MOTU MIDI timepiece MTP AV (Parallel Version) with Windows 7

[MrTomSharp]

I just bought a MOTU MIDI timepiece MTP AV to use with my MOTU 2408 mk3. I did not realize that there were 2 version of the MTP AV; Parallel Port & USB. As it turns out I am now the proud owner of a MTP AV Parallel Port version.

Since my computer does not have a parallel port I have ordered a Motherboard Parallel Port Connector cable and the proper cable. Due to the current lack of a parallel port I have not yet been able to try the unit.

My question is: Will I be able to get the MTP AV Parallel Port version to work with Windows 7? Or am I better off trying to acquire a MTP AV USB version?

[1nput0utput]

Windows Vista and Windows 7 don't support parallel devices. Therefore there's no Windows 7-compatible driver from MOTU that supports the parallel MTP-AV. You need the USB model.

[MrTomSharp]

Thank You

[Musicdoctor]

Windows Vista and Windows 7 don't support parallel devices. Therefore there's no Windows 7-compatible driver from MOTU that supports the parallel MTP-AV. You need the USB model.

Sorry, but you´re wrong.

Please read why:

1st: any motherboard with LPT/parallel port is supported by Windows 7

2nd: Motu released and posted in their download section in October 2009 device drivers specified for the older Timepiece MTP AV models, those with parallel port for Windows Vista 32 and even 64bit versions and serial/modem port for MAC, therefore these drivers can be used with no concerns nor complications at all with Windows 7.

3rd: next time inform yourself well, before posting such things "Windows 7 doesn´t support LPT/parallel ports" - this shows how much you know about: not much to nothing.

Very sad that people give answers that have a value less than worth to throw directly into the bin.

Anyone reaching this post from a searchengine with questions about how and where to get these Windows Vista / 7 device drivers for the Motu Timepiece MTP AV LPT Parallel Port Model, feel free to register at this forum and send me a PM.

P.S. To get these older MTP-AV´s working on a MAC you´ll need an old one, a G3, BUT: with one advantage youy´ll be able to get hands on the "MIDI-effect-processors", these can then be saved into your MTP and called up by any MIDI message - unfortunately no one has access to this, even not with the newer USB2.0 MTP-AV versions, while working on any Windows system.

[James Steele]

Well the unfortunate moral to the story is that the OP is going to try and make the best out of an unfortunate situation. You have to be careful about used MTPs on eBay, etc. Some unscrupulous types will try to obfuscate the information that it's a non-USB interface.

[Musicdoctor]

Yes this is true. Search, ask and confirm anything carefully, not only when buying on eBay.

For people searching for the plug and play pleasure and thinking into the future after Windows7 I would recommend to buy the newest USB2.0 MTP versions, but then there is the latency problem with these USB units, not really with the units themselves, but with the USB interface as it was designed, it just do not suit well the properties of MIDI data, even less if it has to transmit on more than one channel.

Serial and parallel ports had since ever the lowest latency in the system-chain, when talking about MIDI transmissions, nothing changes in Windows7, it´s direct and uninfluenced by Windows itself. I´m not an engineer in this area, but I can talk about tests I´ve made and others have made, all togteher came to the same conclusions: USB seems not well suited for time-critical, tight and continous MIDI data transmissions on multiple channels.

If you can or want to try it, go for serial and parallel interfaces when it comes to get MIDI SYNCHRONIZED out of your sequencer to your outboard equipment (well, MIDI=serial transmission, so in the best case you will get continuous latency on all data-strings, in the case you get any latency on MIDI-OUT´s).

...the problem will be future OS after Windows7, there will be no official support from Motu´s side (probably) for old serial/parallel port MTP´s, with luck the music industry gets on one boat and goes for LAN on all new gear.

I for myself, as many others around the world can´t get anything "hearful" (to not to say useful) out of soft-plug´s (synths especially) and swear on good old (and a few new) gear, so there will ever be need for some kind of timeconsistent "MIDI" communication.

If anyone has an old (real old) friend who is a real computer geek since or even better before the 286 era, ask him to help you to implement tight MIDI transmissions on multiple channels into your studio over serial or parallel ports, yes with Windows7

[James Steele]

I would recommend to buy the newest USB2.0 MTP versions, but then there is the latency problem with these USB units, not really with the units themselves, but with the USB interface as it was designed, it just do not suit well the properties of MIDI data, even less if it has to transmit on more than one channel.

