Okay, so I have a µA1-C coming my way...and of course a serial port isn't included...it seems that a serial port is a pain in the butt to find for this thing...and even if it had a serial port, I'd bet my ProMIDI interface wouldn't work with it anyway, as from "Classic" Amiga experience, I've found it will only work with the built-in classic serial port; won't work with add-ons, nor will it work unless it's connected DIRECTLY to the port, no pass-through.

Thing is...MIDI is important to me. Anybody have any ideas as to how to use MIDI on a µA1? Will a PCI-based MIDI card be my best bet?

The way I do MIDI right now is via my Amiga 4000 and OctaMED Sound Studio...

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@dauber

1) E-UAE when serial emulation is added,

2) there is work underway to port a important camd.library this will make midi work for some apps under AmigaOS4.0

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@dauber

More information for you..
MIDI is a type of serial, but at an unusual BAUD rate (speed).
Classic Amigas had a very flexible baud settings, and could
do MIDI easily. (31,250 baud, I think). "normal" serial ports
aren't set up for that rate.The Ua1-C has a serial port, it's
just not brought out to a connector. It probably can't handle
the baud rate needed for midi though.

All is not lost: The 15 pin joystick connector on the back of
your board should include connections for a MIDI port! You'll
need a "MPU-401" compatible MIDI cable to get at it though.

That solves the hardware problem... But software will have to
wait until CAMD.library is ported. I'm sure someone is working
on it, and I've promised to help if I can ever get my hands on
an AmigaOne motherboard of some type.

So, you are right, your ProMidi interface won't work on the new
hardware. But MIDI support is coming..

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Thanks for the MIDI rundown for new Amigas. This is the best progress report I've heard so far. It'll be nice when HDRec and Bars&Pipes are up and running with CAMD.library (although I think Alfred has come a long way with the latter).

HDRec was looking very nice when it was released as a demo not long ago, but I haven't heard much about it lately.

TJH

@TJH132

Agreed..
Alfred has done amazing work on B&P since it was released by Todor.
Luckily I have both the classic source and the source to his
latest MOS release, so I hope to include as many of his improvements
as possible.
My work on Bars won't begin until CAMD is working though. I have a half-
dozen CAMD tools with source here that I can use to begin testing.

Patience my &**%# , I want to code something!

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Exellent post ... absolutely! :)

Miikka

All:

Do anyone have quite complete manual for uA1-C ?? Didn't find it from website of eye-tech nor MAI ...

I'm just curious about tech specs :)


Miikka

@lylehaze

Great to hear.

A little question springs to mind, since OS4 GMPlay (a midi player with
own instrument drawers) refuses to work, will there be a solution to get suvh
programs to work again. It's just that i can't listen to midi tunes from the
internet anymore

@lylehaze

VIA's datasheets make reference to the 686B's serial ports being able to run at Midi rate, but the OS4 serial driver doesn't seem support that yet.

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@Raziel

I don't know. It depends on how GMPlay is written, and
how difficult it would be to incorporate CAMD and AHI
into it's code.

I suppose it could be done without either or both of the above,
but I wouldn't.

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Well, i do hope for some little native MIDI-player when OS4 becomes available.
Also some sort of MIDI.library which one can use in such a player (or is this
what CAMD will become/is)?

@DrBombcrater

I'd love to see the datasheets you mention.

I can probably get all I need from the UART mode
of the gameport MIDI connection, but being able
to use more ports means more MIDI channels
to play with. I have CAMD code for using the
serial.device, so that may be workable. Hitting
the hardware directly can be done if needed,
though. I am sure I'll need to do that for the
internal gameport.

I have a Yamaha synth here that can accept 48
channels of MIDI through it's serial port, using
32 channels locally and passing 16 more out the
MIDI connection. This makes the synth a sort of
serial to MIDI interface with 3X expander. This
does NOT require an unusual baud rate.

The beauty of CAMD is that you only need to support
these in the library, then all the programs that use
CAMD have access to all the supported toys.

All things in due time, I suppose.

