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Author Topic: Motu Pocket Express (1995?) PC parallel / MAC serial  (Read 6222 times)

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Offline chrisNova777

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Motu Pocket Express (1995?) PC parallel / MAC serial
« on: December 23, 2015, 04:18:30 PM »

motu pocket express
http://web.archive.org/web/19961018010514/http://motu.com/pages/PktExp.html
http://web.archive.org/web/19961017233825/http://motu.com/pages/DownloadWinConsoles.html

http://web.archive.org/web/19991128070738/http://motu.com/english/hardware/pokxprss/pocket.html
http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technotes/document.2002-11-14.5350860138

Quote
Single 2x4 MIDI/SMPTE interface ($165 Mac/Windows)

This 2 IN, 4 OUT, 32-channel MIDI/SMPTE interface works with either your Macintosh or Windows computer at a great price. Installs in seconds and opens your computer to a world of music software.

Fully independent, paired outputs provide 32 separate MIDI channels. And the Pocket Express's unique advantage in its price range: a computer bypass button allows you to play your MIDI gear even when the computer is turned off.

Compatible with all Mac and Windows MIDI software. Includes full SMPTE synchronization capabilities in all formats, including jam-sync for trouble-free synchronization. And another Pocket Express unique advantage at its price: front panel SMPTE controls for fast, convenient striping and lockup.


« Last Edit: November 16, 2018, 02:36:46 PM by chrisNova777 »

Offline chrisNova777

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pocket express info from the driver update file
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2016, 10:57:14 AM »
Quote
Unicorn PC-MIDI Flyer,
Pocket Express and Desktop Express MIDI Interfaces


Hello and thanks for choosing Mark of the Unicorn!  Please take time to read the following information before using your new MIDI interface.


System Requirements

To use the PC-MIDI Flyer, Pocket Express or Desktop Express MIDI interfaces, your system must meet the following requirements.

Computer      Intel 486 (or equivalent) processor or better is highly recommended
      At least one available parallel (LPT) port

Operating system   Windows 95, Windows for Workgroups or Windows 3.1

If you are using Windows 3.1, you must run it in "386 enhanced" mode; the driver will not work in "standard" mode.  Note that Windows 3.1 defaults to enhanced mode and Windows for Workgroups and Windows 95 always run in the equivalent of enhanced mode.  See your Windows documentation for more information on Windows modes.

The MIDI applications you intend to use with your interface may have additional hardware and software requirements.  For more information, consult the documentation that came with the application software.


Changes From Previous Versions

With previous versions of the driver, some users of the PC-MIDI Flyer interface may have experienced strange MIDI output problems under rare circumstances.  The following problems may have been encountered.

•   Output working from port A, but not port B (or vice versa)
•   Output LED(s) flashing, but output not actually working from port A and/or B
•   Output actually working from port A and/or B, but output LED(s) not flashing
•   No output at all
•   Incoming MIDI time-stamps not working correctly with some MIDI programs
•   "Invalid open callback" error messages and garbled MIDI port names when using 32-bit MIDI programs under Windows 95

These problems should no longer occur with the current verison of the driver.  However, we expect that most users have never experienced these problems.

A "reset" feature was added to the driver setup dialog in version 1.02.  For more information, please see the "Driver Setup Dialog Overview" section below.


Preparing for Installation

Before proceeding, make sure the Computer Bypass switch is NOT in the bypass position (if you have a PC-MIDI Flyer) or in the "Mac" position (if you have a Pocket Express or Desktop Express).  While using the interface with your computer, it's very important that the switch remain in the non-bypass or "PC" position.  If it is not, the interface will not function correctly.

   NOTE  For the PC-MIDI Flyer, the switch is in the bypass position when it's pushed in.

Use a standard printer cable to connect your MIDI interface to your computer's printer (LPT) port.  If your computer has more than one LPT port, you may use whichever one you like.  When connecting the interface, make sure each end of the cable is securely attached. 

With everything properly connected, you are ready to install the driver.  Be aware that the driver installation procedure is slightly different depending on your version of Windows.  Please follow the directions in the appropriate section below.  For additional help with driver installation in general, consult your Windows documentation.


Driver Installation for Windows 95

1   If you currently have a previous version of the driver installed, close any MIDI applications that might be using it.

