choice of 2x2 MIDI USB adaptor

[gwaryer]

I am delighted with my Miditzer, but wish to add a second keyboard. I am 82 and bewildered by the choices & prices of 2x2 MIDI USB adaptors. Is the E-MU XMIDI 2x2 USB Mini interface OK for me, or do I need the more expensive MINIMAN MIDISPORT 2x2 model?

Thanks, Gwaryer

[Jim Henry]

The Emu 2x2 should be fine. There is a chance that a second of whatever you are using for your first keyboard would work too. What are you using to connect your first keyboard? Maybe someone will have tried using two of them together and can tell us if you can use two at the same time.

BTW, it is almost for sure that the Emu 2x2 can be used with whatever you have now so that would give you three MIDI connections so you could add a third keyboard or pedals.

[gwaryer]

Many thanks for your help. Regards, Gwaryer

[gwaryer]

Thanks to your help, I've got my 2 keyboards working, though it took me ages to puzzle it out. Herewith details in case it is useful to other members. I have an old Yamaha PSR 8000 keyboard, set up as a MIDI keyboard only, connected to my laptop (1.6GHz) by a cheap and horrible MIDI/USB adaptor. I bought 2 of these, and one did not work at all. For the other keyboard I bought an Alesis Q49 new for £70, and fed the USB output to the laptop. I did not run the CD. I built the 2 keyboards onto a wooden frame with the Alesis slung just below. It has Ch 1 as default, and I cannot get at the Ch reset, so I left this as Ch 1 (solo). The PSR is set to output Ch 2 (Acct). Either keyboard works fine, but the laptop refused to accept both, always telling me the "keyboard (USBAD) is already in use".

After hundreds of permutations, this always works. Plug both USB plugs into laptop - one in each socket. Turn on laptop & run MIDITZER, click Settings (top left). Let's call the left window (available USBADS) L, and the right window (active USBADS) R. Both keyboards will appear in the windows as USBAD and USBAD (2). Put USBAD (2) in L and USBAD in R. If they are not, move them till they are, click OK, close down MIDITZER and start again. If you remember to set them up like this every time you shut down, it is not a problem. Now delete USBAD from R to L, click OK. Now add USBAD (2) from L to R, click OK. Finally add USBAD from L to R, click OK. Both keyboards work. This sounds complicated, but it only takes a minute, and you don't need to buy a USB 2x2.

My only problem now is the lag before sounding with the 1.6 GHz Laptop. Much better with my 2.39 GHz desktop. Gwaryer

[bdalton]

The PC allocates names to the keyboards, in your case USBAD and USBAD (2), by the USB socket they are plugged into, not to the devices themselves. So if you always plug in each keyboard to the same USB socket every time, and switch them ON before you boot the PC, you wont have to go through the procedure you are using.
I ,for one, and I guess many others new to MIDI/PC linking have had that problem.

Cheers
Barry

[gwaryer]

Many thanks Barry, for trying to help. Unfortunately it does not work for me. I always use the same sockets on the laptop ( the MIDI/USB adaptor says do this "to prevent multiple installation of the driver". It has a "built in driver" HA HA). If I simply put USBAD and USBAD (2) into window R, only the Q49 Alesis keyboard USBAD) works. I have tried hundreds of logical and illogical permutations. Although I am 82 I don't think I am completely daft. I have a degree in physics. Have you any other ideas? Perhaps I need a better MIDI/USB adaptor? However, the one minute hassle is not worth my spending much.
Thanks again, Gwaryer (Cornish for "player")

[bdalton]

Please don't be affended if I'm "teaching my grandmother to suck eggs", but you must right click each keyboard in the lower window to set it to the required MIDI device.The two keyboards can have the same channel number, if you wish. Again, right click the channel number to change it.
Midizer settings use this right click and choose from the drop down list technique, to change most of it's settings.

Cheers
Barry

[Jim Henry]

One other thing that might or might not be a factor is that the Miditzer stores its settings in the Program directory. You might need to do something like run the Miditzer as Administrator in newer versions of Windows to give it sufficient privileges to change the setting files.

[gwaryer]

I am never offended, and delighted to be taught how to suck eggs! I omitted to say the laptop uses Windows XP, and when I dc Miditzer I get "Omni is no longer supported for MIDI input. Set MIDI input device to actual device in settings". I did rc the bottom window to set keyboards to Ch1 & Ch2. I just tried putting both USBADs into the R window, and swopping CH 1 & 2 in the bottom window, I now get 4 warnings: The specified device handle is invalid, it is already in use, cannot open MIDI in device, and use the mouse to play! I cannot make it recognise 2 keyboards without using my crazy system. The Alesis USB keyboard (USBAD) always works, but not the Yamaha (USB (2)).
However, you have done me a great favour. Although the Alesis itself is set to Ch1, and the Yamaha to Ch 2, when I reverse them in the lower window of the laptop, they play as I wish, with the Yamaha on top playing Solo, PROVIDED I USE MY CRAZY SYSTEM FIRST! I will stick to Einstien's equations in future! PS Will a faster computer cure my sound lag problem?
Many thanks, Gwaryer

[bdalton]

I still think your doing it wrong, try this :-

Midi inputs setting.jpg

Cheers
Barry