LyleHaze

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@Raziel

Quote:

Also some sort of MIDI.library which one can use in such a player (or is this what CAMD will become/is)?

Exactly. CAMD is "Commode Amiga Midi Device" (Driver?)
It provides a means for sharing and interconnecting streams of MIDI data.

Think of it as a big MIDI patch panel. It's not a file player, but it provides the
foundation for one, as well as providing the "connections" to the MIDI in and
out ports on your machine.


WooHoo, fun stuff!

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Thanks for the info, i better go and look for a player already using CAMD.
Maybe this will work when the native CAMD becomes available!

EDIT: PlayMF out of the CAMD_ToolKit would be a candidate?

Last edited by Raziel on 09-Jan-2005 at 08:58 PM.

@lylehaze

Quote:

I'd love to see the datasheets you mention.

It's in here somewhere

Been a while since I looked at the serial stuff in any detail, but I'm pretty sure there's a bit you can flip in the 686B's serial control register to lock the tx/rx rate at 31250bps. I think there's also bits for making the ports operate at 460,000bps, which may be useful to someone.

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@Raziel

Quote:

EDIT: PlayMF out of the CAMD_ToolKit would be a candidate?

Sounds like a candidate to me, that's half the battle.
Now we need someone to write an AHI CAMD node, for those who want to use
internal soundcard voices instead of external hardware.PlayMF is based on
GMPlay, which is apparently not AHI. According to the docs I just read, it hits
Paula directly.
If we could get that written, it would allow Amiga users to take full advantage
of their soundcard for MIDI programs, instead of requiring external synthesizers.

on a completely different subject:
One thing I'm curious about... The SE and XE boards have non-functional
built-in sound, but I wonder if the built-in MIDI/Gameports are working?
That would be an extra 16 channels of MIDI if they're working.

I've also contacted a few manufacturers about supporting USB MIDI ports,
but I've had ZERO responses so far. I guess we're not big enough to
warrant a response yet.

I am hoping that bringing Bars&Pipes up to speed will give the Amiga a bit
more credibility in the pro studio markets.

There is certainly a future for the AmigaOne in the music studio. I'll see to that
personally if need be.

LyleHaze

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@DrBombcrater

Nice documentation!
A thousand thanks, sir.

I did a quick read-through and only found the standard
BRG divisor register, which can only do integer divisions
of 115,200..
I searched the doc again, seeking all occurrences of "MIDI",
and didn't see the magic bit you mentioned. I will keep
looking, but atm it looks like a standard serial port.

Thanks again for the docs, I'll keep reading.

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Quote:

I searched the doc again, seeking all occurrences of "MIDI", and didn't see the magic bit you mentioned.

I may have remembered wrong (I read a lot of datasheets!) because I was sure the Midi bit was in the Serial Port Control register (page 52 of the PDF, where the high-speed stuff is) but it's not there now that I look.

There are other revisions of that datasheet sitting on a CD somewhere, I'll try and dig them out and see if they shine any light on the subject.

Quote:

The SE and XE boards have non-functional built-in sound, but I wonder if the built-in MIDI/Gameports are working?

The SE has neither built-in sound or a game port, BTW

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@DrBombcrater

Quote:

I may have remembered wrong (I read a lot of datasheets!) because I was sure the Midi bit was in the Serial Port Control register (page 52 of the PDF, where the high-speed stuff is) but it's not there now that I look.

Mr. Bombcrater.. I do genuinely appreciate all of your help.
The documentation you have provided is invaluable. HOWEVER..
I wonder if it's a good idea for me to accept assistance that
regards doing deep work on the COM ports from a person whose
own sig describes him as a "Serial Killer"

Just Joking, of course..
Anyone who quotes Dilbert is OK in my book.

LyleHaze

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@lylehaze

Quote:

I wonder if it's a good idea for me to accept assistance that regards doing deep work on the COM ports from a person whose own sig describes him as a "Serial Killer"

You're quite safe. I've put my serial killing days behind me now. The screams were giving me headaches

Last edited by DrBombcrater on 10-Jan-2005 at 12:28 AM.

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