Here's a convoluted tech question for you USB/Midi experts:

I'm trying to determine if it's possible to use a Yamaha YPG625 keyboard as a controller with a Yamaha PSR E403. Unfortunately, Yamaha doesn't supply MIDI ports on these two units, only USB to Host ports. I know I could make it work if I plug the two into a computer with 2 USB ports (or use a USB hub), but I'd like to avoid having to complicate the setup with a computer. Ideally, I'd like to be able to simply plug the two together using a USB B-to-B cable, but I don't think that would work as the USB interface is not peer-to-peer, correct?

Any other ideas? Does anyone make a special USB/MIDI box that would allow this kind of connection without requiring a computer?

Thanks for any ideas!

Why interface ?

What's on the 403 that the 625 doesn't have ?

Oops -- I meant for example the PSR S500, which also only has the USB midi port. You're right -- the YPG625 and E403 are pretty similar feature-wise, so not really much a point using the YPG625 as a controller when it's pretty much got the same capabilities as the board it's controlling.

I've got the YPG625 currently, and plan on eventually getting a more powerful and portable (61-key) board for the road (for example, maybe the S500). But when at home I would like to be able to use the 88 weighted keys of the YPG625 with the more powerful features of the portable unit. If that future keyboard only has USB midi, will I be able to interface the YPG625?

I suspect you're in trouble here. The USB ports are there to interface the keyboard to a controlling PC or to a memory device.

Obviously you could physically connect the two keyboards together with a USB A-B cable (same as you use to connect the PC to the keyboard, the "Master" end is the flat connector) but Yamaha would have to put appropriate driver and communication software into each keyboard. If they had done this I think they would have listed this as a feature, so on that basis it isn't there!

I have always looked upon the lack of Midi on modern Yamaha "home" keyboards as a very ill-advised move and a disincentive regarding future purchases.

Yeah, when I was shopping for a weighted 88-key keyboard, the lack of the midi ports on the Yamahas was almost a deal-breaker (geez, the Casio Privias have them, for crying out loud).

I get a little tired of this game Yamaha plays with the feature lists of products -- dropping key features in order to force buyers to their more expensive products. If it wasn't for that nice weighted action and the Live/Cool voices on the YPG, I would have gotten a Casio.


[EDIT]

Heck, I gotta learn to use the search function -- alot of good info on my problem in:
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/013416.html

[This message has been edited by BillErickson (edited 03-28-2007).]