I spent an insane amount of time last week, and this weekend, trying to get the OS 9 OEM version of SoundDiver 3.0 to communicate with the XP-30. I had done it once before on Mac (via MIDI interface) but like an idiot I didn't document the procedure.
The XP-30 synth has a Mac style 8 pin midi-din connector and a switch to choose between MIDI, PC1, PC2 and Mac but I've never been able to obtain communication by directly connecting the XP-30 to my Mac, have you?
My retro Mac is a 333Mhz G3 "Lombard" laptop, the first to be without built in serial ports. It took three tries before I got the proper USB to serial port interface that will work with MIDI interfaces; the Keyspan USA-X28. The MIDI interface used is a MOTU Midi Timepiece II. Then there's the annoying hassle caused by the conflict between Opcode's OMS and MOTU's FreeMidi (MIDI "drivers" that are placed in the extensions folder). I was about to give up Sunday night when I finally stumbled upon the right configuration combination.
Actually, ever since I bought the synth new in '99 I've done all my editing on the XP-30 using the Win OEM version of SoundDiver 3.0 (from Win98 right up through WinXP) via various MIDI interfaces. I don't really know why I'd ever wasted any time trying to get this going on a Mac other than I had other curiosity that pushed me into Mac territory so I felt compelled to try this too.
There's no real point to this post other than the one thing that eludes me with this collection of gear. Is there a way to get SoundDiver to communicate with the XP-30 directly through the serial cable?
Greg
XP-30 & SoundDiver: A Walk Down Memory Lane
Re: XP-30 & SoundDiver: A Walk Down Memory Lane
I feel your pain..
I have the 'full' version of SoundDiver.
I struggle to make it work at the best of times.
It's currently running on a my machine via Win2000pro. I have to ignore the text warnings, but it runs. (just)
I wasn't able to make it work with XP, for some reason.
No idea about your serial cable problem with the Mac.
I have the 'full' version of SoundDiver.
I struggle to make it work at the best of times.
It's currently running on a my machine via Win2000pro. I have to ignore the text warnings, but it runs. (just)
I wasn't able to make it work with XP, for some reason.
No idea about your serial cable problem with the Mac.
Re: XP-30 & SoundDiver: A Walk Down Memory Lane
Sorry to hear about your troubles with SoundDiver, it really sux that they folded so long ago. The version I use came with the XP-30, it was version 2 but had to be updated immediately to version 3 before it would even work.
It was not until a couple years back that I'd even tried to use it on a Mac and actually had to pay $3 to retrieve the OS9 ver 3 update download from a website.
Frankly though, despite it's few quirks, I'd have been lost without that SoundDiver program. I've created extensive configurations and done a lot of tweaking on the XP-30 over the years and don't have a clue how to do any of it with the buttons, knobs and little LCD display.
Perhaps mine works fine on WinXP because it's a stripped down OEM version? In any case, in an age where I seem to constantly be upgrading/replacing music software/hardware the XP-30 is still a favorite piece of gear and I'll have to do whatever I need to do so that I can always have a computer with a working copy of SoundDiver.
It was not until a couple years back that I'd even tried to use it on a Mac and actually had to pay $3 to retrieve the OS9 ver 3 update download from a website.
Frankly though, despite it's few quirks, I'd have been lost without that SoundDiver program. I've created extensive configurations and done a lot of tweaking on the XP-30 over the years and don't have a clue how to do any of it with the buttons, knobs and little LCD display.
Perhaps mine works fine on WinXP because it's a stripped down OEM version? In any case, in an age where I seem to constantly be upgrading/replacing music software/hardware the XP-30 is still a favorite piece of gear and I'll have to do whatever I need to do so that I can always have a computer with a working copy of SoundDiver.