Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

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Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. for Mac OSX
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motumotu
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Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:30 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS

Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

Post by motumotu »

Hello

Is it possible to connect a non-USB (parallel port version in other words) MIDI Timepiece AV MTP to a late 2013 MacBook Pro (running macOS Sierra, 10.12.5)? The MBP pro has just USB and Thunderbolt connections. The native Intel version of Clockworks launches happily enough.

A quick Google tells me there are for example USB to parallel port adaptors but that's no gaurantee it'll work!

I got the MTP for nothing so don't really want to get rid of it and look for the USB version and it's still very useful to me in standalone mode as a digital MIDI patchbay, but it would be nice to take advantage of the features accessible only via software.

Thanks
Jim
motumotu
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Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:30 am
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Re: Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

Post by motumotu »

Well I tried a cheap USB to DB25 adaptor ... well that's £5 and 5 minutes I'll never get back :lol: It didn't work, not hugely surprised tbh
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mikehalloran
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Re: Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

Post by mikehalloran »

There is only one way to do this. You can use it as an extender to an MTP-AV USB with firmware 2.0.1. You also need the correct serial cable to connect the two. No other way works.

Firmware 2.0.1 was the last version and is hard coded in the EPROM. Older versions will not work with Intel Macs. The firmware on the older MTP-AV doesn’t matter.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
motumotu
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:30 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS

Re: Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

Post by motumotu »

Thanks Mike

The other option of course is to find a (very) cheap laptop (Win or Mac) of the era and use that
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mikehalloran
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Re: Connect non-USB MOTU MIDI Timepiece MTP AV to modern Mac

Post by mikehalloran »

You can also find 2.0.1 units on eBay. Make sure that the screen shot shows the correct firmware. I see sellers saying that 2.0.0 and earlier are “Mac compatible“ — PPC maybe but Intel, no. Tons on eBay right now but only one with the correct firmware for a $180 BIN. That’s what they’re going for these days.

MOTU used to sell upgrade chip sets for the USB but I bought one of the last in 2012. Frankly, I don’t use it anymore.

A serial Mac portable? Yikes — how old would hat have to be? Before the G3... and what OS and version of DP, 3.x or 4.1?

A Windows laptop with an RS 232 port running XP or Win 7 should be much, much easier to find and use.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
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