MIDI routing question

[8O]

Hi,

So I got no joy trying to sync a mac to a pc via ethernet, so I've given up and will do it by buying a usb-midi cable for the PC.

I'm sure the midi routing question is simple, but it's doing my head in anyway, so maybe some kind soul on here can help.

Set-up:

MBP with ultralite which has midi-in and midi-out on it
PC with to-be-purchased usb to midi cable with midi-in and midi-out

ultralite is currently connected to my external synth:
ultralite midi-out -> synth midi-in
ultralite midi-in <- synth midi-out
...that works fine, but only leaves me the synth's midi-thru port free to somehow connect to the PC

Can I just connect the synth's midi-thru to the PC's midi-in and then use the MBP as sync master and PC as slave? I just want to be able to sync the two laptops, no need to send any more midi data.

Thanks for any advice...

Edit: was thinking about buying this cheap and cheerful Swissonic Midi-usb 1x1 - should be alright, shouldn't it?

[Tone Deft]

that device should be fine, no Vista support though, that could come back to bite you.

the setup should work, you might even be able to sync the two together, your synth's midi thru port should pass through midi clock as well as data. ya never know what features they leave out on midi gear.

[Crash]

If it's a proper Midi through port, shouldn't it be hardwired to the Midi Input even handing down any data that flows through the cable without any processing (it seems to work that way on the shitty Remote SL Midi ports at least)?

@8O: Make sure to only activate the Midi "Sync" Input in Live and explicitely keep the "Track" and "Remote" off if you don't use them.

[ollyb303]

...

[8O]

Cheers for the tips - looks like it should work then.

The PC's running XP, but may be "upgraded" to vista later. So maybe a different usb-midi cable is in order. How about one of these Beijing-beauties: http://www.thomann.de/de/cme_u2midi.htm - ok, it says Class Compliant for Windows XP, but class-compliant is class-compliant isn't it - it should work on vista too?

Maybe this is better and on the safer side for compatibility: http://www.thomann.de/de/emu_xmidi_1x1.htm

Thoughts?

[Hometown Records NZ]

Hi,
So I got no joy trying to sync a mac to a pc via ethernet, so I've given up and will do it by buying a usb-midi cable for the PC.

I'm pretty sure you can setup your PC and Mac to talk to each other, are you using a crossover cable as opposed to a normal ethernet cable?

[8O]

hehe - feel free to post your working solution on the other thread - I've had lots of nice suggestions, but no-one can actually show me a real working solution that they've tried themselves.

[8O]

Just to close this thread:

I bought http://www.thomann.de/de/emu_xmidi_1x1.htm - worked with zero problems on the pc laptop, connected the midi-in to my synth's midi-thru, and hey presto! both laptops synced Live perfectly fine.

Thanks for the help folks!