connecting keyboard with DIN cable sockets

[musikbear]

[This is a Q&A from facebook.
FB is not searchable, and is for that reason not suited for q&a
I made this dummy thread in order to preserve the info]

Q:
Hi people. I have a keyboard with MIDI in and out (DIN sockets) and would like to connect it to my laptop (via USB, I assume).
Can anyone recommend a suitable cable - there seems to be a wide range in terms of price at any rate.
The laptop is running Linux and I'm using LMMS.

A:
LMMS: The cheap ones usually work just fine.
Just remember with the new cable, in plugs into out and out plugs into in.

[StakeoutPunch]

That answer is not correct. DIN to USB is not protocol compatible and will need a DIN to USB converter in between.

Here is a relevant article: http://superuser.com/questions/571252/d ... ter-to-usb

[softrabbit]

That answer is not correct. DIN(PS/2) to USB is not protocol compatible and will need a DIN to USB converter in between.

Here is a relevant article: http://superuser.com/questions/571252/d ... ter-to-usb

PS/2? That has absolutely 0 relevance in a MIDI setting...

There are two paths you can go by, but in the long run it's your ability to get the bits through that matters. Either some kind of MIDI interface box, connected through USB or Firewire or whatever (Bluetooth?), with plain MIDI cables to the keyboard, or a "smart" MIDI cable with everything integrated, like this: http://www.esi-audio.com/products/midimate2/ (I have one of those, it was cheap and it works fine...)

[StakeoutPunch]

PS/2? That has absolutely 0 relevance in a MIDI setting...

Ah, you are correct. I misread part of what I linked to. It used PS/2 as an example analogy (Mice/keyboards that support might support PS/2 and might support USB but might not always support both). We are both right in saying that a simple patch cable will not work as the bits from DIN are not in a protocol that USB can understand without a converter.

[musikbear]

I dont know who answered this for/as 'LMMS' on facebook, but do you think it need to be corrected on facebook too )i have NO idea how to find that post btw...) , and should the erroneous 'answer' be removed from this thread?