Alesis IO dock and Ipad 4

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First off, I'm a little confused. Is the Ipad 4 also called an Ipad mini? They are the same machine, right?

My next question is does this Ipad 4 (or Ipad mini) fit into an Alesis IO dock? Does anybody know?

Thank you,
Shawn

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--If I understand correctly (and rarely do I) the iPad Mini and the iPad 4 are different beast///

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The newer iPads are using the lightning adapter, so it's hard to imagine how they will work with an Alesis IO dock. Might be able to rig it with the 30-pin adapter, but it will stick out beyond the edge of the dock a few inches. Looking forward to hearing what Alesis does with this one.

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iPad mini and iPad 4 are different.

Neither will work on the IO dock due to the new connector.
"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"

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Thanks for the reply guys. I be Alesis is ticked. Especially since they have that Idock thing coming out soon (well, coming out someday I should say.)

Sounds like the Ipad 4 is a lot faster than the Ipad 2 or Ipad 3 from what I've read.

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hopefully Alesis will come out with a lightening version. The 30 pin connector had a long life, and the new connector can do many things that are not currently talked about yet. It is VERY adaptive and I think will become extremely useful. I bet a new ipad will work with an adapter, but i have not tried it.

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sealpt wrote:Thanks for the reply guys. I be Alesis is ticked. Especially since they have that Idock thing coming out soon (well, coming out someday I should say.)

Sounds like the Ipad 4 is a lot faster than the Ipad 2 or Ipad 3 from what I've read.
Alesis was stupid to bet the farm on a particular shape or connector without planning for the future. Had they made a normal audio interface like Focusrite or Roland, where you can either simply use the CCK to USB (Roland) or have a different cable (Focusrite), they wouldn't be in this position.

You can use the 30-pin to Lightning cable with the IO Dock, but IMO it's a bit cumbersome, since you will no longer be able to dock the iPad.

And yes, the iPad 4 is considerably faster than the 2, 3, or Mini.

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polaris20 wrote:
sealpt wrote:Thanks for the reply guys. I be Alesis is ticked. Especially since they have that Idock thing coming out soon (well, coming out someday I should say.)

Sounds like the Ipad 4 is a lot faster than the Ipad 2 or Ipad 3 from what I've read.
Alesis was stupid to bet the farm on a particular shape or connector without planning for the future. Had they made a normal audio interface like Focusrite or Roland, where you can either simply use the CCK to USB (Roland) or have a different cable (Focusrite), they wouldn't be in this position.

You can use the 30-pin to Lightning cable with the IO Dock, but IMO it's a bit cumbersome, since you will no longer be able to dock the iPad.

And yes, the iPad 4 is considerably faster than the 2, 3, or Mini.
Don't kid yourself. They've made their money already. Still are. I just bought one to use with my iPad 2. I expect to get at least 3 years out of it and by then I'll probably be able to use any of several cable adapters to use my iPad 9.
"All generalizations are false".
"Don't quantize me bro"!

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timokc wrote: Looking forward to hearing what Alesis does with this one.
LOL :hihi: Me too :wink: I always said docks were a bad idea because a) if you have portrait Apps (if its a landscape dock!) they sort of don't really work! b) if Apple do away with the connector it's game over! A separate unit as an iOS interface might just need a new cable.

It has to be said the IO Dock is probably one of the best audio/MIDI i/o solutions for the iPad ........ Just a shame it wasn't a separate unit instead of a dock. Then it could have been one of the best solutions for iPad, including the new models (with a new cable), iPhone, iPod touch. WINNER! Now it's going to require a dubious 'fix', if at all possible, just like that little slither of plastic they introduced for the IO Dock when iPad 2 was announced ..... about a fortnight after IO Dock was launched! Who didn't see that coming?! I sometimes wonder what sort of dick heads work for these companies! I mean it's bloody obvious to most of us isn't it?! What's wrong with these people?! :help:

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martygras wrote:
polaris20 wrote:
sealpt wrote:Thanks for the reply guys. I be Alesis is ticked. Especially since they have that Idock thing coming out soon (well, coming out someday I should say.)

Sounds like the Ipad 4 is a lot faster than the Ipad 2 or Ipad 3 from what I've read.
Alesis was stupid to bet the farm on a particular shape or connector without planning for the future. Had they made a normal audio interface like Focusrite or Roland, where you can either simply use the CCK to USB (Roland) or have a different cable (Focusrite), they wouldn't be in this position.

You can use the 30-pin to Lightning cable with the IO Dock, but IMO it's a bit cumbersome, since you will no longer be able to dock the iPad.

And yes, the iPad 4 is considerably faster than the 2, 3, or Mini.
Don't kid yourself. They've made their money already. Still are. I just bought one to use with my iPad 2. I expect to get at least 3 years out of it and by then I'll probably be able to use any of several cable adapters to use my iPad 9.
Maybe they've made some money, but now they'll be losing it to Roland and Focusrite, now that the newer iPads are out. Even people with "older" 30-pin devices won't buy one now, because they want their interface to be a little future proof. What does the IO dock really offer over the Roland Duo Capture EX?

