[LAD] [semi-OT] midi snakes using CAT5?

[Jörn Nettingsmeier]

Arnold Krille wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On Sunday 01 November 2009 16:47:44 Jörn Nettingsmeier wrote:
>> i'm playing with my shiny new BCF2K, and i'm going to use it some
>> distance from my machine, so i'm going to try a midi link instead of USB.
>> what is the maximum length of midi chain that you have used without
>> problems? i read somewhere that no more than 15 meters are recommended,
>> which strikes me as pretty short even if it's unbalanced.
>> my idea is to abuse a cat5 cable as a triple midi loom - do you think
>> that could work? pinout would be as follows:
>> 1	midi 1 signal
>> 2	midi 1 ground
>> 3	midi 2 signal
>> 4	midi 2 ground
>> 5	midi 3 signal
>> 6	midi 6 ground
>> 7	common +5V
>> 8	common +5V
> 
> If you want to make use of the drilling of the pins in cat5, it should be
> 
> 1+2 Midi 1
> 3+6 Midi 2
> 4+5 Midi 3
> 7+8 Midi 4

sure, i just numbered the wires, your count is based on rj45, but i
meant the same.

> Why do you want to carry 5V? According to my docs, Midi is just Signal+ and 
> Signal- and shield. Which, when carried over Cat5, should be all on the 
> shield.

any midi has to carry 5v iirc. and midi is not balanced, so there is no
signal+ and signal-. would be cool if there was - then 100m would be no
problem :)