Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!oliveb!dragon@olivej.atc.OLIVETTI.COM
From: dragon@olivej.atc.OLIVETTI.COM (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Midi Cables
Message-ID: <28134@oliveb.olivetti.com>
Date: 30 Aug 88 19:01:53 GMT
References: <35.2317D326@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG>
Sender: news@oliveb.olivetti.com
Lines: 28

In article <35.2317D326@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG>, Robert.Lisowski@rubbs1.FIDONET.ORG (Robert Lisowski) writes:

> I use Radio Shack cat # 42-2151 ($4.99) six foot DIN patch cords as MIDI
> cables.  They are 5 pin, and each pin is independent, just fine for 
> MIDI cables.  Of course, if you need longer cables, you can buy the
> connectors alone, but the 5 conductor shielded wire is not available
> at Radio Shack.

I wouldn't use these cables.  Since all five pins are passed through, they
sound as if they would be fine for MIDI stuff.  But since *all* five pins
are passed through, they are prone to cause unpredictable results.  For
instance, the two 'unused' pins on many MIDI instruments (the ST is
included here) are used for non-standard interfacing.  For instance, the ST
uses there for MIDI-thru.  If another instrument uses these same pins for
something else, it could create havoc.

Of course, if you get these cables, you could cut the wires to those
pins...

--Dean

----
Dean Brunette               {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!olivej!dragon
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