iConnectivity iConnectMIDI4+ User manual

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OWNER’S MANUAL

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Warranty
iConnectivity warrants to the original purchaser that this unit is free of defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use and maintenance for a period of one (1) year from the date of
original purchase. The warranty applies only to registered iConnectivity users that register their
product(s) within fourteen (14) days of time of original purchase. To register iConnectivity
products, visit iConnectivity.com. If the unit fails within the one (1) year period, it will be
repaired, or replaced, at iConnectivity’s option, at no charge, when returned prepaid to the
iConnectivity Technical Service Center with proof of purchase – the sales receipt may be used
for this purpose. Installation labor is not covered under this warranty.
All replacement parts, whether new or re-manufactured, assume as their warranty period for
only the remaining time of this warranty. This warranty does not apply to damage caused by
improper use, accident, abuse, improper voltage service, fire, flood, lightning, or other acts of
God, or if the product was altered or repaired by anyone other than iConnectivity Technical
Service Center. Consequential and incidental damages are not recoverable under this
warranty.
Some regions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages,
so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply. This warranty gives you specific legal
rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. No portion of this
warranty may be copied or duplicated without the expressed written permission of iConnectivity.
THIS WARRANTY IS NOT TRANSFERRABLE.
Compatibility
iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the US and other countries.
“Made for iPod,” “Made for iPhone,” and “Made for iPad” mean that
an electronic accessory has been designed to connect specifically
to iPod, iPhone, or iPad, respectively, and has been certified by the
developer to meet Apple performance standards. Apple is not
responsible for the operation of this device or its compliance with
safety and regulatory standards. Please note that the use of this
accessory with iPod, iPhone, or iPad may affect wireless
performance.
iConnectMIDI4+
and iConnectivity are trademarks of iKingdom
Corp.
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Email us at
[e-mail]
tel
[phone]
url
www.iConnectivity.com
Compatible with any Mac or
Windows PC with an available USB
2.0 port.
The iConfig software works with
Microsoft Windows Vista+ and Mac
OS X 10.4+, as well as iOS 4.2+
and a CoreMIDI-compatible app.
Compatible with iPhone 4, 4S, 5,
5C, 5S, iPad, iPod touch (4th
generation).

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PRECAUTIONS / IMPORTANT NOTES
Radios and televisions placed nearby may experience
reception interference. Operate this unit at a suitable
distance from radios and televisions.
To avoid the risk of electrocution and/or damage to
other connected equipment, this equipment must not be
used under wet or high moisture conditions. All
interconnecting cabling must also be indoors. Should
moisture suddenly increase, immediately disconnect
power to the equipment.
Ensure that correctly rated power outlets are used with
the optional power supply (sold separately).
Keep this equipment away from all heat sources.
Ensure that sufficient ventilation and/or heat dissipation
is provided for the equipment and all connected
devices.
Keep all packaging materials away from children.
Properly dispose of unwanted packaging.
To avoid breakage, do not apply excessive force to the
switches, connectors or directly to the equipment. Do
not apply excessive bending force to the cables. Use
the connector casings of cables to attach and detach
cables from their receptacles to avoid damage to the
cable and/or its receptacles.
Do not ingest the packaging, equipment, attachments,
or accessories. Do not ingest paint or removed parts
from the equipment or accessories. If this occurs,
immediately seek medical attention.
If the exterior becomes dirty, wipe with a clean, dry
cloth. Do not use liquid cleaners such as benzene or
thinner, or cleaning compounds or flammable polishes.
Interference with other electrical devices
Indoor use only
Power sources
Heat
Packaging
Handling
Ingestion
Care
Keeping foreign matter out of your equipment
Never set any container with liquid in it near this
equipment. If liquid gets into the equipment, it could
cause electrical damage, breakdown, fire, or electrical
shock. Be careful not to let metal objects get into the
equipment.
Keep this manual
After reading this manual, please keep it for later
reference.
FCC (USA) / IC (Canada) Regulation Warning
This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio
or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
- Adjust the receiving antenna
- Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for assistance
Unauthorized changes or modifications to this system
can void the user's authority to operate this equipment.
Notice regarding disposal (EU only)
Disposal of this product, package, or cables must be
done in an approved manner. Do not discard this
product, package, or cables along with ordinary
household waste. Disposing in the correct manner will
prevent harm to human health and potential damage to
the environment. Since the correct method of disposal
will depend on the applicable laws and regulations in
your locality, please contact your local administrative
body for details.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
This product has been manufactured according to strict
specifications and voltage requirements that are
applicable in the country in which it is intended that this
product should be used. If you have purchased this
product via the Internet, through mail order, and/or via a
telephone sale, you must verify that this product is
intended for use in the country in which you reside.
WARNING: Use of this product in any country other
than that for which it is intended could be dangerous
and could invalidate the manufacturer’s or distributor’s
warranty. Please also retain your receipt as proof of
purchase; otherwise, your product may be disqualified
from the manufacturer’s or distributor’s warranty.
CAUTION
Always keep children and pets under constant adult
supervision. The packaging, equipment, and included
accessories are not toys and must be kept out of reach
of children and pets. Use only under constant adult
supervision.
Retain this manual for future reference.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Warranty ....................................................................... 2
Compatibility ................................................................. 2
Precautions/important notes ................................... 3
What
’s in the box ..................................................... 6
The
iConnectMIDI4+ hardware .................................. 7
Mac OS X set-up .................................................... 12
Windows set-up ...................................................... 13
iOS set-up ............................................................... 15
Working with multiple iConnectivity interfaces ....... 16
Port Routing: understanding iConnectMIDI4+ MIDI . 17
Audio passThru™
.................................................... 20
iConnectivity iConfig software ................................ 21
Network MIDI set-up ................................................ 35
Troubleshooting ...................................................... 38
Specifications ......................................................... 40
Appendix: MIDI and audio basics ........................... 41
Support ................................................................... 44

