First post, by MrFiveThumbs
So the thing is, my retro cave is actually the far end of a smallish walk-in closet. This puts pretty tight limits on the amount of stuff I can fit there. However, I want all the DOS things from 1993-1997. And I mean all of it. And I want it on real hardware, at least as real as it can be.
So what I did, like a totally normal person, I made some architectural diagrams of what I would need to make it fit. It turns out using KVM switch, midi merge/thru boxes, and audio mixer makes things a whole lot easier.
Now I have 3 computers, every one of them is always connected to 4 midi modules, and all of them (both the computers and the midi modules) are individually controlled on the mixer. All 3 computers can also be running at the same time, although the KVM switch means only one can be viewed and controlled at any time.
What I’m most happy about this is, there is never a need to disconnect any devices or move any cables. It all just works without any hassle or setup to use any combination. For example, to switch from the 486/25 and MT-32 Old to Pentium MMX 200 and SC-88 I only shutdown the 486, power on the Pentium, switch KVM, and mute/unmute the correct inputs on the mixer.
Super happy with this setup, here’s a bit optimistic diagrams of the setup (the LaserWave 16 isn’t quite working yet) but overall it’s accurate. The gray box indicates the still missing last midi module, still looking for reasonably priced CM-32L in Europe.
And no this is not what I had in mind first, this diagram and setup has been evolving some years now. Getting close to completion now though, so I thought I could post this setup here already.
And yes, there is a whole giant spaghetti bowl’s worth of cable mess behind, I think I hid that pretty well taking picture from low angle.
