Project Outcome

The Failure of MIDI:
We were unable to get the UART to recieve valid MIDI signals. Our first problem is that we had ordered the wrong part and were frusterated that the signal did not output. After a few days of banging our heads against the wall we realized the subtle difference lay in the fact that the part we were using (QTC 2601) was a voltage based optoisolator and we needed a current based optoisolator. Once we bought the part we needed to we made much progress. We were able to fix the MIDI signal, but it was too weak. We were able to amplify the signal, and boost it using an Op Amp. Another thing we tried to do is invert the signal so that the RS-232 port would communicate correctly with the MIDI. Unfortunately for us this was largely a waste of time, because the RS-232 port runs off negative logic, just like the MIDI. Finally we were able to recieve data in hyperterm, but it was largely garbage, we think because we were unable to match the baud rates sufficiently well. After all three of us had tried for some time, we gave up on this part of the project.

Other stuff.