M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

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valis
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M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

Not as many Mac users here as elsewhere, but thought this might be useful to some: https://sourceforge.net/projects/midisport-macos/files/

The backstory here is that Midisport approached him to write an initial OSX binary, before OSX was fully i use by the public. It was written as an initial attempt or proof of concept (forget his exact wording) and then apparently M-Audio and Avid simply built on top of his initial code over the years, but without sharing it back of course. So he was able to take the original binary blob and bring it up to date with 64bit support.

This means that the older devices from Midisport and M-audio that didn't have class compliant USB implementations can now be used in OSX again, and the timing seems better than the drivers that were officially put out. I had to juggle driver versions with M-Audio (and MOTU, but that's a different story) quite a few times until I could settle on a version that worked properly with a given release of OSX (and windows!). So it's nice that this fellow was able to again inject life into some old devices.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by yayajohn »

I think it's great when someone takes the initiative to revive old gear that might have had a long meaningful life aside from outdated drivers.
Sure wish somebody would do that on Windows for the emagic Unitor/AMT although I've since moved on to the Midex8.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

There actually are updated Unitor drivers, but they're unfortunately only packaged with Logic Pro 9 & X on Mac and only with the USB based units. I feel your pain there, even though I still use Logic on mac.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by dante »

I have the MIdisport and the MIDEX8 but don’t use em as I’m all ITB now. The MIDEX had problems with sysex.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

No mac for you as far as I'm aware? Avid had a 'hidden' set of drivers for the midisport that should work on Win10, it's been a while since I investigated that but they were findable if you dug hard enough. It was clear they were trying to bury the support topics and the download section had them under the legacy area classed with audio devices which was confusing. No idea if any of that has been addressed or removed entirely.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by dante »

Windoze - no Mac here. The MIDI Sport I use to merge sysex from a laptop with midi from my keyboard. Connected to XITE Midi IN. The sysex comes from laptop with XG-Gold installed on it so I can use that to access the QS300 banks on my rack mount DB50XG. Works a treat. I didn't want to install XG-Gold on my DAW coz I think it mucks up MIDI driver recognition in Reason. So running it on the laptop provides a level of protection and the MIDI sport works well in this context. But the MIDEX8 is sidelined, I got disillusioned with it when it wouldn't handle the sysex for the DB50XG or my Kenton/PLG cards. I used the Creamware Luna card MIDI for that and it handled the sysex no problem.

I really cant see the point of having an expensive high end rack MIDI interface that doesn't handle sysex. Its amongst my worse purchase ever, and probably one of the triggers for me leaving the Steinbug / Bloatbase ecosystem forever.

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/midex-8- ... lem/682399
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

Most of the interfaces that straddled the serial/parallel and usb era tried to make use of the uuart chipsets from their serial devices to greater and lesser success. This was typically what caused sysex lockup in these devices. Scope actually did that for me prior to 3.01c but that's because it wasn't really ready for the coming multicore era, and I ran/run silly hardware not intended just for audio uses.

I had problems with MOTU audio interfaces on windows then as well, but their midi interfaces have proven to be a good investment. Driver support is still present, and they can't possibly 'darken' and obscure my midi 'mix' like I found their converters to do back then.

Btw the Blokas unit I picked up would handle your sysex needs and more, and can multiplex hardware and usb midi input quite well.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by dante »

Ya those Blokas look versatile but I prefer rack mount so might consider one of the MOTU. If anyone knows they handle sysex good....
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by Bud Weiser »

dante wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:49 pm But the MIDEX8 ...
I really cant see the point of having an expensive high end rack MIDI interface that doesn't handle sysex. Its amongst my worse purchase ever, and probably one of the triggers for me leaving the Steinbug / Bloatbase ecosystem forever.

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/midex-8- ... lem/682399
Soliloqui thread ...
How old is it ? I don´t recognize the year.
When you carefully read, you recognized the "unsupported" 64Bit driver for Midex8 was causing the issue and at the end of the day it worked w/ re-adjusted settings in MIDI OX.

