midi to non-midi card

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monstertruck

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how would i use midi (if possible ) on a card like the ECHO MIA which has analoge and coaxial IO's but no midi in/outs?

2) do USB soundcards sound any different or lose any quality compared to the pci slot ones?
 
monstertruck said:
how would i use midi (if possible ) on a card like the ECHO MIA which has analoge and coaxial IO's but no midi in/outs?
Click to expand...
You can use software based synths (DXi, VSTi, etc...) for playback MIDI, but if you want to record MIDI from external controller, then you need other card handling the MIDI job... :)

monstertruck said:
2) do USB soundcards sound any different or lose any quality compared to the pci slot ones?
Click to expand...
I never used USB one, so I can't tell you exactly. But from the most that I readed, as long as they can handle similiar spec (sample rate, bit rate, etc) I believe quality is not the issue. The most issued about USB were the latency, and drivers (compability). But once again, I'm not the expert on this USB field :o

;)
Jaymz

...please consider Pre-ordering Homerecording.Comp CD's Vol 2 :)
 
USB has has limited bandwidth compared to PCI devices. You can maybe get four simultaneous tracks recorded at 16-bit/44.1-kHz if you are lucky. If all you are going to ever do is record one or maybe two tracks at a time like many of us home recers do, though, that might not be a real issue.
 
well if i were using software based synths ( which is what i plan to do) then wouldn't i need to have a soundcard that has midi in/out just to use a keyboard as a controller for the synths?

or could i record midi by using a seperate USB midi interface , but then i guess the midi would not be going through a soundcard , so could i still record with the software synths just through a USB midi interface?
 
If you are buying an Echo Mia just leave the old soundblaster card in the computer and disable audio mapping and use the MIDI I/O.

It should be fine.
 
A lot of guys, myself included, have good times with the Midisport 2x2 by midiman..

good times.

x0x0
 
or could i record midi by using a seperate USB midi interface , but then i guess the midi would not be going through a soundcard , so could i still record with the software synths just through a USB midi interface?
Click to expand...

It's irrelevant whether the MIDI interface is on the same hardware device as the audio stream. You understand the difference beyweem audio and MIDI? If not, better do some reading or you will be mystified.

The MIDI interface, whether USB or serial port or on a soundcard, will route MIDI data into and out of your computer.

Soft synths respond to MIDI messages from wherever (the MIDI in port, or a sequence) and pipe their output through an audio data stream.
 
camn said:
A lot of guys, myself included, have good times with the Midisport 2x2 by midiman..

good times.

x0x0
Click to expand...

There are issues with USB MIDI interfaces as far as keeping accurate timing goes. It has to do with the USB communications protocol. It isn't a well known fact but has come up over at harmony-central.com
 
^may be due to inconsistencies between machines... I've never had any problem with my MidisportUSB 2x2.

I also had an SBLive in my last DAW with my Mia. Was a great combination.

But I mainly had the SBLive there to play soundfonts and in my new DAW, I bought the Bismark BS-16 soundfont synth and eliminated the need for an SBLive card. I now just have my Mia and MidisportUSB.

(There is also the new MiaMidi card that comes with an included Midi interface by the way....)
 
AlChuck said:
USB has has limited bandwidth compared to PCI devices.
Click to expand...

Sure- but only USB 1.0 will provide the bottleneck you describe.
USB 2.0 runs like a FireWire: That will give you plenty of tracks.

As for MIDI I use a 2 Port S/E from MusicQuest. It attaches via the parallel port and is a 2x2 interface.
 
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