REVIEW
OF
USB to MIDI Cable with 16 MIDI Input/Output Channels (1.8-Meter)
Link to the, USB to MIDI Cable with 16 MIDI Input/Output:
http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.USB_to_MIDI_Keyboard_Interface_Converter_Cable__1.5m_-36878
I would like to start, by saying sorry for not making any reviews lately, but I've been busy with other stuff and I've had some private things I've been working on as well!
Now over to the review itself;
To start with this review, you may think this sound weird and mean of me to do, but honestly I am very dissapointed with the USB MIDI cable. THe reason why I actually bought it was becasuse I've lately had a lot of ideas within making a song with my Piano and I just had to make them come true. SO what I did, was that I bought like 4 MIDI to USB cables, and now there are four MIDI USB CABLES on the way to me, but look it on the bright side, I will be giving alot of reviews for MIDI TO USB CABLES!
I was very happy when I first got it, it looked fine, the packgage was OK, and it seemed like a great product, and the cable was 2 meters long, and the other MIDI cables were more expensive. So I thought this was a good deal. The lame part about the whole thing with this cable is that nothing worked for me. Maybe this was just a rare coincidence, and that everything was a problem with my software and hardware. Maybe? Still, I think that the producers shouldn't assuming me having to stuggle to make it work.
Luckily I made it work, this means, making it get, the green light to light up! Anything else then that, NO.
When the package arrives, you get it in a little plastic bag, that was ripped in my case, but of course that is not the most essential thing about the product of course. You can see the very tiny holes in the corners of the bag.
Notice the three colored LED lights from left to right. "Red", "White", and "Green". Even though I was only able to see the red and white LED light work.
The cable is two meters long and that is a pretty good price when comparing it other MIDI USB cables that offer the same stuff, just with less cable. Tragically enough, this exact MIDI cable has got very good ratings, 4 stars, and that's pretty good!
Pros
- The cable has no discoloration and it is quite well built, but it feels like it could rip apart when used a lot.
- It looks like a good product at first look, and I guess it is, but I wasn't able to make it work.
- Very user friendly and easy to use, if you make it work. Just plug in and play!
- Nice light indicators when it outputs sound, and when it's connected and when it inputs sound to the PC.
- Can work with other MIDI producers drivers.
- Nice white indicator light, when it is connected.
Cons
- Does not include drivers for installation.
- Does not include user manual or any type of instructions on how to connect and set it up.
- To much struggle with setting it up, especially the problems I faced with the MIDI drivers and my PC crashing.
- The connections points around the transmitter box and the connections points around the MIDI cables connections sides feels like the weak points if the product.
- Could have been more compatible with more software, cause I wasn't able to make it work with synthesia, FL Studio and Windows Movie Maker. None of them worked after I forced ESI ROMIO drivers to install with this device.
- Tested out on Vista and XP, none of them worked. I was only able to get the white light illuminate.
You can't disagree with me, when it comes to the shiny surface and the sweet design. The LED lights are very bright and it is surprising how strong they are.
When it arrives and when you remove it from it's original packaging, the bag. You get this shiny little cable. The cable is well wrapped withing the "steel wire", and I was a little scared that the cable could have been damaged because of the tight "wrappening".
Just a closer look at the MIDI connection end, if you look closely you can see the small cut outs in the plastic with "Out", and "In".
A closer look at the three colored LEDs, and these are the connection points that I was "writing", about where I have a queasy feeling that they will break.
Conclusion
This is in general a very good product!. It has good ratings at the DealExtreme website, and there is quite a lot of good reviews out there for this product with mostly positive feedback.
It's got a very nice design, a shiny look and there is no discoloration of any kind. It arrives in a plastic bag, and has got no instruction manual, nothing else then "out", and "in" indicators on the MIDI cable connection end. The Transmission box feels and seems weak, and I am afraid that this is no "Long Lasting Product - 5 year guarantee".
I would not recommend this product in my case, mainly because of all the trouble and struggle I've had with it. However if you compare my review to others, there are pretty many people saying it's good. So in there case, maybe I've just had extreme unluckiness.
There is nothing whatsoever that made this product good for me, not to forget all the problems with the drivers I had!
Overall, if you're looking for an easy setup MIDI USB cable, and want to start recording and making music with your PC in no time, DO NOT buy this.
Not recommended.
DealExtreme Website:
http://www.lightake.com
USB to MIDI Cable with 16 MIDI Input/Output
http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.USB_to_MIDI_Keyboard_Interface_Converter_Cable__1.5m_-36878
Written by Luka