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Thank you for purchasing the iConnectMIDI4+ Hybrid multi-host MIDI
interface with Audio passThru™ technology.
Your iConnectMIDI4+is the most flexible MIDI interface available,
integrating today’s professional multiple-computer set-ups with iOS
devices and traditional MIDI hardware. Not only does your interface
support three computer devices simultaneously – Macs, PCs, and
iOS (iPad, iPhone, iPod touch) – its patent-pending Audio passThru™
technology routes audio between them digitally with zero signal
degradation, simply appearing as an audio interface to the operating
systems.
There’s more than that, though. Your iConnectMIDI4+ has a total of
64 MIDI ports available, between its four MIDI DIN jacks, three USB
device jacks, a USB host jack, and a unique Ethernet jack for routing
MIDI over a network to additional computer devices (even over Wi-Fi
if you connect it to a router).
Using the included iConfig software for Windows, Mac, and iOS, it’s
simple to configure and store sophisticated snapshots with routing
arrangements, discrete data filtering, merging, and/or remapping. But
you don’t have to use iConfig all the time. The current set-up is stored
in flash memory on the unit, and the default routing works out of the
box without changing anything.
Setting up your unit can be as simple as plugging it into a computing
device, as its USB MIDI Class Compliant engineering means there are no
drivers to install and it’s recognized automatically.
Do you need to read this manual?
The iConnectMIDI4+works as soon as you plug it in, and anyone who’s ever
used MIDI and audio interfaces will be using its basic functions right away.
But we suggest that even advanced users skim this manual, and go over
the sections on jacks, ports, and routing carefully. Each jack has unique
capabilities, and the routing possibilities require some explanation.

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• The iConnectMIDI4+
• One 5 ft 30-pin or Lightning iConnectivity USB (B) inline
connection cable to connect the interface to an iOS device that uses
this connector.
• One USB-A to USB-B cable to connect the interface to a Mac or PC
computer.
• A power transformer. Please use only the iConnectivity 12V/3A
(36W) center positive supply, or you risk damaging the device. This
adapter operates over a range of 100-240V/50 or 60Hz, so it can be
used internationally with wall plug adapters.
Please contact your dealer or iConnectivity directly if any of these
items were not included in the packaging.
What’s in the box

