Hi all.
I am looking to get a MIDI interface. I do have DAW on PC but this relates to my older hardware setup.
I saw a nice 2nd hand Midex 8 on ebay for £80, so I was thinking about getting it.
I am running an ST with 3.1 Score and not sure the Midex 8 will work with this. It seems to only support Windows or Mac. I cant find a definate answer
Midex 8 is USB - ST predates USB by a decade or two 
The Midex 8 will definitely not work on an Atari ST.
On the other hand, if you can get one for £80, I would advise you to grab it because it does work perfectly even today on Windows 10 (and probably 11) with 64-bit drivers!
If not then what are my options and do I really need an outboard MIDI interface. I have 7 or 8 units to link up, including the ST, so I suppose in theory I could just series wire them. But I am guessing that a dedicated interface would make everything run better.
Thanks a lot, I am not very good with tech 
Ok thanks for confirming my fears.
Shame though!
you may well be ok with the single midi out - I managed like that with a number of external synths back in the day.
you can ‘series’ them or get a midi thru box ( I think that’s what they are called if you google it)
No, the builtin MIDI interface on the ST is more than enough, and the timing is still the stuff of legend … which is what made the ST the success it was for music.
That’s how it’s designed … ST to the first device, then from that device’s MIDI thru to the MIDI in on the next one, and so forth. Set a seperate MIDI channel on each device.
actually 11 years - trivia fans 
Thanks Doc 
Thats brilliant mate! Thanks for the advice and saves me a few quid. I was just worried that series wiring 8 items would run slow data transfer and sync problems, so thanks for the reassurance. Nice one:+1:
you may have more luck with issues/questions here:
There are a few old timers here who were there at the beginning of the Steinberg journey - but the problem is that we are all far to old to remember anything about it…or remember anything at all ?
arguably 8 outputs would give you (theoretically!) better timing etc - MIDI is serial and pretty slow by 2022 standards - so everything has to ‘queue’ down the one cable…and like at the post office, more openings mean quicker data transfer.
Wouldn’t worry about it though - just serial and go
For Home recording I got all the time in the World! thanks for the help mate
FWIW, for nostalgia purposes - the midex+ was the one for the ST
I’ve never used one - far to expensive for me back in 1990 - and I have a vague memory of them bing a bit flakey. Had 4 MIDI outputs plus space for various dongles.
There are none currently on ebay (UK), either currently or on a completed listed search - although there is somebody selling an ST with one.
I have a rack MTC so can use that.
Love trivia BTW…
Learned this little gem at music production college 30 years ago… did you know that SMPTE is not a format name or a company product name… and it goes back a long way to when the Talkies came in the 30’s when they had to develop sync for the audio and video…
Stands for Society of Motion Picture and Televisual Engineers or something like that…
Cheers dude
I thought I answered all these some days ago?
Yes, as above, MIDEX+ and MIDEX are the ones for ST, + has SMPTE/EBU, stock MIDEX hasn’t. There is also a rack mount top end one called SMP24.
And, as said earlier, if you are looking for a good MIDI + SMPTE/EBU expander, looks for a UNITOR-2 as well. UNITOR-2 has a dongle port to which you connect the red Cubase dongle cartridge. (UNITOR-C and -N do not have the port.).
I had both MIDEX+ and UNITOR2 myself (and an SMP-II in Atari Falcon era), also used many of them in studios. UNITOR2 is more stable than MIDEX+/MIDEX in general because the connection to the DMA port is tighter on the UNITOR. All the MIDI/timecode ports of the UNITOR2 are accessible from Cubase, I had never had any trouble with it. UNITOR only has 2 extra MIDI outs whereas MIDEX has 4 (iirc).
UNITOR can be used from both C-Lab/Emagic and Steinberg products whereas MIDEX can only be used from Steinberg. This is another reason most studios had UNITOR, not MIDEX.
Also, those extra MIDI ports on Unitor or MIDEX have better timing than the onboard MIDI. Extra ports connected to the RS232C on the back are the worst ones (Cubase cannot access them, only C-Lab/Emagic products could.).
yes - in relation to timecode. it’s the name for a standard (like MIDI) - and the organisation still exists
You did Takashi, my apologies, I am just trying to climb a very steep learning curve and learning exponentially day by day. Your post was really appreciated but your technical description was way above my level …man!
Apologies again, no offence meant and starting to get my head around things gradually
I guess I typed too much information on single posts.
To cut them short, buy a UNITOR-2 and you won’t regret it. 2nd choice is a MIDEX+. Don’t get MIDEX, UNITOR-N, or UNITOR-C those aren’t suitable for your needs.
I will live with series wiring for now… I am just a guy with his man room studio.
Also what I would like to ask please is… does it matter in what order I link them?
I am hoping to MIDI up the following…
The ST
Korg X5
(I have already done this and working great as it was the way I did my original demos almost 30 years ago)
Digital Stage Piano
Alesis SR16 drum module
Roland JV1080 synth rack
Alesis Midiverb 4
XRI MTC
The Korg has good drum patches but the SR16 gives a lot more facility.
Then when I get that sorted, I have to figure out how to run it all through a stereo graphic and a stereo compressor/expander down to 2 ADATs and a DCC. Thats a lot of work for a novice !
Looking forward to the learning curve with you guys help, most appreciated. You just have to be patient with my lack of knowledge for now 