I would say its worth the risk. The boxes are the same size and use the same connector, so I would not say that it is unreasonable that the MCB-2 is like a cost reduced version of the MCB-1. Similarly, the MPU-IPC-T, where the breakout box is missing a connector, is a cost reduced version of the MPU-IPC. Their boxes are interchangeable otherwise.

The LAPC-N has identical MIDI out port with a LAPC-I, if I'm not mistaken. Should work, but never had the opprtunity to do so. Hence can't say for sure. But as Great Hierophant said, worth the risk. MCB-1 or 2 are hard to come by.

Paddan1000 wrote:

I've been looking for a long time for a MCB-1, so I can connect my Sound Canvas to my LAPC-I and have them use the same system resources. I've never found one, but I know where I can buy a MCB-2, which was made for the japanese LAPC-N. Would this MCB-2 work with my LAPC-I too, just like a MCB-1 would?

Me looking too for this MCB-1 aswell.. 😜 Yes i have one roland LAPC-I here, but cant use the MPU-401 interface of it..

I've bought the MCB-2 (and the LAPC-N that was included) for 30$. It will be sent to me from Japan by boat and arrive in a couple of weeks or months. I'll update then of whether it works or not with the LAPC-I.

I heard that a gameport/midi adapter can work if you rearrange some pins on the adapter.

Whoa there... The MCB-2 is absolutely NOT the same as the MCB-1. Without needing to see a schematic, you risk either partial/no functionality, or a damaged LAPC-I, should you decide to try it.

"Galahad," who used to frequent the QuestStudios forum, had a number of extra MCB-1 connector boxes. You might check with him.

Perhaps I can open up the MCB-2 and look inside to figure out the pin-out. I found your previous posting with the schematics for the MCB-1.
If the MCB-1 and 2 are different perhaps I can make an adapter that rearranges the pins. I know I can't just use a standard MIDI/Gameport-adapter since the signal has to be inverted.

I received the MCB-2 today. Does anyone have any final advice to give before I take the chance and connect it to my LAPC-I?

😵

I have a MCB-1 , I can open it and take a look... don't kill a lapc-i trying to connect a mcb-2 that could damage it!

I figured out that the +5V and the Ground pins were the same for the LAPC-I and the LAPC-N. That was enough for me to dare connect the MCB-2 to the LAPC-I. Too bad it doesn't seem to transmit any data to my external MIDI modules. Is there anything else I should do except just plug it in? And what is the difference between LA MIDI and MPU MIDI?

Sorry for stealing an old topic, but I have a newb question that is pretty close to the original.

I have Roland LAPC-I and recently I bought Roland SC-55 mkII for General MIDI. I'm planning to install a Sound Blaster (2.0/16Vibra/AWE64) and an LAPC-I in my "brand new" P200 MMX and I was hoping to connect SC-55 through the LAPC-I's game port. But apparently normal DB15/MIDI adapter won't work with LAPC-I? Do I really need official MCB-1 box for LAPC-I/SC-55 connection or are there working and obtainable alternatives? Of course I could always use my SB16 or AWE64 and normal adapter cable to hook up the SC-55, but I was hoping to avoid SB's hanging note bug if possible. Besides, LAPC-I has a genuine MPU-401 on board...

The LAPC-I does not have a gameport, the port it has is only to be used with a MCB-1 breakout box.
There is a music store here that for some reason has a lose MCB-1 , I tried to get it a couple of years back but the old guy running it wouldn't give me a straight answer about price. So I just didn't bother as I already have a MCB-1... maybe I should go back and see what he has to say now 🤣

keropi wrote:

The LAPC-I does not have a gameport, the port it has is only to be used with a MCB-1 breakout box.
There is a music store here that for some reason has a lose MCB-1 , I tried to get it a couple of years back but the old guy running it wouldn't give me a straight answer about price. So I just didn't bother as I already have a MCB-1... maybe I should go back and see what he has to say now 🤣

Ok. So no alternatives for MCB-1, then? If you happen to stop by that store and they still have it, let me know what's the price. It would seem I have to settle for SC-55 through Sound Blaster at first. I suppose I could dump the idea of MCB-1 and just get either MPU-401 or a clone card. Or if there are SB Pro/16 clone cards that do the MPU-401's job better than SB, I'm open for suggestions (might be cheaper solution than genuine Roland parts).

edit: Oh, crap. Now that I think about it I saw maybe a month ago in our local Finnish auction site a Roland MIDI adapter that at least looked a lot like MCB-1. Of course now it has already vanished so I can't double check. But doubt remains... 😒

edit2: Now I'm 99% sure it was just an MPU-IPC unit, so no sweat. 😀

Most SBPro clones with a wavetable port do not exhibit the hanging note bug (OPTi 929A, Aztech, ESS)... But none of them will have Intelligent Mode support like a true LAPC-I or a true MPU-401 interface. Of course, you can just use SoftMPU to remedy that.

Whaddya know, I just happened to come across Compaq PII-400 machine with 2 ISA slots and an ESS sound card that goes to ISA slot. I have to inspect the exact model as soon as I get back home but it might be ideal compromise with SoftMPU...

If the mere software emulation doesn't cut it for me, I might have to bother keropi at some point abput those Music Quest MPA-401 clone cards...

Ariakos wrote:

keropi wrote:

The LAPC-I does not have a gameport, the port it has is only to be used with a MCB-1 breakout box.
There is a music store here that for some reason has a lose MCB-1 , I tried to get it a couple of years back but the old guy running it wouldn't give me a straight answer about price. So I just didn't bother as I already have a MCB-1... maybe I should go back and see what he has to say now 🤣

Ok. So no alternatives for MCB-1, then? If you happen to stop by that store and they still have it, let me know what's the price

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROLAND-MCB-1-MIDI-CON … FIAAOSw5ZBWKG0K
theres one for sale right now on ebay.

chrisNova777 wrote:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROLAND-MCB-1-MIDI-CON … FIAAOSw5ZBWKG0K
theres one for sale right now on ebay.

Thanks, but it's too expensive for my tastes.

Actually I'm building my own (a bit simplified) MCB-1 as soon as I get all parts: DOS game rig build around GUS Extreme... pros/cons? 😊

Hello, I'm back after 8 years of abscense.

I spent the day finally soldering together a "MCB-1", which had been a dormant project during all this time. My unit includes only the two MIDI-out ports and none of the other outputs. The only components used apart from the sockets were a 74LS05 HEX inverter, a 100nF polyester capacitor and four 220 ohm resistors.

I connected it from the 15-pin socket of my LAPC-I to the MIDI-in of my MT-32, started a game and absolutely nothing happened except that the LAPC-I started playing music on its own. 5 volts are flowing between the power and ground of my device, but the MT-32 doesn't give any indication that it's receiving anything.

Has anyone else made a MCB-1 by themselves modeled after the circulating plans and managed to make it work?

EDIT: Crap, I just realised I interpreted the pinout of the inverter chip from above instead of from the bottom. I need to resolder everything. I'll do it tomorrow.