Absynth Tutorial DVD is a big disappointment

Well, I must say that I am extremely disappointed with the Absynth Tutorial disc. The first problem is that it is NOT a standard video DVD, so you can't just watch it on your television. Instead, it is a DVD-ROM that you must run on your computer. This was quite a surprise since there was NO mention on the NI website or in the promotional email I received that it was anything else but a standard DVD. Had this disc been a standard video DVD I would have none of the problems I am experiencing. But given that this is the case, I have the following complaints regarding the disc:

1. The main problem is that the tutorial hogs the entire computer screen and there is no way provided to minimize it or run the tutorial in a window. I was hoping to follow along using my copy of Absynth so I can learn this stuff hands-on while the tutorial is playing, but that is IMPOSSIBLE with this disc. Had this been a regular DVD I could have easily just watched the tutorial on the TV in my studio, and followed along by running Absynth on my computer; I would even have two separate faders to control the relative volumes of the tutorial and Absynth. What am I supposed to do, spend $1000 on a second computer in my studio that’s powerful enough just so I can run this tutorial?

2. One of the first things the announcer says in the video is “USE YOUR PAUSE BUTTON”, as if this was going to be run on a standard video DVD. The problem of course is, THERE IS NO PAUSE CONTROL ON THE DVD-ROM. For that matter, there are NO FAST FORWARD or REWIND controls either. So what we’ve got here is a tutorial that was written expecting that the user can pause it, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to do so. So the information will undoubtedly go by too fast – and when you ultimately NEED to stop, you will need to REPLAY THE ENTIRE TUTORIAL FROM THE BEGINNING TO GET BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE!!!!!!

3. There is also NOT EVEN A CHAPTER MENU ON THE DISC. What are we supposed to do, watch the entire tutorial in one sitting?

4. The disc takes a long time to load on my computer (Pentium 4 3.4 Ghz, 2GB RAM, Windows XP), and when it does, there is a lot of “noise” in the picture quality. Did you deliberately use some kind of film grain effect? It really detracts from watching the video.

I’m sure there are other problems as well, but I’ve quite frankly given up with this disc. I am very, very disappointed with this because I really needed the information on this disc, however I will need to find that information elsewhere. I have requested a full refund for the disc but have not yet heard back from US customer service.

The bottom line is that this is a real shame. NI has taken what is probably some excellent information and has rendered in a form which completely undermines its usefulness. Had this been a standard video DVD as was advertised, I wouldn't even be writing this now nor would I be requesting a refund.

 

I didn't have these problems. I found I could go to any chapter, and any section of that chapter easily. Just press spacebar to pause, and press the mouse or track pad button to bring up the controls. Then you can not only rewind/fast-forward, but also put it exactly where you want in that section on a time bar.

I quite liked it.
good luck,

rob

 

I think you're way off base here.

In the promo, it says it' a DVD with additional content. Because of the additional content, it should be evident that it's NOT going to work in a home DVD player (it'd might run on an XBox, though).

To switch from the tutorial to your desktop or Absynth, use Alt-Tab; the same as you normally would. Works fine here.

The menus work fine for me, as does pressing the spacebar for pause and the like.

The disk doesn't take long to load here, and the picture quality's fine- and that's on a 933 PIII.

ew

 

Have you read the instructions?

Have you read the instructions?

Have you read the instructions?

You obviously are mocking the DVD and the effort NI put in it.

The form is fine with me and many others. Secondly, it was never advertised as a "Video DVD" which makes you a liar and that should make you feel ashamed.

 

I don't agree with that. Just because "additional content" is offered does not at all preclude the use of a standard video DVD. The additional content could have been offered in a variety of ways: via web download, or on a DVD-ROM portion of an otherwise valid video DVD.

Also, I tried your ALT-Tab suggestion and yes, it does work, but it does not allow the presentation to be placed anywhere other than in the center of the screen, nor does it allow the presentation to be resized, etc. My point still stands that the structure of this presentation makes it very difficult to open Absynth and use it along with the tutorial. I would have much preferred to receive a video DVD as I was expecting.

 

Here in the U.S., when something is advertised as a "DVD", it means a video DVD. If they meant "DVD-ROM" they should have stated that clearly on the website and on the promotional emails.

I do not understand how having a film-scratches effect throughout the entire presentation serves any purpose and it is quite distracting. If they were to simply remove that effect the presentation would have been much better.

Now let's get to the other real problem here other than that the fact that they delivered the wrong format. Given that this is, in fact, a multimedia e-Learning product rather than a DVD, the least they could have done was go to their menu mode right away after the intro, and have accessibility for additional instructions built right into the tutorial. It is VERY poor instructional design to expect users to rely on external documentation for what otherwise should be a self-contained e-learning program.

 

Based on what? Assumptions?

DVD (sometimes known as "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc") is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality.

 

Don't be ridiculous. Although there are different formats of DVDs (DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R, etc.), just as there are different formats for CDs (CD-ROM vs. redbook, etc.), the bottom line is that when something is advertised as a DVD in this country, the overwhelming marketing convention here is that it means it is a standard video DVD. When you go to Amazon.com and search for and purchase a DVD, would you expect that they would send you a DVD-ROM if it were not advertised as such? Or if you bought a CD from them, wouldn't you be a bit surprised and possibly annoyed if what they sent you instead was a CD-ROM?

