RANT: Jesus all I want is a MIDI to USB connection!!

DeVore · 07-07-2009 01:39PM #1

Last time it was a sustain pedal. I went around ALL the major shops and not one had a single, common-or-garden, standard sustain pedal. Eventually Musicmaker sorted me out but not for several weeks even then. Its not like I was looking for a bridge for a sitar or anything...

Now I am looking for a MIDI to USB bridge because I've started my first ever composition and its time to lay the tracks down. (thoroughly enjoying that, will post about it later).

These things must be made from angels hair and banshee teeth because not one shop in the Golden Triangle of Waltons, MusicMaker and X-Music have one. (Ok X-Music was closed today so I'll try them tomorrow but I wont be holding my breath).

Its shocking how much kit these places have but the very basics, sustain pedals and connections seem to be extraordinaraily hard to come by.

GAH! I'll try Peats.

DeV.

Kintarō Hattori · 07-07-2009 03:30PM

None in stock at the moment I'm afraid but you've reminded me I need to order them.

Edit: OOhhhh there might be some.......... hang on.

Dord · 07-07-2009 04:01PM

It seems to be the same with any basic item.... ridiculous. I went into music maker the other day looking for a Shure SM57 microphone which is probably the most popular microphone in existence. None.

Anywho... Xmusic have what you want.
http://www.xmusic.ie/product.php?productid=21030

Kintarō Hattori · 07-07-2009 04:24PM

PM sent.

Kintarō Hattori · 07-07-2009 04:47PM

Don't eat me alive if these are expensive but a USB to Midi adapter normally costs €49.99 but Peats (Parnell street store) will drop down to €39.99 for boardsies.

Gaspode · 07-07-2009 05:08PM

Tried Thomann?

http://www.thomann.de/ie/search_dir.html?sw=usb+midi+interface&oa=pra

Alter-Ego · 07-07-2009 06:03PM

Maplin have them. Pricey though.

-=al=- · 07-07-2009 06:09PM

ive this bad boy for about 20 i got it from thomann with a keyboard i got a while back works pretty good and not to expensive

i beleive i seen some in xmusic before

feylya · 07-07-2009 06:42PM

Find someone with a broken Guitar Hero World Tour drum kit. Red Octance were sending out free usb-midi converters for a while. Mine appears to have become lost in the post though :mad:

Welease · 07-07-2009 06:59PM

+1 for Maplins.. bought mine when we lived in the UK for about 15 quid.

Johnny Storm · 07-07-2009 07:24PM

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11277

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.730

Thank me later;)

OK-Cancel-Apply · 07-07-2009 07:46PM

OP I was looking for the very same item a while back. I looked on ebay and they seemed to be available for 2 or 3 squids, but of course, cost 30-40 in Irish shops.

Adyx · 07-07-2009 07:47PM

Johnny Storm wrote: »

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11277

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.730

Thank me later;)

I have the second one and it works ok with my Bass POD XT Live but no joy with my POD 2.0. Really annoying because I've had no luck getting the midi ports on my X-Fi breakout box to work in Vista.

Eoin Madsen · 08-07-2009 08:45AM

Maplin would be the first place in Dublin I'd think of.

Rick.N.Backer · 08-07-2009 09:13PM

I ordered one on ebay a few weeks ago and so far it has worked fine for me. I think it cost around €6.50, including shipping from Hong Kong. Im using it to link my electribe to my laptop.

OK-Cancel-Apply · 08-07-2009 10:45PM

Rick.N.Backer wrote: »

I ordered one on ebay a few weeks ago and so far it has worked fine for me. I think it cost around €6.50, including shipping from Hong Kong. Im using it to link my electribe to my laptop.

See, that's what I'm talking about. It's basically a few wires coming from a standard USB connection and going into a MIDI plug - it's not worth any more than a couple of Euros! It's a disgrace that it's being produced, marketed and sold by some as some sort of complex device. Because it just ain't!

-=al=- · 08-07-2009 11:06PM

blasphemy

i call shenanigans

etc...

yet true, its a shame

Eoin Madsen · 09-07-2009 09:52AM

OK-Cancel-Apply wrote: »

It's basically a few wires coming from a standard USB connection and going into a MIDI plug - it's not worth any more than a couple of Euros! It's a disgrace that it's being produced, marketed and sold by some as some sort of complex device. Because it just ain't!

A 5-pin DIN to USB adaptor is not what the OP is looking for. MIDI signals and USB protocol are two decades of computing apart. If there isn't a processor of some kind in between (and a driver for it), then it's not going to work with an actual MIDI device.

-=al=- · 09-07-2009 12:25PM

its just a bunch of zero's and ones midi isnt that complicated, theres no way they should be as expensive as mentioned

feylya · 09-07-2009 12:49PM

Here's the USB 2.0 standards document: click

Yup, easy peasy. :rolleyes:

Dord · 09-07-2009 01:45PM

-=al=- wrote: »

its just a bunch of zero's and ones midi isnt that complicated, theres no way they should be as expensive as mentioned

Could you make me one? :pac:

-=al=- · 09-07-2009 01:50PM

it will cost you a 10er and a packet of wheelies :pac:

and its midi im taking about here, i remeber in college we were making midi notes by figuiring out the binary code for it, usb is common and probably the most popular and widely spread connection to computers now... sure they make usb mug warmers

Red Sleeping Beauty · 09-07-2009 02:28PM

It's a bitch when you can't find little things you want. I needed a potentiometer and Xmusic were no use to me.

Eoin Madsen · 10-07-2009 12:07AM

-=al=- wrote: »

and its midi im taking about here, i remeber in college we were making midi notes by figuiring out the binary code for it, usb is common and probably the most popular and widely spread connection to computers now... sure they make usb mug warmers

I realise you're employing hyperbole, but it's a terrible example in any case. Using the 5v in a USB cable to power a heating element is something a moron could figure out with a little time. Digital conversion, not so much.

I'm not saying it needs to cost 60 euros, but it shouldn't cost less than 15 or you pretty much have to be buying junk. There are two relatively complex connectors - at least one of which is in low demand and supply - a length of 5 core cable which has to be decent quality since MIDI is sensitive, and some kind of IC to package the ones and zeros into the right packages of ones and zeros. And it has to be assembled by someone.

-=al=- · 10-07-2009 12:24AM

ill assemble 20 of them for a packet of wheelies and a tenner

either way overpricing is bollocks

actually prices have decressed lately to something that simiarly happened in the 30's

Dord · 10-07-2009 07:52AM

ok, do it. i'm sure we can get a tenner and a pack of wheelies somewhere. when can we expect them to be done?

feylya · 10-07-2009 09:05AM

Right folks, there was a topic. Let's get back onto it

OK-Cancel-Apply · 10-07-2009 10:04AM

Guys, I'm not seeing anything here except 3 plugs and a cable:

DeVore · 12-07-2009 12:50PM

Thanks all for letting me vent. The point was that I want one *that day* (I'm an impatient bugger) so I didnt want to order online. The shops were all telling me "we could order it for you" and I was thinking "I could order it for myself buddy, the only ONLY advantage you have right now is the immediacy of your supply". Dont get me wrong, both XMusic and MusicMaker were very nice and helpful and suggested alternatives. Eventually found one from Instrumental on the quays (sorry Hataori, I would have given you the business if I had seen your reply in time).

Now of course, I cant get the drivers installed but thats another days problem...

DeV.

Red Sleeping Beauty · 12-07-2009 01:13PM

I hate that "we can order it for you" thing as well.

RANT: Jesus all I want is a MIDI to USB connection!!

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