Hi
I purchased a few midi files to play around with.  I am getting no output unless I set to Microsoft wavetable.
 
Not sure what to do I have tried setting to Quad capture output but get nothing.
 
Confused easily...#
jorel

You need to place the midi file on a track that has a instrument to play the file: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w7YvO-LXXts#t=12

+1
 
Soft synths are definitely the way to get the best sound from a MIDI file. You can either insert the soft synth and link the output of a MIDI track to the synth you inserted, or move the MIDI track data into the soft synth track (which is easier to follow visually).
 
Another option to play it back quickly is to insert Cakewalk TTS-1 and assign the output from each MIDI track to the same number track on the TTS-1 (this is assuming you are referring to the generic 16-track MIDI files). The instruments should show up for you on the TTS-1.