Cubase AI 8 on Windows 7 - Incompatible Theme

This is not a rant – I’m just trying to point out a shortcoming in product description.

I’ve been through the mill and back again with Cubase AI 8. The download version was bundled with the Steinberg UR22 Mk 2 that I bought about a month ago. The Steinberg website rejected the download access key that came in the box and so I created a support ticket. Having heard nothing four days later, I also contacted the vendor to ask for their help (as the vendor is responsible under Consumer Protection legislation). They also contacted Steinberg, but nothing was heard for a further two weeks, after which I received an email from Steinberg that gave a download link and a new licence key.

I’ve just spent over two hours this morning downloading and installing Cubase AI and activating it via the eLicenser Control Centre only to find that when I attempted to launch it, I got an error message, “This Steinberg product does not support ‘Basic and High Contrast Themes’ on Windows operating systems. Please use one of the ‘Aero’ themes that you can set in the Windows Control Panel.” Since I use the Windows Classic theme for other purposes, Cubase AI is effectively about as much use to me as a chocolate teapot. Thankfully, I have an alternative DAW (which I had to install to be able to make use of the USB interface while waiting for Steinberg to respond to my support request).

Steinberg: please make it clear in your product literature that you don’t fully support Windows and that an Aero theme is required. I’ve wasted a lot of time and effort chasing this up, feel cheated and feel that the UR22 was sold under false pretence, which is a pity because the UR22 is a good product that I probably would have bought at the price without the bundled DAW.

Hi,

Just for your info, with your Cubase AI 8 license, you can also run Cubase AI 7, which doesn’t need the Windows Aero Scheme.

Many thanks. I’ll try to download sometime in the next few days.

I eventually managed to get to the download landing page at What Is Cubase AI | Steinberg once the server was back up. However, following the links and instructions only led to me re-registering the activation code that Steinberg sent to me by email and nowhere could I find a link to download Cubase AI 7.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks, Geoff

Hi,

Here is the Cubase AI 7.0.80 ISO.

Many thanks – I’m downloading as I type.

Hopefully, so far so good. I’ve managed to install Cubase AI7 at last (I needed to fix an issue with mounting the .ISO) and I’ve tried to register it, but MySteinberg only shows Cubase AI8. That’s not an issue if the AI8 licence is good for AI7 also. Is this so? If not, what do I need to do to keep using AI7?

Thanks again, Geoff

Hi,

This is not issue at all. Just use the AI8 license, and run AI7 with it.