[vcf-midatlantic] Any MIDI enthusiasts around?

[RETRO Innovations]

I am looking to control some RGBW leds (maybe SPI-based strips, maybe 
individual high power RGBW LEDs, not sure yet) with some of my classic 
computers.

That's pretty easy, no concerns there.  Lots of arduino projects or I 
can just add in a 6522/6821/etc.

But, I thought, instead of just making a hobby project, I should try to 
design something that would work with classic systems *AND* current 
gear, and not be so platform dependent.

MIDI came to mind, both because the cost to interface is pretty low, 
cables are cheap, and MIDI is very well supported.

Where I am struggling is getting a handle on how to map the ability to 
set an individual LED color in a strip of say 20 or 60 to the MIDI 
protocol without just punting and using SysEx msgs. And, I might have a 
bunch of these strips (more than 16 perhaps, though my initial project 
only needs 10-12.

I am also aware of DMX lighting and MIDI->DMX converters.  DMX XLR-5 
cabling is a bit pricier than MIDI 5 pin DIN (though the RS485 protocol 
seems simple enough), so I thought maybe I should just emulate a 
MIDI->DMX->LEDs in my design.

Anyone familiar with MIDI-controlled lighting and how it's mapped to 
MIDI messages?

Jim

-- 
RETRO Innovations, Contemporary Gear for Classic Systems
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