That's unfortunate. I know that on the Macintosh side of things, it works rather well because of MOTU's MIDI Time Stamping. The timing of MIDI events is very tight. I don't know if that's just because the DAW itself has to be written to take advantage of MIDI Time Stamping or it's handled by the drivers. If it were handled by the drivers you'd assume it would be transparent to the application and perhaps work as well on Windows as Mac OS.

Hmmmm.... complicated things, these DAW systems!

[bigtree]

Windows Vista and Windows 7 don't support parallel devices. Therefore there's no Windows 7-compatible driver from MOTU that supports the parallel MTP-AV. You need the USB model.

Sorry, but you´re wrong.

Please read why:

1st: any motherboard with LPT/parallel port is supported by Windows 7

2nd: Motu released and posted in their download section in October 2009 device drivers specified for the older Timepiece MTP AV models, those with parallel port for Windows Vista 32 and even 64bit versions and serial/modem port for MAC, therefore these drivers can be used with no concerns nor complications at all with Windows 7.

3rd: next time inform yourself well, before posting such things "Windows 7 doesn´t support LPT/parallel ports" - this shows how much you know about: not much to nothing.

Very sad that people give answers that have a value less than worth to throw directly into the bin.

Anyone reaching this post from a searchengine with questions about how and where to get these Windows Vista / 7 device drivers for the Motu Timepiece MTP AV LPT Parallel Port Model, feel free to register at this forum and send me a PM.

P.S. To get these older MTP-AV´s working on a MAC you´ll need an old one, a G3, BUT: with one advantage youy´ll be able to get hands on the "MIDI-effect-processors", these can then be saved into your MTP and called up by any MIDI message - unfortunately no one has access to this, even not with the newer USB2.0 MTP-AV versions, while working on any Windows system.

I tried contacting you but your profile says you now don't exist! I could sure use some help on getting my old MTP AV to hook up to my new windows 7 PC.

Maybe it's just a matter of getting a cable to convert the Parallel Port A to USB?
Anyone with info on this, please chime in or PM me. I love my old MTP AV. MIDI and USB just don't cut it at this time for me.

Thanks!

Chris
recording.org

[radar23]

bump.

HI i'm interested in these old 64bit win 7 drivers for the parallel MTP also.. anyone have them?

Thanks in advance..

MC

[Musicdoctor]

Hello again,
I don´t visit this forum frequently.
I´ve just logged in because I´ve received a message by mail to check a PM from an user not getting his MTP-AV parallel connected to Win XP.
I have on an old backup disk the direct links on the site from the German distributor for MOTU, called KLEMM. These links are not linked by accessing their FTP/download section, but, I´ll look for this backup, extract the links and post the ones needed for the old MTP-AV parallel version. Until sunday or monday I´ll be able to find them.
Have a nice weekend!

[Musicdoctor]

Just to add up some general useful information to make your MTP-AV Parallel Version work under Windows operation systems:

Please be sure you selected in your PC BIOS options for the LPT/Parallel port: SPP / NORMAL MODE, SPP stands for: "Standard Parallel Port" mode.
Selecting anything else then SPP/Normal Mode will most probably make the connection between MTP-AV and your PC fail.
A LPT/Parallel connection is the only way to connect the MTP-AV to a PC and in order to be able to "program" your MTP-AV.

Another thing is: on the front panel of your MTP-AV is a little black push-button with a Macintosh and a PC icon, if you look closer at the icons you´ll notice that for MAC it has to be "pulled out" and for PC-mode it has to be "pushed".
pulled out would look like: ____|¨|_____
pushed would look like: ________.-._____

ATTENTION: Connections like LPT -> USB won´t work at all (teoretically it is technically possible, but not as plug&play - either it doesn´t exist any readily to buy - only soldering and IC-logic programming would resolve this - JUST FORGET IT).

For notebooks you can use any expresscard, PCMCIA, or cardbus to LPT adapters: they will work if they offer SPP mode, look for compatibility/drivers available with your desired Operation System (OS) before purchase, also have a look at the specifications for a PCI to LPT card below.

