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2x2 MIDIEngine 2PortS/E

MIDIEngine 2Port/SE Manufacturer: Opcode Systems Company Line: The 2Port/SE is a professional MIDI interface for all IBM compatible laptop, notebook, and desktop computers. Using our proprietary MIDIEngine(tm) technology, the 2Port/SE features dual MIDI ports with FIFO buffering, data compression, and message filtering to efficiently drive 32 MIDI channels. The unit also provides a sophisticated SMPTE implementation for multi-track tape and audio/video applications. Website: http://www.opcode.com/ Platforms Supported: Windows # of MIDI Ports: 2 in/2 out Other features: Full SMPTE support Connector type: Parallel Price: $139.95usd (product has been discontinued but may still be available from certain retailers) Warrenty: 1 year Online purchasing options: Zzounds Have you used this product? Click here to submit your own review for publication!	Related Areas: Error processing SSI file

User comments & reviews:

by James Prosser
jpros@bestweb.net

January 18th 2000

I bought the unit new in 1997 for $119 in New York. The unit consists of a metal housing (roughly 6"x4"x1") containing 4 midi ports (In A, Out A, In B, Out B) and a SMPTE 1/4" jack. The unit is powered by a 9 volt wall-wart external power supply. There is no On/Off switch; plug it in and it's on,unplug it and it's off. An included cable (approx. 6' in length) connects the metal housing to the computer's parallel port. The unit is not rack-mountable. The unit also included drivers on a floppy disk. I used the interface on a Compaq Presario 7180 computer (586 processor running at 90 mHz, 16 meg Ram) running Windows 95A and Cakewalk Home Studio 5 (my, how things change!).

Set-up is dead simply; plug the included cable into the computer's parallel port and the 2portS/E, load the drivers, and you're done. The unit and drivers installed flawlessly, and were immediately recognized by both Windows plug and play, and Cakewalk. Once the Midi cables (not included) were properly connected to the tone modules, and the tone modules properly instructed to respond on the correct Midi channels, I was off and running. It took me less than one hour from opening the box to recording and playing back Midi.

The 2portS/E did exactly what I wanted it to do. Midi data was recorded and played back. I never rigorously tested the timing. Everything sounded OK to my ears; I did not notice any delays, timing "slop", or "smears". That doesn't mean that none occurred; simply that it wasn't so egregious that I took note of it. I never used the SMPTE features, so I can't comment about them.

In the 2 years I used the device, I never had any problems with it; no glitches, no crashes. The interface unit itself is of sturdy construction, and withstood just fine the not-so-frequent midi cable re-patching I did. Basically, the unit worked so transparently, I soon forgot all about it. And I mean that in a good sense. After 2 years of steady use, I traded it in for an interface with more channels. I was impressed enough about the unit that I bought another Opcode product.

Faults: The unit does hog the computer parallel port, so if you want to use a printer without disconnecting the interface, you will have to buy a parallel port spliter. The wall-wart power supply is an inconvenience.

Bottom line: it's not terribly sexy, but it's inexpensive, it's sturdy, it's stable, it's reliable, it doesn't create problems, and it sends Midi data back and forth. I would heartily recommend a 2portS/E to anyone in the market for a 2 in/2out Midi interface. jmp 1/18/2000

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