Ibook + Mbox what about midi??

[ironfin]

Hi all,
I have just purchased an Ibook 800mgh, 256ram, 30gig hd. It has OSX panther. 2 Firewire slots but ONLY 1 USB PORT.

I want to buy an MBox. As the MBox connects via USB is there anyway that I can connect a mid controller to my Ibook at the same time as run the Mbox. (All midi controllers that I have seen seem to connect via USB, but thats where the Mbox will be)

Any help or info would be appriciated.
Ironfin
Cheers
Ironfin

[ironfin]

Just discovered that I need a USB hub. Advice on midi keys etz still apppreciated

[O.G. Killa]

is it a G4 iBook? I just bought an 800MHz G4 ibook and it has TWO USB and ONE FIREWIRE port. Are you sure you're not looking at it backwards? If it's an old G3 iBook then I have no idea, it may have two firewire and one USB, but if it's the newer G4 it's gonna have Two USB and One Firewire.

iBook description page on Apple's website

Scroll down about halfway and look on the right side of the page. It talks about how it has two USB 2.0 ports and one Firewire 400 port.

[Slim Shady]

You've got it backwards - you've got 2 USB ports and one firewire.

[O.G. Killa]

sorry, forgot to talk about midi keys...

What I use is an Oxygen8 from M-Audio. It's cheap (got mine on sale for $100) and light and very portable. It plugs directly into the USB port so you don't need a Midi controller like a MidiTimepiece or anything like that.

If the Oxygen8 is too small for you and you want a bigger keyboard check out M-Audio's Radium. Similar to the Oxygen8 except it can have upto 64 keys. It is also USB and plugs directly into the computer.

the Oxygen8 with Reason, PTLE and the MBox is a great little combo. I use it all the time cuz it's so portable. I'll be sitting in startbucks with Reason and the Oxygen8 and some headphones working on drum programming, then I can go over to the producer's house...plug in the MBox and record scratch vocals and guitars...then take the whole session to a real studio and record live drums, vocals, piano and whatever else we want...take the stuff back onto my laptop, comp vocals, edit takes together, etc...then go to another studio and open it up in there and mix it.

I love the thing...even though the 800MHz iBook isnt' that powerful, it's a great portable tool to have. And it all fits into a backpack!!!! The only thing I wish it had was more RAM...640MB goes quick when you're using a lot of softsynths and samplers.

Anyway...sorry for the tangent...check out the M-Audio Oxygen8 or Radium and see if that suits your needs.

[ironfin]

Cool, thanks alot for all your advice guys. Its a G4 ibook so I was looking at it wrong. It does have 2 usb's, I am new to all this computor stuuff.
Thanks again.

[AlexMD]

I probably have the cheapest midi setup ever...
Midisport Uno USB interface $40
Reveal Musicstar Midi Controller $10

Despite my setup, I agree that overall the Oxygen8 is one of the best midi controllers right now. It has a good balance between control and portability, and the price is quite reasonable. However, if you would find two octaves to be too limiting, go for the Radium49 or 61.