VOGONS


First post, by Dimitris1980

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Hello,

since i have not managed to run my roland mt-32 via a soundblaster vibra pnp i am trying another method. I have bought a roland mpu-ipc-t breakout box in a great condition (almost as new) and as i have understood the only thing that i need now is the midi card for the connection. I would like to ask if it necessary to use only the roland mpu-ipc-t card or you can do the job also with others (for instance the mpu-ipc).

Thank you
Dimitris from Greece

- Macintosh LC475, Powerbook 540c, Macintosh Performa 6116CD, Power Macintosh G3 Minitower (x2), Imac G3, Powermac G4 MDD, Powermac G5, Imac Mid 2007
- Cyrix 120
- Amiga 500, Amiga 1200
- Atari 1040 STF
- Roland MT32, CM64, CM500, SC55, SC88, Yamaha MU50

Reply 1 of 8, by jesolo

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With the original MPU-401, most of the electronics were "housed" inside the large breakout box and the MIF-IPC (later MIF-IPC-A) for IBM PC's was basically an interface card (there were different variants for different types of computer architectures).
With the MPU-IPC (and MPU-IPC-T), most of the electronics were "moved" onto the MIDI interface card, resulting in the breakout box shrinking in size.

With the MPU-IPC-T, you need both the interface card and the breakout box (it is not compatible with the older MPU-401 and its related MIF-IPC card).

However, the MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-T are interchangeable between their breakout boxes and interface cards (they look very similar).

Refer here for further info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPU-401

Reply 2 of 8, by keropi

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exactly, you will need the MPU-IPC-T interface card - no other simple interface will work with your breakout box

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roland_mpu-ipc-t.jpg

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 3 of 8, by Dimitris1980

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ok. Thank you for the answers.

Regards
Dimitris from Greece

- Macintosh LC475, Powerbook 540c, Macintosh Performa 6116CD, Power Macintosh G3 Minitower (x2), Imac G3, Powermac G4 MDD, Powermac G5, Imac Mid 2007
- Cyrix 120
- Amiga 500, Amiga 1200
- Atari 1040 STF
- Roland MT32, CM64, CM500, SC55, SC88, Yamaha MU50

Reply 4 of 8, by Dimitris1980

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One question more. The roland mpu-ipc-t breakout box is compatible with the roland mpu-ipc card or it has to be only the mpu-ipc-t card?

- Macintosh LC475, Powerbook 540c, Macintosh Performa 6116CD, Power Macintosh G3 Minitower (x2), Imac G3, Powermac G4 MDD, Powermac G5, Imac Mid 2007
- Cyrix 120
- Amiga 500, Amiga 1200
- Atari 1040 STF
- Roland MT32, CM64, CM500, SC55, SC88, Yamaha MU50

Reply 5 of 8, by jesolo

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Dimitris1980 wrote:

One question more. The roland mpu-ipc-t breakout box is compatible with the roland mpu-ipc card or it has to be only the mpu-ipc-t card?

The MPU-IPC-T breakout box will work with the MPU-IPC interface card. Similarly, an MPU-IPC breakout box will also work with an MPU-IPT-T interface card.
As a matter of fact, the two breakout boxes (from what I could gather) are basically the same. The difference lies in the two interface cards, where the MPU-IPC-T's IRQ's & MPU addresses can be configured via jumpers, while the MPU-IPC cannot. However, for compatibility reasons, I wouldn't bother changing it from the default setting anyway.

I've seen a couple of eBay auctions where only the MPU-IPC (or MPU-IPC-T) breakout box is being offered, but without the interface card (which then basically makes it useless, since you require both).

Reply 6 of 8, by Dimitris1980

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This is good. Thank you jesolo.

- Macintosh LC475, Powerbook 540c, Macintosh Performa 6116CD, Power Macintosh G3 Minitower (x2), Imac G3, Powermac G4 MDD, Powermac G5, Imac Mid 2007
- Cyrix 120
- Amiga 500, Amiga 1200
- Atari 1040 STF
- Roland MT32, CM64, CM500, SC55, SC88, Yamaha MU50

Reply 7 of 8, by Dellamorte

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Sorry for necroing such an old thread but I thought I should let others know the the MPU-IPC and the MPU-IPC-T boxes are not compatible. I have both breakout boxes and the MPU-IPC has a Hex Inverter in the box where as the -T version does not. The MCB-1 is almost identical to the MPU-IPC but with different pinouts, the MCB-1 has a 15 pin connector and the MPU-IPC has a 25 pin.

Reply 8 of 8, by Dimitris1980

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Dellamorte wrote on 2022-04-03, 00:40:

Sorry for necroing such an old thread but I thought I should let others know the the MPU-IPC and the MPU-IPC-T boxes are not compatible. I have both breakout boxes and the MPU-IPC has a Hex Inverter in the box where as the -T version does not. The MCB-1 is almost identical to the MPU-IPC but with different pinouts, the MCB-1 has a 15 pin connector and the MPU-IPC has a 25 pin.

This info is very important. Thank you for sharing.

- Macintosh LC475, Powerbook 540c, Macintosh Performa 6116CD, Power Macintosh G3 Minitower (x2), Imac G3, Powermac G4 MDD, Powermac G5, Imac Mid 2007
- Cyrix 120
- Amiga 500, Amiga 1200
- Atari 1040 STF
- Roland MT32, CM64, CM500, SC55, SC88, Yamaha MU50