Re: MIDI help

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <4477.UUL1.3#25274@ace.com>, Luigi <luigi@ace.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello....does anyone know how much a MIDI card for the GS costs?

Nope, but I can tell you roughly what is available.

There are at least two MIDI interfaces that are supported by the IIgs
System Software.  (Others may be supported by writing a driver.)

The first is the Apple MIDI interface, which is a small box that plugs
into either serial port.  It is powered from the serial port, and
contains the necessary hardware to interface to MIDI.  I think it has
a single MIDI IN and a single MIDI OUT connector.

The second is a card from Passport Systems.  I've never seen this, so
I don't know what it provides in the way of connectors.

The Audio Animator card from Applied Engineering also provided a MIDI
interface, but I know even less about this - it may have been
compatible with the Passport card, or AE may have provided a driver
for it.

> Also, I have a speaker set for my GS with no MIDI (yet...?) but will a
> MIDI controller like the MIDI Cdev do anything?

The MIDI Control Panel is used to set up the MIDISynth tool set,
telling it where to find your MIDI device.  It doesn't do much by itself.

The SynthLAB program included in System 6.0 and 6.0.1 can control and
be controlled by an external MIDI device.  It can play music through
the IIgs's sound output (in stereo, if you have a stereo card).  It
produces the best sounding music of any program I've heard (not that
I've heard them all).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand