2011/01/13

New Solutions for Wireless MIDI, MIDI+OSC

Going wireless has long been a desire of musicians, but solutions have been slow to catch on. Two new products add wireless capabilities to your existing MIDI gear; I’ve talked to the creators to explain a bit about how their solutions work.
AirPower from Starr Labs uses proprietary 2.4GHz communication for wireless MIDI communication. The Missing Link takes a different approach, receiving OSC communication over a standard WiFi connection and translating to MIDI. Each approach has some potential advantages. The Missing Link you can use out of the box with wireless support from a mobile device, like an iPad or Android OSC controller. AirPower’s approach solves a serious reliability problem, by working with a more robust “no-dropout” connection link.
Don’t knock cables – wireless can pose problems. Wireless MIDI solutions have to contend with dropped connections lasting just a fraction of a second. AirPower appears pricey – a US$425 upgrade or MIDI-only $250 adapter, each sold as a complete kit – but what you get is a more reliable connection. (Starr Labs has designed AirPower to work with their line of guitars and controllers, but with a MIDI connection and the $250 model, you can use whatever you like.)
Starr Labs’ Scott Caligure answers some of CDM’s questions; they’re also interested in collaboration.
On wireless MIDI and resistance to dropouts (partly quoting from their product literature), Scott explains:
Continuance: createdigitalmusic.com

This is the Missing Link.
It is a wireless device that receives OSC and outputs MIDI.
When I open my settings in my phone it shows up as a network that I can connect to.
When I go to my OSC app, and press a button, an OSC message will be sent wirelessly from my phone.
This message will get received by the Missing Link, which converts it to MIDI and sends it to the instrument.
I can now use my phone to play a keyboard or control my mixer or MIDI LED lights.

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