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For just straight MIDI needs (no audio), iConnectMIDI is a good example. The interface is through a detachable mini-USB cable. They supply you a mini-USB to 30-pin cable in the package, but I just upgraded from iPad 1 to the new 4 and can still use my iConnectMIDI just fine. I had to buy the Lightning to Camera/USB cable and I already had a USB to mini-USB lying around the house. I was good to go.

Now they just need to make a new mini-USB to Lightning cable, put THAT in the packaging, and they are good to go.

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iPlogger wrote:For just straight MIDI needs (no audio), iConnectMIDI is a good example. The interface is through a detachable mini-USB cable. They supply you a mini-USB to 30-pin cable in the package, but I just upgraded from iPad 1 to the new 4 and can still use my iConnectMIDI just fine. I had to buy the Lightning to Camera/USB cable and I already had a USB to mini-USB lying around the house. I was good to go.

Now they just need to make a new mini-USB to Lightning cable, put THAT in the packaging, and they are good to go.
That's a good example of the company doing it right from the get go.

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iPlogger wrote:For just straight MIDI needs (no audio), iConnectMIDI is a good example. The interface is through a detachable mini-USB cable. They supply you a mini-USB to 30-pin cable in the package, but I just upgraded from iPad 1 to the new 4 and can still use my iConnectMIDI just fine. I had to buy the Lightning to Camera/USB cable and I already had a USB to mini-USB lying around the house. I was good to go.

Now they just need to make a new mini-USB to Lightning cable, put THAT in the packaging, and they are good to go.
I love my iconnectmidi. It is so useful. I use it in conjunction with the io dock from Alesis. I still think if Alesis doesn't want to immediately redesign the io dock, they easily could design an adapter with an integrated lightening adapter and an extended base for stability. I wouldn't mind an extra couple inches on the side if it looked cool. I might even have to hack this myself seeing as the current adapter pops right out. Just have to hear if the lightening adapter works with the io dock.

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If you guys are keeping tabs on Alesis, they've just released a new dock with some mixer knobs attached.

http://www.alesis.com/iomix

So either they didn't "learn their lesson", or maybe there was no lesson to be learned.

Like I said. It's profitable to them no matter what. I'm also not sayin' that it's the best design approach, but...

Think about the cost of these devices compared to the selling price. Even taking into consideration all of the firmware revisions trying to keep up with Apple's iOS changes. (which has got to be frustrating), It doesn't matter who is competing with them, there's always someone who wants that product format. And there's always some degree of "brand loyalty".

It's obvious someone doesn't like this dock. Very obvious. Yet for some strange reason Alesis continues to release these so called "flawed" designs.

Maybe if you wish upon a star they will go away... or you could just accept that these docks work just fine for a lot of people.
"All generalizations are false".
"Don't quantize me bro"!

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Hi

Seems like I am the only one who thinks it is great.

It is only because of the io dock I bought the ipad. I originally had the samsung tab and wanted something for my music. Android although many times better than ipad 2 for many tasks is rather poor on audio and midi. So I bought the ipad and iodock.

At first there were many issues due to apple releasing iOS 5. Eventually those got fixed and I mean eventually including a replacement of my ipad and a dock.

So where am I now? I find the ipad 2 still very lacking/clunky/dull for other everyday use outside of music and ended up getting a nexus 7, however the combination of the io dock and ipad 2 is amazing for pure music. Some of the synths on ipad are fantastic. I have a real ms20 and an ipad version. The software version is great and very comparable. I can control the interface from one of my midi synths plugged into the io dock. Or I can plug a guitar into one of the inputs and use GarageBand as an effects box through to headphones in a lunchtime at work. Or use it in the studio. The io dock and ipad 2 are an amazing combination. It interfaces all very simply together and allows me to use the ipad as a music instrument, an effects processor and any combination. For me the ipad and io dock are perfect. Just a shame I have to do it on the awful iOS interface which I find very lacking but that is jut my own personal lack of taste as the result is a fantastic tool for a musician and that combination is one I am going to keep. It is a shame the USB does not work with USB midi. Shame on you alexiss.

If alesis brought out a new version for the lightening connector I would consider getting an ipad 4 and use both in my studio if new audio apps came out that i would find useful. otherwise i am happy with the setup i have.

The idea of plugging into an iconnector or roland duo would ruin the uncluttered setup I have now and i shudder at the thought. The integration of everything together including charging leaving a clear desk is stunning. I paid 139 GNP for my io dock and it was a bargain.

The real issue here is one that has hit all iPhone/ipad users worldwide who have bought any sort of docks. Yes everyone wanted a dock for their music to speakers/hifi systems etc but apple without any recourse to their accessory suppliers or users who had invested hundreds of pounds in other docks (Bose etc), changed their interface without any consultation or even offering the option for both interfaces on ipad 4. Having both on the transitional device would give a natural progression for existing users and their investment. I personally would have bought one for use with my existing io dock. It is apple who have messed up here. They are loosing ground to the UI superior android (think news feeds, email widgets, latest YouTube trends, weather widgets, blah blah blah) and are alienating a previously happy apple crowd who now need a much larger investment to keep up.

So from me (looks like only me...) many thanks alesis I love your dock and the only reason I have an ipad!

Tony

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