Re: MIDI network

[Xav <MBGE4MDC@fs1.ee.man.ac.uk>]

> The problem with this approach is that every machine on the ring 
> needs to be up at the same time, and stay up. If any one machine 
> crashes, the ring is broken. Also the ring is as only as fast as the 
> slowest node. We can use MIDI Thru instead, on every machine except 
> one, which has the privilege of being "ring master" and making sure 
> no packets travel around too many times. In this case, the ring's 
> reliability is better, and the speed is limited by the speed
> of the master machine. It really becomes a broadcast network, which 
> I'm not sure is a good thing. 31.25kbps is not a lot of bandwidth to 
> be sharing with a lot of machines...

Hmmm... I think it all depends on what you see a MIDI network being 
used for. Personally I'd like to use it as a _simple_ way of 
connecting two or three Ataris, preferably without disrupting my 
existing MIDI gear (i.e. by using sysex encapsulation of the 
messages). To this end I can handle ensuring that all the machines 
stay alive.

If you want to network loads of machines this way, though, I can see 
the problem. It's easy enough to reroute the MIDI leads if you want 
to disconnect a machine from the ring - there are switch boxes that 
can do the task. If you want them switched out when turned off, then 
a relay attached to a spare voltage line (joystick port, or straight 
to the PSU) could be implemented - even internally to each machine. 
Of course, this doesn't handle crashes :(

The problem with a MIDI Thru system is that only one machine can 
write to the network. Great for network broadcasts, but not so hot 
for requests. I think a software thru is the only practical solution.

For my theoretical network of two or three machines, I just want an 
easy way to access the hard drive (and other peripherals) on each 
machine - preferably without tying up my serial port (or having to 
buy extra ports!).

Cheers,

Xav


--
Xav
E-mail: mbge4mdc@fs1.ee.man.ac.uk                                      
Web: http://cerebus.lamp.ac.uk/~xav/xav.html
"It's who I am, it's what I do - I can't change" - Sledge Hammer