Jumper midi input to midi output of a Motu midi express PC

[Steve Fogal]

Sounds crazy, but...I bought this old Motu midi express PC unit (6 in 6 out), used. It didn't come with the original serial cable or PC card. I was 'hoping' I could basically use it as a stand-alone unit..plugging in my standard 5-pin midi equipment to either split, merge etc. Well, I just found out that without the PC card/cable does nothing, no midi signals get passed on at all, not in any input/output combination, or matching channel input for channel output. So I guess it's totally useless being I have no way of hooking this up to a computer. I read that 'some' midi units can be connected to a computer 1st, configured for ins/outs, then be disconnected & used as a stand-alone midi splitter/combiner, router or whatever. Again, can't connected to find out.

So, I had a passing thought.... being it has 1 thru 5 inputs on the rear, and 1 thru 6 outputs on the rear, also midi input & output channel #6 on the front panel... what if I use a 1 ft midi patch cable to jumper the front panels midi in/out #6's ?

My thought was that it 'may' combine all midi inputs to all midi outputs, so that I have just the one midi port at least, and all midi devices/instruments connected to the motu midi inputs will have the same midi outs...or 'like-midi thru's'...?

Bad idea? Dangerous? There will be no power to the Motu, and my thoughts that if I jumper inputs to outputs, it will basically bypass the Motue's internal electrics and just join the exterior 5-pin connectos ins/outs.

[Steve Fogal]

Dumb idea apparently. Tried the jumper in the front end, it didn't pass any midi signals through.

Without the PC card/cable & ability to program to route any midi I/O, I guess I got a nice studio paper weight