2   Open Control Panel (by choosing Settings|Control Panel from the Start menu), double-click the "Add New Hardware" icon and click Next.

3   When the Add New Hardware Wizard asks if you want it to scan for new hardware, click No (clicking Yes won't work---the Wizard does not know how to automatically recognize your Mark of the Unicorn MIDI interface hardware).

4   Select "Sound, video and game controllers" and click Next.

5   When the Wizard asks for the manufacturer and model of your new hardware, click the special Have Disk... button.  Make sure your Mark of the Unicorn driver diskette has been inserted into your computer, enter the appropriate drive to scan and click OK.

NOTE  If you are installing from a location on your hard disk (because you downloaded the setup files to your hard disk or uncompressed them from a .ZIP file, etc.), you must enter the appropriate drive and folder to scan when using the Have Disk... button.  In this case, you won't need a diskette, just the files on your hard disk.

6   After the Wizard has scanned, it should present you with a single choice for "PC-MIDI Flyer/Pocket/Desktop Express" hardware.  Click OK and then click Finish to have the Wizard install the driver software onto your computer.

7   At this point, the newly installed MIDI interface driver setup dialog should appear. 

NOTE  If an older version of the driver was already installed, the setup dialog will still reflect that version.  The setup dialog will display the new version after Windows has been restarted.

   Use the dialog to configure your MIDI interface (click the Auto Setup button to have this done automatically; see the section "Driver Setup Dialog Overview" below for more information).  When you are finished, click OK.

8   Finally, the Wizard should inform you that Windows must be restarted before you can use your new hardware.  Make sure your MIDI interface is properly connected.  If you have a Pocket Express or Desktop Express, also make sure the interface is turned on.  Then, restart Windows and test that it is working correctly with all your MIDI applications.

NOTE  Should you ever need to reconfigure the driver settings for your MIDI interface, open Control Panel, double-click the "Multimedia" icon and click the Advanced tab.  In the list of multimedia devices, click the + sign next to the "MIDI Devices and Instruments" entry.  This will expand the entry to show sub-entries for all your installed MIDI devices.  Double-click any sub-entry that appears to be for your Mark of the Unicorn MIDI interface (more than one may appear) and then click Settings....  Windows will display the driver setup dialog again.


Driver Installation for Windows for Workgroups and Windows 3.1

1   If you currently have a previous version of the driver installed, close any MIDI applications that might be using it.

2   Open Control Panel (by double-clicking its icon in Program Manager's Main group) and then double-click the "Drivers" icon.

NOTE  Windows will not let you add a new driver version until you remove the old one.  If a previous version of the driver is currently installed, select it and click Remove.  After it has been removed, restart Windows, repeat this step and continue on to step 3. 

3   Click Add and select "Unlisted or Updated Driver" and click OK.

4   Make sure your Mark of the Unicorn driver diskette has been inserted into your computer, enter the appropriate drive to scan and click OK.

NOTE  If you are installing from a location on your hard disk (because you downloaded the setup files to your hard disk or uncompressed them from a .ZIP file, etc.), you must enter the appropriate drive and folder to scan.  In this case, you won't need a diskette, just the files on your hard disk.

5   After the files have been scanned, you should be presented with a single choice for the "PC-MIDI Flyer/Pocket/Desktop Express".  Click OK to install the driver onto your computer.

6   At this point, the newly installed MIDI interface driver setup dialog should appear. 

NOTE  If the setup dialog does not appear and Windows instead asks if you want the "new" or "current" version of the driver, click New.  The setup dialog should then appear.

   Use the dialog to configure your MIDI interface (click the Auto Setup button to have this done automatically;  see the section "Driver Setup Dialog Overview" below for more information).  When you are finished, click OK.

7   Finally, Control Panel should inform you that Windows must be restarted before you can use the new driver.  Make sure your MIDI interface is properly connected and turned on.  Then, restart Windows and test that it is working correctly with all your MIDI applications.

NOTE  Should you ever need to reconfigure the driver settings for your MIDI interface, open Control Panel, double-click the "Drivers" icon, click the entry for your Mark of the Unicorn MIDI interface and then click Setup....


Driver Setup Dialog Overview

This section explains each of the settings in the driver setup dialog, pictured below for the Desktop Express interface.  This dialog is same for the PC-MIDI Flyer and Pocket Express.

