Anyone here doing midi over a local network?

[Evil Jack]

I've just been given a few extra 2.0gHz G5s to make use of here...
My plan is to dump my old Gigastudio 2 PC and use a standalone G5 (or 2 ) to run Kontakt2...

Now, I've just discovered the midi network setup in Tigers AMS utility. Is it worth giving it a go?
I'm still using cables and interfaces here...

[Evil Jack]

Wow. Guess the DUC failed me on that one!

So, after spending all yesterday on this, I give up.

I got the 'midi network' icon in AMS sending and receiving midi OK, but closing AMS and/or relaunching Kontakt and Pro Tools in any way, resulted in so many 'lost connections' that I eventually gave up....

Apparently this is the future, but for now I'll stick with good old cables...

[spinsong]

Never say never...there is a solution....but it will cost you....midioverlan.....I haven't tried it yet, but I already have the mac and the windows pc setup running gigastudio...I'm curious too to what your results are if you take the plunge.

http://www.musiclab.com/products/rpl_info.htm

[Lee Blaske]

So, after spending all yesterday on this, I give up.

I got the 'midi network' icon in AMS sending and receiving midi OK, but closing AMS and/or relaunching Kontakt and Pro Tools in any way, resulted in so many 'lost connections' that I eventually gave up....

Apparently this is the future, but for now I'll stick with good old cables...

Haven't tried this myself yet, but I've heard good reports on it from others.

Are you using a decent quality gigabit ethernet switch to hook your computers together? I don't think you'd want to try this with a hub.

You might want to explore this issue on some forums where there's a greater chance of finding people using this type of interfacing. I'd suggest the EXS-24 issues section of the VSL Forum, NorthernSounds, and perhaps the Apple Logic Pro forum on the Apple site.

Lee Blaske

[jasona]

MusicLab's "MIDI Over LAN CP" (cross platform) works great. I've setup several systems, and they've all been reliable. You can run it on a 10/100 network switch, though your better off with gigabit speed - but all your computers will need a gigabit NIC (or built-in gigabit ethernet like most recent Mac's have) and you'll need a gigabit switch.

You can buy a license for either 4 or 8 computers, and you can choose between the "Standard" version (16 net ports) and the "Platinum" version (64 net ports).

http://www.musiclab.com/products/rpl_info.htm

[shadowbox]

I use MIDIoverLan to control softsynths and samplers on my PC from Logic on my Mac. Works great. I just have a Cat5e cable going from my G5 to my PCs gigabit ethernet port. Simple. the computers are networked wirelessly for internet, and file sharing. The Gigabit connection is used exclusively for MIDI.

[sleadley]

We used Midi over Ethernet for connecting 3 computers (2 PT systems and a Logic system) with the logic system connected to the mac Via the Midi over lan app. It co-existed with the Mac MOE with no problems. You have to understand that Pro Tools is a client to MOE and if you quit the app, then naturally you will lose the connection. The same goes for any freestanding app that connects to MOE.
In our world it worked very well indeed, we used a 1000 base switch and it all locked together very well, fast and sample accurate.
hope this helps
Simon L.

[Evil Jack]

Okay Okay Okay
I did persevere with this....I know all about 'midi over LAN', but if it's now built right into OSX, that's got to be better, right?

The Midi Network feature in Tiger DOES actually work, but there's this crazy problem that just doesn't make sense:

After you've configured the network tab in AMS on each machine, and they've all found each other, it works great with low latency...even on a regular 100baseT 'office' type network!

The problem is, as soon as you quit AMS, log out or reboot any single machine, all the connections are GONE and won't come back. The midi ports in PT and Kontakt vanish too. It won't even remember which machine was connected to which.... So you have to set the damn thing up all over again - on each and every machine. Thats just STUPID and not at all the way I would expect it to work...I don't know if it's a bug or whatever but I can't use it like that. It should work just like your regular AMS midi connections.

[Dog BBQ]

My plan is to dump my old Gigastudio 2 PC and use a standalone G5 (or 2 ) to run Kontakt2...

I don't think this is a good plan

[Evil Jack]

I don't think this is a god plan

Would you care to elaborate?