MIDI-support card needed

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Tue, 2010-08-24 at 10:08 +0200, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> On Tue, 2010-08-24 at 09:26 +0200, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> > On Mon, 2010-08-23 at 00:44 +0200, Gerhard Lang wrote:
> > > 
> > > Am 22.08.2010 19:12, schrieb Dennis Neumeier:
> > > > Hi all,
> > > >
> > > > I am facing a rather "problem-before-another-problem"-problem before I can
> > > > start to get into MIDI: I am using a M-Audio Delta 66 up to now that does not
> > > > have MIDI-Ports. Now, I was just one step before ordering the Delta 1010LT,
> > > > but it seems that his card does not have any settop-box like the Delta 66.
> > > > Now, I wonder how I connect a normal guitar/bass cable to the 1010LT and
> > > > that's where I see trouble coming up. So any recommandations for soundcards
> > > > would be nice.
> > > >
> > > > Greets,
> > > > Dennis
> > > >
> > > >    
> > > have e a look for an e-mu xmidi2x2, very reasobable price, good 
> > > reliability. It saved me some alsa, jack and ffado updates ago, when my 
> > > edirol fa101's own midi ports were not supported and now I like it as an 
> > > independent additional midi connector
> > > best regards
> > > Gerhard
> > 
> > Don't! Avoid USB MIDI, see the LAD archive for ALSA MIDI latency
> > (jitter) tests. By the way, I've got a Swissonic USB device, the jitter
> > test was ok, but listening isn't ok, anyway 2 of this, for USB good
> > devices, does cost less then one Edirol,
> > http://www.thomann.de/gb/swissonic_midiusb_1x1.htm.
> > 
> > Usually USB MIDI failed even the latency (jitter) test.
> > Always use a real gameport MIDI or the gameport MIDI supported by PCI
> > sound cards. One of the two Envy24's MPU (MIDInterfaces) is supported by
> > the Linux driver, resp. by usually by those cards, any Envy24 card
> > should be ok. If the sound quality isn't that important, you can get
> > several PCI cards at Ebay for less money and use them simultan, you only
> > need for audio, but MIDI, a more expensive sound device.
> > 
> > Run this test: http://github.com/koppi/alsa-midi-latency-test
> 
> PS: Be aware that for any PC OS you won't get the stable timing quality
> for MIDI, as you get using a C64, Atari ST etc. or as there is for stand
> alone sequencers from the 80ies. The Linux rt patch, Windows ASIO etc.
> aren't for hard real-time. There always will be jitter, perhaps you can
> reduce it, until it might be inaudible, regarding to your needs, if you
> keep JACK audio buffers small, yes, JACK audio could have influence to
> ALSA MIDI :D. Editing rtirq didn't have effect on my machine, anyway it
> won't harm to e.g. make an USB MIDI device head of the USB ports, not to
> use an USB mouse, keyboard, printer etc. when using MIDI. But again,
> prefer gameport MIDI.

Sorry, a last PS:

I forgot this ... If available, enable HR Timer (HPET), when using
hardware MIDI. Linux apps still tend to freeze the system when using HR
Timer (HPET), but I'm fine using Qtractor when it's enabled, I just need
to start 'qtractor filename.qtr', because when starting 'qtractor' and
then loading the file, HR Timer (HPET) is captured.