Auto Setup
   Searches for your MIDI interface and automatically sets the port Name and IRQ settings when it is found.  Normally, this is the most you'll need to know how to do in the driver setup dialog.  If Auto Setup displays a message indicating success, simply click OK and you are done!

Port name   The name of the parallel (LPT) port your MIDI interface is attached to.  For most computers this will be "LPT1", but for computers with additional ports, it might be "LPT2" or "LPT3".  To set the port yourself, click this item to see a list of parallel ports in your computer and select one.

Port IRQ   The IRQ (interrupt request) number your MIDI interface is using to communicate with the computer.  Typically, the correct IRQ setting depends on which LPT port is selected.  If you leave this item set to "Default", the typical IRQ for the selected parallel port will be used automatically.  To set the IRQ yourself (usually only required if your parallel port uses a non-standard IRQ), click this item to see a list of possible IRQs and select one.

Verify setup when Windows starts
   When this option is checked, the driver will make sure your MIDI interface is connected each time you start Windows, displaying an error message when something is wrong.  Normally, you'll want to leave this option checked.  However. you may want to uncheck it if you often disconnect your MIDI interface without removing the driver (for example, if you have a laptop computer which you routinely use away from your other MIDI gear).

Force interrupts
   This option is intended for trouble-shooting only.  If you MIDI interface is working properly, you should not check it.  However, if you experience trouble receiving System Exclusive messages (especially if your computer has a slower 486 processor) try checking this option.

Send full Note Offs on port close
   Windows MIDI drivers are supposed to send a Note Off message for every note on every channel when the last application using the interface is closed.  However, this process is time-consuming. 

   When this option is checked, the driver will perform the complete, lengthy Note Off sequence.  When this option is not checked, the driver instead sends an All Notes Off message on every channel (as well Reset All Controllers and a Pitch Bend reset).  For most MIDI devices, this has the same effect as actually turning off each note individually, but is much faster.

   You'll usually want to leave this option unchecked.  However, if you have older MIDI devices or experience trouble with "hung notes", try checking this option.  These kinds of problems will usually be attributed to poorly behaved MIDI applications, not the MIDI interface or driver.  The driver can only help by making sure all notes are off when it's closed.

Allow multitasking during SysEx
   Allows other applications to continue executing in the background while System Exclusive messages are transmitted.  Checking this option may slow down System Exclusive transmission, but it may also make your system more responsive to user input.

Allow unterminated SysEx
   Checking this option will cause the driver to "fix" (automatically terminate) unterminated System Exclusive messages from MIDI devices that do not properly terminate them (the Casio CZ-101 is a classic example).  This allows some MIDI applications to work which might not otherwise.  When this option is not checked, MIDI applications will instead receive an error code from the driver when unterminated messages are received.

   While this option is intended as a trouble-shooting option, it is checked by default since it does not affect normal (properly terminated) System Exclusive messages. 

Reset   Clicking this button will restore the interface to its factory-default configuration.  For the Pocket Express and Desktop Express, SMPTE striping will stop (if active) and revert to 30 FPS.  Also, for the Desktop Express, MIDI output routing will revert to...

      Source   Routing
   
      A      to 1, 2 and 3
      B      to 4, 5 and 6

   If your interface ever behaves incorrectly, or if other trouble-shooting measures haven't worked, try clicking this button. 


Note that the setup dialog is accessible only during driver installation or when no MIDI applications are currently using your MIDI interface.  If you can't access the dialog, close any open MIDI applications using the interface and try again.


Special Note for MOTU FreeStyle for Windows Users

If you own Mark of the Unicorn's FreeStyle for Windows MIDI sequencer and find that your new PC-MIDI Flyer, Pocket Express or Desktop Express is not yet recognized, you should also update the DRIVERS.DAT file located in your WINDOWS\FREEMIDI folder.  This will allow FreeStyle to properly identify your new MIDI interface.  The updated DRIVERS.DAT file is included on the driver diskette.  To use it, complete the following steps.

1   Close FreeStyle if it is currently open.

2   Using Explorer (in Windows 95) or File Manager (in Windows for Workgroups or Windows 3.1), copy the DRIVERS.DAT file from the driver diskette to your C:\WINDOWS\FREEMIDI folder (the name and location of your Windows folder might be different).  The DRIVERS.DAT file is usually installed as a read-only file, so you may need to specially confirm overwriting the existing version on your hard disk with the updated one.

