Windows 10: How to use MOTU Express XT MIDI router with parallel port on a windows 10 computer.

@benstainthorpe recently posted a solution to connecting a ZIP 100 drive to a Win10 parallel port. The details are here...


https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-use-iomega-zip-100-with-parallel-port-on-a/d99137e0-3075-4a1a-80b7-108e14cb6906?auth=1


His solution also works for connecting a MOTU Express XT parallel MIDI router. MOTU hasn't made any drivers for their parallel interface box since Windows XP. The only way to program this MOTU interface is with a computer that has a parallel port integrated or PCI and using a legacy operating system. This can be accomplished by installing Windows XP. Ben described how to do this with Sun's Oracle VirtualBox.


All of the steps are the same for the MOTU device except instead of installing the ZIP drivers, you would install the MOTU drivers. The drivers I used were:

WDM MIDI Drivers for MOTU USB and Parallel Interfaces Version: 2.51


It's still available for download from MOTU here, https://motu.com/download/download_matching_downloads.html


If you don't have a copy of XP, it can be download from Microsoft as a part of XP Mode.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8002

How to install it is described here, https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-windows-xp-for-free-and-legally-straight-from-microsoft-si/


You will get to use XP for 30 days without activation. If you want to use it longer, you'll have to jump through some hoops to activate it.


I have several of these MOTU interfaces that I used in the studio and live. It took a while to figure out how to program them with a Win10 computer. Hopefully this helps someone else.


It is very likely that this approach works for the many other legacy parallel interface devices out there. So if you need to connect to an old parallel box, consider doing it this way.


Good luck!

:)

 

Windows 10 & LPT Parallel Printer Port.

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The card is a Parallel PCI Express Card, One Port, x1 Lane manufactured by Manhattan, Model Number 158176. It was $29.99 when I purchased it.

• Adds One Parallel Port to a Desktop Computer
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I hope this helps.

 

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Problems receiving MIDI in Ableton Live 9

Hello! Hoping to get some help with a strange problem. I'm running Live 9 on Windows 10 and can't get Ableton to receive MIDI from my midi interface.

My setup:
Audio - Motu Ultralite mk3 Hybrid
Midi - Motu Express 128

The weird part is that using the mme/DirectX audio driver allows midi to be received and routed within Ableton. But using the Ultralite's ASIO driver prevents Ableton from receiving midi. No light from the MIDI in track indicator-- just nothing. I understand that ASIO isn't supposed to effect anything to do with MIDI, but unfortunately in my case it seems to interfere.

I tried switching to the ASIO4All driver but similar to the mme/DirectX driver that prevents me from using more than a stereo pair as input and output on my audio interface. I've tried reinstalling drivers without any luck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!