ESI
M8U eX
4
transferred would destroy the data and make it unusable. It is not recommended to use the device as a MIDI
merger when you need to transfer SysEx data continuously.
Additional Options
The M8U eX hardware has some additional options that can be changed via DIP switches that you can
find at the bottom of the unit. To change the settings, you need a thin ball pen or tiny screw driver or
maybe a needle. Options can only be changed when M8U eX is not connected to the computer and
also has no DC power, so disconnect those cables first before making any change.
Using multiple units on one computer (DIP switch 1)
To make it more convenient using multiple units of M8U eX with one computer, you can designate one M8U eX
to be the first (or 'A') device and another one to be the second (or 'B') device. Your computer will then remember
which device has used which ports, i.e. you never need to change the assignment between your software and the
physical MIDI ports even if one M8U eX gets temporarily disconnected or you connect the devices with different
USB ports or cables. This is not really a requirement in order to use multiple units (for instance, you can use more
than two M8U eX at one time even), however in complex setups that are changing from time to time, this is a
nice feature. Keep DIP switch number 1 on the
OFF
position (i.e. down) to designate the unit as 'A' and move it
up (
ON
position) to designate it as 'B'. When using two M8U eX, you would setup one as 'A' and one as 'B'.
MIDI running status option (DIP switch 2)
M8U eX allows you to enable the so-called MIDI running status by moving DIP switch number 2 into the
ON
position (i.e. up). With MIDI running status, it is possible to remove certain status bytes in the MIDI transfer. If
the device you connect to M8U eX supports this, you could reduce the amount of transferred data with this and
possibly improve the performance. Consult the manual of your MIDI devices for more info and check details
about MIDI running status on
www.midi.org
before using this.
USB 2.0 legacy vs. USB 3.0 high performance mode (DIP switch 3)
M8U eX ships with the USB 2.0 legacy mode being enabled. This is a requirement as many older operating
systems, for instance Windows 7, only have limited USB 3.0 support, in particular for MIDI devices. In USB 2.0
legacy mode, the USB MIDI interface inside M8U eX works as a USB 2.0 device, rather than as a USB 3.0
device with higher performance. The USB 3.0 hub with the 3 ports is not affected by this setting.
To disable the USB 2.0 legacy and enable the USB 3.0 high performance mode, the DIP switch number 3 must
be moved to the
ON
position (i.e. up). You are enabling the USB 3.0 high performance mode this way, something
that is recommended for more modern operating systems such as Windows 10 and current versions of macOS.
General Information
Trademarks
ESI, M8U and M8U eX are trademarks of ESI Audiotechnik GmbH. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft
Corporation. Other product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.
Correspondence
For technical support inquiries, contact your nearest dealer, local distributor or ESI support online at
www.esi-
audio.com
.
Disclaimer
All features and specifications subject to change without notice. Parts of this manual are continually being
updated. Please check our web site
www.esi-audio.com
occasionally for the most recent update information.
Copyright © 2018, All Rights Reserved, August 2018