This is NOT a Steinberg driver !

In 32Bit systems,- Win XP on my end,- Midex8 also had issues w/ corrupted Sysex data, depending on size of the string.
That was solved w/ Steinberg´s latest 32Bit driver update.
The interface worked well, but was never made to work in upcoming 64Bit systems as all the other 8x8 MIDI interfaces I own weren´t.
Opcode, MusicQuest, Emagic and MOTU MTPII,- they all don´t work in 64Bit systems.

And,- most Steinberg branded hardware was never manufactured by Steinberg.
Many was manufactured by Esi,- and when Esi refused delivering driver updates, Steinberg was screwed.

Do you have any issues other than "sysex data transfer" w/ Midex8 and the unsupported 64Bit MIDI driver ?

For modern systems you might want "iConnectivity mioXL" which is a bit cheaper than "MOTU MIDI Express XT USB".
But even for these I don´t know how well they handle sysex data transfers and for the latter there were always complains in regards of full functionality like advertised,- "click to MIDI" feature p.ex..

Possibly this driverless/class compliant boutique company device does the trick best for today´s DAWs ...
https://www.alyseum.com/u3-88c.html
Also available at Musicstore https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Alyseum ... 014391-000

:)

Bud
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by dante »

Think I’ll leave it alone now because other problem is if I buyed a rack midi interface now then in a year or two some new ones come supporting MIDI 2 (incl MPE) - then all MIDI 1 gears will be obsolete 😮
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by Bud Weiser »

dante wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 9:05 pm Think I’ll leave it alone now because other problem is if I buyed a rack midi interface now then in a year or two some new ones come supporting MIDI 2 (incl MPE) - then all MIDI 1 gears will be obsolete 😮
MIDI 1 gears will become obsolete only, when you go and buy all new gear/rig and sell all the old.
I doubt that will happen in my age.

I´ll never change working configurations much, just only to gain a few new features which I possibly rarely need(ed) for what I´ve done and will do next future.

But yeah, I´ll order the Alyseum 8x8 USB3 soon now and in the hope to get improvements over the Midex8 using "unsupported" driver.
Alone the Alyseum is class compliant is worth a try and cascading 2 of these is tempting too.
I think the price is right.
I also like it´s a simple "connect and forget" device.

The iConnectivity gear offers more features incl. network MIDI (rtp-MIDI), but their software editors urgently necessary for all the featuritis are well known for their sloppy behaviour and bugs.

:)

Bud
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by dante »

Alyseum 8x8 off my radar as its not rack mount. Motu MIDI express 128 looks to be next choice.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

Note that I’ve only used MOTU Miditimepiece AV and MicroExpress, both of which have routing and filtering available in their control app. I haven’t used the midi express units, but I would be surprised if they choke on sysex data.
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by Bud Weiser »

dante wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:17 am Alyseum 8x8 off my radar as its not rack mount. Motu MIDI express 128 looks to be next choice.
I usually mount such devices on 2HU "blind" panels in the back of racks,- like I did w/ Casio TB-1 "MIDI thru" devices, which I like much because of performance and 2 MIDI inputs (A & B) as well as related MIDI-Out groups.

I can imagine replacing the Casio TB-1s and Sycologic M16/M16R/M16X by 2 of the Alyseum USB3 interfaces for (home-) studio usage.
I don´t want any additional editor software (being addicted to PC/Mac OS progress) just only for MIDI interfaces.
I´ll keep my 2 Anatek "Studio Merge" rackmounts instead.

For upcoming MIDI interface,- class compliant/ driverless is the key.
I´m done w/ "being discontinued" after 3 years because of driver development for the rest of my life.

:)

Bud
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Re: M-Audio MIDISPORT USB 64-bit MIDI device driver for MacOS v10.14+

Post by valis »

I feel you on the driver discontinued front. My uses for the Motu stuff included video at one point, so them being able to handle sync for a variety of formats was an asset in that era. That era has passed, and I'm thankful they live in with continued advanced functionality.
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