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keybored0 wrote:Ipmidi is a UDF MIDI protocol to communicate between multiple computers. It can communicate near zero latency MIDI signal over Ethernet or Firewire or wireless interfaces. For example, DP on one Mac and VIs on other Macs with no hardware MTPs or the like.

Thanks for that succint summary -- there were too many abstract concepts in the overall writeup for me to "get it", as I am so far outside the realm of being able to make use of this technology with what I currently own.

Based on this simple statement, I can easily see some huge advantages of this protocol and supporting program, for anyone who so much as has a dual computer setup. And in fact, it even courages that approach in that it "leads" vs. "follows", if that makes sense.

The point being, that sometimes something comes along that makes one solution path more appealing than another, when it comes to ways of dividing tasks and workloads either by category, by OS, or by resource intensity. This IPMIDI thingie looks to be a powerful and useful tool.

I have been using the Vienna Ensemble 3 demo for a month or so and it works exactly as I had hoped. I use it on a Macbook Pro into my MacPro 8 core and have had no glitches or strangeness at all. I use it with Remote Desktop and life is good at the moment...

RobA

Rob A, that is exactly what I am thinking. Once I finally get a new computer, it might be wise to hang onto my current one as a Vienna Ensemble host, and try this IPMIDI thingie via firewire or Ethernet (if I get a hub).

Wow...I can't believe this ipMIDI thing just worked.

I downloaded it to both of my laptops.
Opened DP on one, and Garage Band on the other.
Loaded a MIDI track on DP with ipMIDI as the output.
Opened a Piano VI track in Garage Band.
I hit play in DP and the damn thing is playing the Piano on the other laptop via WIFI!
I really didn't do any configuring and the computers are communicating. I hit stop on the DP laptop and the GB laptop stops playing. Is it supposed to be this easy?

-Ian

mrbillet wrote:Is it supposed to be this easy?

Apple and Microsoft have taught us otherwise.

mrbillet wrote:Wow...I can't believe this ipMIDI thing just worked.

I downloaded it to both of my laptops.
Opened DP on one, and Garage Band on the other.
Loaded a MIDI track on DP with ipMIDI as the output.
Opened a Piano VI track in Garage Band.
I hit play in DP and the damn thing is playing the Piano on the other laptop via WIFI!
I really didn't do any configuring and the computers are communicating. I hit stop on the DP laptop and the GB laptop stops playing. Is it supposed to be this easy?

-Ian

Could it be there are 2 programs that work right away after downloads. Are we still in Kansas?

Could it be there are 2 programs that work right away after downloads. Are we still in Kansas?[/quote]

Well, I ran into difficulty pretty fast. Can't figure out how to configure MIDI comings and goings in Garage Band or DP.

I think Garage Band is inherently limited so I don't have much hope of loading multiple VIs, controlled by multiple MIDI tracks in DP.

I hope to figure out how to make two laptops with DP communicate via the ipMIDI. So far I'm receiving MIDI in the VI computer but it's not actually playing the loaded VIs. This MIDI stuff is mysterious to me. I've always used DP as an audio recorder and editor. Not getting along with the manual so far but I'll keep trying.

I'vs been using IpMidi from the mac to two PC's running bidule. It works, it's simple and in the brief tests that I did it was faster and more accurate than using OSC via Bidule AND faster and more accurate than using USB Midisport interfaces.
I have to pay for IpMidi on the PC but this is fair and reasonable punishment for going (partly) over to the dark side.
Pass the birch twigs. I must flagellate immediately.
Cheers, Bolla

So how are you guys bringing AUDIO back into your DAW computer? IPMIDI is for MIDI. That Vienna Ensemble Pro looks like the ideal solution for multiple computer setups.

willymeyers... Just install on both computers. In audio MIDI Setup set same number of ports. There is a readme and instructions. All apps will show ipmidi ports. Set loop on if interapp is needed on same computer.

mrbillet... This sounds like a Garageband input issue. I don't know that app and if it has multirecord capability. You could use RAX or why not DP on the receiving end instead of Garageband?

James Steele wrote:So how are you guys bringing AUDIO back into your DAW computer? IPMIDI is for MIDI. That Vienna Ensemble Pro looks like the ideal solution for multiple computer setups.

Audio is coming back via a 2408mk1 that is lightpiped to the 2408 on the main mac. I also use some old Pulsar cards on a vintage PC that do the same thing.
The old 2408 mk1's are very cheap to pick up these days and do the job without any mucking around.
The Vienna option looks interesting and there are rumours that NI are doing a similar concept. Just rumours as far as I know.
Cheers, Bolla

keybored0 wrote:willymeyers... Just install on both computers. In audio MIDI Setup set same number of ports. There is a readme and instructions. All apps will show ipmidi ports. Set loop on if interapp is needed on same computer.

mrbillet... This sounds like a Garageband input issue. I don't know that app and if it has multirecord capability. You could use RAX or why not DP on the receiving end instead of Garageband?

I couldn't get it to work on DP but I tried playing with the settings again after some sleep and it works! Thanks for your suggestions.

I have a score open in DP on one laptop playing the VIs in DP on another laptop over WIFI. How fancy!

-Ian

RobA wrote:I have been using the Vienna Ensemble 3 demo for a month or so and it works exactly as I had hoped. I use it on a Macbook Pro into my MacPro 8 core and have had no glitches or strangeness at all. I use it with Remote Desktop and life is good at the moment...

RobA

Rob A,


Does the Vienna Ensemble 3 host other VI's than Vienna's ?

/B

Rob A,
Does the Vienna Ensemble 3 host other VI's than Vienna's ?/B

Wouldn't that be cool!

dosuna11 wrote:

Rob A,
Does the Vienna Ensemble 3 host other VI's than Vienna's ?/B

Wouldn't that be cool!

I believe the product they are developing called Vienna Ensemble PRO will indeed host 3rd party AU VIs. This would be reason for buying it as I probably wouldn't buy the Vienna library stuff for what I generally do, but their system for hosting VIs on other computers looks like it will be the very best technology availabe when it is released. Only 1 ethernet cable is all it will take. You still have to use something like VnC if you want to see the slave computer's screen on your DAW, although I suppose the best solution would be to run a long VGA cable (there are stores that will sell you 50ft cables, etc.) to a monitor near your DAW machine. Or run multiple long VGA cables to a switcher when then connects to your main "VI Farm" monitor. That's how I'd do it. The VnC thing would just be a hassle.

Problem for me is my G5 is still my main computer and I believe my old G4 is not gigabit ethernet but 100 base T which is not supported.