The Missing Link OSC/MIDI Translator Makes Your Electronic Music Gear Wireless

The Missing Link OSC/MIDI TranslatorThe Missing Link OSC/MIDI Translator is a new hardware device that’s designed to make all of your music gear wireless.

The Missing Link contains its own WiFi radio, and translates specially-coded OSC messages sent from your mobile device or computer into standard MIDI messages to control synthesizers, drum machines, mixers, digital audio workstations, or anything which responds to MIDI commands. It does this with without the need for a computer.

Multiple wireless OSC devices may connect simultaneously to The Missing Link, making collaboration easy.

According to the developer, “The Missing Link presents a breakthrough in MIDI technology by leveraging the power and easy configurability of mobile OSC apps already available for a variety of platforms, to control MIDI devices without the complication of WiFi or software translators, while at the same time freeing your device from cabling. It is truly the first and only device of its kind.”

Pre-order sales are now being taken for the first production run of 100 units. The price is $150.

There are a lot of ways you could use a device like this. For example, you could use an iPad to wirelessly control older MIDI synths.

If you’ve used The Missing Link OSC/MIDI Translator, leave a comment and let us know what you think of it.

Specifications:

802.11b WiFi
– adhoc or infrastructure modes
– open, WEP, WPA or WPA2 security

OSC via wireless UDP
– OSC to MIDI
– MIDI to OSC
– accepts multiple simultaneous connections

MIDI
– MIDI IN/OUT (standard DIN-5)
– class-compliant USB MIDI IN/OUT
– configurable internal routing with soft MERGE/THRU
– all MIDI commands fully supported, including SYSEX

POWER
– 9V-12V DC, tip +/-, >=250mA
– or via USB

PHYSICAL
– 3.3″ x 2.2″ x 1.6″

18 thoughts on “The Missing Link OSC/MIDI Translator Makes Your Electronic Music Gear Wireless”

  2. Looks VERY nice. Of course, most of us are using laptops at the moment to convert from OSC to MIDI, but this looks like a wonderful solution for those frequent times that you don't want the "reliability" of a laptop to get in the way.
    I'm very interested in learning more about the OSC command list that this unit is going to be able to accept. I assume it's going to feed back MIDI to OSC as well, yes (so if my MIDI unit sent a CC message, it would be converted to OSC and sent back to the OSC device as an OSC string.
    I suppose the first piece of documentation I'd love to see is that list of OSC/MIDI/OSC messages.

    VERY cool.

  15. Just spotted this. Bought my iPod Touch specifically because of the TouchOSC app, and have been mulling about how to implement pretty much exactly what the Missing Link does, now I don't have to– just placed my order. Looks like they thought of pretty much everything– I can use infrastructure mode when I'm at home and link into the house wifi, and at a venue can switch to ad-hoc. Nice work, seems to do just what I need– bidirectional is good as well, as I can see reasons to send controller updates back to the iPod. Also, I believe there are lots of MIDI controllable lighting systems, this could be a stellar remote control mechanism for light shows…

  16. hi to everyone. Can I playback a SMF (standard midi file) on the iphone application "Midi Memo Recorder" and send it via OSC to the "Missing link" ? This would make the perfect midi-sequencer on stage.

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