 8 ports if possible.

I've got an Midisport 2 x 2 interface at the mo and it's rubbish - keeps disappearing, playing up..arghh

Appreciate any advice.

Si

[dawman]

USB is an afterthought and even my external Plextor USB DVD-R drive sucks unless I run it through another cheap piece of shit USB Hub.
Seems like if you give the USB a little more electricity as in the powered 9 dollar Chinese junkwagon Hubs, it will work. At least until the plastic melts.
I incorporated my ancient MIDI 1U hardware long ago and never once have issues.
When trying to use USB only, even with power, stuck notes and dropouts are common.
But Computer audio is still viewed as consumer electronics by most companies.
Glad to see you kickin' it Grappa............

Cheers.

[spacef]

my umg-1 has been rock solid so far (all the cakewalk midi stuff i have is rock solid).
you can chain the umg-3 for 9 midi i/o
or may be the motu midi express 128 for 8 ins and 9 outs in a 19' rack (never tried it though)

[siriusbliss]

IF you MUST use USB for MIDI, then I highly recommend using a powered hub.

Greg

[bosone]

i have built this one
http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_usb_gm5.html
with 5 in/out
and it's rock solid on win 7 64 bit!

[jksuperstar]

I've have an Emagic AMT8, which can operate standalone, but when attached to a PC, it just becomes an I/O device. Never had problems.

I also have a MOTU Express, which can operate stand-alone, and also still route in hardware while the PC is attached. More complex, but also much better. Also never had problems.

[valis]

I have a Midisport 4x4, Midisport 2x2, Midisport Uno or whatever (single thing), the Emu version of that single thing, and both a MOTU MidiTimePiece AV & the Micro Express that is a cut down version of it. All of them work fine at this point on Xp, Vista, Win7 & OSX 10.5.x & 10.6.x. If your midisport 2x2 is having issues and hasn't had some sort of physical impact maybe it's the usb cable or connection? Also the recommendation of a powered hub is a good one, it eliminates several issues (EHCI/UHCI issues with shutdown/sleep/hibernate, power issues with some boards & windows issues with multiple drivers for USB audio/midi when you don't pay attn to what onboard port you're plugging things into.)

[grappa]

Chaps,

Thanks so much for your posts and apologies for the delay in responding

Gonna tray the powered hub first on the Midisport - failing that I think I'll try a UMG-3.

Si

[spacef]

all my Belkin powered hubs , be it 4 or 7 inputs, new or old design, have caused only problems. The 7 input ones have died pitifully (be it old or new version). With a Belkin hub, I had all kind of problems: devices not recognized, devices not recognized when plugged on some ports but work fine when plugged into other ports, plugs that don't work at all anymore, impossibility to "reboot" the hub (does not switch on when replugged both power/usb) .. etc etc... The only belkin hub I have left is less than 12 month old, and works only with a max of 3 devices, plugged into specific ports (or it won't allow pc to switch on).....

The only hubs I have that I trust now are from D-link (7 inputs, usb cable is the "big" size, not the tiny one). The don't have a led to show what device is connected or working (leds are always on... what great problem-solving engineers ) , but it doesn't matter at all, as they never failed (i have two of them, where i plug either midi, audio, input devices, hard disks etc...). I advise this brand because i had good experience and they are also half the price of the Belkin. I hope you'll have as good experience as myself (ie, forget the existence of the hub).