Hello Julie and the MMD,  In response to your request for sources of
MIDI-to-parallel equipment with technical support, may I introduce
myself as a supplier of such items.

About four years ago, I designed and built a low-cost circuit to drive
32 solenoids from MIDI note on/off signals.  Since there were other
organ owners or builders like me who needed similar equipment, I set up
in small-scale production to produce what is now known as the 'MTP-1'.
Since then I have built and sold around 150 such units, many of them to
members of the MMD community for a wide range of musical, animation and
show control applications.

Encouraged by the success of the MTP-1, I have just finished the design
of a 64-channel version of this circuit (MTP-2) and also have a MIDI
file storage/playback device at the working prototype stage.

Details of the MTP-1 are at www.jwelectronics.free-online.co.uk with
the other device details to be added soon.  Please feel free to browse
the site and contact me with any further questions.  I can email a PDF
version of the installation manual if you would like to see it.

Regards,

John Wale
jw Electronics,
Coventry, UK