NOTE  Make sure the DRIVERS.DAT on your hard disk is indeed older than the one on the driver disk.  If it's newer, you shouldn't overwrite it.

3   Reopen FreeStyle and make any necessary adjustments in the Studio Setup dialog, where you should find your new MIDI interface correctly identified (see your FreeStyle User's Manual for more information on the Studio Setup dialog).


Troubleshooting

•   Carefully read the descriptions of each of the settings in the "Driver Setup Dialog Overview" section above.  Some settings are helpful for troubleshooting.

•   When the Computer Bypass switch is in the bypass position, the driver will not detect any problems with the interface, but MIDI input and output to and from the computer will not function.  To correct this problem, return the switch to the non-bypass position.  For the Pocket Express or Desktop Express, the same problem also occurs when the switch is in the "Mac" position.  When using your Pocket Express or Desktop Express with your computer, the switch should always be in the "PC" position.

   NOTE  For the PC-MIDI Flyer, the switch is in the bypass position when it's pushed in.

•   Since your MIDI interface connects to your computer's parallel port, you will not be able to print from the port while you are using the interface. 

   When using MIDI applications, the above will be true even if you unplug your interface and reconnect a printer.  This is because the driver "claims" the parallel port while any MIDI applications are accessing the MIDI interface and does not know to release the port simply because you've unplugged the interface.  Before attempting to print, close any open MIDI applications that are using the interface.  This will release the parallel port for printing.  If the application you want to print from is a MIDI application, temporarily reconfigure the application so it no longer uses the interface.  Then, disconnect the interface and connect a printer.  When you are finished printing, reconnect the interface restore the previous application configuration. 

•   The IBM ThinkPad 700C PS/2 is currently not supported by the PC-MIDI Flyer, Pocket Express or Desktop Express MIDI interfaces.  We do not expect that owners of all ThinkPad models will experience problems, but we are sure the 700C is currently incompatible.  We are working to address the incompatibilities.  If you own a ThinkPad 700C PS/2, please contact Mark of the Unicorn technical support for further information.



We hope you enjoy your new Mark of the Unicorn MIDI interface!


Sincerely,

PC-MIDI Flyer/Pocket/Desktop Express development team
Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.
ible only during driver installation or when no MIDI applications are currently using your MIDI

Offline chrisNova777

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Re: Motu Pocket Express (1995?) PC parallel / MAC serial
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2019, 12:55:45 PM »
https://web.archive.org/web/20150910201337/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/dec96/motuinterfaces.html
MOTU PC-MIDI Flyer & Pocket Express
Parallel Port MIDI Interfaces
Quote
MIDI interfaces come in many different shapes and sizes, with most slotting inside the PC. External interfaces, however, such as those made by MOTU, can offer certain advantages, as MARTIN WALKER discovers.MIDI Interfaces tend to be heard and not seen -- if they work reliably, once installed they're forgotten about. And so they should be.

The early history of PC MIDI interfaces revolves around the Roland MPU-401 design, which became a standard that every other manufacturer eventually emulated. The first wave of soundcards had non-standard interfaces for MIDI, which refused to work with some sequencing software, so MPU-401 compatibility soon became the name of the game, and ensured reliable use with many MIDI software packages. Later, with the arrival of more and more 16-part multitimbral synths, a single MIDI In and Out became increasingly restrictive -- and once you have two or three synths, each capable of receiving on 16 MIDI channels, it's far more sensible to use a separate MIDI Out to drive each one. This avoids clogging up a single interface by attempting to send 16 channels of note, controller, and even SysEx information, simultaneously during a single piece of music. If the load is split between several MIDI Outs, each can have its own healthy batch of data, avoiding problems such as the occasional glitch or missed note.

At the opposite end of the interface, many people find a single MIDI In to be limiting -- anyone who played keyboards through the '70s and '80s should still have the ability to play several synths simultaneously, as well as controlling a bank of foot pedals. Although nowadays this may seem 'over the top' to some, it can result in much more expressive performances than simply recording each part in isolation. Recording several musicians playing MIDI 'live' is another application with the same requirement (see 'The Alternative MIDI Controllers Session, SOS September to November 1993). Trying to record all this in real time needs either a merge unit or multiple Ins.

