All I want to do is connect it to my laptop via the USB cable and play MIDI files from my laptop. I don't want to hook up any MIDI cables at all. Also, I'm not recording anything into my laptop.

I downloaded the manual, but it was vague. It only talked about inserting a thumb or flash drive into the MIDI port on the Sound Canvas and playing MIDI files by selecting them on the Sound Canvas. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to play Real Band or Power Tracks on my laptop, and use the Sound Canvas as a GM sound module - no thumb drive involved. Just a USB cable from my laptop to the module :-)