Cubase AI 8 & Windows themes

G

Geoff_L

New member
For those who don't know, Cubase AI 8 (and probably other editions of Cubase) doesn't support Windows Basic or High Contrast themes. I wasn't made aware of this when I bought a Steinberg USB interface that bundled the download version and, about a month after buying the bundle, I only found out today.

First issue for me was that the Steinberg website rejected the supplied download access key. I raised a support issue and it took Steinberg over two weeks to respond by email with a download link and replacement activation code. I downloaded the software, installed and registered it today. However, when I first launched Cubase AI, I got an error message telling me that the software doesn't support my Windows theme and it refused to launch. For other reasons, I use the Windows Classic theme and so the Steinberg software seems of little use to me. Thankfully, I have another (free) DAW that I installed as a stop-gap until Steinberg sorted out the access key issue, and so I can still use the hardware.

I'm posting this both in the hope that it'll warn others who don't use a Windows Aero theme and also in the hope that someone knows of a fix that'll let me run Cubase AI on the Windows Classic theme.
 
Thanks for the offer of help. However, I already know how to switch themes but need to use Windows Classic.

jimmys69 said:
Um, you need only read the instructions...
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, you don't get to see the instructions until you've bought the associated hardware and I doubt anyone goes trawling through support FAQs looking for gotchas that should have been declared up front. The bottom line is that Cubase AI does not fully support Windows 7 and there is an undisclosed system requirement.

FWIW, I did check out the system requirements for the UR22 Mk2 I purchased (Specs & Downloads :  | http://www.steinberg.net/) and there is nothing there to say an Aero theme is required. I just checked the system requirements for Cubase Pro and Elements (Specs & Downloads :  | http://www.steinberg.net/) and there's nothing there for Elements (on which I understand AI is based) regarding Windows themes.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for Steinberg to update the specifications pages to include this (and any other) undisclosed system requirement?
 
I sympathise, but you got the software as a free gift, so the only solution is to swap the theme. If you can't do this, you're stuck - but not really much you can do. If you had spent money on Cubase, I can see your complaint, but it's a freebie? Equally, the thing you paid for is fine. It's a bit like those people who complain the stitching on their Meerkat is badly sown - you can't demand a replacement for a free meerkat toy!
 
The software was not a "free gift". The UR22 was in competition with a Mackie Onyx Blackjack. The Mackie interface is cheaper and reviews suggest it's as good if not better than the UR22. The only reason I went for the UR22 was to get the bundled Steinberg DAW. The Steinberg product was sold as a package -- with the DAW being an integral component. We can even put a financial value on the Cubase AI element: The difference between Cubasis Elements 8 sold stand alone and as an upgrade from Cubasis AI: i.e. £73 - £36 = £37.

As to why not use Aero themes: they put additional load on the graphics coprocessor and I have a couple of graphics-intensive applications that won't run smoothly under Aero. Also, if I run Aero and RDP onto the machine, the resulting terminal window won't do better than 8-bit (256) colour whereas I get 16-bit colour running Classic.
 
Sorry to reply to my own post, but the folks at Steinberg have given me some good news. Apparently, I can downgrade to Cubase AI 7, which doesn't need Aero, and my activation code will work. I don't know for sure about this because I'm still downloading the DVD ISO. I had some issues at my first attempt to download -- first the server at Steinberg was down and then I couldn't find a link to the required download. One of the guys on the Steinberg support forum gave me a link -- http://support.steinberg.de/ISOs/Cubase_AI_7.0.80.iso -- to the iso, which I hope they won't mind me sharing in case someone else has the same issues as me.

HTH & cheers, Geoff
 
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