From: fontana@iguana.cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark Fontana)
Subject: SURVEY RESULTS: What PC MIDI interface do you use?
Followup-To: rec.music.synth
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 00:01:21 GMT


Survey results:

 Total interfaces accounted for: 65
      Manufacturers represented: 10

         Computer Music Systems:  3  ( 5%)
                  Creative Labs:  9  (14%)
                            IBM:  1  ( 1%)
                 Key Electronic:  7  (11%)
                    Mediavision:  1  ( 2%)
                        Midiman:  1  ( 1%)
                     MusicQuest: 20  (31%)
                      Optronics:  1  ( 1%)
                         Roland: 18  (28%)
                        Voyetra:  3  ( 5%)
               Other (homemade):  1  ( 1%)
  
                 MPU compatible: 44 (68%)
             NOT MPU compatible: 21 (32%)

       Average year of purchase: 1991


Detailed breakdown and comments:

Listed below are entries for each type of interface reported, along
with selected comments.  (I take no responsibility for the accuracy
of this information)


# of devices   Manufacturer  Model  (MPU-401 compatible?)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3  Computer Music Systems CMS-401 (yes)

   From: aurelio@beth.sublink.org (Aurelio Bignoli)
         Sometimes it misteriously locks, and I have to reset my PC.
         Now I am using Cakewalk Professional 4, and the problem has no
         longer appeared.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4  Creative Labs SoundBlaster (original or 2.0) (no)

   From: blave@netcom.com (David W. Blevins)
         To me, this is a toy and I need a reliable interface. IMHO...

   From: nash@biologysx.lan.nrc.ca (John Nash)
         Only for games, and the buggers shouldn't charge $75 for a
         15-pin---> midi in/out box.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
5  Creative Labs SoundBlaster Pro (no)

   From: slg@cb.att.com (Sean Gilley)
         I use SoundBlaster Pro. ... I wouldn't consider it well
         supported -- I know of two companies that make serious
         sequencers for it.  Despite some comments to contrary by others,
         it can be used for serious MIDI work.  I do it now.

   From: fontana@cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark Fontana)
         The MIDI functions in Creative Labs' toolkit are okay for
         output, but the input routines are buggy!  The SB supports
         timestamping on input, but you're on your own for output.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  IBM Multimedia Audio Capture and Playback Adapter (MACPA for MCA) (no)

   From: d89-jli@nada.kth.se (Janne Lindblad)
         It's a sampling only card with a nice DSP. The MIDI is emulated
         by a device driver. The card is available in ISA and MCA versions.
         The device driver runs in DOS and OS/2 (1.x and 2.0)
         (This free package can do the same thing for SB, IMF, PS/1 and
         some others)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4  Key Electronic Midiator 101 (no)

   From: Curt Malouin <malouin@engin.umich.edu>
         Cakewalk is the only large company outside of Key supporting it.

   From: ruprecht@corse.informatik.uni-freiburg.de (Nick Ruprecht)
         The information that came with it was hopeless, but I
         have been told they have a friendly user support.  I'm somewhat
         off-put by the lack of information in the "manual".
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2  Key Electronic MS-103 (no)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Key Electronic MS-124 (replaces MS-103) (no)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Mediavision ProAudio Spectrum (no)

   From: Vesa Karhila <Vesa.Karhila@fmi.fi>
         There are drivers for Windows 3.1 and at least Voyetra
         sequencers support it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Midiman 401 (yes)

   From: plee@panix.com (John Lee)
         The support is not very good.  I called them about a question
         I had and the tech support took two months to get back to me.
         Also the software does not support that comes with the card
         would fail if you change the default settings (IRQ and port).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
7  MusicQuest PC MIDI (yes)

   From: kimmel@titan.ucc.umass.edu (Matt Kimmel)
         Very reliable, and a really good value for the price.

   From: jeffk@grex.ann-arbor.mi.us (Jeff Kopmanis)
         Very simple 1/2 size card that does the job for a cheap price.
         (occasional interrupt conflicts)

   From: russest@ampex.com (Steve Russell)
         Jumper settings for address and interrupt - handy for crowded
         systems.

   From: Mike Durian <durian@advtech.uswest.com>
         I like it.  I bought it because I thought MPU-401 devices were
         the most common and I wanted the driver I was writing to work
         for all MPU-401 devices.  I haven't been able to test the driver
         with anything other than the board I bought, but I'm assuming
         the Music Quest is faithful to the standard.  The technical
         docs they sell are also very good.  Well, at least the doc on the
         board itself- the stuff on standard MIDI files is pretty poor.

   From: kan@dg-rtp.dg.com (Victor Kan)
         The device is pretty simple and seems reliable.  But the hardware
         and software needs to be updated to be 16-bit to take advantage
         of higher IRQs to avoid conflicts with stuff like sound cards
         that also demand to be using low IRQs for Soundblaster
         compatibility.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  MusicQuest MQX-16 (yes)
  
   From: conibear@math.carleton.ca (Dave Conibear)
         Seems to be supported by anything that supports MPU-401.
         Plus it came with some nice utilities on disk.
         No external box; cables plug into the board.
         Nice, compact design.  It's what I'd get if I had to get
         another.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3  MusicQuest MQX-16S (yes)

   From: fontana@cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark Fontana)
         Works well, and MusicQuest's customer support is excellent.
         They provide a good technical reference manual and a rather
         nice developer's toolkit (all source code included).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
9  MusicQuest MQX-32M (yes)

   From: rtaylor@hns.com (Randy Taylor)
         An excellent and well-supported device from an
         easy-to-deal-with company.
 
