# Stupid MIDI/Serial Port Question



## mark4man (Jun 9, 2002)

*People,*

I am using a Roland JV-1010 Sound Module to produce MIDI music. It originally received MIDI Input from my old Music Production software (Cakewalk PA9) via my PC's Serial Port.

I am now running Windows XP (& SONAR 2.2) with a LynxTWO Audio Interface (Sound Card.) Roland does not make an XP Driver for the JV-1010. LynxTWO has no MIDI Ports (meaning the use of MIDI Cables is out) . . . 

. . . here's the stupid question:

How can I now assign my Serial Port as my default MIDI Port, in order to transmit MIDI tracks from SONAR to the Sound Module?

Does XP have default Serial Port drivers which will accomplish this task?

Is the Serial Port the same as COM 1 in Device Manager?

Need help. Thanks,

*mark4man*


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## clintfan (Sep 4, 2003)

Hmmm..., this thread is pretty old, but I can try to answer a couple questions.



> Is the Serial Port the same as COM 1 in Device Manager?


Yes. COM1 and COM2 are typical serial port names. COM3 and COM4 sometimes exist too, but only as headers on the mobo, or "logically" from a software standpoint, like, for a built-in modem card.



> How can I now assign my Serial Port as my default MIDI Port, in order to transmit MIDI tracks from SONAR to the Sound Module?...Does XP have default Serial Port drivers which will accomplish this task?


I don't think you can. It surprises me your old PC output via the a Serial port. AFAIK you need the Game port. They look a bit similar, 15 pins vs. 9 pins; perhaps you thought your old PC was outputting via serial, but really it was Game? 

If your new PC has a Game port, or came with a PCI blank witha 15-pin port on it, that port includes a couple pins for MIDI in (pin 15), MIDI out (pin 12), and ground (pin 4). They won't be properly optoisolated, but most folks probably won't run into serious issues with that. You can get splitter cables that separate out the MIDI and game connections. You can also build properly optoisolated adapters, but it might be hard to find some of the parts.

If your mobo does have MIDI support onboard, your Game port will route MIDI through those devices after you load the appropriate drivers. You probably know all this already. If the onboard support is via an actual sound chip, you ought to be fine using this for MIDI (but not much else). But if it's via a Codec, your CPU has to do all the work, so you might be better off getting an inexpensive PCI add-on MIDI board.

Hope this helps,

-clintfan


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## mark4man (Jun 9, 2002)

*clintfan,*

Solved that one a while back with sheer determination. 

The problem was that my sound module's mfg. never released XP drivers (probably because they wanted end users to move up a notch or two in the product line.)

But I was very happy with my "over 1000" sounds, some of which were beautiful pianos & synthesizers unique to that model.

One of the members in the Roland discussion forum had ran into the same dilemma; & suggested installing the most recent driver, which was an NT version.

I did . . . XP recognized it & assigned it (making the serial port selectable as the default MIDI port.)

The reason I went with serial was to separate MIDI & digital audio Input/Output duties for the sound card (moving MIDI to system duty & freeing the sound card for audio I/O only.)

All that was necessary was a MIDI din to 9-pin adapter.

Thanks,

*mark4man*


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## clintfan (Sep 4, 2003)

Wow! MIDI on serial. Learn something new every day.

-clintfan


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## aRagStain (Aug 31, 2004)

wow, so i guess now this thread is _really_ old

but i am interested in building/buying a MIDI out cable for my WINXP laptop's serial connection. 

google isn't turning much up ... does anyone have some inside leads???

tnx!! :chgrin:


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