Midi soundblaster direct connect?

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri May 28 17:20:52 2004

>
> >> [...joystick port MIDI converter...] Mine cost me CAD 34.45, TTC,
> >> around the middle of last August.
> > Hacking together a very simple circuit with an opto-isolator, a few
> > resistors, diodes, etc. costs a lot less. There are several circuits
> > available on the 'net.
>
> Sure, and I imagine I could design one myself easily enough - I know
> _that_ much about electronics.

It's not exactly complicated, the only thing you'd need would be a spec
of what the Soundblaster was expecting.

>
> But I don't have any suitable optoisolators on hand (I found only one,
> and its output device was a mains-voltage triac), and the hassle factor

Raid one from an old SMPSU (they're often used in the voltage regulation
feebcak circuit)?

> of obtaining some was enough to outweigh the extra dollars the pre-made
> adapter cost me.

It may not apply here, but I've seen cheap cables and adapters that are
so poorly soldered that you have to completely rebuild them. In which
case it's probably less hassle to make it yourself in the first place.

>
> Besides, by the time you add in mounting and housing, the cost for the
> homebrew has probably at least doubled, in money and time both.

I used to estimate {Cost of main components} * 3.

Anyway, if you just want a quick-n-dirty hack why bother to house it?
Mount the board ont he DA15 plug or something.

-tony
Received on Fri May 28 2004 - 17:20:52 BST