One solution to this problem is to use multiple interfaces -- for instance, I currently have three interfaces in my PC: a Roland MPU-401 type, and one on board each of my two soundcards. This approach is perfectly adequate, but does tend to store up further problems for the future. Firstly, three slots are occupied in the PC, and slots tend to be in very short supply, being used for graphics cards, hard and floppy disk controllers, fax modems, and so on. Secondly, and the bane of every PC owner's life, there are the often conflicting requirements when installing a new device. Each must be allocated an IRQ (interrupt) setting, an I/O (Input/Output) address, and possibly a DMA (Direct Memory Access) channel. The new Pentium machines have Plug and Play architecture, which automates some of this selection, but this can only recognise Plug and Play devices, and pre-Plug and Play devices still normally have to be installed by hand -- not an enviable task for people who prefer to drive their cars rather than tinker about under the bonnet.

The better alternative is to use a multi-port interface. Not only does this make installation potentially easier, but it also means that only one software driver is needed to address the entire set of ports, and less system conflicts tend to arise. A recent trend is to pop all of the circuitry into a case and plug it into either a serial or parallel port, avoiding the use of a slot, and hopefully bypassing even more of the potential installation problems, since these ports have I/O addresses and IRQ settings already allocated, making life easier for both the end user (less installation decisions) and the manufacturer (fewer frantic calls from users).

PLUGGING IN
So, onto the items under scrutiny, Mark of the Unicorn's PC-MIDI Flyer and Pocket Express PC MIDI interfaces. Each is built into a solid, stove-enamelled metal case which should withstand the proverbial roadie's boot. Both also have LED readouts for each of their two available MIDI Ins and Outs (32 MIDI channels in total), which is always a useful way of checking that data is actually passing through the unit. In addition, a computer bypass switch lets you use each interface as a Thru box even when the PC is not powered up (very useful when you just want to play a keyboard without firing up your sequencer). The Flyer is powered from the parallel port, and the Pocket Express comes complete with its own plug-in power supply. Like them or loathe them, the dreaded 'wall warts' do help to keep the price down, and as long as you keep them well out of the way of audio cables, they'll do their job perfectly adequately.

 

"Parallel-port interfaces seem ideal as the insides of our PCs continue to fill up with multiple soundcards, SCSI controllers, fax modems and the like."
 

The main differences between the two interfaces are that the Pocket Express can be connected to a Mac as well as a PC, each of its two MIDI Outs is duplicated (giving a total of four DIN output sockets, which could well save having to use a Thru box), and it's also equipped with a comprehensive set of SMPTE sync options for use with analogue tape machines and video tape, including 30, 29.97 drop, 25, and 24 frame rates. It can also be used to stripe SMPTE onto audio tape decks, although for video, MOTU recommend their Digital Time Piece, which has genlock facilities to ensure accurate matching (for more in-depth info on this subject, look no further than Paul White's feature on SMPTE and MIDI Time Code in the June 1996 issue of SOS).

Connection to the PC is via a standard DB-25 lead that is included with each unit. Unfortunately, there is no through-port, so unless you have multiple parallel ports on your PC, there will be nowhere to plug in your poor old printer. You could try a switcher box (available from most computer suppliers for about £15) which will allow either device to use the single parallel port. Alternatively, I use a parallel port expander card (again, about £15) which adds two more ports to the basic one. This allows three simultaneous parallel devices to be connected (LPT1, 2, and 3), although, of course, it does take up one of your precious slots.

Installation of both devices proved easy enough in my case, taking about half an hour. The supplied drivers incorporate Express Setup software, which correctly identified which of my three parallel ports the interface was connected to. They also attempt to intelligently allocate an interrupt (IRQ) setting from a choice of 4, 5, 6, or 7, and will default to IRQ7, as this is normally used by LPT1 (the default printer port). This, again, worked fine on my PC, although I do know of other people whose machines reported no IRQs free at all from the four provided. Although four options sounds generous, IRQ4 is already used by the first serial port (normally connected to the mouse), and IRQ6 is permanently tied up to the floppy disk controller. This leaves IRQ 5 and 7, and if either of these is currently unused, Express Setup will use them. If neither are available, the dreaded shuffle of resources starts -- finding another internal card that uses IRQ 5 or 7, that also has other available unused settings. Parallel port connection avoids the need to set I/O addresses (the locations in memory used by the PC to read and write MIDI data). Normally a selection of alternatives are needed, but in the case of parallel ports, the address is already decided by the operating system, giving one less potential source of conflict.