All of the major music tutorial companies today (like Hal Leonard, Hot Licks, Homespun, MVP, SMP, Star Licks, and others) offer DVDs, and these are all STANDARD VIDEO DVDs. They play in any reasonably-working DVD player in the country. They don't need to be played on a computer to be used. But don't take my word for it, visit some of them:

http://www.halleonard.com/

http://www.hotlicks.com/

http://www.homespunvideo.com/

http://www.mvphomevideo.com/

The bottom line here is that we wouldn't even be having this discussion if NI had simply put "DVD-ROM" in their marketing materials. Then I would have known NOT to purchase this tutorial.

 

"when something is advertised as a "DVD", it means a video DVD. If they meant "DVD-ROM" they should have stated that clearly"

I agree with this statement. I am very surprised to hear that this disk does not play in a standard DVD player. If it is advertised as a DVD tutorial, it should work in any DVD player. I think NI should offer you a refund if it is true that it does not play in your DVD player.

 

I have to agree as well. If it's a DVD-Rom, it should have been advertised as such. I too thought it was something that would play in my standard DVD player.

 

When you consider the manual that comes with Absynth, this tutorial should have been free to owners in the first place. One word:

Stylus RMX.

OK, that's two, but you get the point. And that's all I have to say on this subject.

Kind regards.

 

I think the DVD is designed to be used on a computer, I've never even considered using it watching it on a TV. The DVD logo on the cover clearly says 'DVD ROM', not 'DVD Video' like on movie DVDs.
Its like the DVDs thats come on the covers of music tech magazines with files and tutorials etc., you just load it up on your computer.

It's very easy to use the menus along the top of the picture to watch different chapters etc, and the picture quality is fine, no noise that I can see.

The content and presentation is very good, I've learnt alot of useful and inspiring stuff from the DVD and, it's improved my use of Absynth without a doubt.

Have you tried watching it on another computer to see if the noise problem is still there?

Thom

 

Yes, I now see that there is a VERY small "DVD-ROM" logo at the top of the package that I've already received (I need my glasses in order to see it, though -- not kidding), however there is no such logo anywhere to be found when ordering the DVD. I checked their website again and the words "Tutorial DVD" are used over and over; not once is the word "DVD-ROM" mentioned anywhere. So there is no way to know this unless you've already purchased the product, and by then, of course, it is too late.

Given that it is what it is, I agree that once you actually discover how to get to the menu (which obviously had me completely baffled), it does seem to have pretty good navigation, etc. I still strongly feel that it would have been much better if they had gone to the menu right after the short opening movie (before the announcer comes on), rather than continuing in full-screen mode. Why should I have to read a bunch of directions to use this thing? I wouldn't have to do that if it was a standard video DVD -- you'd simply pop it into your DVD player and let it run, and your pause controls, etc., would be right on your DVD remote. Because of all of the other music tutorial DVDs I already own (I have several and really enjoy them), this was what I was expecting.

Also, given that the tutorial is a multimedia CD-ROM style presentation, I also think it would be much more effective if it could run in a window and be resizeable rather than have it always be in the center of the screen at full- or nearly full-size. This would have made it much easier to follow along using Absynth while the tutorial is playing, which was my goal all along.

I'm not disputing that one bit. I'm sure the content is excellent. My issues all have to do with the marketing and the usability of the disc.

I don't have a second machine here that I can try it on, but I've had a few people say now that their picture quality seemed to be better than mine. I will try to take a look at it somewhere else over this weekend. My machine is very new, however, so I do think that if I am having a problem with it then it is likely there are others who also are having the same problem, so if such a problem does exist than NI should at least be informed of it.

 

Have you ever heard of "Dual Monitor"? It's the new fab with musicians these days. If you don't have it you have no excuse. Go get it!

 

wait, why the hell am I martked as a visitor? I own Absynth... 1... soon 3.

Also, to tommc, ignore the thing I quoted, it has nothing to do with what I'm saying. But when I say "dual monitor" i mean have the dvd playing in one screen and absynth in the other.

 

And Why The Hell Can't I Edit My Damn Posts... Wtf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

OK, so I'm supposed to spend an additional $300 to $500 for a monitor, plus maybe another $50 to $100 for an additional video card just so I can run this tutorial? Right.

I don't need a second monitor for anything else, and I don't exactly have the space for a second one in my control room in any case.

 

Well pal,

maybe it will help you to simply accept the sad fact that you are among the about 0,01 % of NI Absynth users which do not really know how to operate their gear (tab for switching between applications, space for pausing quick time), do not read or listen to instructions coming with software (going back and forth fast in the DVD content, jumping between chapters) as well as not being exactly up to date with "modern technology" (thinking about buying a second PC where a second monitor and a dual display graphics card, all available even cheaper than the tutorial DVD itself, would suffice). Hell no, none of the remaining 99,99 % of users would think about watching a tutorial DVD on television.

Would you use a blow torch for drying your hair due to the fact that there is no orange label yelling at you not to do it?

Come on, be reasonable. The Absynth tutorial DVD is a fine piece of educational software (!) explaining a complicated instrument in a very concise and structured way. Nothing more and nothing less. If I didn´t own it already, I´d go and buy it immediately. And I am looking forward to the day when NI gives us the Kontakt 2 tutorial and maybe a tutorial for all the marvelous Reaktor 5 factory instruments ( or at least some of them).

Sorry for sounding offensive, but you agressively blame a fine product for your own mistakes.

Actron

 

The sad thing about the tute is the fact that they have a price tag on it rather than sending it out with every purchase of the product. I'm waiting for the day they charge a toll fee to enter their site. I would not put this past them.

 

*Sells us* I think you mean.

Kind regards.