XLR to laptop?

electrogrimey

Just realised that the keyboard that's been lying round the house for years has got Midi ins and outs at the back, but they're XLR. If I could connect it to my Macbook I'm sure I could use it as a make-shift Traktor controller until the X1 comes out, so does anyone know how I could (easily) connect an XLR Midi port to my Macbook?

Seeing as it's only for a month or two, I'm not really pushed spending any more than the price of a simple lead/connection.

Zascar

www.ebay.ie is always great for weird type conenctors. I'm guessing a conenctior like this: http://cgi.ebay.ie/XLR-socket-to-Jack-Plug-http://cgi.ebay.ie/XLR-FEMALE-TO-1-4-JACK-LEAD-microphone-mic-patch-cable_W0QQitemZ300375834471QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL?hash=item45efcb7f67#ht_1786wt_939

and then this
http://cgi.ebay.ie/2-5-2-5mm-to-3-5mm-3-5-mm-Jack-Headphone-Audio-Adapter_W0QQitemZ400084808754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones?hash=item5d26e9b432#ht_1658wt_939

Should do the trick

jimi_t

electrogrimey wrote: »

Just realised that the keyboard that's been lying round the house for years has got Midi ins and outs at the back, but they're XLR. If I could connect it to my Macbook I'm sure I could use it as a make-shift Traktor controller until the X1 comes out, so does anyone know how I could (easily) connect an XLR Midi port to my Macbook?

Seeing as it's only for a month or two, I'm not really pushed spending any more than the price of a simple lead/connection.

Well the two outside pins in 5-pin DIN (Standard MIDI connection) aren't used so it'd really be a matter of just getting some dirt cheap MIDI usb interface - then stripping one end of a MIDI cable to the bare wire and soldering the three main wires to the XLR pins as in the pin out.



2= Ground, 4= +5v on a multimeter, 5 = the other one. 1/3= Nothing connected

Its messy and will prevent you from using XLR based MIDI again with the keyboard (as if you would) but it'll work.Alternatively you could buy an XLR->DIN lead on ebay, but where's the fun in that?

electrogrimey

Zascar wrote: »

www.ebay.ie is always great for weird type conenctors. I'm guessing a conenctior like this: http://cgi.ebay.ie/XLR-socket-to-Jack-Plug-http://cgi.ebay.ie/XLR-FEMALE-TO-1-4-JACK-LEAD-microphone-mic-patch-cable_W0QQitemZ300375834471QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL?hash=item45efcb7f67#ht_1786wt_939

and then this
http://cgi.ebay.ie/2-5-2-5mm-to-3-5mm-3-5-mm-Jack-Headphone-Audio-Adapter_W0QQitemZ400084808754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones?hash=item5d26e9b432#ht_1658wt_939

Should do the trick

That looks easy enough actually, and the laptop'll pick up the signals grand yeah? Would you be able to get those kind of connections in peats/dixons I wonder?

jimi_t wrote: »

stripping one end of a MIDI cable to the bare wire and soldering the three main wires to the XLR pins as in the pin out.

:eek:

Zascar

Maplin in the best place for these type things

electrogrimey

Zascar wrote: »

Maplin in the best place for these type things

Cheers, I'll check it out tomorrow.

jtsuited

jeepers a keyboard that outputs midi on xlr. rare. but makes sense.

heard a funny urban legend about the 5 pin din system of midi back in college. the story goes that because 5 pin din had become obsolete in the mic lead world (due to the rise of xlr) MMA (which was comprised of different companies like roland etc.) decided they could get them for dirt cheap and sell them at a colossal profit if they implemented a system that used them. Hence midi using 5 pin even though it only uses 3.

The reason they gave for using the 5 pin system was that future midi developments might utilise the 2 redundant pins.

I have no idea which story is true.

jimi_t

electrogrimey wrote: »

:eek:

[Rant]
You can't call yourself a 'real' electronic musician if you don't know how to solder. Thats a two minute job, even for a complete novice. Learn to solder and you'll never be short of the appropriate lead or adaptor ever again - plus you can pick up a bit of cash doing guitar tech work and the like.

[/Rant] but I was up till 6am this morning calibrating trim pots on this



so i'm entitled to be indignant

jtsuited wrote: »

...decided they could get them for dirt cheap and sell them at a colossal profit if they implemented a system that used them. Hence midi using 5 pin even though it only uses 3.

I reckon that it was just that 5 pin DIN were cheap and generic. You'll see them all the time on vintage VCRs, PCs or even on contemporary weighing scales, anything involving industrial timers etc...

The reason they gave for using the 5 pin system was that future midi developments might utilise the 2 redundant pins.

I think the main problem with it is the transfer rate, which no amount of extra pins was going to fix. The only possible use of those two redundant pins would be to power outboard gear similar to the USB standard. Elektron make a proprietary 'TurboMIDI' interface but there really hasn't been a change in the standard in over 2 decades.

electrogrimey

Christ, went into Maplins today and found an XLR to USB lead, fcucking €35, I could get a whole new MIDI keyboard on ads for that price...

VinylJunkie

Never buy cables in maplins they are a rip off, get them off ebay. Although after a quick search they seem to be an expensive cable.

Zascar

Ask Jimi_T I'm sure he'll solder it for you for tenner

electrogrimey

I'm half in the mind to pick up one of the many MIDI/DAW controllers that are on Ads for more or less the same price as the connection, but I'm just wondering whether I'd any use out of it once my X1 arrives...

VinylJunkie

Buy the keyboard and use it for production as well as controlling traktor until you get the X1 + you can sell it and get your money back if you don't use it.

electrogrimey

That's what I was thinking alright. Are there any decent freeware production softwares around? Won't really be able to afford shelling out for Ableton for a while.