IN USE
When you fire up your sequencer after having installed either of these interfaces, you'll find two new MIDI outputs (A and B), two inputs of the same variety, and an additional input labelled 'Sync'. Any MIDI Time Code (MTC), MIDI sync, Song Position Pointer, or real-time related messages received at either input are routed to this port for sync'ing your sequencer to any external hardware. I found that some MIDI applications recognised and were able to use the interface first time (Cubase Score v2, ReSample Professional) but others refused to co-operate. These included Sound Forge 3.0's SDS MIDI sample dump ("An unknown error occurred opening the Flyer:A device") and the shareware sample converter Awave 2.5 ("Couldn't open MIDI input device"). Both of these problems disappeared immediately I installed the updated set of drivers that arrived during the course of this review (version 1.02, released August 1996, and also available via the MOTU website).

During use, I did have one big problem, which took a great deal of solving and which had the same totally bizarre symptoms with both interfaces and both sets of drivers. Trying to run an existing sequence resulted in total silence until I stopped Cubase, whereupon most of the notes from my melody would sound simultaneously, almost as if they'd been hiding inside and trying to pluck up courage to emerge! I examined the MIDI data emerging from the interface: there was plenty of it, but all nonsensical, such as 'All Notes Off' and random controller messages. This odd problem was finally cured by ticking the 'Force interrupts' option in the interface setup window (see screenshot, left). MOTU say in their readme file that "this option is intended for trouble-shooting only. If your MIDI interface is working properly, you should not check it. However, if you experience trouble receiving System Exclusive messages (especially if your computer has a slower 486 processor) try checking this option." Well, no SysEx was involved in my file, but ticking this option cured my notes of their shyness, and everything worked perfectly from then on. From conversations with Musictrack, the UK distributors of MOTU products, it seems that hundreds of people have bought these interfaces and no-one has reported suffering from my particular problems. It just goes to show that PCs take no prisoners when it comes to installing new hardware!

CONCLUSIONS
Both of these interfaces are rugged and, despite my own initial teething problems, reliable in operation. The PC-MIDI Flyer is recommended if your interfacing needs are straightforward, while the Pocket Express is the one to go for if you need the four MIDI Outs and/or the sync options. The use of the parallel port can be a godsend if you're running short of internal slots, and the LED status readouts make any fault-finding a lot easier. The biggest advantage of buying one of these has to be the two Ins and two Outs, which make using several synths a far less complex operation. My only niggle is the lack of a through-port, since most people still only have one parallel port on their PC, and unplugging the interface whilst still powered up, in order to attach your printer, might prove too tempting for some, resulting in possible electrical damage.

MIDI interfaces are not glamorous, even when fitted with multiple flashing lights, but parallel-port devices seem ideal as the insides of our PCs continue to fill up with multiple soundcards, SCSI controllers, fax modems and the like. By placing the box on the outside of the PC, you can ensure that valuable resources still lie untapped within -- this has to be the way forward!

 
SERIAL BOX
The use of serial ports for MIDI has generated some problems in the past, and many manufacturers have now stopped trying to squeeze high-bandwidth MIDI data (especially SysEx) in and out of a port which would normally see use with a mouse or modem. Windows 95 users have a further problem here, as reports are that serial MIDI ports tend not to be very reliable using this operating system. Even using buffers, the data can still arrive at the In port faster than it can be removed. The buffer helps, but with large SysEx dumps or SDS sample dumps, the data keeps on coming, and even with a buffer the system may eventually fall over. Sound modules such as the Yamaha TG300 do have serial port interfaces, but since the rate at which SysEx data arrives at the PC is set by Yamaha, it can ensure total reliability with its own data. For general-purpose interfaces, using the parallel port tends to be far more reliable, as it was designed to transmit and receive data at much higher speeds in the first place.

 
pros & cons
MOTU PC-MIDI FLYER £99 /
POCKET EXPRESS £219
pros
• Two inputs and two outputs.
• Uses no internal slot!
• Useful bypass switch.
• Easy to install for most people.

cons
• Ties up printer port.
• Occasional clashes with existing hardware.

summary
Both these devices are rugged, reliable, and an ideal way to expand your MIDI setup without filling up the inside of your PC.