MIDI IN on a PBC/6X

I got it up and running now, and it does all I want:
- PBC tells Quartz to change to whatever song is displayed on the PBC
- Quartz sends the programed tempo (in Quartz editor) of that song to all pedals
- If I change the tempo mid song on Quartz, the PBC listen so all presets within this song is in the new tempo
- If I would like to save the new tempo, I just save it on Quartz and it shows up next time - if not it will be the tempo set from start

Happy times! :)
Thank you so much for the help! :D
 
rjmmusic said:
People can use a box or cable solution depending on their needs. If you're not inclined to build your own, our 2 input phantom power box will do the job as a splitter (PPA-DIN7F-2)- it doesn't have to be used for phantom power. Use a 5-pin active MIDI cable from the PBC's MIDI out to the box's 7-pin MIDI jack (yes, that will work), and the two 5-pin MIDI jacks are your new MIDI in and out ports. Note how the jacks are labeled: "To MIDI In" which is the PBC's output and "To MIDI Out" which is the PBC's input.

EDIT: Here are some links in case others are looking:

https://shop.rjmmusic.com/phantom-power-adapter-din7f-two-inputs/

https://btpa.com/GMIDIY1-II.html?category_id=138
Click to expand...

Can I use regular midi cables with the box to do bi-directional communication? Also, will I still be able to control my other midi pedals? If so would I need a midi splitter box for the midi out, or could I just send it through the chain of pedals like normal?
 
Wesley Fletcher said:
Can I use regular midi cables with the box to do bi-directional communication? Also, will I still be able to control my other midi pedals? If so would I need a midi splitter box for the midi out, or could I just send it through the chain of pedals like normal?
Click to expand...

You can use standard MIDI cables, as long as the cable between the box and the PBC is a "5 pin active" cable and not 3 pin active.

Once you've added the box, the "To MIDI Input" on the box is your new MIDI output (it's labeled as such because it connects to a MIDI input on your next device). This connects to your pedals in the same way your PBC output did before adding the box, no other changes necessary. The "To MIDI Output" on the box is now your MIDI input, and can be connected to a MIDI output from a computer, MIDI clock generator, etc.
 
rjmmusic said:
You can use standard MIDI cables, as long as the cable between the box and the PBC is a "5 pin active" cable and not 3 pin active.

Once you've added the box, the "To MIDI Input" on the box is your new MIDI output (it's labeled as such because it connects to a MIDI input on your next device). This connects to your pedals in the same way your PBC output did before adding the box, no other changes necessary. The "To MIDI Output" on the box is now your MIDI input, and can be connected to a MIDI output from a computer, MIDI clock generator, etc.
Click to expand...

I’m sorry for the simplicity of this question, but what is the difference between a 5 pin midi cable and a 5 pin active midi cable?
 
Wesley Fletcher said:
I’m sorry for the simplicity of this question, but what is the difference between a 5 pin midi cable and a 5 pin active midi cable?
Click to expand...

A 5 pin active cable is what you'd expect - a 5 pin MIDI cable, with all 5 pins connected. A 3 pin active cable, which has become a thing lately, is a 5 pin MIDI cable with only 3 pins actually wired internally. Standard MIDI only uses 3 of the 5 pins in the cable, so I assume that 3 pin active cables were created to save companies some money by leaving out 2 unnecessary wires. This is fine in most cases, but when doing bidirectional tricks like we do, all 5 pins need to be connected in the cable. The cables leading from the box to your other devices can be 5 pin active or 3 pin active, only the cable from box to PBC must be 5 pin active.
 
rjmmusic said:
A 5 pin active cable is what you'd expect - a 5 pin MIDI cable, with all 5 pins connected. A 3 pin active cable, which has become a thing lately, is a 5 pin MIDI cable with only 3 pins actually wired internally. Standard MIDI only uses 3 of the 5 pins in the cable, so I assume that 3 pin active cables were created to save companies some money by leaving out 2 unnecessary wires. This is fine in most cases, but when doing bidirectional tricks like we do, all 5 pins need to be connected in the cable. The cables leading from the box to your other devices can be 5 pin active or 3 pin active, only the cable from box to PBC must be 5 pin active.
Click to expand...
Awesome! Thanks so much!
 
rjmmusic said:
People can use a box or cable solution depending on their needs. If you're not inclined to build your own, our 2 input phantom power box will do the job as a splitter (PPA-DIN7F-2)- it doesn't have to be used for phantom power. Use a 5-pin active MIDI cable from the PBC's MIDI out to the box's 7-pin MIDI jack (yes, that will work), and the two 5-pin MIDI jacks are your new MIDI in and out ports. Note how the jacks are labeled: "To MIDI In" which is the PBC's output and "To MIDI Out" which is the PBC's input.

EDIT: Here are some links in case others are looking:

https://shop.rjmmusic.com/phantom-power-adapter-din7f-two-inputs/

https://btpa.com/GMIDIY1-II.html?category_id=138
Click to expand...

I ordered the PPA-DIN7F-2 and got it set up. I'm connecting it to a iConnectivity MIDI2+ and I'm still getting the ground hum to the amplifier like I did when I had the USB cable connected to a computer while playing. I think I saw you reference the hum when USB is connected in another forum post and referenced a solution like this to remedy that. Any reason I would still be getting a hum. I tried it with the PPA-DIN7F-2 powered and passive. Thanks.
 
Michael Gergen said:
I ordered the PPA-DIN7F-2 and got it set up. I'm connecting it to a iConnectivity MIDI2+ and I'm still getting the ground hum to the amplifier like I did when I had the USB cable connected to a computer while playing. I think I saw you reference the hum when USB is connected in another forum post and referenced a solution like this to remedy that. Any reason I would still be getting a hum. I tried it with the PPA-DIN7F-2 powered and passive. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Try unplugging each connection, one at a time, and see which connections affect the hum. After unplugging one, plug it back in before moving to the next one so you only have one unplugged at a time. I'm mostly concerned with: connection from box to PBC, box to MIDI In, box to MIDI Out and USB connection to MIDI interface, but there may be others to try in your system - the more tests the better.
 
rjmmusic said:
Try unplugging each connection, one at a time, and see which connections affect the hum. After unplugging one, plug it back in before moving to the next one so you only have one unplugged at a time. I'm mostly concerned with: connection from box to PBC, box to MIDI In, box to MIDI Out and USB connection to MIDI interface, but there may be others to try in your system - the more tests the better.
Click to expand...

The hum stops when I unplug directly from the RJM, when I unplug the 7 pin port, and when I unplug the MIDI cable from the interface to the board.

Leaving the MIDI cable sending to the interface does not produce a hum.

No other MIDI connections
 
Yes the hum stops when I unplug the USB cable. But to be clear that is the USB cable to the computer.

I'm using MIDI from the RJM to the interface as a solution to the humming when the USB from the RJM is plugged in to a computer. Just making sure I was clear in my first post. Thank you for your replies!
 
Ok, if you get a USB isolator and use it for the PBC - computer connection, it should fix the issue. It doesn't look like the MIDI interface will do the job of isolating the two, perhaps because the single shared in/out jack on the PBC.
 
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