Mac OS 9 Lives

Mac OS 9 Discussion => Hardware => Topic started by: pmj on December 13, 2023, 10:12:36 AM

Title: JL Cooper MacNexus Midi Interface via USB?
Post by: pmj on December 13, 2023, 10:12:36 AM
I have one of these old JL Cooper MacNexus MIDI interfaces kicking around:

http://www.oldschooldaw.com/forums/index.php/topic,4268.0.html

The Mac that I used to use it with is long gone but remember it being a fairly decent device at the time.

What's the likelyhood that using one of these types of 8 pin Serial to USB cables will allow me to use it with a more modern (or any) machine that has a USB port?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005836798971.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.97.2505ITa9ITa9Jr&algo_pvid=bbb9f9e7-aeb0-4f3a-9b31-b7fb9bb02186&algo_exp_id=bbb9f9e7-aeb0-4f3a-9b31-b7fb9bb02186-48&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%218.24%218.24%21%21%2158.98%21%21%4021038edc17024898016752944e6ebf%2112000034525439520%21sea%21US%210%21AB&curPageLogUid=0CyzxzKRglRE&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

There wasn't (afaik) any special extension or drivers for the MacNexus and the FTDI drivers are up to date.  Anyone ever tried this kind of thing with old serial gear?
Title: Re: JL Cooper MacNexus Midi Interface via USB?
Post by: teroyk on December 15, 2023, 07:38:49 AM
There wasn't (afaik) any special extension or drivers for the MacNexus and the FTDI drivers are up to date.  Anyone ever tried this kind of thing with old serial gear?

Try find FTDI driver:
USBSerialConverter_040E2.sit.hqx
It is extension from 2004 and it should still work with MacOS8.6-9.2.2. And also might need Freemidi that it can check all available serial ports in machine (including USB-serial converter). I think you do not need special MacNexus driver, almost all mac serial MIDI gear support at least simple time piece protocol. But I don't have tested this kind of configuration, because I do not have those. Please test and come back how well it worked.