I'm just wondering if this is possible (I think not)...
The iPhone has a 30 pin connector cable to USB. It "talks" USB already. Is it possible to talk to a MIDI device (i.e. a keyboard with USB) using the cable with the current API?
Ideally, one could plug the iPhone directly into the USB port of a MIDI keyboard and then talk to the keyboard using the USB/MIDI protocol.
Anyone know?
Thanks,
Aron
When the iPhone connects to a pc using USB it is acting a s a device (slave) to the pc host (master). If it is to connect to the midi interface then the iPhone will have to operate as the master. Normally a USB connecting apparatus is either ALWAYS a host or a device, the one exception is if the interface provides a mode of operation called USB On-The-Go. I this mode the USB interface can be configured in either mode. If the iPhone implements this mode then you may be in luck (I do not know the answer to this bit) otherwise you will need a host controller to read the data from one device and pass it out to another.
If an interface ever does come about, $20-$25 would be some serious wishful thinking. I would expect it to be $100+ for sure...
Check out the iConnectMIDI: http://www.iconnectivity.com/
Not only does it interface the iPhone with your midi devices, but it can be used as a normal midi hub, even without the iPhone. Apparently, it will allow the iPhone to be either a sequencer, or a controller in the midi chain.
not many details there.
ideally, i'd want a midi in that also happens to have 2x 1/4" outs in the same cable/breakout box; with the intent to use the iphone as a au/vst host. does it have enough power to do that? likely.
One of the new features of OS 3.0 was the ability for iPhone's to interact with custom devices over the 30-pin dock connector.
You wouldn't be able to plug directly into the USB port on your MIDI device, but in theory you could have a custom 30-pin dock port to MIDI cable designed and write code using the above referenced classes to achieve the same results.