Instant "vintage" soundcard collection?

[HondaSiR]

Actually, it was just the MIF-IPC that I won:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250056159807&rd=1&rd=1

At a glance, the auction looks like it's the Roland MPU-401 with interface kit, doesn't it?  It isn't. 

After I placed the bid I did some more research and realized that even if I managed to find the entire Roland MPU-401 unit to go with this interface kit that it would probably only work correctly on an XT PC.  I wanted to retract my bid once I realized this but it was too late in the auction so I just ate the cost.

I see...so the MPU auction didn't include the breakout box and cable? I assumed it was inside the box. Bummer. But don't despair, there are times some sellers auction off just the huge breakout boxes and cables. You may just have use for your newly won ISA card later on. At just $7.50 plus shipping, its still a bargain purchase IMO.

[Sedryn]

"I see...so the MPU auction didn't include the breakout box and cable? I assumed it was inside the box. Bummer. But don't despair, there are times some sellers auction off just the huge breakout boxes and cables. You may just have use for your newly won ISA card later on. At just $7.50 plus shipping, its still a bargain purchase IMO"

I suppose that's true.

Still, even if I manage to find an original Roland MPU-401 and the cables to the with this MIF-IPC interface kit there's still a high probability I won't get the setup to work on any PC faster than an XT (at least, that's the dominant opinion from the research I did).

Hence, my quest for an MPU-IPC / MPU-IPC-T continues.

Hmmmm ... this discussion has gone pretty far afield of Cloudschatze's original intent of possibly selling his vintage collection!  Sorry about that, Cloudschatze.

[HondaSiR]

there's still a high probability I won't get the setup to work on any PC faster than an XT (at least, that's the dominant opinion from the research I did).

There's only one way to find out for sure. Get that matching breakout box and cable. My instincts tell me it will work with an AT class PC and not just an XT. Just keep your eyes open for it in ebay. 

[Sedryn]

There's only one way to find out for sure. Get that matching breakout box and cable. My instincts tell me it will work with an AT class PC and not just an XT. Just keep your eyes open for it in ebay. 

You could be right.  It's worth a shot, for sure, since I need one more Roland MPU and they are so very hard to find.

[HondaSiR]

Indeed they are very difficult to find complete. I recently saw a seller in ebay who was auctioning off an MT-32 with an MPU-IPC-T. I asked him if the ISA card was included since it wasn't shown on the pics (only the breakout box was visible). He said that he threw away his old computer together with the ISA card. Wow, I guess thats how most of the MPU cards ended up...in the dumpster. Such a waste.

Anyway when I mentioned to the seller that the breakout box was useless without the ISA card, he thanked me for the info. He relisted the MT-32 minus the MPU-IPC-T. He really didn't want an angry customer badgering him later why it didn't work.

[BlueMax]

There ARE some 3rd-party companies that made MPU-401 compatible (100% including UART) MIDI interfaces!  Voyetra?  I can't remember, but they're out there.  The claim back then was that you could still get an MPU-401 interface at half the cost of Roland!

[Sedryn]

Anyway when I mentioned to the seller that the breakout box was useless without the ISA card, he thanked me for the info. He relisted the MT-32 minus the MPU-IPC-T. He really didn't want an angry customer badgering him later why it didn't work.

I messaged that same seller about that same thing!  He thanked me as well.

That's too funny.
 

[HondaSiR]

I messaged that same seller about that same thing!  He thanked me as well.

That's too funny.
 

You don't say! Chances are we're not the only ones out there who messaged him about it then.