Joel, I don't have WIDI XU, but I can tell you a few things about how MIDI devices work on the Mac.
First of all, System Preferences : Sounds has nothing to do with MIDI. That Preference pane has only to do with the volume level of various AUDIO input and output devices as well as system sounds.
The Audio Midi Setup program is a useful program for determining which MIDI devices are available to your system. If a device does not show up, you can use the Scan feature to try to make it show up. And, you can use the Test feature to test input and output. Many devices require a driver to be installer; others do not.
Assuming that WIDI XU shows up in Audio Midi Setup, it should be available to any program that communicates with CoreMIDI, which is the system-wide programming interface for MIDI. If a MIDI software program communicates directly with CoreMIDI, it will have a MIDI Setup or MIDI Preferences window in which you choose your desired MIDI Input and Output devices. The choices available are the choices that you see in the Audio Midi Setup program.
A few of the most sophisticated professional MIDI software programs for the Mac will require you to configure "endpoints" in Audio Midi Setup. To configure an endpoint, you have to add a New Device within Audio Midi Setup and then connect its inputs and outputs graphically to the inputs and outputs of your MIDI interface, such as the WIDI XU.
Hope that helps.
NOTE: There are a variety of software programs that will play MIDI files but which do not communicate with CoreMIDI. Such programs, like Safari, do not have a MIDI Setup option and simply output MIDI data to QuickTime GM Synth, which means that you hear the sounds coming out of your computer speakers.
Regards,
George
On Apr 6, 2008, at 2:54 AM, joel@...m wrote:
So I just got my WIDI XU and X8 combo and I definitely need some help getting it to work with my Mac. I hope someone can help. Here’s the situation: I plug the XU in my computer with the X8’s power on and both signal lights turn green. BUT I can’t seem to play a MIDI to any output except my computer’s own speakers. When I go to System Preferences/Sounds the only option listed there is Internal Speakers. The XU appears in Applications/Audio Midi Setup but there didn’t seem to be any other sort of instructions or pop-ups when I first put it in the USB port. Should there have been? Can anyone help me figure out how to tell the computer to send midi files to a USB device?
Forever grateful...Joel