MIDI to Din / Din to MIDI Sync Convertor
December 2005 - error in DIN socket wiring fixed, thanks to Dubphil
April 2005 - now migrated to 12F629 8 pin flash PIC
This page gives details of what may be the smallest, lowest part-count MIDI to Din / Din to MIDI Sync convertor about. A big advantage of this design is that the circuit uses so little power, it can be reliably powered from the MIDI output socket of another device.
The disadvantage is, it won't cope with a PC that sends very irregular MIDI clock pulses, so YMMV.
An improved designed based on a more powerful PIC may be forthcoming when I get some free time...
A switch controls which direction it should operate in - the DIN socket switches between input and output as required.
The code can also be used in the original configuration for MIDI to DIN only - just tie the mode select pin high.
To provide power for the convertor a MIDI device must be connected to the MIDI IN socket, even if the device is being used for DIN to MIDI conversion. The circuit can be modified to use an external 5 volt supply - see notes on schematic, or you can make up a little adapter for a regulated 5v supply to connect it directly to the appropriate pins on the MIDI Input socket (pin 2 = 0v, pin 4 = 5v).
Contact me if you want to do this but you're not sure what I mean.
I'm using the excellent Quasar All-Flash USB PIC programmer to write my PICs.
Last update: 22nd December 2005
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