Quote Originally Posted by Peter View Post
Catalyst will then be controlling arkaos with midi (50-75m max) and powerpoint/keynote with MSC or midi (2m). I wrote MSC over 100m but it's only midi but that's the same principle in running long ethernet cables.
Not the same principles-

if you need ethernet to go further reduce the speed to 10MBt
the limit in ethernet is not electrical but protocol itself.
its the collision detection not the electrical issues-
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall.../ethernet.html
What is a "collision"?
At any one instance, in an Ethernet network, only one device can transmit. If two devices transmit at the same instance, then the signals from both devices will collide and a "collision" will occur. When a "collision" occurs, the signals will get distorted and the frame will be lost. Collisions are very common in a Ethernet network.
with midi signals the limit is electrical determined by rise time of opto isolators used by midi receivers.
there are no collisions.
The interface operates at 31.25 (+/- 1%) Kbaud, asynchronous, with a start bit, 8 data bits (D0 to D7), and a stop bit. This makes a total of 10 bits for a period of 320 microseconds per serial byte.
Circuit: 5 mA current loop type. Logical 0 is current ON. One output shall drive one and only one input. The receiver shall be opto-isolated and require less than 5 mA to turn on. Sharp PC-900 and HP 6N138 optoisolators have been found acceptable. Other high-speed optoisolators may be satisfactory. Rise and fall times should be less than 2 microseconds.
http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/LINK/F_MIDI.html