PCI-LPT cards can work in some cases, this depends on the controller chip used on the PCI-card, some (needed) specifications to look for are:

•Fully compliant with PCI 2.1 and IEEE 1284 specifications
•Faster transfer rate of Up To 1.5Mbytes/sec
•16 bytes FIFO
•Cards with only 1 LPT port, not mixed ones with serial ports, 2 LPT ports, e.g.
•Plug & Play - Automatically selects IRQ and I/O address
•Supports PCI IRQ sharing -> avoid this to happen
•Compatible to your OS, like Windows XP or Vista (or Win7) so if you get at least Vista drivers you can use them for Windows 7 as well, as long as you use them like:
Vista 32bit drivers -> ok for Win7 32bit
Vista 64bit drivers -> ok for Win7 64bit

I´ve found a site from where you will find a direction which one and where to buy: http://www.shopwiki.com/LPT+PCI+Single+ ... d+spp?sb=1

Best bet is always a native LPT port on the motherboard, on my latest ones the LPT port doesn´t come directly on the backplate of the motherboard, but as a pin-out header, the additional pinheader-connector+cable+backplate with LPT connector needed costs US$2 to max. 10 bucks.

That´s all for now, anything else you want to know, just reply here or sent me a PM.
MUSICDOCTOR

[greggybud]

Windows Vista and Windows 7 don't support parallel devices. Therefore there's no Windows 7-compatible driver from MOTU that supports the parallel MTP-AV. You need the USB model.

Sorry, but you´re wrong.

Please read why:

1st: any motherboard with LPT/parallel port is supported by Windows 7

2nd: Motu released and posted in their download section in October 2009 device drivers specified for the older Timepiece MTP AV models, those with parallel port for Windows Vista 32 and even 64bit versions and serial/modem port for MAC, therefore these drivers can be used with no concerns nor complications at all with Windows 7.

3rd: next time inform yourself well, before posting such things "Windows 7 doesn´t support LPT/parallel ports" - this shows how much you know about: not much to nothing.

Very sad that people give answers that have a value less than worth to throw directly into the bin.

Anyone reaching this post from a searchengine with questions about how and where to get these Windows Vista / 7 device drivers for the Motu Timepiece MTP AV LPT Parallel Port Model, feel free to register at this forum and send me a PM.

P.S. To get these older MTP-AV´s working on a MAC you´ll need an old one, a G3, BUT: with one advantage youy´ll be able to get hands on the "MIDI-effect-processors", these can then be saved into your MTP and called up by any MIDI message - unfortunately no one has access to this, even not with the newer USB2.0 MTP-AV versions, while working on any Windows system.

I sent a PM to you.

Apparently you are saying that a driver exists to make MIDI Timepiece AV Parallel work with Windows 64bit?

Looking on the MOTU website, the only support I can find for the Parallel MIDI TimepieceAV is XP...and prior operating systems. I don't see any for Windows 7.

Are you saying that you have a special driver that will work?

[greggybud]

I just spoke with MOTU Tech support guy Ronan

As I expected, the official MOTU stance is that there is no supported driver for MIDI TimepieceAV PARALLEL with Windows7 64 bit.

He did say that I could network a MIDI TimepieceAV USB with a MIDI TimepieceAV PARALLEL for 16 channels. It would be nice if anyone could verify this before I go looking for a used USB unit. I currently use Cubase6 32 bit running under Windows7 64 bit.

[spinalzap]

I too, am using Win 7 64 bit OS and have been eyeballing a used Timepiece AV with parallel/serial ports.

My possible solution to the missing USB connection is to employ a MIDI-USB interface, and sacrifice one MIDI out to this device.

Question: Is there any reason why this should not work?

[AS@MOTU]

MY Thanks to MusicDoctor

I have had a MTP for years when I upgraded my operating system to windows 7 32BIT I could not get my MTP to work .

After contacting MOTU technical support they advised my to buy a MOTU USB version, I was not happy but go get things going I did that. I have had issues with windows 7 crashing(blue screen of death) the report reads MOTU.sys.....

Regardless of this I was about to put my trusted MTP up for sale when I read MusicDoctors post. I had nothing to lose just a bit of time after getting the parallel port recognised in windows I installed the MTP Windows XP 32Bit driver and to my delight the MTP was again alive

Duno yet what I will say to MOTU technical support