Posted by: chrisNova777
« on: December 10, 2017, 01:30:05 AM »Quote
Midiman MM-401 - IBM PC Compatible MIDI Interface (1990?)
MM-401 is an IBM PC compatible MIDI interface card from Midiman, a company from California. The list price is US$99.95, but may be lower from local shops.
Midiman has taken the industry standard "MPU-401" PC interface card and given it new life. This card will work with any IBM PC or clone no matter what the clock or bus speed. That means if you have an 8088/4.77 Mhz XT or a 486/50 Mhz AT, the interface card will perform the same. Your PC will still run either slow or fast but the card's performance will not change. The card will work with any and all software designed for the "401" standard including games. It is also the only interface card that has UART timing. This function allows the PC's timer to be independent from the MIDI timing functions and, UART timing can be set via SYSEX messages. This card is 1/3 in length and will fit into any slot in your PC with 8 or 16 bits. You will also have the benefit of an external click metronome output.
The card comes with a single detailed instruction sheet. It contain all the information about installation and handling as well as all the possible addressing and interrupt settings. Using the factory defaults will likely be alright. The circuit board itself is a work of art; perfectly laid out components in an uncrowded environment. The use of Intel and Motorola IC's make for a fantastically reliably design.
Midiman makes SMPTE stuff, and now a "401" card. So the result should be very good. It will pose a threat to Music Quest and a host of others. The ROM instruction set on the card wasn't copied; it was designed from the ground up by some very capable and determined programming engineers.
The card is guaranteed for life. It also comes with free software including a System Exclusive Librarian, MIDI Viewer/Channelizer and 401 Diagnostics.