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The iConnectMIDI4+ hardware

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1Power button
This switch has several functions.
• Putting the iConnectMIDI4+ to sleep and waking it up.
Put the device to sleep by holding the button in for a couple of
seconds until the green LED (2) goes out, then releasing it.
Wake it up by touching it briefly.
• Hard-resetting the device.
Hold the button in for about seven seconds until all the LEDs light up,
then release it.
• Putting the device into boot loader mode, ready to receive firmware
updates.
Hold the button in for four seconds until the Power LED (2) turns red,
then release it. The MIDI 1 and MIDI 2 lights (3) will flash.
To return to normal mode, put the device to sleep and wake it.
2Power LED
This light turns green when the device is powered up normally, and
red when it is about to go into boot loader mode (ready to receive
firmware updates). When the iConnectMIDI4+ is in boot loader mode,
the Power LED turns off and the MIDI 1 through 4 LEDs flash. The
USB Device jack LED also flashes during boatloader mode when
MIDI date is sent and received over the rear-panel USB Device jack.
3 MIDI 1 through 4 LEDs
These lights indicate that data is MIDI data is being sent to or
received from devices plugged into the MIDI DIN I/O jack pairs.
MIDI lights 1 and 2 also flash when the device is in boot loader mode;
they flash along with all the other LEDs when the device starts up,
when a hard reset is about to begin, and during firmware updates.

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4USB Host jack LED
This light indicates that USB MIDI data is being sent to or received
from a USB MIDI class-compliant device plugged into the USB Host
jack.
It also lights along with all the other LEDs when the device starts up,
and when a hard reset is about to begin.
5USB Device jacks LED
This light indicates that MIDI data is being sent to or received from
computer devices plugged into one or more of the three USB Device
jacks.
It also lights up along with all the other LEDs when the device starts
up, and when a hard reset is about to begin.
Finally, the USB Device jack LED also flashes during boatloader
mode when MIDI date is sent and received over the rear-panel USB
Device jack.
6Network jack LED
This light indicates that MIDI data is being sent to or received over
the network.
It also lights up along with the other LEDs when the device starts up,
and when a hard reset is about to begin.
7MIDI DIN 1 in and out jacks (front panel)
8MIDI DIN 2, 3, & 4 in and out jacks (rear panel)
These jacks accept standard 5-pin DIN MIDI plugs to hook up
standard MIDI hardware. MIDI is transmitted at the standard MIDI
rate (31.25 Kbps).

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9, 10, 11 USB Device jacks
PLEASE NOTE THE DIFFERENCE IN CHARGING CAPABILITIES
BETWEEN THE THREE USB DEVICE JACKS!
These USB 1.0 jacks accept a USB B-standard plug for audio and
MIDI connection to a Mac or Windows computer, or the iConnectivity
Lightning or 30-pin to USB (B) connector for both audio and MIDI
connection to an iOS device. MIDI is transmitted at full USB speed.
Jack 1 provides 2.1 amps; it will charge any iOS device.
Jack 2 provides 1.0 amps, enough to charge an iPhone or iPod
touch, and enough to prevent an iPad (which takes more power) from
discharging more than about 1-2% per hour.
Jack 3 (rear panel) provides no charging power, so given a choice
you would use it for a Mac or Windows computer.
12 USB Host jack
This USB 2.0 jack accepts USB MIDI Class-Compliant devices (only).
Its primary function is to accept a MIDI controller that uses USB MIDI
rather than 5-pin DIN connections, however it is not limited to
controllers.
The USB Host jack provides up to eight banks of 16 MIDI channels,
which can be assigned to any combination of up to eight devices (or
disabled completely) in the iConfig software. These may be eight
jacks on one device, one jack on eight devices, or four jacks on two
devices.
Notes:
- THE USB HOST JACK IS NOT A STANDARD USB HUB JACK. It
accepts USB Class-Compliant MIDI devices only. Standard USB
devices like printers, keyboards, and mice will not work! Audio is not
routed over this jack.

