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Apr 12, 2001
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113037-midi.jpg


While there have been some MIDI solutions out there for the iPad and other iOS devices, Yamaha has introduced (PDF) its first MIDI interface for iOS at the Frankfurt Musicfair.
In a small, black device the i-MX1 carries the needed electronics and two connectors for the included adapter cables which represent the MIDI input and ouput (with the well known 16 MIDI channels each). It does not just connect to the iPad, but to the iPhone and the iPod Touch, too. Since these devices are much smaller, they are even more handy controllers.

The i-MX1 is compatible to the drivers provided by the iPad-OS (iOS, Core MIDI), there‘s no need for special drivers. So even third- party applications that are using the iOS drivers can use the i-MX1 as MIDI-Interface.
Hispasonic posts a photo of the box and demo video (Spanish) showing it in action. The devices works with iPad as well as iPhone and iPod. Details are rather limited at this time.

Article Link: Yamaha Introduces i-MX1 MIDI Interface for iOS Devices
 
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jayducharme

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2006
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The thick of it
Anyway very handy device:)

It looks like it has standard 1/8" in/out jacks. I wonder if it would take analog stereo input and output too. That would truly make it handy. But if it's only for MIDI, the device seems too specialized. There are other products on the market, like the Alesis iO dock (which obviously is a bit bulkier) that allow for MIDI and audio in and out. That seems a better investment, IMO.
 

catmistake

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Aug 3, 2006
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It looks like it has standard 1/8" in/out jacks. I wonder if it would take analog stereo input and output too. That would truly make it handy. But if it's only for MIDI, the device seems too specialized. There are other products on the market, like the Alesis iO dock (which obviously is a bit bulkier) that allow for MIDI and audio in and out. That seems a better investment, IMO.

It's very likely only for midi, and those can not be standard stereo 1/8" TRS... midi carries 16 channels in & out... probably can't do that with analog TRS (tip-ring-sleeve).

No drivers? What this means is that whatever driver this midi device uses is likely part of the USB Standard driver set, which iOS devices support. Therefore, it is very likely any USB-MIDI device will also work just as well along with Apple's CCK, so long as it only requires the USB Standard drivers... and MIDI is pretty simple, so it shouldn't need more than that.

Third parties will try to make iOS device specific stuff... but they will have to really on what USB drivers already do for us on iOS. For example, any USB driven ADC, that supports the world standard USB stereo protocol will probably work with an iOS device and the Apple CCK. So we don't need to repurchase these iOS specific devices (like the guitar connection kit, etc.)... we just need Apple's Camera Connection Kit and external devices that are driven by the standard USB driver set (which we likely already own because we were using them with our laptops before we got iPads).
 

ChrisA

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Jan 5, 2006
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It's very likely only for midi, and those can not be standard stereo 1/8" TRS... midi carries 16 channels in & out... probably can't do that with analog TRS (tip-ring-sleeve).

Standard MIDI ports are 5-pin round DIN connectors but only two pins in each connector are used for the MIDI signal. The signal is digital but would work fine with a TRS connector. All 16 channels are multiplexed over the same serial date stream. (The messages contain the channel number.)
 

WoFat

macrumors member
May 26, 2008
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Rap Be Crap

All this high fallutin' technology still can't produce a rap tune that I'd subject my finely tuned ears to. (Take dis cap in yor pap, foooooooooool!) Shear brilliance.
 

AnotherScott

macrumors member
Jun 18, 2006
35
4
There are other products on the market, like the Alesis iO dock (which obviously is a bit bulkier) that allow for MIDI and audio in and out. That seems a better investment, IMO.
If all you need is MIDI I/O, this piece will presumably be less expensive than the $200 Alesis. It also works on the ipod Touch and iPhone... I think the Alesis is iPad only. I'm looking for a way to integrate the ipad into a live keyboard MIDI rig... this may do all I need, in the smallest, lightest, cheapest package... without needing another wall wart. Plus even though it was announced later, I would not be surprised if the Yamaha piece shipped first.
 

mungo2k

macrumors regular
Mar 11, 2011
118
175
Looks like the weight of those cables will just make the connector fall off. A separate lightweight cable to an interface a metre or so away might be a better idea to keep the weight off the connector.
 

rekoil

macrumors newbie
Jul 22, 2002
13
0
Standard MIDI ports are 5-pin round DIN connectors but only two pins in each connector are used for the MIDI signal. The signal is digital but would work fine with a TRS connector. All 16 channels are multiplexed over the same serial date stream. (The messages contain the channel number.)

Also, don't forget that the data rate is insanely slow by today's standards - only 32Kbps (which was much more cutting-edge when the spec was finalized in the early 80s). Much smaller USB cables carry data over 10,000 times that speed today.
 
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