   From: ptl@cs.tut.fi (Launiainen Petri)
         Extremely well supported, works like a charm!

   From: jeff@millie.loc.gov (Jeff Mallory)
         Music Quest seems very keen on keeping their interfaces
         well supported, _except_ under OS/2 2.0, for which they offer
         no support!

   From: <tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu>         
         Availability of drivers and MPU-401 compatability
         sold me on the MusicQuest. Plus my own posting for
         recommendations earlier this year produced this as the most
         highly recommended card ... 

   From: Steve Pirk <pirk@MDCBBS.COM>
         The SMPTE sync functions really work, and I have never had
         a problem with program incompatability...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Optronics (model unknown) (no)

   From: kimmel@titan.ucc.umass.edu (Matt Kimmel)
         A friend of mine just bought an Optronics MIDI card.
         It's supposed to be faster than MPU-401 compatibles, but he's
         having a really hard time finding any software that
         supports it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4  Roland IPC (yes)

   From: conibear@math.carleton.ca (Dave Conibear)
         Has a small external box that I wish weren't there.

   From: BOB CONLEY <CONLEY@uservx.plk.af.mil>
         Comes with no software, but does include a detailed technical
         interface manual.

   From: NMURRAYR@cc.curtin.edu.au (Ron Murray)
         Most software seems to support it, although a lot
         of it (especially the earlier stuff) seems to assume you have
         the port address 0x330/IRQ2 combination, and won't allow change.
         (IRQ2 conflicts with a lot of EGA and up video adapters in
         graphics mode). Pity ...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
6  Roland LAPC-1 (yes)

   From: dp35@mc1adm.UWaterloo.ca (Greg Moore)
         Poor documentation came with it, and no software at all.
         All around, I have become satisfied with it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4  Roland MPU-401 (yes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4  Roland SCC-1 (yes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2  Voyetra 4001 (yes)

   From: david cole <dcole@ua.d.umn.edu>
         It is MPU compatible, and uses chips clearly marked
         "Roland" to do it.  Works fine.

   From: Greg Grimes <sasgig@unx.sas.com>
         I had trouble with it colliding with my clock card
         also using the same IRQ.  The customer support line was
         reasonable in getting me thru the problem.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Voyetra V24S (no)

   From: epkeri@kaepk2.ericsson.se (Erik Ridderby)
         2 In-port 4 out-port SMPTE-out etc.  This card is gold!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Homemade interface using hacked serial card (no)

   From: Timo Veijola <timo@picea.hut.fi>
         The interface is not compatible to any known program.
         Although, I've been capable to modify every known program
         to support the interface (Several games etc. Sierra,
         Win3.1 drivers, Finale).
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Additional comments:

From: david cole <dcole@ua.d.umn.edu>

      P.S.  I would advise anyone thinking of adding a midi port to a
      PC to consider getting a complete soundcard with the port, rather
      than just a port card.  For example, the Roland SCC-1 sells for
      $370 and includes the sound synthesis engine of the $550 Roland
      Sound Convas module, PLUS a builtin MPU-401 midi port.  Pretty
      good value.  Much the same reasoning applies to the Turtle Beach
      Multisound card, and the MediVision PAS-16 and others in that
      family.  As long as a card is being stuck in the PC, it might as
      well do some useful sound generating work as well as add a port.


Thanks to everyone who contributed to this survey, including the
following people not credited with comments above:

    peishuh@ecn.purdue.edu (Pei-Shuh F Wang)
    "adam lidz" <lidz@midway.uchicago.edu>
    "Jim....x3506" <barth@turtle.fisher.com>
    "Slan (rhymes with pawn)" <bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU>
    ekman@netcom.com (Crossly the Glad-Eyed Bear)
    sgk@cbqss1.att.com (Stanley G Kobylanski))
    Morten Aagaard <mortenaa@lise.unit.no>
    bohdan.kiszczuk@rose.com 
    ccavers@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Cam Cavers)
    SANT_M@CHO000.dnet.ge.com (Martan)
    diarmuid@uniwa.uwa.edu.au (Diarmuid Pigott)
    Patric Aalto <ap@palikka.jyu.fi>
    lchiu@animal.gcs.co.nz (Laurence Chiu)
    pwilson@gandalf.ca (Paul Wilson(Toronto-Sales))
    kking@uahcs2.cs.uah.edu (Ken King)
    faatcrl!frankc@gvls1.gvl.unisys.com (Frank Coffman)
    Bob Green <bob@inmos.co.uk>
    <mmangieri@vitro.com> (M. J. Mangieri)
    tparker@niwot.scd.ucar.EDU (Tom Parker)

--
 "IF YOU SEE ONLY ONE MOVIE THIS YEAR..."  |  Mark A. Fontana, CIS Dept
        ...you should get out more often!  |  The Ohio State University