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- This jack supplies a limited amount of current - up to 500mA - to
USB MIDI devices. You will need a powered USB hub to power
multiple devices (unless they have external power supplies).
13 Network jack
This Ethernet jack is for Network MIDI. With the help of Apple
Network MIDI or the free rtpMIDI driver for Windows, it supports four
sessions, each with one bank of 16 channels. Each session supports
a single computer device.
The network jack may be connected to a Wi-Fi router for wireless
MIDI.
NOTE: AUDIO IS NOT ROUTED OVER THE NETWORK.
Please see the separate section on the Network MIDI feature for set-
up instructions.
14 Power supply jack
Please use only the iConnectivity 12V/3A (36W) center positive
transformer, or you risk damaging the device.
This adapter operates over a range of 100-240V/50 or 60Hz, so it can
be used internationally with wall plug adapters.
Note: You can use the Power button to put the iConnectMIDI4+ into
bootloader mode to receive firmware updates. When it starts up, it
waits for the power to stabilize before loading its firmware; if the
Power button is depressed during that period, it goes into bootloader
mode.
So you can hold the Power button, then connect the power adapter,
and finally release the Power button when the front panel LEDs are
flashing.
If removing the power adapter is inconvenient, use the Power button
to put the device to sleep, then wake it by holding the Power in while
it boots up. If the button is held for two seconds at startup, the
interface will go into bootloader mode.
15 Security lock port (right side)

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Mac OS X set-up
1. Plug the iConnectMIDI4+ into an available USB jack.
If you’re using the iConnectMIDI4+ alone on the Mac, that’s it. It will
show up as an available audio and a MIDI interface in your
sequencer.
You can confirm this beforehand by opening the Audio MIDI Setup
application found inside your Applications -> Utilities folder; the set-up
in this program is shared by all audio and MIDI software running on
the Mac. The iConnectMIDI4+ appears as a 16x16 MIDI interface in
the MIDI Studio window, and unless you change the default audio
configuration in the iConfig software, it appears as a 4-in/2-out audio
interface in the Audio Devices window.
2. (Optional, but recommended to avoid confusion in larger set-ups)
In Audio MIDI Setup, create and cable connected MIDI hardware
devices to the iConnectMIDI4+ MIDI DIN jacks.
This will allow your sequencer to address the hardware by name
(rather than just the port name), and you can provide some basic
information about the hardware here.
Please refer to the section, “Port Routing: understanding
iConnectMIDI4+ MIDI.”
3. If you’re using the iConnectMIDI4+’s Audio passThru™ feature in
addition to other standard audio interfaces:
Create an Aggregate Device with the iConnectMIDI4+ and any
standard interface(s) you’re using along with it in Audio MIDI Setup.
After that the Aggregate Device will behave as a single interface with
extra inputs and outputs.

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Windows set-up
1. Connect a USB A-to-B standard cable from Device port 1 or 2 to
your Windows computer. The iConnectMIDI4+ will appear in your
MIDI software as an available MIDI interface with four 16-channel
ports.
In the following dialog in the Plogue Bidule host, for example, the
MIDI interface is called “USB Audio Device”:
2. For audio set-up, go to www.ASIO4all.com to download and install

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the free ASIO4all driver. The iConnectMID4+will show up as an
available audio interface in your audio software, and you select it as
the one to use.
If you are using the iConnectMIDI4+alongside other audio interfaces
installed on the Windows computer, as shown above, they are
automatically “aggregated”into what appears to the software as a
single interface with combined number of outputs in each one.
This is automatic when you select the ASIO4all driver. Whether the
iConnectMIDI4+’s audio I/Os are numbered before, after, or in
between other interfaces connected to your Windows computer may
be arbitrary.
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iOS set-up
For both audio passThru™ and MIDI, simply connect your iOS
computer device to one of the three iConnectMIDI4+ Device jacks the
30-pin or Lightning to iConnectivity USB (B) inline connection cable.
Please note the differences in charging capability between the three
USB Device jacks described in the “iConnectMIDI4+ front and back”
section.
The iConnectMIDI4+ should automatically take over the iOS device’s
audio input and output jacks, and most iOS apps will use it for MIDI
input and output without intervention. This is the case with Apple
GarageBand, for example. However, some apps - typically ones
capable of supporting multiple MIDI interfaces (e.g. Network MIDI +
an iConnectivity interface) - require that you select the interface(s) to
be used.
Note: because the iOS device uses the iConnectMIDI4+ for audio I/O
when it’s connected, some – not all - apps ignore the built-in mic or
one plugged into the “headset” jack (the 1/8” TRRS connector). The
workaround is to connect the mic to the computer on the other end of
the USB cable and route it to the iOS device using, for example, a
record-enabled track in your DAW software.

