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Z1 Operating Manual
Z1 Operation
Each Z1 unit contains one MIDI to Long Haul converter and one Long Haul to MIDI
converter. Any MIDI source may be connected to the Z1 MIDI In, converted to Long
Haul, transmitted over audio tie lines up to one kilometre in length, connected to
another Z Series Long Haul Converter, and converted back to MIDI.
Z1 is fully compatible with all past and current models of Hinton Instruments Long Haul
Converters, including MIDIZ, Z2, and Z4.
The front panel has two LED indicators: a red Transmit LED and a green Receive LED.
These display outgoing and incoming Long Haul data. The displays can show individual
MIDI bytes as a brief flash and other types of MIDI data produce characteristic flickering
or various intensity level glows. With a little practice, normal MIDI operation and fault
conditions may be easily recognised. Active Sensing and slow tempo Clocks show as a
dim flicker, MTC shows as a non-flickering glow, and Controller movements and System
Exclusive Blocks as brighter bursts. Remember that Note Offs occur between Note
Ons, so the LEDs may flash at times that do not correspond to perceived sounds.
If an LED stays on at full intensity it usually indicates that a MIDI feedback loop has
been created; usual causes of this problem are routing the output of a merger or
sequencer back to its input.
There is a delay in the signal corresponding to the cable length and is in the order of
11 microseconds for a full kilometre (reduced pro rata for shorter runs). The Long Haul
receiving circuitry reconstitutes the waveform of the original signal so that this is a pure
delay and not a data pulse width distortion like that normally associated with MIDI Thrus
using slow speed opto-couplers. Most MIDI processing devices delay MIDI data in
excess of 400 microseconds so the delays due to Long Haul transmission will not be
perceived or cause any adverse effect.
Z Series Long Haul Converters may be cascaded on a point to point basis to send MIDI
data between MIDI equipment distributed over a wide area.
MIDI or Long Haul connections should not be changed while data is active. This may
cause undesirable results in the receiving equipment as truncated MIDI data tends to
be interpreted as System Real Time codes, e.g. Stop, Active Sensing or Master Reset.
MIDIX routing matrices which use safe switching techniques are recommended to
alleviate this problem.
The Z1 Long Haul circuitry is a proprietary design to a high specification. It is not
RS422, as has been used for similar purposes with mixed results. It is not compatible
with other devices purporting to achieve the same function.
The Long Haul conversion does not effect the MIDI data in any way apart from the very
slight delay. No selective processing is done; either all the data is transmitted or none
at all.
In Use
