[PD] Setting up USB MIDI in Linux questions............

[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,
chun lee hat gesagt: // chun lee wrote:

> I am trying to get my midisport to work with my pd on a linux laptop.
> However, I am a bit confused as to what I would need to do this. I am using
> Fedora Core 2.
> 
> So far, I understand that I need
> 
> 1. a firmware that will be downloaded to the midisport
> 2. software to download the firmware to the midisport
> 3. a usbmidi driver?

3*Yes. I think one good way to setup the Midisport is using the
firmware loader from here: http://usb-midi-fw.sf.net which uses the
MAudio firmware from their driver CDs.

The README includes detailed instructions. The usbmidi driver is
included in ALSA's snd-usb-audio modules. Just make sure, that no OSS
modules are loaded (add usbmidi and usbaudio to /etc/hotplug/blacklist
or delete the kernel modules)

> And I found these:
> 
> 1. usbmidi-20040516.tar.gz
> 2. hotplug hotplug-gtk
> 
> My questions are:
> 
> 1. Is the 'usbmidi-20040516.tar.gz' the firmware? Or the usbmidi driver? Or
> are firmware and the driver the same thing?

I think, this package includes both driver (OSS!) and firmware and
firmware loader.

> 2. I only have one midisport and is shared between my Mac and Linux, once I
> have downloaded the firmware into the midisport, would I still be able to
> use it with Mac OSX. I have read that between XP and Linux, this is ok. How
> about with Mac OSX?

The firmware is loaded into the device and set it up to be an
audio/midi/whatever device. Many USB devices use general purpose
chipsets that need to be programmed this way. Many do not, though, and
those are generally easier to set up and thus should be a preferred
buy. 

The driver acts on the operating system side and doesn't know about
this firmware issue at all. 

The Midisport firmware has to be loaded everytime you switch on the
device. If you use it on another OS, like OS-X, then this OS will need
to upload the firmware again anyways. So I don't think you will have
any problems using the device for both.

Ciao
-- 
 Frank Barknecht                               _ ______footils.org__