Customer Reviews

Griffin Technology PowerMate 1042-PMT USB Multimedia Controller and Input Device (Black, PC/Mac)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This little device is simple, but amazing. It's one of my favorite peripherals connected to my computer. Aside from my keyboard and mouse, i use this the most out of any device.

I have it setup to control my system volume most of the time. I also use it with graphics applications to zoom in/out and to increase/decrease my brush size.

It's a great looking device and is built like a tank. This thing weighs more than my mouse. It feels solic and is built to last.

It is so nice to turn a Knob rather than pushing buttons.
Use it all the time to control input volume into high end amp.
Well Well worth it

I think the other reviews have it nailed (search on the silver-colored version to see a complete list of reviews) - on the Mac it is of minimal usefulness - even as a volume control for iTunes, it ONLY works if you have iTunes in the foreground - which is an unlikely situation - usually you'd want to adjust volume or mute iTunes playback (i.e. for a phone call) when you were working in another application. If you have to click on iTunes to bring it to the foreground, why not just click on the control to mute.

On XP, as other reviewers have noted, the driver is buggy and hasn't been updated since 2004. If you are lucky the PowerMate will work for a few minutes - usually it does nothing at all in any application (oh - except glowing and pulsing!). Completely useless and even when it works, it has the same issues as the Mac usage.

The Keyspan digital media and iTunes remote controls ARE able to control iTunes in the background - on both Mac OS X and XP - and they are what I use now in place of the useless PowerMate.

I love the mechanical feel of this controller. It feels like the volume knob on a high-end audio component -- only bigger. From the weight to the click and rotation action, it's a pleasure to work with.

The blue LED is a nice touch.

Unfortunately, I'm having Windows XP SP2 issues with it. Despite having followed their instructions to "automatically" install it, and then their instructions on "manually" updating the driver, it just doesn't work on my Dell desktop. It's recognized as an HID-compatible device, but it won't accept Griffin's drivers.

I'm in the middle of a discussion with Griffin over e-mail, and I'll update this area. Unfortunately they only reply after 3-4 business days (!). Installation issues + bad customer service warrant the minus two stars. Hopefully others aren't having the same problems and this negative review will be dilluted.