Win 7 MIDI port limitation?

WaveLab
#1

Can anyone confirm or otherwise that the limitation on the number of MIDI ports has been removed in Win 7 32/64bit?

I haven’t been able to find anything definitive on Google or on the Microsoft site. I also did a search of this forum with limited success.

I believe that Win 7 is based on Vista (which has unlimited ports) but would appreciate advice from actual users before making the jump to Win 7 64bit. I need immediate access to 24 ports (3 x MOTU MX128) with future expandability to 32 ports.

Thanks in advance.

#2

Unless I am misunderstanding this post - midi is limited by a 16 port limit. The limitation is not to do with the computer O/S

could you explain for my benefit what you mean please?

#3

Yeah 16 channels per port, but the question is how many ports? :slight_smile:

#4

Qbase5 - Yes, you have misunderstood the post.

Strophoid - Yes you are correct. MIDI port limits are linked to OS.

My question is about MIDI ports (or devices). Windows 2000 had a 10 port limit for MIDI Input and MIDI Output devices. Windows XP initially had a 10 port limit but this was eventually extended to 32 ports. Microsoft Vista, I believe had no MIDI port limit. But, what about Windows 7? I can’t seem to find any info on whether there is any MIDI port limitation.

As implied in my post, I need to connect 24 hardware devices with the potential to add another 12 devices. I’m currently on Win XP SP3 (32 MIDI ports) and would like to make the move to Win 7 64-bit.

#5

Here is a quote out of a MOTU manual

The USB (Universal Serial Bus) specification allows many USB devices — theoretically up to 127 — to be connected to a single computer. However, many USB devices, including all MOTU USB interfaces, reserve USB bandwidth, so the theoretical and practical limits for MOTU interfaces are considerably fewer. In theory, the maximum number of MOTU USB interfaces you can connect to one computer is just over 30 interfaces.
Practically speaking, regardless of how slow or fast your USB-equipped computer is, you should be able to connect upwards of 10 or more MOTU USB MIDI interfaces to the computer and still enjoy just as much performance from each one as if it were the only one connected. Just don’t try to run your USB scanner or digital camera while playing back and recording MIDI!

So if you hook up 10 MOTU Midi Express 128 to your computer, you’ll have 10 x 8 midi ports (that is 80 physical MIDI in/outs). Cable galore :mrgreen:

Hope that helps,
B.