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Working with multiple iConnectivity
interfaces
When using more than one audio and or/MIDI interface on a
computer, normally you’d simply connect each one to a standard
USB jack on a Windows or Mac computer. Sequencers and other
software running on the computer will then see them all. This applies
to iConnectivity hybrid interfaces and to any other MIDI or audio
interfaces, regardless of how many you’re using.
The iConfig software can communicate with all your iConnectivity
interfaces connected almost anywhere, even in another iConnectivity
interface’s MIDI DIN jacks. It can also communicate with interfaces
connected to the USB Host Jack on the iConnectMIDI4+’s rear panel.
Things get somewhat complicated if you connect an iConnectivity
interface to the iConnectMIDI4+’s USB Host jack, because the
computer device only sees one device (the iConnectMIDI4+). The
computer can send MIDI to the connected interface via
iConnectMIDI4+ ports, but this is an unusual set-up that’s prone to
MIDI feedback loops (and the connection is disabled by default; this
is the “Routing between ports on multi-port USB devices” parameter
under the MIDI Info tab in the iConfig software).
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There are 64 MIDI ports in iConnectMIDI4+, each with 16 MIDI
channels. The ports can all be routed to each other in iConfig, the
Mac, Windows, and iOS software that came with your interface.
While that may sound intimidating, the default routing set-up – which
can be recalled – comes with everything routed where you’d expect it
to go. However, port routing is a great feature that makes the
interface uniquely flexible.
Please refer to the Port Routing tab in iConfig to visualize this
explanation.

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Bear in mind that jacks are physical connections and ports are 16-
channel MIDI ports; one jack can carry several ports. For example,
each USB Device jack has 16 MIDI ports.
The 64 MIDI ports are configured as follows:
•Four DIN jacks (1 MIDI port each) = 4 ports
•Three USB device jacks (each supporting 16 MIDI ports) = 48 ports
•One USB host jack (supporting eight MIDI ports, could be one port
on eight MIDI devices, eight ports on one MIDI device, or any
combination) = 8 ports
•One Ethernet jack, which supports four rtpMIDI (on Windows) or
Network MIDI (on Mac and iOS) sessions; each session is one port =
4 ports
The default routing (remember, this can be changed):
•Each MIDI DIN jack routes to:
- the other three DIN jacks;
Port Routing: understanding
iConnectMIDI4+ MIDI

19!
- the USB Device jack with the same number (DIN1 goes to USB
Device jack 1, DIN 2 to USB Device jack 2…)
•All three USB device jacks are routed the same:
- Ports 1-4 go to the same-numbered DIN jacks 1-4 (Port 1 to DIN 1,
Port 2 to DIN 2…)
- Ports 5-6 go to the other two USB device jacks;
- Ports 7-12 go to the first six ports on the USB host jack (there are
eight ports on the USB so the last two ports are not connected in the
default set-up);
-Ports 13-16 go to the four ports on the ethernet jack
•Each port on the USB Host jack routes to:
- all four pairs of MIDI DIN jacks;
- Host port 1 goes to all three USB Device jack’s 7; Host port 2 goes
to USB Device jack’s port 8, etc. through Host jack 6 going to Device
jack’s port 12. Host jacks 7 and 8 are not routed to USB Device jacks
in the default set-up.
-the seven other ports on the USB Host jack (ports aren’t routed to
themselves);
- all four ports on the ethernet jack.
•Each port on the ethernet jack routes to:
-all four pairs of MIDI DIN jacks;
-Ethernet port 1 goes to all three USB Device jack’s port 13,
Ethernet port 2 to all three USB Device jack’s port 14, Ethernet port 3
goes to all three USB Device jack’s port 15, Ethernet port 4 goes to
all three USB Device jack’s port 16.

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Additional information:
- Up to 19 devices may be connected to the iConnectMIDI4+ (four on
the DIN jacks, three computer devices on the USB Device jacks, eight
MIDI USB devices on the USB Host jack [if you use a powered USB
hub], and an additional four computers networked over Ethernet).
However, USB MIDI allows 16 ports on each jack. That means each
USB Device jack can connect to 16 other devices. Excluding itself,
that leaves two devices unattached, but you can change the default
routing to send the same ports to two devices.
- Under the assumption that MIDI sent over Ethernet is probably
coming from a remote computer rather than a MIDI controller,
Ethernet ports are not routed to the other Ethernet ports in the default
set-up. This can be changed, but computers can route MIDI data
between Network MIDI/rtpMIDI sessions.
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