Powerbook 1400 Serial MIDI switching

[tsun]

I'm trying to set up my PB1400 running OS 9.0 to work with a Midiman Bi-Port MIDI interface, which has drivers for OMS 2.3.8. However, the 1400 has the switching modem/printer single serial port on the rear, and OMS insists on automatically searching for interfaces rather than allowing the user to define it. Predictably, OMS can't find anything attached to the serial port. I have also tested this with a Roland SD-20 and a Korg AG-10, both of which have appropriate drivers, and tried different cables all around.

I found an ancient AppleFritter thread about this issue with the 1400 and other Powerbooks which has some clues, specifically using the files reset-serial-port-2.1.sit.hqx or serialsetter-1.0.sit.hqx to force any part of the system using the serial port to give up control and allow OMS to take over. But, the only place these files seem to possibly exist is an Arizona MUG FTP which requires a non-anonymous login, with old links found here which is itself a mirror of an ancient EarthLink personal page. Does anyone know anywhere else to find those files? They look like something that would have been floating around on old MUG freeware disks, maybe?

It also looks like there might be a hardware hack to force the Powerbook serial port to correctly signal an Opcode Studio 3 MIDI interface, but there's no way to know if that's specific to the Studio 3 or if it works more generally with other MIDI interfaces or serial devices. Opcode states on their FAQ of the time that their later MIDI interfaces don't need that, so it may well just be a design fault in the Studio 3. I'd rather not have to try to buy yet another vintage MIDI device with the hope that it will work with my 1400 specifically before trying a software solution, if those old utilities can be found.

Anyone have any experience or familiarity with these issues? There was a thread here last year that mentions it but no conclusions were found.

 

[Realitystorm]

Looks like the reset files are on this disk image https://www.jagshouse.com/fkeys.html

 

[Snial]

I'm trying to set up my PB1400 running OS 9.0 to work with a Midiman Bi-Port MIDI interface, which has drivers for OMS 2.3.8. However, the 1400 has the switching modem/printer single serial port on the rear, and OMS insists on automatically searching for interfaces rather than allowing the user to define it.
...
Anyone have any experience or familiarity with these issues? There was a thread here last year that mentions it but no conclusions were found.

I wasn't really very interested in running OMS, because my original goal was to run Cubase Lite, which accesses the serial port directly. I couldn't get Cubase Lite to work properly even though a few other direct Midi-based apps would work. Fortunately I found a full version of eMagic's Micrologic Fun 4.x on a MacFormat UK CD and used that (which also supported direct MIDI). All I wanted was a simple MIDI-based sequencer with a Cubase-like interface. I then (amazingly) managed to track down the authors from the About Box which lead me to asking a current Apple Exec for Logic for permission to upload it on Macintosh Garden, which was granted

Is it possible to use direct MIDI access with the Midiman Bi-Port MIDI interface? I guess at best it could only use 1 port, but then you could at least prove some functionality using Micrologic Fun. Micrologic Fun, I think also works with OMS, so then you'd be able to prove the same thing with OMS and then perhaps switch to the actual app you want.

 

[tsun]

Looks like the reset files are on this disk image https://www.jagshouse.com/fkeys.html

Thanks, but it looks like Jagshouse also no longer has anonymous FTP login and I can't download it.

I wasn't really very interested in running OMS, because my original goal was to run Cubase Lite, which accesses the serial port directly. I couldn't get Cubase Lite to work properly even though a few other direct Midi-based apps would work. Fortunately I found a full version of eMagic's Micrologic Fun 4.x on a MacFormat UK CD and used that (which also supported direct MIDI). All I wanted was a simple MIDI-based sequencer with a Cubase-like interface. I then (amazingly) managed to track down the authors from the About Box which lead me to asking a current Apple Exec for Logic for permission to upload it on Macintosh Garden, which was granted

Is it possible to use direct MIDI access with the Midiman Bi-Port MIDI interface? I guess at best it could only use 1 port, but then you could at least prove some functionality using Micrologic Fun. Micrologic Fun, I think also works with OMS, so then you'd be able to prove the same thing with OMS and then perhaps switch to the actual app you want.

I'll give it a try, the Biport is an intelligent device so I'm not sure how it will react. It can be used in standalone mode as a MIDI 2 to 4 thru box and SMTPE timecode reader/writer.

 

[Phipli]

Thanks, but it looks like Jagshouse also no longer has anonymous FTP login and I can't download it.

I'll give it a try, the Biport is an intelligent device so I'm not sure how it will react. It can be used in standalone mode as a MIDI 2 to 4 thru box and SMTPE timecode reader/writer.

Use the force Luke...

I think it is in here.

 

[tsun]

Thanks for attaching it, I was able to get it over to the 1400 in a round-about way. Might be worth uploading the contents of that disk somewhere else at some point.

I've tried Micrologic Fun, it didn't detect the Biport. I used the Reset Serial program and I assume that it worked, it didn't allow OMS to find the Biport to use the driver and also didn't help Fun. I assume the Reset Serial program is doing something, it's fairly simple and predates OS 9.

At this point I think I may need to buy a different interface, something like an Opcode Studio 4 or later which should be compatible by Opcode's own statements, but it's a lot more than what I want to do with this. The end goal is to use Bias Peak, Recycle and some other software with an old ESI-32 sampler for SMDI SCSI sample editing and data transfers, but at least Recycle expects to also have a MIDI connection via OMS. It would be nice to also be able to sequence the ESI-32 directly on the same Powerbook that's doing all the chopping and looping.

 

[Phipli]

I'd give it all a try in an older OS 9 is a bit new for a PB1400. Try 8.1?

OMS should just work with just about any serial MIDI interface, they speak a fairly standardised language. I wouldn't buy an other interface expecting different behaviour.

The end goal is to use Bias Peak, Recycle and some other software with an old ESI-32 sampler for SMDI SCSI sample editing and data transfers, but at least Recycle expects to also have a MIDI connection via OMS.

That... feels ambitious for a PB1400. Not the machine I'd reach for for Peak.

 

[tsun]

I'd give it all a try in an older OS 9 is a bit new for a PB1400. Try 8.1?

OMS should just work with just about any serial MIDI interface, they speak a fairly standardised language. I wouldn't buy an other interface expecting different behaviour.

That... feels ambitious for a PB1400. Not the machine I'd reach for for Peak.

2.5 should work fine, but I've already confirmed it works with Alchemy. The system is too complete to roll back to a previous OS, but it's never worked with any interface so I do agree it doesn't make sense to buy a different one. The SMDI interface requires SCSI and the 1400 is the newest Mac I have that has SCSI, the other one is a Powerbook 190 that doesn't have audio. The 1400 also has a video output for a second monitor that makes it easier to work with, and 64mb of ram.

 

[Phipli]

2.5 should work fine, but I've already confirmed it works with Alchemy. The system is too complete to roll back to a previous OS, but it's never worked with any interface so I do agree it doesn't make sense to buy a different one. The SMDI interface requires SCSI and the 1400 is the newest Mac I have that has SCSI, the other one is a Powerbook 190 that doesn't have audio. The 1400 also has a video output for a second monitor that makes it easier to work with, and 64mb of ram.

Which speed 1400 is it?

 

[tsun]

133, so not the best but much better than the 117.