USB host shield + MIDI shield?

Development Boards Arduino
1

Hello everyone,

I am experienced with electronics but have never used Arduino before. I have a need for a USB MIDI host, which will host a class-compliant USB MIDI controller and provide DIN5 MIDI output without involving a computer. Basically, I want to reinvent the Kenton USB MIDI Host, but add the ability to change MIDI channels and otherwise manipulate the data passing through. I recognise that this is awfully ambitious for a beginner.

My main question is: Can the Sparkfun USB Host Shield (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9947) and the Sparkfun MIDI Shield (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12898) be used together? I want to begin by obtaining the hardware and then figure out the programming, but I need more-experienced help choosing the hardware to use.

Thanks, I am hoping someone can help :slight_smile:

Chris from Toronto

2

I see from the schematic that both shields use pins D7, D8 and D9.

D8 and D9 are optional “soft TX and RX” that can be used instead of the hardware TX and RX. If I write code to use the hard TX and RX, will these pins be completely free for the USB Host shield to use?

Pin D7 is just connected to an LED on the MIDI shield. Of course I can just cut the trace and use another pin.

Why does the USB Host shield require its own power? Can’t I just patch the +5V from the Arduino board (after the fuse) into the USB shield’s 5V node, and desolder the shield’s 5V regulator?